Let us be direct about our position before we begin: GV Diamonds sells only natural, earth-mined diamonds. We always have. This article is not a sales pitch — it is an attempt to give you accurate information so you can make the right decision for yourself.
What is a Lab-Grown Diamond?
A lab-grown diamond is chemically, optically, and physically identical to a natural diamond. It is not a simulant (like cubic zirconia or moissanite) — it is real diamond, carbon atoms in a cubic lattice structure, with the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale) and the same optical properties.
The difference is origin. A natural diamond formed between one and three billion years ago, 150+ kilometres beneath the earth's surface, under extreme heat and pressure. A lab-grown diamond was produced in weeks in a controlled chamber using either HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) or CVD (chemical vapour deposition) processes.
Price
Lab-grown diamonds currently sell for 60–90% less per carat than equivalent natural diamonds, depending on grade and size. This gap has widened significantly since 2020 as production capacity has scaled.
The practical consequence: if your priority is maximum size or grade per rupee spent, lab-grown diamonds offer that. If your priority is long-term value retention, natural diamonds have historically held value better — though no diamond should be treated primarily as an investment.
Resale Value
This is where the difference is most significant. Natural diamonds retain meaningful resale value. Lab-grown diamond resale value has declined sharply as market prices have fallen — a stone purchased three years ago for ₹2 lakhs may resell today for a fraction of that, simply because new production has driven prices down. GV Diamonds' buyback programme applies only to natural diamonds, for this reason.
Our View
Both are real diamonds. The question is what the diamond means to you. If you want a larger stone for a fashion piece you will wear for a few years, a lab-grown diamond is a sensible choice. If you want a stone that carries the irreplaceable story of geological time — and that you can pass down with a credible value attached — a natural diamond is the right choice. We sell the latter, which is why we can speak honestly about the former.