5 Surprising Insights On Natural Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds You Need to Know

Natural Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds: Key Myths, Facts, and What You Need To Know

Diamonds have been a symbol of love, luxury, and permanence for centuries. But in the last 10 years, the rise of mined counterpart diamonds has sparked debate. Are lab-grown diamonds truly the superior option in the natural diamonds vs lab grown diamonds debate, or just an affordable alternative? And when it comes to natural diamonds, is the value truly as timeless as it’s portrayed, or is there more to the story?

In this blog, we aim to clear up the misconceptions surrounding natural diamonds vs lab grown diamonds. From their formation to their value, we’ll explore the myths that shape perceptions and provide the facts you need to make an informed decision while making the diamond selection.

Whether you’re buying a diamond as an investment, a gift, or for yourself, we’ll help you understand the key differences and true value of both options.

People’s perceptions of lab-grown and natural diamonds are misguided due to the numerous myths that surround them. Real diamonds as an investment or as an expense, or the delusion that men-made diamonds are superior to real diamonds. Why not clarify all these misconceptions regarding lab-grown and natural diamonds so that buyers may make an informed choice?

In this blog, you’ll discover all the essential diamond facts, including a detailed comparison of synthetic vs natural diamonds. Whether you’re looking for a diamond buying guide, diamond value comparison, or tips on how to assess diamond quality, we’ve got you covered.

Get expert insights on diamond costs, the potential investment in diamonds, and everything you need to make an informed decision when choosing between synthetic vs natural diamonds.

What Are Natural Diamonds?

The term “natural diamond“ refers to diamonds that originate and form in the Earth’s mines. More than three billion years ago, deep inside the Earth, natural diamonds were produced.

Natural diamonds are the most beautiful and rare diamonds, which are made from nature’s most treasured. These natural diamonds go under extreme natural calamities, such as volcanic eruptions and mining, yet they retain their natural beauty and make the most incredible and unique gift.

When the diamond has been formed, it has a unique structure of an octahedron, which has almost 8 directions, and then this piece of diamond is cut into a proper shape & clarity.

The first and earliest recorded discovery of the real diamond in India was around the 4th century BCE. 

Did You Know?  – India was the first known source of diamonds.

What Are Lab-Grown Diamonds?

Recently, lab-grown diamonds have become increasingly fashionable in the last few years. A diamond that is produced in a controlled laboratory environment is known as a lab-grown diamond. These diamonds are sometimes also known as man-made, cultured, or synthetic diamonds.

To produce a lab-grown diamond, the source of energy, i.e., coal, is used more. Furthermore, many man-made stones are inscribed with a laser marking on the girdle, which indicates that the diamond was created in a lab. There are two methods under which these synthetic diamonds can be created. 

CVD – Chemical Vapor Deposition HPHT – High Pressure High Temperature

1. CVD Diamonds Making Process  

This is the first process through which a lab-grown diamond is created. A diamond seed (a part of real natural diamonds), also known as a seed crystal, is put into the small chamber, where the chamber is completely filled with gases that are of high heat. Once the heat has reached its appropriate temperature, the layers for the carbon start to form on the seed crystal, which helps the seed to grow and create a shape of a lab-grown diamond.

In other words, this process involves breaking down the molecules of a carbon-rich gas (methane and hydrogen gas), which are deposited on diamond seeds to produce a lab-grown diamond. By using this method, the shape, which is a product, is of a cube, and to provide a proper shape, it goes under several pressures to get a required shape. 

2. HPHT Diamond Making Process

This is the second process, known as high pressure, high temperature. This process helps a lab-grown diamond to grow in such a way that it replicates the formation of natural diamonds. In this process, a big piece of natural graphite is placed in a large machine that crushes the graphite with extreme pressure (1.5 million pounds per square inch) and high temperature (nearly 2000 degrees). And due to this pressure and high temperature, the graphite converts into a lab-grown diamond. 

Diamonds created with any of these methods can be created with such a low time, i.e., within a month, the lab-grown diamond is formed in the majority of shapes. The majority of lab-grown diamonds that are formed from the CVD process required additional treatments to enhance their clarity, cut, and color. 

Classic Love vs. New Age Trends: Natural Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds

For years, the diamond has been the Maharaja of all times. Because of its beauty and brilliance, the diamond is regarded as a love symbol and considered it to be a precious gift. And now when the diamonds can be gotten at such a lower price, the value and demand for natural diamonds have increased more. 

This is a vast and debatable topic, where opinions can vary from people to people and situation to situation. Since the lab-created diamonds share the same chemical composition, physical composition, and structure just like a real diamond, some people might prefer lab-grown over naturally sourced diamonds.

In the diamond industry, they are similar to the new-age dating or situationship of the diamond world—modern, more like a passing trend than a lasting symbol, and they do not carry the same emotional weight or sense of tradition as real diamonds.

Natural diamonds are like old-school love—timeless, rare, and built to last, formed over millions of years under the Earth’s surface. They represent commitment and tradition, embodying a deep connection to nature’s process.

Natural Diamonds: Luxury Expense or Smart Investment?

Many people find it difficult to explain if choosing natural diamonds will be a wise investment or a luxury expense. For years, the diamonds have been associated with love, status symbols, and wealth. However, with the never-ending trend for jewellery, understanding whether it is a true investment or simply an expense is more important.

Diamonds have the mystique that captures the imagination like few other things. But does their rarity make them a wise financial investment?

For many, purchasing a natural diamond is seen as an expense rather than an investment. Investing in real, natural diamonds is a great method to get more value for your money. As a result, purchasing a natural diamond is a wise decision and a smart investment because the value for them remains protected. The value of natural diamonds will never lose value over time; instead, their worth will either rise or stay the same.

A natural diamond is also a valuable heirloom that can be handed down through the generations which is a great asset. No matter how the economy is and will be doing, humans will always demand a precious gemstone, which is a natural diamond, making it a more reliable investment. Furthermore, the limited supply of diamonds due to their rarity and difficulty in extraction makes them value more as an investment.

A Word from the Founder – The Unsustainable Truth About Lab-Grown Diamonds

“As the founder of KuberBox and someone who has spent over a decade closely watching the diamond industry evolve, I find it important—if not necessary—to question the sweeping claims made about lab-grown diamonds being a sustainable or environmentally friendly choice.

These so-called ‘green diamonds’ often rely on massive amounts of electricity, derived largely from non-renewable sources, to simulate nature’s billion-year-old process in mere weeks. There is nothing truly sustainable about that. Let’s not greenwash the facts.”

“And when it comes to investment worthiness, lab-grown diamonds are rapidly losing ground. Prices have been falling steeply, and only one party is laughing their way to the bank—retailers. Manufacturers and wholesalers who invested in expensive equipment and tech are left holding inventory that depreciates faster than a car. Worse still, many customers are unknowingly swindled.

Retailers either fail to disclose the ‘lab-grown’ nature of the diamond or sell it at a 4x–6x markup over wholesale prices—sometimes almost matching natural diamond prices. Customers walk away thinking they got a deal, when in fact, they’ve paid a premium for a product with almost zero resale value. As a brand that believes in ethical transparency, I urge buyers to question aggressively, verify certifications, and always know what they’re really buying.” — Sourav Lodha,  Founder – KuberBox

FAQs About Natural Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds

Let’s now answer the most commonly asked questions about natural diamonds vs lab grown diamonds.

Why Choose Natural Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds?

Natural diamonds are rare and timeless—formed under the Earth’s crust over 1 to 3 billion years ago. Their value lies in both their origin and emotional significance. Lab-grown diamonds can be mass-produced in weeks, making them less rare and increasingly less valuable. 

According to research, the cost of lab-grown diamonds has decreased by 200% in the past two years. Additionally, the cost of these gemstones varies and tends to decrease over the next few years. Therefore, always choose natural diamonds rather than lab-grown diamonds when choosing diamond jewellery. 

If you’re also interested in understanding how GST affects the price of gold jewellery, be sure to read our detailed post on how much extra you’ll pay post-GST for gold jewellery.

Q. Does a lab grown diamond have a resale value?

Lab-grown diamonds have little to no resale value. Most jewellers won’t buy them back, and even resale platforms offer only a fraction of the original price—if they accept them at all. 

Tip: If you’re buying a diamond with future resale or upgrade in mind, choose jewellers like KuberBox, who offer a transparent buy-back and exchange policy on the diamonds they sell—something rarely available for lab-grown stones.

Q.  Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real?

Yes, in terms of physical and chemical properties—they are made of pure carbon, just like natural diamonds. But their formation is artificial, using High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) methods.

Q. How to identify Lab-Grown Diamonds?

To the naked eye, lab-grown and natural diamonds may appear identical. But experts can tell the difference using advanced equipment. Most lab-grown diamonds are laser-inscribed with their origin and come with specific certification.

Fact: Certification labs like IGI and GIA clearly mention if a diamond is lab-grown, and CVD diamonds often show telltale growth patterns under magnification.

Q. Is there a difference in the appearance of lab-grown and natural diamonds? Or Do they look different?

Visually, they can look similar. But under 10x magnification, lab-grown diamonds (especially CVD) may show metal inclusions, growth lines, or cloudiness that aren’t typically found in natural diamonds.

Fact: Natural diamonds often have organic inclusions like minute crystals or feathers, while synthetic ones might have metallic flux residues or distinctive growth striations.

Make An Informed Choice With KuberBox – Natural Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds

Now that you have all the essential insights on natural diamonds vs lab grown diamonds, the next step is to make an informed decision. At KuberBox, we offer a wide range of ethically sourced natural diamond jewellery that will suit your style, budget, and values.

Browse our diamond jewellery collection today and experience the timeless beauty of natural diamonds.

If you’re a jewellery enthusiast, make sure to dive deeper into how diamonds and other gems are set in jewellery. 

Also, if you’re curious about the jewellery design and manufacturing process, we’ve got you covered with a detailed guide on how jewelry is made.