All About Lab-Grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are one of the most significant shifts the jewellery industry has seen in decades. In the last few years they've moved from a niche alternative to the mainstream — and for good reason.

Here's what they actually are, how they differ from mined diamonds, and whether one might be right for your next piece.

What is a lab-grown diamond?

A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond. It has the same chemical composition, the same crystal structure, the same optical properties, and the same hardness as a diamond pulled from the earth. The only difference is where it came from.

Rather than forming over billions of years under enormous geological pressure, a lab-grown diamond is created in a controlled environment over a matter of weeks — using one of two processes: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD). Both produce diamonds that are physically and chemically indistinguishable from mined stones.

Even gemological laboratories — the same institutions that grade mined diamonds — grade lab-grown diamonds using identical standards: cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight.

How are they different from diamond simulants?

This is the most common misconception worth clearing up. Lab-grown diamonds are not the same as cubic zirconia or moissanite. Those are different materials entirely — they look like diamonds but have different chemical and physical properties.

A lab-grown diamond is a diamond. It will test as a diamond on any diamond tester. It will be graded as a diamond by any gemological laboratory. The only instrument that can distinguish a lab-grown diamond from a mined one is highly specialised equipment not found in any retail environment.

Why are more people choosing them?

Price. Lab-grown diamonds typically cost 50–70% less than an equivalent mined diamond. For an engagement ring, that difference is significant — it means a meaningfully larger or higher-quality stone for the same budget, or the same stone for considerably less.

Ethics. The diamond mining industry has a complex history. For buyers who want to avoid any association with conflict or environmental harm, a lab-grown diamond removes that concern entirely.

Quality. Because lab-grown diamonds are produced in controlled conditions, consistency is high. Many lab-grown stones achieve higher colour and clarity grades than equivalent mined stones at the same price point.

Is there anything to consider on the other side?

Mined diamonds have historically retained or appreciated in value over time, whereas lab-grown diamonds — as production scales up — may not hold their value in the same way. If the ring is an investment as well as a symbol, that's worth considering.

There's also the romantic narrative some people attach to a naturally formed stone — billions of years in the making, unique in the universe. For some buyers, that story matters.

Neither position is wrong. It comes down to what you value most.

Our view at Daily Diamonds

We work with both mined and lab-grown diamonds, and we don't push either. What we do is help you understand the difference clearly so you can make the decision that feels right for you.

If you'd like to talk it through — whether you have a piece in mind or are just starting to explore — reach out to Annabel or Isabella. We're always happy to begin with a conversation.

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Daily Diamonds creates bespoke engagement rings and fine jewellery, made to order in our Sydney workshop. We ship to New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.