Lab-Grown Diamonds vs Mined Diamonds
When it comes to choosing a diamond, there’s one question that’s shining brighter than ever: lab-grown or mined? Both offer beauty and brilliance, but their origins and impacts are worlds apart. Whether you’re looking for a conscious choice or simply curious about the difference, let’s explore both options in depth.
What are lab-grown diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds, created in controlled environments using advanced technology that replicates the natural diamond-growing process. They share the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as mined diamonds — the only difference lies in their origin.
By recreating the natural conditions under which diamonds form, scientists are able to produce stones that are virtually identical to their mined counterparts. The result? Sparkling, high-quality diamonds without the need to extract them from the earth.
The difference between lab-grown and mined diamonds
Mined Diamonds
Mined diamonds are formed naturally deep within the earth’s mantle over billions of years, under intense heat and pressure. They are extracted through large-scale mining operations, often involving significant excavation and heavy machinery. Mining involves moving up to 250 tons of earth just to retrieve a single carat. Add to that the high waste ratio — around 40 million:1, meaning for every carat, 40 million times its weight in rock is displaced.
Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds are created in a laboratory using two main methods:
HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature): Mimics the natural process by applying extreme heat and pressure to carbon.
CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition): Uses carbon-rich gases to grow diamonds layer by layer.
Both methods produce genuine diamonds, with no compromise on brilliance or durability. Plus, lab-grown diamonds are created in weeks, not billions of years!
Mined Diamonds
The diamond mining industry has a complex history. While many efforts have been made to ensure ethical practices, the past has been marked by concerns over labor conditions, human rights violations, and conflict diamonds funding unethical activities. Mining is dangerous and often unregulated. On average, there’s 1 injury per 1,000 workers, and entire communities are displaced to make way for mining operations. Despite efforts toward “conflict-free” sourcing, risks around labor conditions and human rights violations still exist.
Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds offer a solution by providing full traceability and transparency. Because they are grown in controlled environments, you know exactly where your diamond comes from, ensuring peace of mind with every purchase.
Choosing lab-grown means supporting innovation and moving toward a more responsible future for fine jewelry.
Mined Diamonds
Mining operations can have a heavy environmental footprint, including:
- Land disruption
- Water pollution
- High energy consumption
- Loss of biodiversity
Despite improvements in sustainable mining initiatives, the environmental cost remains significant.
Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds generally have a lower environmental impact. By avoiding excavation, they reduce land disturbance and water use. Some producers are also moving toward renewable energy to further minimize their footprint.
While lab-grown diamonds are not entirely impact-free, they represent a step toward more conscious luxury.
Mined Diamonds
The high cost of mined diamonds is shaped by the complexity of extraction and long-standing industry practices. Their pricing isn’t set by supply and demand alone — it's also influenced by controlled distribution and marketing around rarity.
Both mined and lab-grown diamonds follow the same grading standards. Even certified gemologists cannot distinguish between the two without advanced equipment. Today, major gemological institutes, including the GIA, assess lab-grown and mined diamonds equally, confirming that both are, in every sense, real diamonds.
Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds typically cost 50–60% less than mined diamonds of comparable quality. This difference reflects a more direct production process and fewer external factors affecting pricing. That’s not because they are lower in value — it’s because the supply chain is shorter, production is faster, and the market is evolving.
At VONA, we believe the brilliance of a diamond should come without compromise — for you, for the planet, and for future generations.
Final thoughts
Both lab-grown and mined diamonds share the same beauty. But the way they’re created — and the impact they leave behind — couldn’t be more different.
Lab-grown diamonds represent a new standard: same quality, full transparency, and a lighter footprint on the planet.
At VONA, we choose lab-grown because it aligns with our vision of conscious, modern jewelry. It’s a choice that lets us celebrate beauty without compromising our values.
We don’t mine the earth.
We mine the day.