What Is the Difference Between Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds?

Natural diamonds are formed deep within the Earth's mantle, where carbon is subjected to extreme heat and pressure over billions of years, creating the hardest natural substance known. 

But in recent years, a new contender has emerged which is known as lab-grown diamonds. While they look identical to natural diamonds, their origins, costs, and ethical implications couldn’t be more different. 

For buyers navigating this evolving market, understanding these distinctions is critical to making a purchase that aligns with their values, budget, and long-term goals.

In this guide, we’ll explore how natural and lab-grown diamonds are created, their physical properties, pricing, environmental impacts, and more. By the end, you’ll know exactly which type of diamond suits your needs.

What Are Natural Diamonds?

Natural diamonds begin their journey 100–200 miles beneath the Earth’s surface, where temperatures exceed 2,200°F and pressure is 725,000 pounds per square inch. 

Over 1–3 billion years, carbon atoms bond in a crystalline structure, forming diamonds. These gems are then carried to the surface by rare volcanic eruptions through kimberlite pipes.

The Role of Volcanic Activity

Kimberlite eruptions are explosive and fast, transporting diamonds upward at speeds of 20–30 mph. Once the magma cools, it leaves behind diamond-rich rock formations. Miners extract these diamonds through:

Open-Pit Mining: 

Open-pit mining is a large-scale excavation method employed to extract kimberlite ore bodies that are located near the Earth's surface. Characterized by its expansive nature, it involves creating vast, terraced pits to access diamond-bearing rock.  

Open-pit mining is favored for its efficiency in extracting large volumes of ore relatively close to the surface. It allows for the use of heavy machinery and large-scale operations, making it economically viable for substantial diamond deposits. As a result, open-pit mines are often associated with significant diamond production

Alluvial Mining: 

Alluvial mining is a surface extraction method that focuses on recovering diamonds from secondary deposits, primarily riverbeds, gravel deposits, and coastal sediments. 

This technique works with nature's diamond dispersal, collecting gems that have been eroded and transported from their original kimberlite sources.  

Alluvial mining is utilized because diamonds are exceptionally durable and can survive erosion and transportation by water. 

These diamonds accumulate in alluvial deposits, often in areas far removed from the original kimberlite pipes. Alluvial mining allows for the recovery of these dispersed diamonds, often with lower initial investment compared to open-pit or underground methods.

Underground Mining: 

Lastly, underground mining is a technique employed when kimberlite pipes extend deep beneath the surface, making them inaccessible to open-pit methods. 

This approach involves creating extensive tunnel networks and shafts to reach and extract diamond-bearing ore at significant depths.

Underground mining becomes necessary for accessing deeper, richer diamond deposits that lie far below the surface. 

While more complex and costly than open-pit mining, it allows for the exploitation of valuable diamond resources that would otherwise be unattainable. 

As a result, underground mines are crucial for sustaining long-term diamond production from deep-seated kimberlite formations.

What Are Lab-Grown Diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds, also known as synthetic or cultured diamonds, are not imitations but rather real diamonds that possess the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as their mined counterparts.

Lab-grown diamonds are produced using two primary methods:

High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT)

The High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method stands as a cornerstone of lab-grown diamond creation, directly emulating the intense conditions found deep within the Earth's mantle. 

It is within this extreme environment, over billions of years, that natural diamonds are forged. HPHT technology harnesses these very principles, replicating the crushing pressures and searing heat to cultivate diamonds in a matter of weeks. 

Esteemed for its ability to produce lab-grown diamonds that are remarkably similar to their natural counterparts, HPHT yields crystals that are virtually indistinguishable from mined diamonds, even without specialized equipment. 

This method, therefore, is not merely a production technique, but a sophisticated mimicry of nature's own diamond foundry, offering a direct and foundational approach to diamond synthesis within the lab-grown diamond industry.

The HPHT process itself is a carefully orchestrated sequence within a specialized high-pressure press. At its core, the method involves subjecting carbon material to conditions that defy everyday experience. 

First, carbon, often in the form of graphite, is placed within the formidable confines of the press. This apparatus is engineered to generate immense pressure, reaching approximately 1.5 million pounds per square inch (PSI), alongside temperatures soaring to around 2,700°F (1,500°C). 

These are not arbitrary figures; they are meticulously calibrated to mirror the diamond-forming environment deep within the Earth.

Crucially, a tiny diamond seed crystal is introduced into this extreme setting, nestled alongside the carbon source. 

This seed acts as a blueprint, a template upon which new diamond crystals will grow. Under the combined assault of heat and pressure, a remarkable transformation occurs: the carbon material begins to dissolve. 

These dissolved carbon atoms, now liberated, are drawn to the diamond seed. Over the span of weeks, a process of crystallization unfolds, atom by atom, layer upon layer, as the dissolved carbon progressively deposits and solidifies onto the seed.

This controlled accretion of carbon atoms, guided by the seed crystal, is how a lab-grown diamond, nurtured in a high-pressure, high-temperature crucible, gradually emerges.

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) emerges as the second dominant method in the realm of lab-grown diamond synthesis, presenting a pathway distinctly different from the pressure-driven HPHT approach. 

Instead of replicating the immense pressures of the Earth's depths, CVD technology harnesses the power of a vacuum chamber and carefully selected carbon-rich gases to orchestrate diamond growth. 

This method distinguishes itself through its remarkable capacity to cultivate diamonds of exceptional color purity, alongside its inherent scalability, enabling the production of lab-grown diamonds in substantial quantities. 

While HPHT's hallmark is the mimicry of extreme pressure, CVD strategically leverages controlled chemical reactions within a gaseous environment. 

In an era marked by escalating demand for colorless and generously sized lab-grown diamonds, CVD has ascended to a position of increasing prominence and significance within the industry, offering a compelling alternative for diamond creation.

The CVD method unfolds as a meticulously controlled procedure within the confines of a vacuum chamber, where carbon-rich gases are introduced as the foundational elements. 

The process commences with the placement of a minuscule diamond seed crystal within this specialized chamber. Subsequently, the chamber is evacuated to create a vacuum before being infused with carbon-rich gases, most commonly methane, often in conjunction with other carefully chosen gases. 

To initiate diamond growth, energy is introduced into the chamber to ionize these gases. Microwaves are frequently employed for this purpose, although alternative energy sources can also be utilized. 

This ionization process is critical, as it effectively breaks down the complex carbon-rich gas molecules into their constituent carbon atoms. 

Once liberated, these individual carbon atoms, now in a vaporous state, gently descend and begin to deposit themselves in a layer-by-layer fashion upon the surface of the diamond seed crystal. 

Over the course of several weeks, this atomic layering process continues, with successive layers of carbon atoms accumulating and solidifying. 

It is through this gradual and controlled deposition that the initial diamond seed, nurtured within the CVD vacuum chamber, progressively transforms and expands, ultimately giving rise to a fully formed lab-grown diamond.

Chemical and Physical Differences Between Natural and Lab Diamonds

A question frequently arises when considering lab-grown diamonds: are they truly identical to natural diamonds? While lab-grown diamonds possess the same fundamental chemical composition and crystal structure as their mined counterparts, subtle yet detectable differences exist. 

These distinctions, primarily at the structural level in terms of carbon composition and inclusions, are key to differentiating between these two origins of diamonds. 

While both natural and lab-grown diamonds are fundamentally composed of carbon atoms arranged in a diamond lattice structure, closer examination reveals subtle variations that can serve as fingerprints of their origin. 

These differences manifest primarily in carbon composition and the types of inclusions present within the diamond crystal.

Carbon Isotopes: Natural diamonds, forged over billions of years within the Earth's mantle, incorporate a specific isotopic signature of carbon that reflects their geological history.

Lab-grown diamonds, created in a matter of weeks or months, may exhibit slightly different carbon isotopic ratios, although this difference is not detectable without specialized scientific equipment. 

This variation, while subtle, is a testament to the vastly different timescales and environments of their formation

Inclusion Characteristics: Inclusions, those tiny imperfections within a diamond, are like birthmarks, each telling a story of the diamond's formation. 

Natural diamonds often contain inclusions that are characteristic of the geological processes within the Earth, such as mineral crystals trapped during growth or irregular growth patterns.

 Lab-grown diamonds, while also potentially containing inclusions, tend to exhibit different types of inclusions related to their rapid growth in a controlled laboratory environment. 

These may include metallic flux inclusions from the HPHT process or specific growth patterns unique to CVD diamonds.

While both types of diamonds can be graded for clarity based on the presence and visibility of inclusions, the nature of these inclusions can often be a distinguishing feature for gemological laboratories.

How to Tell the Difference Between a Natural and Lab-Grown Diamond

Distinguishing between natural and lab-grown diamonds visually is challenging, even for trained gemologists. To the naked eye, they appear identical in brilliance and fire. 

The most reliable method is through certification from reputable laboratories like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the International Gemological Institute (IGI).

 These certifications use advanced techniques, such as spectroscopy, to identify the diamond's origin, specifying whether it is natural or lab-grown. 

For the average buyer, relying on certification is essential, as visual distinction is nearly impossible without professional tools.

Price Comparison: Natural vs. Lab-Grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are generally 30-50% less expensive than natural diamonds of comparable size, color, clarity, and cut. 

Natural diamonds, being rare and limited in supply, command higher prices due to market demand and scarcity. 

For example, a 1-carat, D-color, flawless natural diamond might cost $10,000, while a lab-grown equivalent could be priced at $3,000-$5,000. This affordability makes lab-grown diamonds attractive for budget-conscious buyers, but it also reflects their perceived lower value in resale markets.

Environmental and Ethical Differences

Natural diamond mining has significant environmental impacts, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution, particularly in regions like Africa and Canada. 

It also raises ethical concerns, such as labor abuses and the funding of armed conflicts through conflict diamonds, as highlighted in reports from organizations like Global Witness Natural vs. Lab Diamonds. 

In contrast, lab-grown diamonds are produced in controlled environments, reducing their environmental footprint. 

They require less land use, no mining-related waste, and lower energy consumption in some cases, making them a more eco-friendly choice. 

Ethically, they are free from the issues associated with mining, appealing to buyers prioritizing sustainability and social responsibility. 

However, some concerns exist about the energy sources used in production, especially in countries like China and India, where coal-based electricity may offset some environmental benefits.

Natural Diamond Mining Impacts

• Land Disruption: Open-pit mines can span 2,500 acres, leading to significant habitat destruction.
• Carbon Emissions: Mining emits 125 lbs of CO2 per carat, contributing to climate change.
• Water Usage: Up to 126 gallons of water per carat are used, affecting local water resources.

However, initiatives like the Kimberley Process aim to reduce conflict diamonds, and mines in Canada (e.g., Diavik) prioritize Indigenous partnerships, mitigating some ethical concerns.

Lab-Grown Diamonds Eco-Friendly Appeal

• Energy Use: The CVD method requires 250–750 kWh per carat, equivalent to a month’s home electricity use, which can be significant.
• Renewable Energy: Brands like Clean Origin use solar and wind power to cut emissions, enhancing their eco-friendliness.
• Ethically, lab-grown diamonds avoid mining-related human rights concerns but rely on factory labor standards, which vary by producer.

Durability and Longevity: Do Lab Diamonds Last as Long?

Lab-grown diamonds have the same durability as natural diamonds, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, making them resistant to scratching and suitable for daily wear. 

Their longevity is also comparable, as they can withstand the test of time and be passed down as heirlooms, just like natural diamonds. 

This equivalence is due to their identical crystal structure, ensuring they maintain brilliance and fire over years of use.

Resale Value: Which Diamond Holds More Worth Over Time?

Natural diamonds typically hold their value better over time due to their rarity and historical significance as a store of value. 

They are seen as investments, with resale values often close to or slightly below their original purchase price, depending on market conditions. 

Lab-grown diamonds, however, may not retain their value as well, given their abundance and the perception of being a newer, less traditional option. 

For instance, while a natural diamond might resell at 70-80% of its original value, a lab-grown diamond might fetch only 20-30%, reflecting market preferences for rarity. 

This makes natural diamonds preferable for those considering long-term investments.

Which One Should You Choose?

The choice between natural and lab-grown diamonds depends on individual priorities:

Natural Diamonds: Ideal for buyers valuing tradition, rarity, and potential resale value, especially for engagement rings or high-value jewelry. They are suitable for those planning to pass down heirlooms or invest in the future.

Lab-Grown Diamonds: Best for budget-conscious buyers, those prioritizing environmental and ethical considerations, or those seeking larger diamonds within the same budget. They are excellent for fashion jewelry or situations where resale value is less critical.

For example, a buyer planning a diamond engagement ring might choose a natural diamond for its sentimental and investment value, while a fashion diamond jewelry enthusiast might opt for a lab-grown diamond for its affordability and sustainability.

Myths and Misconceptions About Lab-Grown Diamonds

Several myths surround lab-grown diamonds, often stemming from misinformation. One common misconception is that they are not real diamonds, but this is false; they are real diamonds, composed of carbon with the same properties as natural diamonds. 

Another myth is that they are less sparkling or of lower quality, which is untrue, as they exhibit the same brilliance and fire. Additionally, some believe lab-grown diamonds are radioactive, but they are not; their production is safe and controlled. 

Addressing these misconceptions is crucial for informed decision-making, ensuring buyers recognize lab-grown diamonds as legitimate alternatives.

The Future of Lab-Grown and Natural Diamonds

The diamond industry is evolving, with lab-grown diamonds gaining popularity due to their affordability, ethical appeal, and technological advancements. Market reports, predict continued growth in the lab-grown sector, especially as production costs decrease and consumer awareness increases. 

However, natural diamonds will likely retain their market, particularly among buyers valuing rarity and tradition. 

While lab-grown diamonds may dominate in cost-sensitive segments, natural diamonds will remain sought after for high-end jewelry and investments, suggesting a coexistence rather than replacement.

Where to Buy Certified Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds

To ensure both the quality and authenticity of your diamond, it is paramount to purchase from a reputable retailer committed to transparency and certified diamonds.  

Look for jewelers who provide certification from trusted, independent gemological laboratories such as GIA or IGI.  

These certifications are your assurance, meticulously verifying a diamond's quality across the 4Cs, confirming its origin (whether natural or lab-grown), and detailing its unique characteristics.  This commitment to certification provides you, the buyer, with essential transparency and confidence in your purchase.

For a trusted source of certified diamonds, we advise you to explore our options as at Leon Diamond, we prioritize offering our customers diamonds that meet the highest standards of quality and are accompanied by reputable certifications.  

Since it significantly minimizes the risk of acquiring misrepresented stones and ensures that your diamond adheres to stringent industry benchmarks for quality. 

Choosing a retailer with a strong reputation for certified diamonds is a vital step in making a confident and informed diamond purchase.

Diamond Dilemma: Natural or Lab-Grown?

In conclusion, both natural and lab-grown diamonds present compelling choices, each with distinct advantages. 

Natural diamonds, forged over millennia deep within the Earth, carry a unique legacy and inherent rarity, often making them the preferred choice for those prioritizing investment value and timeless tradition. 

Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, offer a modern marvel of technology, providing exceptional beauty and ethical sourcing at a more accessible price point.  

Ultimately, the ideal diamond is a personal decision, one that should align with your individual values and priorities. 

Whether you are drawn to the enduring allure of a natural diamond or the innovative appeal of a lab-grown gem, understanding their differences empowers you to make an informed choice.

At Leon Diamond, we believe in providing you with the knowledge and selection to find the perfect diamond, be it natural or lab-grown, that reflects your unique story and preferences.  Explore our curated collection of certified diamonds today and discover the stone that speaks to you.