Written in collaboration with Ethica Diamonds
First it was Leonardo DiCaprio and now Jane Goodall is a supporter of lab diamonds. Lab grown diamond engagement rings are becoming increasingly popular and it’s not hard to understand why they are the preferred option for many. Firstly, the best lab grown diamonds are classified as type IIA, the most valued and purest form of diamond; less than 2% of the world’s mined diamonds belong to this category. Then there’s the fact that they are cheaper than mined diamonds – you can now buy a one-carat engagement ring for less than £1,500. Plus, they come with the added benefit of not being linked to gross human-rights abuses and environmental damage that comes with mined diamonds.
Ethica Diamonds is a woman-owned and led jewellery company that has specialised in lab diamonds for more than a decade. We asked co-founder Emily Reffell for the lowdown on lab grown diamond engagement rings.
1. What exactly are lab-grown diamonds?
Lab diamonds are man-made diamonds that mirror real, natural diamonds. There are two ways of creating them: High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD).
Visually, physically, and atomically lab-grown and mined diamonds are the same – they are both pure crystallised carbon – the difference is that they are grown above ground and have a fully traceable origin.
Like natural diamonds, lab created diamonds will vary in colour, clarity, and cut. Each one is unique. They are not necessarily flawless – because the growth process is similar to natural diamond, there are still variations in colour and clarity. They still need to be cut, polished, and graded, just like mined diamonds.
2. Can you tell the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds?
You can only tell the difference between lab-created diamonds and real diamonds with specialised equipment. If a professional gemologist is determining if a diamond is real or lab-grown, they use magnification to look at the nature of the inclusions, which differ slightly between the two.
There are sometimes differences in how the diamond reflects light compared with a synthetic diamond. In general, though, when looking at a lab-created diamond next to a real diamond, you can’t distinguish the two.
3. How do lab-grown and mined diamonds compare when it comes to cost and holding their value?
Lab diamonds used to be much more expensive only a couple of years ago, but now the price has levelled out.
They are not all made or priced equally though, the biggest factor for the difference in price is the quality of the diamond and the cutting process afterwards. Lab diamonds used to be much more expensive, but the price has levelled out now because it’s in line with what it costs to create them.
The only diamonds that will hold great value are the genuinely rare ones, which could be very large flawless diamonds, or rare coloured diamonds that are found in small quantities.
We recommend that you don’t view any diamond, mined or lab created as an investment and the only sure way you will get your money back is if you had to claim on your insurance policy.
Ethica Diamonds’ best-sellers:
Mina
Oval Halo
Engagement Ring
£1970 – £2050
Aesa
Oval Thin Shoulder
Diamond Ring
£1510 – £1600
Posey
Round Vintage Halo Engagement Ring
£1710 – £1790
4. What is the human and environmental impact of lab-grown diamonds?
While lab-grown diamonds are not entirely without environmental impact, they offer a more sustainable and ethical alternative to natural diamonds. Two key reasons are:
Lab diamonds are conflict free diamonds. Ethica Diamond’s lab-grown diamonds are produced in controlled laboratory settings, ensuring fair labour practices and safe working conditions.
The lab-grown diamond industry does not rely on large-scale mining operations, which can displace communities and disrupt local ecosystems. The environmental consequences are minute compared to mined diamonds.
As further assurance, Ethica Diamonds offer lab-grown diamonds with Sustainably Rated Diamonds® certification, which details Origin Traceability, Ethical Stewardship, Net Zero Carbon Footprint, Sustainable Production Practices, and Sustainability Investments – along with grading report highlights.
5. Are lab-grown diamonds graded?
Man-made diamonds are graded on the exact same criteria as mined diamonds by the same independent gemological laboratories that grade Earth-extracted diamonds. These include IGI (the world’s largest independent laboratory for testing and grading gemstones and fine jewellery), GCAL, and GIA.
6. What’s the difference between fake diamonds and lab-grown diamonds?
The most important thing to understand is that a genuine lab-grown diamond is chemically identical to a mined diamond. They are real diamonds. They are graded and you should always be guided by an expert about which one to buy.
A simulated gemstone is a piece presented to look like another gemstone. These are usually made from materials such as glass or plastic. They differ completely in terms of chemical composition and physical properties from natural and synthetic gemstones.
7. What types of lab grown diamonds are available?
There are different types of lab-grown diamonds and gemstones available including pure diamonds, moissanite, and sapphires, emeralds and rubies.
We believe that we offer the most technologically advanced lab-grown gemstones, these are created using a single growing method called Flux Fusion. During the growing period (six months to a year) the chamber’s temperature and chemistry are carefully controlled to duplicate the environment in the area of the earth where that gemstone variety forms. This process results in the growth of perfect crystal faces and has a crystal shape most similar to natural gemstones.
8. Do lab-grown diamond engagement rings have the same emotional value as natural diamonds?
Emily says: “At Ethica Diamonds, we believe that if you are gifting something from the heart to a loved one, it shouldn’t have caused any human or environmental suffering because buying something that has caused harm contradicts the meaning behind the purchase. Lab-grown diamonds minimise negative consequences, which, for many people, holds greater emotional meaning”.
9. Are lab-grown diamonds graded according to the 4Cs?
Yes, all lab-grown diamonds should be graded for Colour, Cut, Clarity and Carat.
Most people only think of the 4Cs when judging the beauty of a diamond. However, there are also types of diamonds, the two important ones to know about here are Type IA and Type IIA.
Around 98% of diamonds mined from the earth are Type lA diamonds, these are very common diamonds that you find at your local jewellers or online retailers.
Only 2% of diamonds mined are a Type IIA diamond, making them very rare. They are special because they contain the purest form of carbon which makes them harder and brighter than Type lA diamonds. Previously, Type IIA diamonds were only owned by royalty and the super-wealthy due to their incredible beauty and high calibre. Ethica Diamonds only work with suppliers who grow superior Type 11A diamonds.
10. Will lab grown diamonds replace natural diamonds in the future?
There are approximately 25 million carats of diamond gemstones that are mined, cut, and polished every year, with billions of carats more in existing mines. De Beers estimates its current diamond reserves at 479.7 million carats. It will take many years before lab diamonds are anything but an extremely small portion of the total diamond market.
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