The lack of disclosure surrounding lab-grown diamonds in the jewellery industry is a significant concern that impacts both consumers and the market as a whole. While lab-grown diamonds are often marketed as ethical, eco-friendly alternatives to natural diamonds, the reality is that many consumers are unaware of the differences between the two and the potential implications of their purchasing decisions.
Join us as we uncover the nuances and distinctions between lab-created and natural diamonds.
They start the same way, and then they don't
Chemically, a natural diamond and a lab-grown diamond are close to identical: both are carbon, arranged the same way, with the same hardness and the same fire. Where they part ways is origin. A natural diamond formed under the earth over millions, sometimes billions, of years. A lab-grown diamond is produced in a controlled facility over a matter of weeks, using processes that recreate those same conditions artificially.
That difference in origin doesn't show up under a loupe. But it shows up in nearly everything else that matters to a buyer.
The price gap is real, and it's not closing
A one-carat natural diamond today typically costs somewhere in the region of €3,000. A comparable lab-grown stone can be found for a fraction of that. It's the single biggest reason lab-grown has grown so quickly: more size, same budget.
But price and value are not the same thing, and this is where we think the conversation usually goes wrong.
What actually happens to that value over time
Neither a natural diamond nor a lab-grown one should be bought as a financial investment (that's true of jewellery generally, and we'll always tell a client that plainly). But the two hold their worth very differently.
A well-cut natural diamond with a recognised grading report typically retains somewhere around a third to half of its original value through a reputable buyer. A lab-grown stone of similar quality tends to retain considerably less, often a fifth or below, and that number keeps moving, because lab-grown supply keeps expanding and prices keep adjusting downward as production scales. A natural diamond's value is anchored by something that cannot be manufactured: there will never be more of them.
If you're keeping the piece forever, this may matter less to you. If it's part of a family piece, an heirloom, or simply something you want to hold its meaning and its worth for decades, it matters a great deal.
Natural diamonds, formed deep within the earth over millions of years, possess a unique allure and intrinsic value that transcends time. Their rarity and natural beauty have made them timeless symbols of love and luxury. On the other hand, lab-grown diamonds, while visually similar, lack the inherent rarity and geological history of natural diamonds. Despite claims of affordability, lab-grown diamonds have yet to hold their value over time, making them a very bad investment compared to their natural counterparts.
The environmental question deserves more nuance than it usually gets
This is the part of the conversation we think gets oversimplified most often, in both directions.
Lab-grown diamonds are frequently marketed as the eco-friendly choice. The truth is more complicated. Growing a diamond takes a genuinely large amount of energy, and a significant share of global lab-grown production happens in regions where that energy comes from coal. Mining a natural diamond also carries a real environmental footprint: land disturbance, water use, energy for extraction and transport.
Neither side gets to claim the clean hands here. What genuinely matters is how a specific stone was produced: the energy source behind a lab-grown diamond, or the mining standards and community impact behind a natural one. We choose natural diamonds sourced through responsible, traceable channels, and we're glad to show any client exactly where their stone came from.
Certification is changing, and it's worth knowing why
Something worth watching in 2026: the two major grading labs are approaching lab-grown diamonds differently. GIA has moved toward a simplified system for lab-grown stones, because the overwhelming majority now cluster within a narrow band of color and clarity, and the traditional fine-grained scale stopped being especially meaningful for that category. IGI, which certifies the majority of lab-grown diamonds globally, continues to grade them on the full scale.
Neither approach is wrong. But it's a useful reminder that natural and lab-grown diamonds, despite looking alike, are increasingly treated as genuinely different categories by the institutions that assess them.
Where we stand
We are a natural diamond house, and that is a considered choice, not a default.
We're drawn to natural diamonds because of what they carry that nothing manufactured can replicate: geological history measured in the billions of years, true rarity, and a value that has held up across generations rather than a production cycle. For an engagement ring, a milestone piece, or something meant to be passed down, that permanence is the point.
Lab-grown diamonds are a legitimate, increasingly popular choice. For people who prioritise size and budget over rarity and long-term value, they're the right one. We're not here to talk anyone out of that.
We're here to make sure whichever path you take, you're taking it with the full picture. That's the guidance part of what we do, and it doesn't change depending on which diamond you choose.
Have a question about natural versus lab-grown that this didn't answer? Start a conversation with us, this is exactly the kind of thing we like to talk through
