Lab-Grown Diamonds vs. Natural Diamonds: A Simple Guide to the Good and Bad for 2025

I have been working with diamonds and writing about them since 2007. I have seen a lot of new things happen in the diamond business. But the biggest change has been the lab-grown diamond. It has changed everything. Not long ago, the only thing you could choose for a diamond engagement ring was a natural diamond from a mine. Now, you have another great choice.

So, what is the best pick for you? A lab-grown diamond or a natural diamond? This is a very big choice to make. In this guide, I am going to give you the simple truth. We will look at the good parts and the bad parts of lab-grown vs natural diamonds. I will help you see the main ways they are different. When you finish reading, you will know for sure which diamond is the right one for you and how much you want to spend, as we get closer to 2025.

What Is the Real Difference Between a Lab-Grown Diamond and a Natural Diamond?

To be honest, the biggest question is about where they come from. A natural diamond is like a piece of the Earth’s history. It is made deep inside the Earth’s outer layer. For billions of years, very strong heat and pressure turn carbon into shiny crystals. These are the diamonds we see today. Each natural diamond is then pushed up to the top layer of the Earth. Then it is found in a mine. This whole process in nature makes every natural diamond special and hard to find.

But a lab-grown diamond is made using science. People who are scientists take a very small diamond “seed” and put it into a special room. They use special ways to copy the way the Earth makes diamonds. The two main ways are HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). The HPHT way copies the super strong pressure of the earth. The CVD way adds layers of carbon atoms in a special gas room. Both ways create a stone that is, basically, a diamond.

So, the only real difference is in how they are made. One comes out of a mine, a present from nature. The other is created in a lab, a cool thing made by people. A natural diamond has a story that is billions of years old. A lab-grown diamond has a story about new human ideas. When you look at a lab-grown diamond next to a natural diamond, where they begin is the main difference.

Are Lab Diamonds Considered Real Diamonds?

Yes, for sure. This is the most important thing to know. Lab diamonds are real diamonds. They are not pretend stones like cubic zirconia or moissanite. A lab-grown diamond is made of the same stuff as a natural diamond. It is just as hard and looks just the same. They have the same shine and the same sparkle. Both a lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond get a perfect score of 10 on the Mohs scale for hardness.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the top diamond expert in the world, agrees. They check lab-grown diamonds in the same way they check a natural diamond. The only thing that is different is where it came from. You can think of it like this: a rose that grew in a special glass house is still a rose, just like one that grew in a garden. A lab-grown diamond is still a diamond, even if it did not come from a mine.

So, when you see the words lab-created diamond, do not think “pretend.” You should think “made by people” or “made in a lab.” These diamonds are real diamonds. You are getting the same sparkly stone. The discussion between a lab grown diamond and a natural one is about cost and where it comes from. It is not about if the stone is a real diamond. Both lab-grown and natural diamonds are the real thing.

Can a Jeweler Tell the Difference Between Lab-Grown Diamonds and Natural Diamonds?

This is a very good question. If you placed a really good lab-grown diamond next to a natural diamond that has the same grade, you would not be able to see a difference just by looking. Even a jeweler who knows a lot about diamonds would need special tools to know for sure. This is because, like we said, they are made of the exact same stuff.

People who study gems can find the difference by looking for very tiny signs from how the diamond was made. For example, some HPHT lab diamonds might have a very small spot of metal inside, called an inclusion. Natural diamonds may have different kinds of spots inside that were made over billions of years. These signs are too small to see without a microscope. A good jeweler will trust a report from a lab like GIA or IGI to know for sure.

The paper report is the best proof. A report for a lab-grown diamond will say clearly that it is “laboratory-grown.” A report for a natural diamond will not say this. So, you do not need to be scared that someone will sell you a lab-grown diamond and say it is a natural diamond, as long as it has the right paper report. When you compare lab-grown diamonds vs natural diamonds, the paper report tells you the whole truth.

Why Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Cost So Much Less Than Natural Diamonds?

The difference in price is the biggest reason why people think about buying lab-grown options. A lab-grown diamond might cost 50% to 70% less than natural diamonds that are the same size and just as nice. Why is the price so much lower? It is all about how many are available and how much it costs to bring the diamond to you.

The work of finding and taking out a natural diamond is very hard and costs a lot of money. Natural diamond mining needs big machines, a lot of workers, and digging up tons of dirt just to find a few small diamonds. This long and expensive trip from the ground to the store, plus the fact that there are only so many natural stones in any mine, makes natural diamond prices go up. This is what we call natural rarity.

Lab diamonds, however, have a much quicker and cheaper path to you. Unlike mined diamonds, they can be made in a lab in only a few weeks. Because scientists can make them whenever they are needed, there is an almost endless supply. This totally changes the money side of things. Cheaper costs to make them and a bigger supply means lower prices for you. So, a lab grown diamond gives you a lot for your money.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamonds?

When you are trying to pick between a lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond, a simple list of good and bad parts can help you see clearly. I have made a table to help you look at them next to each other. This helps make the lab-grown vs natural choice easier.

What Are the Main Cons of Lab-Created Diamonds?

Let’s talk about the biggest downside. The main problem in the discussion of lab grown diamonds vs real diamonds is about keeping its value. This is the biggest of the cons of lab-created diamonds. A lab-grown diamond has a very low resale value at this time. Because the science to make them keeps getting better and more are being made, prices have been going down over time. This means the lab-grown diamond you buy now will probably be worth a lot less in a few years.

Another “bad part” for some people is that it does not have a long history or romantic story. A natural diamond has a story that is billions of years old. It is a tiny part of the Earth’s past. A lot of people think this is very romantic and special. They prefer natural diamonds because of this. A lab-grown diamond, because it is made in a lab, does not have this very old story.

Last, even though the science is great, it is still pretty new. The value of a lab grown diamond over a long time is not known. The market for them is still settling down. A natural diamond, however, has been a sign of value and love for hundreds of years. For some people, this long history makes them feel safe in a way that a lab-created diamond cannot yet.

Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Hold Their Value Like a Mined Diamond?

The simple answer is no, not right now. Like I said before, the resale value of a lab-grown diamond is very low at this moment. If you try to sell a lab-grown diamond back to a shop, you will probably be given a very small part of the money you paid for it. The market for a used mined diamond is much more well-known.

But it is also good to have a true idea of the resale value of a natural diamond. Many people believe a natural diamond is a great way to invest money, but that is not always the case for most buyers. When you buy a natural diamond at a store, there is a big extra cost added on. If you try to sell it, you will not get that store price back. You might get 25% to 50% of the first price you paid. So, while natural diamonds hold their value better than a lab grown diamond, you should not see either one as a way to make money.

The choice is about what you are paying for. With a natural diamond, some of the high cost is for its possible future resale value. With a lab-grown diamond, you are paying for the stone itself—how big and pretty it is—not for what it might be worth later. The value is what you get for your money today. Lab diamonds offer a way to get a beautiful stone without the high price of a mined diamond.

How Do GIA and IGI Grade a Lab-Grown Diamond vs. a Natural Diamond?

Grading labs are like the judges of the diamond world. The two most trusted labs are the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and IGI (International Gemological Institute). Both labs grade a lab grown diamond and a natural diamond using the same 4Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight. This means the grade you see on a paper report for a lab-grown diamond means the same thing as the grade on a report for a natural diamond.

There is one very important difference, though. Both GIA and IGI will say very clearly on the paper if the diamond was grown in a lab. An IGI report for a lab-grown diamond looks a lot like its report for a natural one, but it will be a different color. It will also say “Laboratory-Grown Diamond” on it. GIA does the same thing, making sure everything is clear. A lab-grown diamond will also usually have a very tiny message written with a laser on its side that says it was made in a lab.

For a long time, IGI was the number one lab for checking lab diamonds. They have more practice in this area. GIA, the top lab in the world for checking the natural diamond, is now fully checking lab-grown diamonds too. They give the same kind of reports with lots of details. No matter which diamond you pick, be sure it has a paper report from a good lab like GIA or IGI.

For an Engagement Ring, What Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Offer?

When you are buying a diamond engagement ring, the money you have is a very big deal. This is where lab-grown diamonds offer a big plus. Let’s say you have $5,000 to spend. For that money, you could probably buy a nice 1-carat natural diamond. But with the same $5,000, you could get a lab-grown diamond that is 2 carats or even bigger, with a great grade for its color and clearness.

This means you do not have to settle for less. You can get the big, sparkly stone you have always wanted for your engagement ring without spending too much money. This is the main reason why choosing lab-grown diamonds is so common now. For many couples, getting a bigger and better ring for their money is a smarter idea than paying extra for a mined diamond. Lab-grown diamonds provide this chance.

Also, you know for sure where your lab grown diamond came from. It was made in a place where everything is controlled. You do not have to think about the problems with fairness that are connected to conflict diamonds. For an engagement ring, which is a sign of your love and your future, this calm feeling can be very valuable. The choice between a lab grown diamond and a natural one is often about finding a balance between your money and what you believe in.

Looking to 2025: What Is the Future for Lab Grown Diamonds and Natural Diamonds?

I think that by 2025, the market will be even more clear. The diamond industry is changing. I do not believe that lab-grown diamonds will take the place of the natural diamond. But, they will stay a common and popular choice. The choice between lab vs natural diamonds will be less of an argument and more about what a person likes, just like choosing between gold or platinum.

I guess that lab-grown diamond prices will stay at a good level. The science will keep getting better, so even more people can buy them. For people who care most about size and quality for their money, a lab grown diamond will be the easy winner. They are a good pick for diamond jewelry and especially for a diamond engagement ring. Lab grown diamonds offer a ton of value.

The natural diamond market will probably put more attention on what makes a natural diamond special. This includes being hard to find, its long history, and its job as a way to keep value over a long time. Natural diamonds come from a mine far down in the earth. Natural diamonds carry a special attraction that is hard to copy. They will be sold as fancy things that are always in style. The main point is that you, the buyer, will have more choices than you have ever had. You can pick the very old, rare beauty of a natural diamond or the smart, modern sparkle of a lab-grown diamond.