Our Philosophy on Lab Grown Diamonds
At Golden Hour Jewelers, we carry both Lab Grown Diamonds and Natural Diamonds. As gemologists, It is our goal to educate our clients and allow them to decide which is best for their lifestyle goals.
Gemologically speaking, Lab Grown Diamonds, or LGDs, are the same chemically, physically, and optically as natural diamonds. The difference lies in their origin. While natural diamonds are mined from the earth and take millions of years to form, LGDs are made in carefully controlled laboratories using precision technology. Both natural diamonds and LGDs are made of Carbon.
There is no visible, distinguishable difference between natural diamonds and LGDs.
About Lab diamonds
A brief history of lab-grown diamonds: Contrary to popular belief, lab-grown diamonds have existed since the 1950s. They were not of gem quality, however, and were largely used for industrial applications. The first studies on LGDs created by General Electric were conducted in the 1970s by the Gemological Institute of America. Since then, technology has advanced enough for us to create diamonds of salable, gem quality. Through technological advancements, we are now able to produce beautiful diamonds for a fraction of the environmental and monetary cost.
Intrinsic value: It has never been our recommendation to purchase colorless diamonds as a monetary investment, irregardless of their origin. According to multiple retail tracking indexes (Tenoris, Rappaport, IDEX), natural, colorless diamond prices have fallen 38% from April 2022 to late 2024. As of mid 2025, their decline is more modest, but is indeed ongoing (1-2% YTD). Lab grown diamonds have also lost value since their introduction to the mainstream market some five years ago. This is caused in part due to their current over-abundant supply and to ever-improving technology that is making them easier to produce.
How are lab-grown diamonds made? LGDs are grown via two methods: HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition). HPHT, as the name implies, utilizes earth-mimicking technology to create extreme pressure and temperatures to grow diamond rough from a diamond substrate or “seed”. CVD is the layering of pure carbon atoms from a gas in extremely high temperatures until diamond rough is formed over a matter of weeks. Because both methods are in controlled laboratory environments, there is a general lack of impurities; in the rough meaning, LGDs have excellent color and clarity. To reduce costs associated with natural diamonds, oftentimes consumers had to compromise on color or clarity to meet their budgets. This is no longer the case for LGDs.
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