Quick answer: Lab-grown and natural diamonds are both real diamonds. They're the same carbon crystal, with the same hardness and the same sparkle, and you can't tell them apart by eye. The difference is origin, and origin drives grading, price and resale. Lab-grown gets you more size for your money. Natural holds its value far better and carries the rarity most people mean when they say "a diamond." Here's how we'd think it through.
What is a lab-grown diamond?
A lab-grown diamond is carbon crystallized into diamond in a factory instead of deep in the earth. Producers use two main methods: HPHT (high pressure, high temperature), which recreates the conditions underground, and CVD (chemical vapor deposition), which builds the crystal layer by layer from a carbon-rich gas. Either way, the result has essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as a mined diamond.
That's why the FTC removed the word "natural" from its definition of a diamond in 2018. The rules still require sellers to clearly disclose when a stone isn't mined, using terms like "laboratory-grown" or "laboratory-created." An unqualified "diamond" still means a natural one.
Lab-grown is also not the same as a simulant. Cubic zirconia and moissanite are different materials that only imitate the look of diamond.
Can you tell the difference by looking?
No. Not you, not your friends, and not a jeweler with a loupe. Separating lab-grown from natural takes specialized gemological equipment that reads growth patterns and trace features inside the crystal. That's why the grading report and the written description on your receipt matter so much.
How grading works now
Natural diamonds
GIA grades natural diamonds on the 4Cs: color, clarity, cut and carat weight. Small steps on those scales move the price, which is why a natural diamond's report is worth reading line by line.
Lab-grown diamonds
Since October 1, 2025, GIA no longer uses its color and clarity scales for colorless to near-colorless lab-grown stones. Instead it issues a Laboratory-Grown Diamond Quality Assessment that classifies each stone as "Premium" or "Standard."
Premium requires D color, VVS clarity or better, and excellent polish and symmetry, plus an excellent cut grade for round brilliants. Standard covers E to J color and VS clarity with very good finish. Stones below that don't get a GIA assessment at all, and every assessed stone is laser inscribed "Laboratory-Grown" on its girdle.
GIA's reasoning is simple: more than 95% of lab-grown diamonds fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity, so the fine-grained natural scale doesn't tell buyers much. Other labs still issue traditional-style grades for lab-grown stones, so always check which lab and which report type you're looking at.
Price and resale value
This is where the two really split. Lab-grown diamonds cost far less than natural stones of similar size and quality, and because they can be produced on demand, their prices have dropped sharply in recent years. That's great on the day you buy. It's not great if you ever want to sell, because the secondhand market for lab-grown is thin and offers are usually a small fraction of what you paid.
Natural diamonds are finite. A well-cut natural stone with a GIA report has a real resale and trade-in market. It isn't guaranteed to go up in value, but it holds value in a way lab-grown simply doesn't.
Which should you choose?
Choose lab-grown if...
- You want the biggest look for your budget
- It's fashion jewelry you'll wear hard and don't plan to resell
- Where the stone came from doesn't matter to you
Choose natural if...
- It's an engagement ring or an heirloom meant to last generations
- Rarity and tradition matter to you or the person receiving it
- You care about resale or future trade-in value
Whichever you choose, insist on a report from a respected lab, make sure the stone's origin is stated in writing on your receipt, and buy from someone who will walk you through that report. Our guide to reading a GIA diamond report is a good place to start.
FAQ
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. They're real diamond, not a simulant like cubic zirconia or moissanite. They just weren't mined, and sellers are required to say so.
Will a diamond tester tell me if it's lab-grown?
Usually not. A standard handheld diamond tester will typically read a lab-grown stone as diamond. Confirming origin takes advanced lab equipment, which is why the report matters.
Do lab-grown diamonds hold their value?
Generally no. Resale offers are usually a small fraction of the original price, while natural diamonds with strong reports have an established resale market.
Are lab-grown diamonds as durable as natural ones?
Yes. They have the same hardness and durability, so they're just as suited to everyday wear.
Talk it through with our jeweler
Weighing lab-grown against natural for an engagement ring or a custom piece? Erin Barnett, who holds GIA's Accredited Jewelry Professional (AJP) credential, can walk you through your options side by side. Book a private appointment at our Beverly Hills showroom at 9350 Wilshire Blvd, by appointment only. Call or text 310-993-9499 to set a time.
