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5 Key Differences

Lab Grown vs Natural Diamonds

Make an informed decision between lab grown and natural diamonds when choosing your next piece of jewellery. Chemically and visually the same, lab grown gems give just as much sparkle as their natural counterparts. We dive into the key differences between lab grown and natural diamonds, so you can choose the best precious gemstone for you.

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Lab Grown Diamonds

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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I love this company's effort toward sustainability. The designs are elegant. And delivery was super fast. The website was easy to use. I will be buying more! - Xander

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5 Differences Between Lab Grown and Mined Diamonds

If you're choosing between lab grown diamond jewellery and classic stones, then you'll want to understand the key differences between manmade and natural diamonds. There are 5 key areas to consider:

Quality of Diamond

The quality of both lab grown and natural diamonds are assessed using the 4Cs of diamonds. These features are:

  • Cut - A diamond cut refers to how well the stone has been polished. The polish is a pivotal part of how well a diamond can reflect the light.
  • Clarity - The clarity of a diamond refers to how clear it is - and whether there are any inclusions within the gem.
  • Colour - Diamond colours are graded by letters and give a representation of whether a diamond is clear, on the yellow side, or a coloured diamond such as blue or black.
  • Carat - The carat of a diamond is how much it weighs. The heavier the diamond, the higher the carat.

The quality of both lab grown and natural diamonds can differ, the above factors will tell you all you need to know about the gem you're wishing to purchase. Both types of diamonds can fall into the same quality brackets.

Sustainability & Ethics

A key issue faced with mined diamonds is whether they've been obtained ethically or not. Ethical diamonds are those that have come from legitimate mines, that pay and treat their staff well, and that the money made from selling the diamonds does not go towards funding any wars.

We only use stone obtained ethically at Monica Vinader. It has been extremely important to us whilst developing our lab grown range that each stone is entirely traceable. As every gem is made in a lab, it does mean that buying a man made stone is more likely to have been obtained ethically.

Mining can also be very damaging to the environment, which is why our lab grown diamonds are created with 100% renewable energy to ensure we're maintaining our commitment to sustainable jewellery making.

Price Point

Lab grown diamonds are often less expensive than natural stones due to their ability to be made upon demand, without the need for mining. However, both natural diamond and lab grown diamond jewellery can be of the exact same quality - no matter their price point.

Appearance

To the naked eye you are unlikely to be able to spot any differences in appearance between natural diamonds and lab grown. In fact, due to being man made lab grown stones are less susceptible to defects such as inclusions - although they still can occur. Natural diamonds are more likely to have nitrogen present in them, which expert jewellers can detect under a microscope. This is one of the key ways that professionals can detect lab grown diamonds from natural gems.

How They're Created

The main difference between lab grown and natural diamonds is how they are formed. Natural diamonds are formed over many many years in the earth, where pressure is put on carbon until it naturally becomes a glimmering gem. Whereas lab grown diamonds are created in a lab, starting with a diamond seed. This is then put under heat and pressure with additional carbon until it forms a stone of the required size.

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Find Your Next Piece of Lab Grown Jewellery

For years we've been working hard behind the scenes to create a range of lab grown diamond jewellery that we're proud of. Working with our supplier ALTR, who meet our own sustainability standards and create the gems using only 100% renewable energy, we're excited to launch our new designs.

Crafted from both lab grown egms and 14k solid gold, adorn yourself in 100% traceable diamonds:

Lab Grown vs Natural Diamonds: What’s the Difference? FAQS


Lab grown diamonds are just as real as those mined from the earth. Lab grown diamonds and natural diamonds share the same crystal structure and both achieve a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Sustainable Jewellery at Monica Vinader

We create modern jewellery from recycled metals and ethical gemstones. Shop tennis bracelets, lustrous pearl pendants, and gold stud earrings to elevate your look today.

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