How are lab grown diamonds made?

Lab grown diamonds are grown inside clean high-tech labs above ground. You put a diamond seed (a thin wafer of diamond) inside the growing chamber, turn up the heat and pressure and mix in carbon gases. The carbon from the gases breaks down and crystallises on top of the diamond seed over the course of a few weeks forming the 'rough diamond.' This rough diamond is then cut and polished exactly the same way as mined diamonds.

Are lab grown diamonds graded according to the 4C’s

Yes, exactly the same grades by the same labs. But there are other considerations to take into account — our gemmologists will pick the best diamonds according to our quality standards.

Are lab grown diamonds perfect?

No, and neither are mined diamonds. Because we recreate what happens in the ground but inside a lab, our lab grown diamonds come out as raw stones each with their own unique imperfections — just like mined diamonds.

Do lab grown diamonds hold their value?

Neither mined diamonds nor lab grown diamonds hold their value. Both lab diamonds and mined diamonds lose about 40 - 50% of the resale value when bought by consumers. The reason when you buy a diamond, you’re also paying for the jewellers' mark-up, any setting costs and taxes. When you go to sell the diamond the buyer will want to buy less than the current wholesale rate which is going to be about 40-50% less than what you bought it for. Mined diamonds have only kept up with inflation in the long term. Diamonds (lab grown or mined) are not investments (unless you’re buying investment-grade diamonds which are millions of dollars). Traditional jewellers say this to get you to spend more than you are comfortable with the justification ‘It’s an investment for the future’. If you just buy a lab grown diamond and put the savings in price into real investments - you will be much better off.

Can you tell the difference between lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds

No, not even experienced jewellers can tell the difference without using specialist equipment used by gem labs. Both lab grown and mined diamonds will test positive under normal diamond testers.

Are lab grown diamonds real diamonds?

Yes, they're real diamonds! They are physically, chemically and optically 100% the same as mined diamonds - down to the atom. The only difference is the origin. In fact, the FTC in the US ruled recently that a diamond is a diamond no matter whether is grown in a lab or dug out of the ground.

Does custom cost extra?

Nope. All our rings are made to order so custom doesn’t any extra than buying off the shelf!

How long does the entire process take, from design to completion?

Generally, we allow 2-3 weeks for design and sourcing (depending on how many revisions there are) and approximately 6-8 weeks for creation - so a total of 8 - 11 weeks. If you have a deadline we can move quickly and most likely hit it.

Can I incorporate my own diamonds or gemstones into the design?

Yes we can incorporate your heirloom stones

Can you make other custom jewellery?

Yes, we can make any piece of custom jewellery - if it is possible, then we can make it. This includes but isn’t limited to: Necklaces and pendants Bracelets and bangles Cocktail rings

Why your parents hate lab grown diamonds

6 min read•9 September 2023

It’s just a fact of life that your parents are sceptical of all things new. From new technology, new job titles and definitely new partners. So it is no surprise that they err on the side of caution when it comes to lab grown diamonds. ‘How can you get exactly what you want at an affordable price? It just doesn’t make any sense!’

Questions we often get range from ‘are lab grown diamonds even real?’ to ‘how can I buy something without ever seeing it?’

Don’t worry fam. We are here to answer those questions with confidence so even your parents can come to love lab grown diamonds; and your wallet.

Your dad’s work friends say they are fake

This is a question we often get asked even by those that love the idea of lab grown diamonds. Here’s the answer: lab grown diamonds are physically, optically and even atomically exactly the same as Earth-mined diamonds. The only difference is that lab grown diamonds are made above-ground in clean high tech labs.

We like to think about it like ice. Now you could get ice made millions of years ago from Antarctica and say this is real ice Or you could make it in your freezer. Ice is ice. The same goes for diamonds. And yes, while we have simplified a lot, it is a metaphor we often use to explain the fact that lab grown diamonds are indeed exactly the same as mined diamonds — to the point that even expert gemologists with more than 20 years of experience can’t tell the difference!

Your mum’s Whatsapp group say they can’t be certified

At Four Words, we are all about ensuring that all the diamonds that we supply are fully certified. It ensures their traceability and grading. You will know exactly what you will be getting.

And it is for this reason we buy all our lab grown diamonds certified by leading institutes like International Gemological Institute (IGI) or the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). IGI and GIA also grade Earth-mined diamonds so you know their standards are going to be as rigorous for lab grown diamonds.

Each lab grown diamond is inscribed with a unique ID number on the girdle of the diamond at a 10x magnification to ensure that the certificate that they produce matches the diamond itself.

Your dad’s Lego club say they won’t pass a diamond detector

We don’t mind screaming it from the top of our studio — lab grown diamonds are exactly the same as mined diamonds. This means that they will indeed pass a diamond detector. Even professional jewellers with more than 20 years of experience can’t tell the difference between an Earth-mined diamond and a lab grown diamond.

Diamond detectors work by testing the thermal or electrical connectivity of the stone. Each atomic structure has a specific thermal or electrical signature, which means that there is a very narrow window for what can and can’t pass as a diamond.

Now the types of gemstones that won’t pass the diamond detector are gemstones like Cubic zirconia, Spinels, Sapphires and Emeralds.

Moissanite, even with just one atom different (one Carbon atom is replaced with a Silicon atom), which looks almost the same as a diamond will also fail most diamond testers because of its electrical properties (but will pass if it just measures its thermal properties). In saying that, Moissanites are not trying to be diamonds. They are their own class of gemstones and they are surging in popularity because of their fire and brilliance over a diamond.

Your mum’s best friend say they don’t sparkle

As screamed (in lower case), lab grown diamonds are exactly the same as mined diamond. And that means if you compare like for like diamonds, they will sparkle in the same way. But that’s the thing, both lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds are graded on the 4Cs. So you need to make sure that you are choosing the right diamond in the first place.

At Four Words, we only work with the best diamonds that the eye can see. This means any of your friends (or your mum’s) wont be able to tell the difference between a flawless and colourless mined diamond that can costs well over $50,000 to one from Four Words which will be considerable lower. Just check out how much we would quote for celebrity rings such as Hailey Bieber and Sophia Richie Grainge. And yes, they would look exactly the same!

Want to nerd out a little bit more? Learn more about our standard.

2 Carat Round Cut Simple Solitaire on a 14k Yellow Gold Band

Your dad’s hippy sister says they’re not good for the environment

You can’t get into a conversation about diamonds without a conversation on ethics and the environment. Luckily we have spent months doing the research so you don’t have to.

According to an independent report by Frost & Sullivan, diamond mining creates approximately 57,000 grams of CO2 per carat of mined diamond. To get a sense of this, the estimated amount of CO2 produced from global diamond mining is equal to 1.5 million cars running for a full year.

For reference lab diamonds are reported to produce 0.028 grams of CO2 per carat created. At Four Words, we have partnered with Carbon Click to offset our carbon by 500%. This means for each purchase, we plant native trees on the West Coast of the South Island.

This can all be head turning stuff. We have written multiple guides on how diamonds are formed (mined and lab grown), sustainability, Four Words being climate positive, and whether mined diamonds can genuinely be an ethical purchase.

Moi et toi Pear and Marquise Diamond engagement ring

Your family accountant say they won’t hold their value

This might be the only time you can clap back at both your parents and an accountant! To start with, it is a fugazi that mined diamonds appreciate or hold their value in the first place unless you are buying a celebrity sized ring. No rock, lab grown or mined will prove to be an investment.

We recommend choosing a diamond or gemstone that you actually like and a budget that you are comfortable with. And when it comes to budgets, it is hard to go past lab grown diamonds. They are typically 40-50% cheaper than their mined alternatives for the same quality.

Yes, it’s true that the resale market for lab grown diamonds is smaller than that of mined diamonds, but you shouldn’t be thinking about how you can get your money back while thinking of popping the question…right?

Ultimately an engagement ring is an investment in your relationship, so do what makes you and your partner happy over anything else.

Still unsure about diamond resale values? We got you.

Still have questions?

If you (or your parents) still have some questions about lab grown diamonds, or any other gemstone for that matter, you can book an appointment with us either in person in our Auckland studio, or online. We have thousands of happy clients and hundreds of reviews.