The same diamond. A wiser origin.
What lab-grown diamonds are, how they compare with mined diamonds, and how we certify every stone we set.
What is a lab-grown diamond?
A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond, grown from carbon in a controlled environment that recreates the heat and pressure deep inside the earth. Atom by atom, the carbon forms the same crystal structure as a mined diamond, in a few weeks instead of millions of years.
The rough crystal is then cut and polished by skilled diamond cutters, exactly as a mined diamond would be. The result is chemically, physically and optically identical; even expert gemmologists need specialist equipment to tell the two apart.
Side by side
| Property | Lab-grown diamond | Mined diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | Pure crystallised carbon | Pure crystallised carbon |
| Hardness | 10 on the Mohs scale | 10 on the Mohs scale |
| Sparkle and fire | Identical | Identical |
| Graded on | Cut, colour, clarity, carat | Cut, colour, clarity, carat |
| Origin | Grown in weeks, fully traceable | Formed over billions of years, mined from the earth |
| Value for budget | Larger or finer stone for the same spend | Higher price for the same size and quality |
The 4Cs, simply explained
Every diamond, lab-grown or mined, is graded on the same four qualities.
Cut
How well the diamond is shaped and polished. A great cut is what makes a diamond sparkle.
Colour
Graded from D (colourless) down the alphabet. D to H look icy white in jewellery.
Clarity
How free the stone is from tiny marks. VS and above look clean to the eye.
Carat
The weight of the diamond. One carat is 0.2 grams.
Certification and our quality promise
Centre diamonds are supplied with an independent grading report from a recognised gemological laboratory, recording the cut, colour, clarity and carat and identifying the stone as laboratory-grown. Many reports also include a laser inscription on the diamond's edge that matches the report number.
Accent diamonds are checked and matched by our own team to a consistent quality, stated on every product page and invoice. Every gold piece is stamped with its karat and hallmarked for purity, and we inspect each piece for stone security, finish and polish before dispatch.
We always describe our diamonds clearly as lab-grown. More questions? Read our FAQ.