Lab Grown vs. Mined Diamonds

This is a big topic of discussion in the jewelry industry right now. Depending on who you ask, everyone will have a different perspective or take.

What is a Lab Grown Diamond?

A lab grown diamond is just that, a diamond grown in a lab. It is still a diamond made up of carbon. It has the same durability (10 on the mohs hardness scale), and characteristics of a diamond (i.e. color, clarity, cut etc.)

What is the price difference between lab & mined?

This is the BIGGEST differentiating factor that you will find between a lab grown and a mined diamond. Lab grown diamonds are significantly less in price. Therefore you can get a MUCH larger diamond if it is lab grown compared to mined.

For example:

Mined Round Brilliant Cut Diamond 3.00 Carat G VS1: $82,000

Lab Grown Round Brilliant Cut Diamond 3.00 Carat G VS1: $8,800

Yes, I did not forget an extra digit above, you are seeing that correctly. It’s practically a $73,000 difference.

P.S. I don’t love that the photo above from GIA states the LG as a ‘synthetic’. Another example of this discussion being all over the place right now. GIA is the world’s leading source of information on diamonds and gemstones. They’ve bounced in a few different directions since Lab Growns have infiltrated the market. For example, when I was attending classes at their NY campus a few years back, my teacher stated that GIA wouldn’t be getting involved with cert’ing lab growns, but as of today they are…

Why would I pay more for Mined?

A mined diamond will hold it’s value. A lab grown will not. Plain and simple. Now is it worth a $73,000 difference? That’s for you to decide. As the size of the diamond increases, this separation in price between lab and mined will grow exponentially. The most important thing to know before you buy a lab grown diamond is understanding that it will not hold it’s value.

Why would I care if a lab grown doesn’t hold value?

Do you intend to upgrade one day? Do you want to trade your diamond for a larger diamond down the road? Or in a worst case scenario, do you want the ability to sell your diamond if need be? If you purchase a lab grown, as of now, you will have little to no value if you answered yes to any of the above questions.

Can you tell a difference?

To the average joe walking down the street, no. It would be nearly impossible to tell the difference. Under magnification there is a potential of clarity characteristics that are more common in lab grown diamonds based on their growing conditions. Even a trained eye may not be able to notate the difference. In most cases, a diamond will have a laser inscription on the side of the girdle which will notate if it is lab grown. I anticipate the industry will increase restrictions on lab growns and require these types of inscriptions in the future.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, this is a personal decision. I find the lab grown vs. mined diamond debate very fascinating. I don’t see anything wrong with choosing a lab grown diamond over a mined as long as you’re disclosing this information to your significant other if they’re not involved in the purchase process. Chances are, one day, they will find out and I think it’s important to be honest about whether you purchased a lab or mined diamond for them.

There is a lot more to learn about lab grown diamonds, but this post skims the surface of the difference between the two.

Have more questions? Drop a comment or send me an email!!