A close-up of a person's hands holding a silver-toned diamond ring with a round-cut center stone, set against a dark wooden drawer background.

DIAMOND 101

Lab-Grown Diamonds

A lab diamond is a real diamond.

Same carbon. Same crystal structure. Same sparkle. The difference is how it was formed, and what that can mean for your budget. Here’s what’s actually worth knowing.

Browse settings
10
Mohs hardness — identical to mined
100%
Same chemical & optical properties
~40%
Less, on average, than a mined diamond*

*Illustrative average — confirm current figure before publish.

Why most couples choose lab

It's not an alternative to a diamond. It is one.

Mined diamonds form over billions of years underground. Lab-grown diamonds are created in weeks, using technology that recreates the same heat and pressure. To the eye, and under a loupe, they're identical — because chemically, they are. What changes is the price, and the fact that every one is conflict-free.

A single round brilliant-cut diamond shown from a top-down view on a plain white background.
Mined
1 ct
A single round brilliant-cut diamond shown from a top-down view on a plain white background.
Lab-grown
3 ct

Same budget

More diamond for the money.

Because they're grown rather than mined, lab diamonds cost significantly less at the same quality. For the same budget, that often means a noticeably larger or higher-grade stone — with the same brilliance and durability.

Illustrative comparison at equal spend.

The 101, side by side

How the three compare

The honest breakdown our advisors walk you through in person.

Hardness (Mohs)
10 — identical to mined
Brilliance & fire
Identical to mined
Origin
Grown in weeks, fully traceable
Conflict-free
Guaranteed
Price
Significantly more affordable

Lab and mined diamonds are physically identical — the differences that matter are price and origin.

From seed to stone

How a lab diamond is grown

01
The seed

It starts with a thin slice of real diamond, placed in a controlled chamber.

02
The growth

Over a few weeks, carbon bonds to the seed layer by layer — the same process the earth uses, accelerated.

03
The cut

The rough crystal is cut and polished like any diamond. Inclusions from the seed can carry through, which is why grading still matters.

Independently certified

Every lab-grown diamond we sell is independently certified — most by IGI, the leading lab for lab-grown diamonds — and comes with its own certificate. You know exactly what you're getting.

See our Lifetime Warranty →

Ready when you are

See them in person.

The best way to understand a lab diamond is to hold one next to a mined one. Our advisors will show you both.

Browse settings for your lab-grown diamond →