Stones
Lab-grown or natural? An honest guide
Both are real diamonds. The differences are price, story and resale. A plain-English guide to choosing.
A lab-grown diamond is a diamond. Same carbon, same hardness, same sparkle under the loupe. The difference is where it was made, what it costs, and what it might be worth later.
Choose the stone you'll love looking at. Every other reason comes second.
Price
For the same size and quality, a lab-grown stone is usually around a third of the price. That can mean a bigger stone, or a better one, for the same budget.
Resale
Natural diamonds hold some value; lab-grown ones, so far, hold very little. If you think of the ring as something to wear rather than to sell, that matters less than it sounds.
Where they come from
We only buy natural stones from suppliers who can show where each one was cut, and lab-grown stones that come with a certificate. Ask to see both in the studio.
