Lab-Grown Diamonds — What You Need to Know
Where Long Island Gets Engaged
Lab-grown diamonds are created in a controlled laboratory environment using advanced technology that replicates the conditions under which natural diamonds form deep within the earth. The result is a stone with the same chemical composition, crystal structure, hardness, and optical properties as a mined diamond — accompanied by independent grading reports from laboratories including IGI and GIA, issued to the same cut, color, clarity, and carat standards applied to natural stones. To a gemologist's eye, and to any eye, they are visually identical to natural diamonds.
The primary difference between a lab-grown and a natural diamond is origin — and cost. Lab-grown diamonds typically offer significantly more size and quality for the same budget as a natural stone. Whether that trade-off is right for you is a personal decision, and one our GIA graduate gemologists are here to help you make — without pressure in either direction.
|
IGI & GIA
Graded lab diamonds
|
2,500+
Five-star Google reviews
|
GIA
Graduate gemologists on staff
|
Since 2003
Family-owned & locally loved
|
Common questions about lab-grown diamonds
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical composition and physical structure as natural diamonds. They are not simulants like cubic zirconia or moissanite — they are diamonds, grown above ground rather than mined from the earth, and accompanied by independent grading reports from laboratories including IGI and GIA.
How are lab-grown diamonds made?
Lab-grown diamonds are produced using one of two methods: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT), which mimics the natural formation process, or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), which grows diamonds from a carbon-rich gas. Both processes produce genuine diamonds that are indistinguishable from mined stones without specialized laboratory equipment.
How do lab-grown diamonds compare to natural diamonds in value?
Lab-grown diamonds typically offer more size and quality for the same budget as a natural stone. Natural diamonds have historically held their value differently over time. The right choice depends on your priorities — our GIA graduate gemologists are here to help you think through both options honestly.
Can you tell the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds?
Not with the naked eye — and not with standard gemological tools. The differences can only be detected with specialized laboratory equipment. Side by side, a lab-grown and natural diamond of the same grade will look identical. Our team will show you both in person so you can see exactly what you are choosing between.
The best way to make this decision is to see both in person. Visit our Oceanside showroom and our GIA graduate gemologists will place a lab-grown and natural diamond side by side — same grade, same light, no pressure.