Diamond origin

Natural vs Lab-Grown Diamonds

Both are real diamonds, and both can be beautiful. The difference is where they come from — and what that means for price, value and how you feel about your ring. Here’s an honest comparison to help you decide.

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By Primo Diamonds

Updated 28 October 2026 8 min read

A lab-grown diamond is not a “fake” diamond or an imitation. Natural and lab-grown diamonds are both made of crystallised carbon, with the same hardness, sparkle and chemical make-up. Even an experienced jeweller can’t tell them apart by eye — it takes specialist laboratory equipment.

What differs is origin, rarity and price. There’s no wrong choice, only the one that suits your budget and what matters to you.

Natural diamonds formed deep beneath the earth’s surface under intense heat and pressure, typically between one and three billion years ago, and were carried closer to the surface by volcanic activity. Each one is finite and rare, and its formation story is part of its appeal.

Rare and finite — no two have the same history
Generally hold value better than lab-grown diamonds over time
A traditional choice with deep symbolism

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A clear, uncut rough diamond crystal on a white background

Lab-grown diamonds are created by recreating the conditions in which diamonds form, using one of two methods: HPHT (high pressure, high temperature), which mimics the earth’s heat and pressure, or CVD (chemical vapour deposition), where carbon builds up layer by layer on a small diamond “seed”.

Physically, chemically and optically diamond
A larger or higher-grade diamond for the same budget
Clearly disclosed as laboratory grown on the report and usually on the diamond itself

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A single polished round diamond on a clean black surface

	Natural diamond	Lab-grown diamond
Material	Crystallised carbon	Crystallised carbon
Hardness	10 on the Mohs scale	10 on the Mohs scale
Appearance	Identical to the eye	Identical to the eye
How it’s made	Formed in the earth over billions of years	Grown in a laboratory over a few weeks
Rarity	Finite and rare	Can be produced to demand
Price for the same size and quality	Higher	Much lower
Long-term value	Generally holds value better	Little resale value; prices have fallen in recent years
Grading	GIA or IGI	IGI or GIA
Disclosure	Report states natural	Report and inscription state laboratory grown

For the same carat, colour and clarity, a lab-grown diamond costs much less than a natural one. That means your budget can go towards a larger stone, a higher grade or a more detailed setting.

It’s worth knowing how value behaves over time. Lab-grown diamond prices have fallen considerably in recent years and they have little resale value. Natural diamonds generally hold their value better, although resale prices are usually below what you paid in a shop. If you’re choosing a ring to wear and love, rather than as an investment, both can be a wonderful choice.

Read the engagement ring budget guide

Close-up of a round diamond solitaire engagement ring on blue velvet

A natural diamond may suit you if…	A lab-grown diamond may suit you if…
Rarity and a billion-year story matter to you	You’d like the largest or finest diamond your budget allows
You’d like your diamond to hold its value as well as possible	Resale value isn’t a priority for you
You love the tradition and symbolism of a natural stone	You’d prefer a diamond that hasn’t been mined
You want a smaller diamond of exceptional quality	You’d like more budget left for the setting or the wedding

Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds. Moissanite and cubic zirconia are different materials that look similar — known as diamond simulants.

	Diamond (natural or lab-grown)	Moissanite	Cubic zirconia
Material	Carbon	Silicon carbide	Zirconium dioxide
Hardness (Mohs)	10	9.25	8–8.5
Sparkle	Brilliant white light with balanced fire	Strong, rainbow-like fire	Bright when new, can cloud over time
Is it a diamond?	Yes	No	No

Whichever you choose, it’s reasonable to ask where your diamond comes from. [CLIENT TO CONFIRM wording — e.g. “Our natural diamonds are sourced through suppliers who comply with the Kimberley Process and the World Diamond Council System of Warranties.” and anything you can say accurately about your lab-grown suppliers.]

Lab-grown diamonds don’t involve mining, but the energy used to grow them varies between producers. We’re happy to share what we know about any diamond you’re considering.

Every Primo centre diamond — natural or lab-grown — comes with an independent grading report. For lab-grown diamonds, the report clearly states that the diamond is laboratory grown, and the diamond is usually laser-inscribed to say so.

Read the diamond certification guide