Lab Grown Diamonds Guide
A lab grown diamond is a real diamond: pure carbon with the same crystal structure, hardness and sparkle as a mined diamond, grown in weeks in a laboratory instead of over millions of years underground. It costs far less than a mined diamond of the same size and quality. This guide covers how lab grown diamonds are made, how they compare, what we offer and how to choose.
How Lab Grown Diamonds Are Made
- CVD (chemical vapor deposition): carbon from a gas is laid down, layer by layer, on a thin diamond seed plate.
- HPHT (high pressure, high temperature): carbon is crystallized under the kind of heat and pressure found deep in the earth.
Both produce real diamonds. Read CVD vs HPHT for the differences, and how big lab grown diamonds can get.
Lab Grown Diamond, Mined Diamond or Moissanite?
| Lab grown diamond | Mined diamond | Moissanite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Diamond (carbon) | Diamond (carbon) | Silicon carbide, a different gem |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 10 | 10 | 9.25 |
| Look | White diamond sparkle | White diamond sparkle | More rainbow fire |
| Price for the same size | Moderate | Highest | Lowest |
| Resale | Low | Below retail | Very low |
More in are lab grown diamonds worth it? and moissanite vs lab grown diamond.
Our Lab Grown Diamonds
- Grades: centre stones are E-F color (colorless) and VVS1 to VVS2 clarity.
- Colors: colorless as standard, or a fancy intense blue, pink, yellow or green centre in our colored lab grown diamond engagement rings, the same designs with a colored stone.
- Sizes: most engagement rings offer 1, 2 or 3 carat centre stones. Each listing shows the options and measurements.
- Metals: 925 sterling silver, 10K, 14K or 18K solid gold, or platinum, in yellow, white or rose. Yellow and rose on sterling silver and platinum are plated finishes.
- Made to order: each piece is handcrafted in 8 to 10 business days, then shipped free and insured in 8 to 20 business days, or by express in 6 to 9.
- Paperwork: every piece comes with a Bhumi Gems certificate of authenticity stating the stone, carat and metal. Every lab grown diamond of 1 carat or more, in a ring, earrings or a pendant, also comes with its own IGI grading report; see IGI vs GIA for what those reports show.
Typical prices by carat and metal are in our lab grown diamond price guide.
How to Choose
Shape
Round gives the most classic sparkle; oval, pear and marquise look larger for their weight. Browse solitaires by shape: round, oval, pear, emerald, cushion, princess, radiant, marquise and Asscher. Compare the two favourites in oval vs round.
Size
A 1 carat round is about 6.5 mm across, 2 carats about 8.1 mm and 3 carats about 9.3 mm. Our size chart covers every shape, and the 2 carat collection gathers the most popular size.
Color
Colorless (E-F) is the classic choice. A fancy color diamond is a different look: blue comes from a trace of boron in the crystal, yellow from nitrogen, and pink and green from color centres created after growth, the same causes that color natural fancy diamonds. Our colored rings come in blue, pink, yellow and green, all graded fancy intense; read the colored lab grown diamond guide before you choose.
Setting
Solitaire, halo, hidden halo, three stone, bezel and east-west settings each change the look and the price. See engagement ring trends for what couples are choosing now.
Metal
14K gold is the usual choice for a ring worn every day. Compare options in white gold vs platinum.
Caring for a Lab Grown Diamond
Care is the same as for any diamond: a soak in warm water with mild soap and a soft brush keeps it bright. Take it off for the gym, swimming and heavy work, and have the prongs checked once or twice a year.
Quick Answers
Are lab grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. They are chemically, physically and optically diamond. Only their origin is different, which is why they are always described as lab grown.
Can a jeweler tell a lab grown diamond from a mined one?
Not with a standard diamond tester or by eye. It takes specialized laboratory equipment.
Do lab grown diamonds hold their value?
No. Their resale value is low, so buy one to wear and enjoy, not as an investment.
How long does a lab grown diamond ring take?
Ours are made to order in 8 to 10 business days, plus shipping time.
Do your lab grown diamonds come with an IGI report?
Yes, every lab grown diamond of 1 carat or more comes with an IGI grading report, whether it is set in a ring, earrings or a pendant.
Do you make colored lab grown diamond rings?
Yes. Sixty of our engagement ring designs are offered with a fancy intense blue, pink, yellow or green lab grown diamond centre, from 1 to 10 carats, each with an IGI report.
Shop Lab Grown Diamonds
- Lab grown diamond engagement rings
- Colored lab grown diamond engagement rings
- Lab grown diamond ring sets
- 2 carat lab grown diamond rings
- Lab grown diamond earrings
Questions about a specific design? Contact us or ask about a custom design.
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