Is finding the perfect diamond jewelry for your significant other feeling like a financial minefield? You'll be relieved to know there's a better way to shop for diamonds now with conflict-free lab-grown diamonds.
“Lab-grown diamonds have been surging in popularity in the last few years,” says Mehul Sompura, founder and CEO of Diamond Hedge, a diamond search marketplace for lab-grown and natural diamonds, with 2023 even being proclaimed the “Year of the Lab-Grown Diamond.”
Lab-grown diamonds have the same physical and chemical properties as naturally mined diamonds. “The only difference is one is formed naturally in the depths of the earth’s core and the other is made by human intervention and sells for a fraction of the price of a natural diamond,” Sompura explains.
Additionally, consumers are increasingly recognizing the cost advantages and comparable quality of lab-grown diamonds, further driving the trend, Sompura says. Here’s what you need to know about lab-grown diamonds, plus the best lab-grown diamond jewelry to gift (hefty sticker shock not included).
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I'm a lifestyle freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of experience, formerly working as a senior staff writer at SouthernLiving.com, and an editor at Men's Journal and Reader's Digest. For this article I interviewed industry experts to put together a primer on lab-grown diamonds, as well as a buyer's guide.
Also known as synthetic or cultured diamonds, lab-grown diamonds are created in a laboratory environment using technological processes involving high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques.
“Lab-grown diamonds have the same physical properties as natural diamonds,” says Preston Moxcey, chief merchant at Shane Co., based in Denver, CO., which makes them a cost-effective alternative for anyone looking to buy everything from an engagement ring to diamond stud earrings. In short, yes, lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds and practically impossible to discern from mined diamonds to the naked eye.
So, what’s the catch? You're no doubt wondering why you can purchase a lab-grown diamond (or a glimmering tennis bracelet filled with them) without breaking the bank.
It basically comes down to supply and demand.
“A lab-grown diamond takes just three-to-five weeks to produce, a stark contrast to the earth’s billion-year production of natural diamonds,” Sompura says. Plus, because there’s no mining process, the supply chain for lab-grown diamonds is more direct, moving from the laboratory directly to the retailer.
It’s undeniable that general consumers are growing more and more confident about buying lab-grown diamonds, with the enhanced affordability being a big draw.
“If you have a fixed budget of $7,000, you can get a nice 1-carat mined or a nice 3- to 3.5-carat lab-grown stone,” says Ilah Cibis, owner and designer of iLAH Cibis Jewelry, in Worcester, MA, which sells products made with Aether Diamonds, carbon-negative, lab-grown diamonds.
“People want more bang for their buck no matter what they're buying,” she adds, noting that traditional jewelers are struggling to continue the narrative that there's something better about mined diamonds when lab diamonds are practically indistinguishable.
And experts only expect the prices of lab-grown diamonds to become more attractive.
“As labs get more experienced growing diamonds, the cost to produce them is falling—and those savings are getting passed along to customers,” says Ty Wilson, co-founder and COO of CustomMade, an online platform that helps people design custom engagement rings, headquartered in Cambridge, MA.
By contrast, the price of natural diamonds is limited by the total available supply and the cost of mining, which are both relatively stable. Personally, Wilson has seen this exploding interest in lab-grown diamonds firsthand: “Over the past four years, we’ve gone from selling exclusively natural diamonds to over 80 percent lab-created diamonds,” he says. “They went from unknown to something most customers now know to ask about.”
Yes, there’s something romantic about traditional diamonds being formed over the course of billions of years. That doesn’t negate the ethical and environmental concerns related to some naturally mined diamonds though.
“Diamond mining and the use of heavy machinery and chemicals in the extraction process can lead to soil and water pollution,” Sompura says. “In addition, miners may face health risks, low wages, and limited access to education and healthcare,” he elaborates, noting that there are organizations working on improving these conditions.
“Given that lots of diamonds are mined in the developing world,” Wilson adds, “some consumers rightly have concerns over working conditions and wages for miners.”
The goal is for natural diamonds to be conflict-free, meaning they're not mined in war-torn or impoverished areas, and ethically sourced diamonds.
However, it's challenging to trace the origins of traditionally mined diamonds throughout the supply chain, says Sompura, noting that the Kimberley Process is working to solve that issue. In fact, the natural diamonds' industry as a whole is taking steps to improve its standards and labor practices.
“Some people worry about the ethics of traditionally mined diamonds, but in reality, many natural diamond mines give back generously to the communities in which they're mined,” said Moxcey who partners with the Natural Diamond Council.
“The natural diamond industry also abides by numerous international human-rights frameworks and labor regulations, alongside country-specific rules, to ensure it does business in the most responsible and sustainable way.”
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Diamond stud earrings are a jewelry box staple. Gift your girlfriend, wife, mother, or sister a glimmering new pair of Peace Jewelers Round Diamond Studs. The brand has brilliant-cut cultured diamonds that are ethically sourced, meaning they're non-conflict and non-mined. The price varies depending on the size, ranging from .5 carat to 4 carats, and you can opt between 14k yellow or white gold. If you're unsure which to buy, take a look at what metal she typically wears and spring for that.
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Pop the question with a stunning ring from Holden. The brand offers a line of climate neutral-certified rings crafted with lab-grown diamonds. We particularly love The Domed Solitaire ring, but you can browse the full collection comprising solitaires, three-stone rings, signets, and more.
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Brilliant Earth Jardiniere Lab Diamond Ring features two rows of marquise and round diamonds that are whimsical and eye-catching. With a 3/8 total carat weight (.37 to .44), you can select 18k yellow gold, 18k white gold, 18k rose gold, or platinum ($2,050) finishes.
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As the brand name implies, you can feel good about the origin of Clean Origin 5-Carat East-West Oval Tennis Bracelet's diamonds. The bracelet boasts a string of lab-grown diamonds with a hefty 5-carat total weight.
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Taylor Custom Rings The Felicity Necklace is a delicate necklace that perfectly complements every outfit, whether she's wearing jeans and a tee or dressing up for dinner. The asymmetrical cluster of lab-grown diamonds is set on a loop chain available in recycled 14k rose gold, 14k yellow gold, 14k white gold, or platinum ($920).
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Pandora Infinite Lab-Grown Diamond Chain Bracelet Sterling Silver is sure to be a hit with your partner as it's discreet in size and perfect for everyday wear. Available in a total carat weight of .15 ($300) or .25 ($450), the versatile piece is just as stunning whether worn casually with jeans and a sweater or dressed up for a wedding. Pandora follows the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) standards to ensure its lab-grown diamonds meet the qualifications for cut, color, clarity, and carat weight it promises.
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Blue Nile Selene Diamond Eternity Hoop Earrings are available in carat total weights from 1 to 5 carats. The 14k white gold enhances the brilliance of the diamonds since yellow gold can reflect color through.
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If you’re in the market for a wedding band, Vrai The Eternity Band is a show-stopper, with up to 6.5 total carat weights. For the metal, you can select 14k rose gold, 18k white gold, 18k yellow gold, or platinum. Worth noting: Vrai diamonds are sustainably made in a zero-emission foundry in the U.S.
When shopping for lab-grown diamonds, take a look at the 4 Cs (color, clarity, cut, and carat) the same way you would with mined diamonds, says Ashley Taylor, co-founder and lead designer of Taylor Custom Rings in Carlsbad, CA.
Taylor concedes that one downside of lab-grown diamonds is their lower resale value, but she believes jewelry in general should not be a financial investment.
“Even though people who sell diamonds would like you to believe your engagement ring, in addition to being a symbol of your eternal love, is a fantastic investment,” she says.
Sompura similarly stresses that if you're looking to re-sell the diamond at a later time, you'll get a fraction of what you paid for it. “The resale value of lab-grown diamonds can plummet to as low as 10 percent of the original purchase price, raising questions about their long-term investment potential,” he said.
Avi Levy, president of the International Gemological Institute (IGI) in North America, based in New York City, recommends only purchasing diamonds and gemstones with a grading report. (IGI issues grading reports for most of the lab grown diamonds in the market worldwide.)
“There are no differences to the naked eye between a natural and lab grown diamond. You can only separate natural and lab grown diamonds with sophisticated testing from a gemological laboratory,” he says.
Lab-grown diamonds are not necessarily a more sustainable option, Levy notes.
“While they require no earth-invasive mining, the presses and reactors that grow them require abundant energy, and most are produced with the burning of fossil fuels,” he says. Try to seek out lab-grown diamond producers that use hydro and solar power. “They can provide third-party scientific proof of sustainability from organizations such as SCS Global,” he adds.
