Everything you actually want to know — including the parts other brands skip.
What is a lab-grown diamond?
A lab-grown diamond is a diamond — carbon atoms in the same crystal structure, grown above ground instead of mined from it. Chemically, optically and physically, lab-grown diamonds are identical to natural diamonds: the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale), the same brilliance, the same fire. A jeweller's loupe cannot tell them apart; it takes specialised laboratory equipment to distinguish a lab-grown diamond from a natural diamond.
There are two ways to grow one:
- HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature) recreates the conditions deep in the Earth where natural diamonds formed — a tiny seed crystal, carbon, and presses exerting enormous pressure at around 1,500°C.
- CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) grows a lab-grown diamond layer by layer inside a vacuum chamber, as carbon atoms from an energised gas settle onto a seed crystal.
Both methods produce the real thing: a lab-grown diamond, not an imitation. (Cubic zirconia and moissanite, by contrast, are different materials entirely — simulants that only look similar.)
How IGI grades our lab-grown diamonds
Every [BRAND] piece is assessed by the International Gemological Institute (IGI), one of the world's largest independent gem laboratories and the leading authority on grading lab-grown diamonds.
IGI grades lab-grown diamonds on the same 4Cs used for natural diamonds:
- Carat — weight (and therefore size).
- Colour — how close to colourless, from D (colourless) downward.
- Clarity — internal characteristics visible under 10x magnification.
- Cut — the precision of proportions and finish, which determines sparkle.
Because our lab-grown diamonds are set into finished pieces, your certificate is an IGI finished-jewellery report: IGI examines the completed piece and documents the mounted stones' characteristics, the metal, and the piece itself. It ships in the box with every order. Our one natural-diamond halo piece ships with its IGI natural-diamond report.
Independently certified by IGI. Every [BRAND] piece ships with an IGI finished-jewellery report documenting the lab-grown diamonds set in your piece — carat weight, colour, clarity and cut — assessed by an independent laboratory, not by us. Keep your certificate: it supports insurance, resale documentation, warranty service and returns.
Lab-grown vs natural — the honest version
Where they are the same. Composition, hardness, brilliance, durability. A lab-grown diamond will not fade, cloud, or wear out — it is a diamond, permanently.
Where they differ.
- Origin and rarity. Natural diamonds formed over roughly a billion years underground and are finite. Lab-grown diamonds are grown in weeks and supply keeps expanding. If billion-year rarity is part of the meaning for you, that is a legitimate reason to choose natural — which is why we offer one natural-diamond halo special piece.
- Price. Lab-grown diamonds cost a fraction of comparable natural diamonds — that is what lets us set genuinely well-cut, well-graded stones at demi-fine prices.
- Resale value — read this part. Lab-grown diamond prices have fallen substantially as production has scaled, and they may keep falling. A lab-grown diamond is not an investment, and you should not expect meaningful resale value. (Honesty compels us to add: natural diamonds bought at retail also typically resell well below purchase price — jewellery in general is a poor investment vehicle.) Buy a lab-grown diamond for what it is: a beautiful, certified, real stone you will actually wear — at a price that respects the fact you are buying jewellery, not an asset.
We would rather tell you this ourselves than have you read it elsewhere.
Why [BRAND] uses lab-grown diamonds
Our whole premise is fair value: fine-jewellery quality at demi-fine prices, with none of the games.
- Lab-grown diamonds let us use genuinely well-graded, IGI-certified stones at prices a piece you wear every day should cost.
- Every piece is made to order in about 7 days. No warehouses of stale stock, no overproduction.
- We never discount. The price is the fair price on day one and day 365. No fake "was" prices, no countdown timers, no waiting for a sale that is secretly always on.
What is 18k gold vermeil?
Our pieces are crafted in 18k gold vermeil over sterling silver, 2.5 microns+.
Vermeil (pronounced "ver-may") is a legally defined standard, not a marketing word: a sterling silver base coated with real gold of at least 10 karats at a substantial minimum thickness of 2.5 microns. It is precious metal through and through — silver core, thick 18k gold surface.
- Gold-plated fashion jewellery: typically brass or steel base with a gold flash often under 0.5 microns — it can wear through quickly.
- [BRAND] vermeil: sterling silver base, 18k gold at 2.5 microns and above — several times thicker, built for years of wear, and backed by our 2-year craftsmanship warranty.
- Solid gold: gold throughout. Beautiful, and several times the price for the same design. Vermeil is how we keep fine-jewellery quality at demi-fine prices.
Caring for your piece
- Last on, first off. Put jewellery on after perfume, lotion and hairspray; take it off before bed.
- Keep it dry-ish. Remove before swimming (chlorine and salt water), showering, workouts and cleaning with household chemicals.
- Clean gently. Wipe with the soft cloth included in your box. For your lab-grown diamonds, a soft brush with lukewarm water and a drop of mild soap, then pat dry. No ultrasonic cleaners, no abrasive polishing cloths made for solid metals.
- Store smart. Each piece in its own pouch or compartment — even your own lab-grown diamonds can scratch the gold surface of a neighbouring piece.
Cared for this way, vermeil keeps its colour for years — and it is covered by our 2-year craftsmanship warranty either way.
FAQ
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical composition, crystal structure, hardness and optical properties as natural diamonds. The only difference is origin — grown above ground rather than mined. They are always identified as lab-grown diamonds, which is exactly how we label them, everywhere.
Will a lab-grown diamond pass a diamond tester?
Yes. Standard thermal and electrical testers read lab-grown diamonds as diamond, because they are diamond. Simulants like cubic zirconia fail; lab-grown diamonds do not.
Can anyone tell my stone is lab-grown?
Not by looking, and not with a loupe. Only advanced laboratory instruments can distinguish lab-grown diamonds from natural diamonds. Many certified stones also carry a microscopic girdle inscription identifying them — invisible to the naked eye.
Will my lab-grown diamond fade, cloud, or change over time?
No. A lab-grown diamond is permanent. It will not fade, yellow or lose its sparkle — a quick clean restores day-one brilliance after everyday film from lotions builds up.
What exactly is an IGI finished-jewellery report?
An independent laboratory document from IGI assessing your completed piece: the mounted lab-grown diamonds' carat weight, colour, clarity and cut, plus the metal and setting. One ships with every [BRAND] order. It is your proof of quality for insurance and any future resale or service.
Is vermeil the same as gold-plated?
No. Vermeil is a regulated standard requiring a sterling silver base and a substantial gold layer of at least 2.5 microns. Typical gold plating uses base metals like brass with a far thinner gold layer. Ours is 18k gold vermeil over sterling silver, 2.5 microns+.
Will lab-grown diamonds hold their value?
Honestly: do not count on it. Lab-grown diamond prices have declined as supply has grown. Buy for beauty, certification and fair pricing today — not as an investment. (Retail natural diamonds are also generally poor investments; we just say the quiet part out loud.)
Are lab-grown diamonds eco-friendly?
We do not make that claim. Growing lab-grown diamonds takes significant energy, and the footprint depends on how each grower sources power. Unless we can prove an environmental claim, we will not make it — our promise is fair value and honest labelling, full stop.
Why do you also sell one natural-diamond piece?
Some customers want billion-year-old rarity for a milestone, and we would rather serve that honestly than pretend the preference does not exist. Our single halo special piece features natural diamonds, ships with its IGI natural-diamond report, and is priced with the same fair-value discipline — never discounted.
Can I insure my [BRAND] piece?
Yes — and the IGI report makes it straightforward. Most insurers accept the report as documentation for a jewellery rider or standalone policy. Keep the certificate with your purchase receipt.