The house · Diamantaires OG
Natural Diamond vs Lab-Grown Diamond: How to Tell Them Apart?
Since 2018, lab-grown diamonds have flooded the market at prices 5 to 10 times lower than natural diamonds. If you recently purchased a diamond at an unusually low price, or if you wish to sell a diamond whose origin you are unsure of, this guide is for you.
What is a lab-grown diamond?
A lab-grown diamond (also called synthetic diamond, CVD or HPHT) is chemically identical to a natural diamond: crystallized carbon in a cubic structure. The fundamental difference lies in its origin: one formed billions of years ago in the Earth's mantle, the other was created in a few weeks in an industrial reactor.
How to tell them apart? What you can do
With the naked eye, it is impossible. Even with a loupe, the two stones are indistinguishable. Here is what you can check yourself:
- The certificate: a GIA or IGI certificate explicitly states "Natural" or "Laboratory Grown". This is the simplest method. Look through your documents.
- The purchase price: if you paid less than €2,000 for a diamond over 1 carat after 2018, there is a very high chance it is a lab-grown diamond.
- The seller: high-end jewelers (Cartier, Van Cleef…) only sell natural diamonds. Online jewelry stores at discounted prices often sell lab-grown.
What only a gemologist can do
Definitive identification requires specific equipment that only professionals possess:
- DiamondView (De Beers): emits a characteristic luminescence that differs according to origin
- Infrared spectrometer (FTIR): detects impurities specific to natural diamonds
- Diamond Sure / Diamond View: sorting devices used by professional dealers
At Diamantaires Paris OG, our GIA-certified gemologists have these devices and can analyze your stone in minutes.
What resale value in 2026?
| Diamond type | Typical purchase price (1ct G VS1) | Resale value |
|---|---|---|
| Natural diamond | €5,000 – €8,000 | €3,000 – €5,500 |
| Lab-grown diamond | €500 – €1,200 | €50 – €200 |
Lab-grown diamonds have lost 80% to 95% of their resale value in a few years. Industrial overproduction has caused their prices to collapse on the secondary market. We do not buy lab-grown diamonds because there is virtually no secondary market for them.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Cartier piece contain a lab-grown diamond?
No. Major houses like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, or Bulgari only use certified natural diamonds. If your piece is authentic and signed, the diamond is natural.
Is my diamond without a certificate necessarily lab-grown?
No. Many old natural diamonds were never certified. GIA certification has only existed since the 1950s. A family diamond without a certificate can very well be a beautiful natural diamond — our gemologists can assess it on site.
How to know before coming?
Send us a photo of your diamond and any certificate to [email protected]. We will reply within 24 hours with an initial evaluation.
Get your diamond analyzed for free
Unsure if your diamond is natural? Our GIA-certified gemologists will analyze it in minutes. Free expertise, no obligation, entirely confidential.
43 Rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris
WhatsApp | ✉ [email protected]
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