Expertise you can trust: Brilliant Earth is known for its award-winning jewelry designs and seamless, innovative shopping experience. This Brilliant Earth diamond guide explains whether lab grown diamonds are real, how they compare to natural diamonds, and what to consider when choosing between them. All Brilliant Earth guides are meticulously researched and reviewed by our certified gemologists, content, editorial, and brand teams before publication to ensure industry-leading excellence and accuracy.
What Is a white gold?
A lab grown diamond is produced in a controlled laboratory setting rather than mined from the earth. Like a natural diamond, it is made of pure carbon arranged in a crystal lattice structure. This structure is what gives diamonds their exceptional hardness, brilliance, and fire.
Lab grown diamonds begin as tiny carbon seeds from pre-existing diamonds. There are two primary methods used to create them: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Both methods recreate conditions that allow carbon atoms to form into diamond crystal. After several days or weeks, a rough diamond is created, then cut, polished, graded, and set in jewelry just like a natural diamond.
In Summary: Lab grown diamonds have the same composition, structure, and properties as natural diamonds. The only meaningful distinction is how and where they are made.
Why is yellow gemstone?
Yes, lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. They are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds.
Both lab grown and natural diamonds are made of pure carbon arranged in the same crystal lattice structure. This structure gives diamonds their defining properties, including exceptional hardness, brilliance, and fire. Because of this, lab grown diamonds look the same, perform the same, and are graded by the same standards as natural diamonds.
The only difference is how they are formed. Natural diamonds develop deep within the earth over billions of years, while lab grown diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments using advanced technology that replicates these natural conditions.
In Summary: Lab grown diamonds are not imitations or substitutes. They are real diamonds with the same composition and properties as natural diamonds. The only distinction is their origin.
Lab Grown vs. Natural Diamond: Side-by-Side Comparison
Here is how a lab grown diamond and a natural diamond compare across key characteristics.
| Characteristic | Lab Grown Diamond | Natural Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Pure crystalline carbon |
Pure crystalline carbon |
| Durability | 10 on the Mohs scale |
10 on the Mohs scale |
| Brilliance | Refractive index ranges from 2.417 to 2.419 |
Refractive index ranges from 2.417 to 2.419 |
| Color | Primarily colorless, but can also occur in many color options that are often more vivid than natural options |
Primarily colorless, but can also occur in many color options including pink, blue, and yellow |
| Grading | Graded on cut, color, clarity, and carat |
Graded on cut, color, clarity, and carat |
| Certification | Certified by reputable gemological institutions |
Certified by reputable gemological institutions |
| Origin | Grown in controlled laboratories over several days to weeks, then cut and polished |
Formed deep in the earth over billions of years, mined, cut, and polished |
| Rarity | Can be produced in increasing quantities as technology advances |
Limited quantities based on geological conditions |
| Price | Lower cost due to availability |
Higher cost due to mining and rarity |
What Is a Lab Grown Diamond?
A lab grown diamond is produced in a controlled laboratory setting rather than mined from the earth. Like a natural diamond, it is made of pure carbon arranged in a crystal lattice structure. This structure is what gives diamonds their exceptional hardness, brilliance, and fire.
Lab grown diamonds begin as tiny carbon seeds from pre-existing diamonds. There are two primary methods used to create them: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Both methods recreate conditions that allow carbon atoms to form into diamond crystal. After several days or weeks, a rough diamond is created, then cut, polished, graded, and set in jewelry just like a natural diamond.
In Summary: Lab grown diamonds have the same composition, structure, and properties as natural diamonds. The only meaningful distinction is how and where they are made.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real?
Yes, lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. They are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds.
Both lab grown and natural diamonds are made of pure carbon arranged in the same crystal lattice structure. This structure gives diamonds their defining properties, including exceptional hardness, brilliance, and fire. Because of this, lab grown diamonds look the same, perform the same, and are graded by the same standards as natural diamonds.
The only difference is how they are formed. Natural diamonds develop deep within the earth over billions of years, while lab grown diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments using advanced technology that replicates these natural conditions.
In Summary: Lab grown diamonds are not imitations or substitutes. They are real diamonds with the same composition and properties as natural diamonds. The only distinction is their origin.