written by Brooklyn
Lab Grown vs Natural Diamonds Explained
Lab grown diamonds – They are all the rage. But you are not so sure about it yet.
The concept feels a little off-kilter.
Unknown.
Mysterious.
And maybe a little sexy.
Piqued your interest yet?
Lab grown diamonds are actually more popular than you would think.
So let’s go there. Let’s get you up to speed on lab grown diamonds through comparison with natural diamonds. I’m sure they will be excited to meet you as well.
How are lab grown and natural diamonds the same?
If we are going to be particular and proper we would call “natural” diamonds mined diamonds because they are mined out of the earth. Lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds have the same chemical composition and molecular structure. They are both crystalized carbon and have the same density. Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth no matter if they are lab grown or mined. They are both REAL diamonds no matter what the media tries to tell you.
How are lab & mined diamonds different?
Lab diamonds and mined diamonds grew up in different neighborhoods. Mined diamonds grew up…in the earth. They are older than your grandma’s great grandma — Mined diamonds are billions of years old. Lab diamonds did not grow up in the ground and they are younger than the pair of socks your mom got you last Christmas. Lab grown diamonds take months to grow, but have the exact same growing conditions that you would find in nature.
Now onto the information you TRULY care about.
Can you actually see the difference?
NO. Both have the same DNA and the exact same look. Both look and shine the same. There is no visual difference between them.
Which one is mined & which one is lab grown? Can you see the difference?
Is there a price difference?
YES.
Look at the photo below. The mined stone is 1.06 carats. The lab stone is 2.25 carats. Both are SI1 in clarity and an I in color. Both cost $7500.
Lab grown diamonds are a fraction of the price of mined diamonds. You can get way more diamond with lab than you would get with mined if you wanted to spend the exact same budget. Lab grown diamonds, on average, are 30 to over 70% less in cost. The bigger the diamond, the bigger the save.
Relatable examples:
For Gen Z it’s like finding Jordan 1 Retro Legends of Summer Red Sneakers at Goodwill.
For everyone else who has the internet and is reading this, it is like a trip to Aruba for half the price… with an open bar and meals ALL INCLUSIVE.
Whether you choose a lab or mined diamond, it has mostly to do with your personal beliefs and perspectives on things. It has mostly to do with people’s attitudes. Some people emotionally attach to mined diamonds because they just like the fact that it is coming out of the ground. People that want lab grown diamonds like them because of the exact opposite — They like that the lab diamonds do not come out of the ground. There are also environmental and political issues that people are concerned about with mined diamonds.
But honestly, I’m not here to convince you of one or the other. I’m just here to give you the facts.
The inside scoop.
The honor, if you will.
The choice is always yours but we have found that people fall into 3 different categories when it comes to diamonds.
Some want a mined diamond.
Some want a lab grown diamond.
Others DGAF.
