ORABISS GUIDES
Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds. Same material, same hardness, same sparkle. The only difference is where they were formed.
How they're made
Natural diamonds form deep underground over millions of years, under intense heat and pressure. Lab-grown diamonds are created by recreating those same conditions in a controlled environment, using one of two methods.
HPHT
High pressure, high temperature. Carbon is pressed and heated just as it is inside the earth.
CVD
Chemical vapour deposition. Carbon builds up on a small diamond seed, layer by layer, into a full crystal.
How lab-grown compares
Moissanite and cubic zirconia look similar, but they are not diamonds.
| Lab-grown diamond | Mined diamond | Moissanite | Cubic zirconia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Made of | Pure carbon | Pure carbon | Silicon carbide | Zirconium dioxide |
| A real diamond? | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Hardness (Mohs scale) | 10 | 10 | 9.25 | 8–8.5 |
| Sparkle | Classic diamond brilliance | Classic diamond brilliance | Strong rainbow flashes | Can turn cloudy over time |
| Origin | Grown in a lab, no mining | Mined from the earth | Lab-made | Lab-made |
The 4Cs, simply explained
Every diamond, lab-grown or mined, is graded the same way.
Cut
How well the facets are shaped and angled. A good cut is what makes a diamond sparkle.
Colour
How colourless the stone is, graded from D (colourless) down the alphabet.
Clarity
How few tiny natural marks the stone has. Most are invisible to the naked eye.
Carat
The weight of the diamond. One carat is 0.2 grams. At Orabiss, carat weight is what you pay for.
Common questions
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. They have the same chemical, physical and optical properties as mined diamonds. They are not imitations like cubic zirconia.
Can you tell the difference by looking?
No. Even a trained jeweller needs specialised lab equipment to tell whether a diamond was grown or mined.
Will a diamond tester show it as a diamond?
Yes. Standard diamond testers identify lab-grown diamonds as diamonds, because that is what they are.
Do they fade or turn cloudy?
No. Like any diamond, a lab-grown diamond keeps its sparkle for life. Just keep it clean, as lotion and dust can dull any stone.
Do lab-grown diamonds hold resale value?
Lab-grown diamonds have lower resale value than mined diamonds. They are best chosen for the joy of wearing them, at a much more accessible price.
Pay only for the diamonds
The silver, the making and the plating are on us.