Lab Grown Diamond Guide: Ethical, Real, & Conflict-Free

The Ultimate Guide to Lab-Grown Diamonds

Real brilliance. Ethical choice. Smarter value.

Lab-grown diamonds are changing the way people think about fine jewelry. They are real diamonds — with the same sparkle, beauty, and durability as mined diamonds — but created using advanced technology that mirrors nature’s process. At Fortevia Jewels, we believe luxury should never compromise on ethics, sustainability, or beauty.

What is a Lab-Grown Diamond?

Real Diamonds, Grown in Labs

What if your diamond could hold the same brilliance, durability, and sparkle as a mined stone, but be created in a way that feels more responsible? That’s what a lab-grown diamond delivers. They are real diamonds in every sense — same carbon structure, same fire, same strength — the only difference is their beginning. Instead of being mined from the earth, they are grown using advanced technology that replicates natural diamond formation.

This process brings more than beauty. It offers peace of mind — diamonds made without environmental destruction or unethical sourcing. That’s why at Fortevia Jewels, we choose lab-grown: to bring you jewelry that celebrates love and commitment while honoring responsibility and sustainability. It’s brilliance, redefined for today.

How Are Lab Grown Gemstones Made?

Lab Grown Diamonds can be created in two advanced ways, each inspired by the natural conditions deep within the Earth. Both methods produce real diamonds, identical in beauty, durability, and sparkle to mined ones — the only difference is in how they’re formed.

HPHT – Power of Pressure & Heat

The HPHT method uses extreme heat and immense pressure — just like the conditions found miles beneath the Earth’s crust. A small diamond “seed” is placed in a carbon source, then subjected to intense temperatures and pressures until the carbon crystallizes into a rough diamond. This process has been used the longest and is especially effective for creating larger diamonds with exceptional clarity.
CVD – Diamonds Built Atom by Atom

In the CVD method, a tiny diamond seed is placed inside a sealed chamber filled with carbon-rich gas. When the gas is energized, carbon atoms separate and settle onto the seed, building the diamond layer by layer in a precise, controlled way. This technique produces high-quality diamonds with excellent purity and allows for more customization in shape and size.

Why Choose Lab Grown?

Lab grown gemstones are considered to be more ethical because they have do not rely on the harmful mining practices which can damage the environment and interfere with ecosystems in the areas that they are mined. Additionally, lab created gems are conflict-free. Creating them in a lab not only eliminates the involvement of warlords, drug cartels, and dictators in high conflict areas, but also provides meaningful, living wages to workers, following all local labor laws.Another benefit of lab grown gemstones is that they offer consistent quality and clarity because they are produced under controlled conditions. These gemstones can be easily traced back to their origin and production process, providing transparency and reassurance to consumers.

Ethically Sourced

Lab grown gemstones are created in controlled laboratory environments, which can have positive environmental and social impacts.

High-Quality

Lab grown gemstones are carefully manufactured under controlled conditions, allowing for precise control over their color, clarity, and overall quality.

Affordable

With lab grown gems, you can often get larger or higher-quality stones at a fraction of the price of their natural counterparts.

Property	Moissanite	Lab Grown Diamond
Durability	Moissanites are slightly softer at 9.25 on the Mohs scale, but still extremely durable and suitable for everyday use.	Lab diamonds score 10 on the Mohs scale, making them the hardest and most durable gemstone suitable for daily wear.
Brilliance	Higher refractive index of 2.64 to 2.69, making them more brilliant and fiery. Larger stones may display more rainbow-like flashes.	Refractive index of 2.417 to 2.419, giving off a classic, balanced sparkle (brilliance, fire, and scintillation) similar to mined diamonds.
Color	Typically colorless or near-colorless, but available in custom shades like teal, grey, green, yellow, and black.	Can be grown in colorless grades (D–Z) or fancy colors (blue, pink, yellow, etc.). Rare colors are more affordable than natural diamonds.
Price	Most affordable of the three (natural, lab diamond, moissanite). Price varies by size, shape, and color grade, but overall significantly cheaper.	Costs less than natural diamonds, but more than moissanite. Price is determined by the 4Cs (cut, clarity, color, carat) and shape.
Sourcing	Lab-created using different methods, specifically developed as an alternative to diamonds. Also cut and polished into jewelry-ready gems.	Grown in high-tech labs using HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition). Cut and polished like mined diamonds.
Fire	Displays more fire (rainbow flashes) than diamonds, especially noticeable in larger stones.	Moderate fire — provides a balanced rainbow and white light return, mimicking a natural diamond’s sparkle.
Scintillation	More intense and dramatic scintillation, sometimes seen as too “flashy” or “disco-ball like” by diamond purists.	Natural-looking scintillation (sparkle when moving), very similar to mined diamonds.
Weight	Moissanite is lighter than a diamond. A 1 carat moissanite is smaller in weight (~0.88 ct) but equal in size due to lower density.	Slightly heavier than moissanite. A 1 carat diamond weighs exactly 1.00 ct.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lab-grown diamond certification?

A lab-grown diamond certificate is a document that provides important information about a lab-grown diamond. It serves as an official record that verifies the authenticity, quality, and characteristics of the diamond created in a laboratory environment rather than being mined naturally from the Earth.

Do lab-grown diamonds hold value?

Lab-grown diamonds are relatively new on the market, so there’s not a lot of historical data about their value. Unlike natural diamonds, they don’t have a track record of maintaining or increasing in value. That said, they’re a great option if you want to get a larger diamond for your budget.

Do lab-grown diamonds dull or yellow over time?

No, just like natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds do not dull or yellow over time. That said, you’ll want to get regular cleanings to keep that sparkle.

How long do lab-grown diamonds last?

Lab-grown diamonds last forever, and can be passed down from generation to generation just like natural diamonds.

Are lab-grown diamonds real?

Yes! Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical makeup as natural diamonds, only they’re made over weeks using advanced science and technology.

Do lab-grown diamonds look cheap?

To the naked eye lab-grown diamonds look no different than natural diamonds. In fact, you can usually get a larger lab-grown diamond for your budget. So lab-grown diamonds might actually look more expensive, when really they’re not.

Are lab-grown diamonds tacky?

This is a subjective question, but obviously we think the answer is no. Diamonds are a classic, versatile, gorgeous gemstone that can be passed down for generations, even if they’re lab-grown.

Are lab-grown diamonds worth anything?

Prices and resale values may go down as manufacturing efficiencies continue but sentimental and personal value will never fade.