Lab-Grown vs Natural Diamonds: The Honest Answer

If you are shopping for a diamond this season, the first question is usually not the shape or the size. It is this one: lab-grown or natural? We have sold diamonds online since 1999, and we sell both. Here is the honest answer we give our own customers.

Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?

Yes. A lab-grown diamond is real diamond: pure crystallized carbon with the same chemical makeup, the same crystal structure and the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale) as a diamond mined from the earth. It is not a simulant like cubic zirconia or moissanite. It sparkles, cuts and wears exactly like a natural diamond, and you cannot tell the two apart with the naked eye. Even a trained jeweler needs specialized lab equipment to see the difference.

The difference is origin. A natural diamond formed deep in the earth over millions of years. A lab-grown diamond is grown above ground, in weeks, using high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which recreate the conditions under which diamonds form.

How are they graded?

Both are graded on the same 4Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Independent labs such as IGI grade lab-grown diamonds the same way they grade natural stones, and the report states clearly that the stone is laboratory-grown. Most of our lab-grown pieces use stones in the F color and VS clarity range: near-colorless and eye-clean. You can read more in our Lab Diamond Guide.

The real difference: price and size

This is why so many buyers choose lab-grown. For the same budget, a lab-grown diamond lets you buy a much larger or higher-grade stone than a natural one. A tennis bracelet with several carats of lab-grown diamonds, or a pair of 2-carat lab-grown studs, becomes a realistic gift instead of a once-in-a-lifetime purchase.

When natural makes more sense

Natural diamonds are rare, and for some people that rarity is the whole point. If the piece is meant as a family heirloom, or if you simply want a stone that came from the earth, natural is the right choice. Natural diamonds have also traditionally held their value better than lab-grown ones, which tend to be bought for beauty and size rather than resale. We carry a separate natural diamond collection, including natural diamond tennis bracelets, for exactly these buyers.

Quick comparison

• Material: both are 100% diamond (carbon).
• Look and sparkle: identical to the eye.
• Durability: identical, hardness 10.
• Grading: both graded on the 4Cs; IGI reports are standard for lab-grown.
• Price: lab-grown costs far less for the same size and quality.
• Rarity and resale: natural is rarer and has historically held value better.

Our advice

If you want the biggest, brightest diamond your budget allows, choose lab-grown. If rarity and heritage matter most, choose natural. Either way, buy from a jeweler that tells you exactly what you are getting. At Diamond Leaders, every lab-grown piece is clearly labeled lab-grown, and lab-grown diamonds come with a free IGI certificate.

Ready to look? Start with our ready-to-ship pieces, which leave our New York office in 24 to 48 hours, or browse our bestsellers.

Keep reading: How to choose a diamond tennis bracelet · What is an IGI certificate? · Holiday diamond gift guide 2026