Tips For Buying Lab Grown Diamonds Online

The elaboration of lab-grown diamonds leaves an almost zero-carbon footprint. Plus, they’re more financially accessible, making them a popular choice for conscious shoppers looking for luxury jewellery. Although you can source lab-grown diamonds in stores, there are also plenty of options online, and the availability is growing as technology continues to develop. 

Lab-grown diamonds are a more ethical option than earth-mined diamonds, so it’s a no-brainer to shop a diamond of the same quality but with a lower environmental (and financial) price tag. Online retailers typically have lower overheads, so you can shop for fantastic deals on lab-grown diamonds. Before you start shopping, it’s essential to understand the range of lab-grown diamonds available and how you can assess their quality. 

We mentioned the four Cs of diamonds: cut, clarity, colour and carat. Each makes a difference to the diamond, but they don’t all affect the price. Some aspects simply come down to personal choice. Here’s how to choose lab-grown diamonds according to the four Cs.

The cut of the diamond refers to the polish, symmetry, and finish of the diamond. This will affect the brilliance of a diamond (the white light a diamond reflects); a well-cut diamond will have a brighter shine. There are different diamond cut grades which will affect the price of the diamond. For example, the highest grade is usually an ‘excellent’ or ‘ideal’ (depending on the institute) round-cut diamond. Therefore, if you’re looking for the best lab-grown diamond engagement rings, we recommend searching for the highest cut grade possible.

Diamond clarity can affect the value of the diamond. Clarity refers to any imperfections or blemishes in the stone which are rarely visible to the naked eye. There are five main types of diamond clarity:

Included Diamonds

Included diamonds may have blemishes that are visible to the naked eye. This is why the best lab-grown diamond engagement rings generally feature a diamond with a higher clarity grade.

Slightly Included (SI) Diamonds

Slightly included diamonds have blemishes that are easily visible at 10x magnification, making them a great budget-friendly option. However, sometimes, these blemishes may be visible without magnification. 

Very Slightly Included (VS) Diamonds

Very slightly included diamonds are a good choice because their blemishes are barely visible (although more so than VVS). Similarly, they are only noticeable at 10x magnification, which is the industry standard. Thus, they offer a good balance between quality and price.

Very Very Slightly Included (VVS) Diamonds

VVS diamonds are the ideal choice for top lab-grown diamond rings. This type is highly desirable and an excellent purchase because the inclusions are so minute that the naked eye can’t detect them. Under 10x magnification, even well-trained gemologists will only perceive minor inclusions. 

Note: Although rare, lab-grown diamond technology allows us to use VVS-VS in most of our jewellery, ensuring superior quality. Because they are near-flawless, they are the ideal compromise for investors looking for high-clarity diamonds. Read our complete guide to VVS diamonds here.

Internally Flawless (IF) Diamonds

Internally flawless diamonds have no blemishes within the stone but may have minor surface imperfections. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re visible even at 10x magnification. 

Flawless Diamonds

Flawless diamonds have the highest clarity grade. They are extremely rare, whether earth-mined or lab-grown and as such, come with a more weighty price tag. Less than 1% of all diamonds are flawless.

Another aspect to consider when choosing top lab-grown diamond rings is colour. In reality, it’s the absence of colour. The closer the diamond is to colourless, the higher its value. Special diamond colours fall outside this range—in this section, we refer to ‘white’ diamonds. Look for high-quality photos when shopping online to get a good feel for the in-person colour.

• Colourless: D, E, F colour grade. These are the most desired, what we recommend our clients look for, and what we offer at Fyne.
• Near colourless: G, H, I, J. 
• Faint: K, L, M.
• Very light: N, O, P, Q, R.
• Light: S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

The carat refers to the weight of the diamond. This aspect affects the value of the diamond, with one carat being the most popular choice. That said, one of our tips for buying lab-grown diamonds online is to choose a jeweller that gives you greater freedom of choice. For example, we provide the standard sizes of 1, 1.5 and 2 carats on our website. However, through our bespoke service, you can choose any carat weight. 

Did you know? There’s also the option to design your bespoke ring from scratch with our team, where we can select a carat size that’s right for you. Get in touch here.

We always recommend diamond jewellery that is a minimum of one carat in weight, between D-F colour, with VS or VVS clarity. The shape is down to personal choice, but a round-cut diamond will usually sparkle more than other shapes. 

For more guidance, use our comprehensive lab-grown diamond buying guide below. Here are our 7 top tips for buying lab-grown diamonds online:

1. Understand the four ‘Cs’ of diamonds. The colour, clarity, cut and carat weight all affect the overall value of a piece of diamond jewellery.
2. Find a reputable jeweller. When shopping online, it's essential to think carefully about where to buy lab-grown diamonds. We recommend looking for positive customer reviews and jewellers that offer a warranty.
3. Certification. Check that the diamond you buy is certified by a reputable authority, such as the GIA or IGI.
4. Made to order. Mass-produced diamond jewellery is not as unique—or sustainable—as made-to-order pieces. Patience is a virtue; it’s worth waiting a week or so more to have a one-of-a-kind piece made especially for you.
5. Compare prices. Lab-grown diamonds are typically priced lower than earth-mined diamonds (70-80% less). However, they have exactly the same characteristics, making them a fantastic alternative. 
6. Customisation options. High-end jewellers should be willing to spend the time to help you make the right choice and be able to add any personal specifications or requests you may have, such as resizing options, engraving, and personal touches. This is particularly useful when shopping for lab-grown diamonds online.
7. Consultations. We recommend working with jewellers who offer consultations. This way, you can speak to the retailer, who will give you peace of mind before making a considerable investment. Book a meeting with our team for yours.

Lab-grown diamonds are becoming increasingly popular because they have a lower price point than earth-mined diamonds and are a far more ethical choice. The innovative techniques used to grow the diamond in the laboratory eliminate the need to mine diamonds from the earth — a process typically linked to unethical working conditions, community displacement, and depletion of natural resources. Here are some of our top advantages to choosing lab-grown diamonds online.

Earth-mined diamonds are more expensive than lab-grown diamonds, and both lose value upon resale. By opting for a lab-grown diamond, you won’t pay as much in the first instance, meaning that if you decide to resell your diamond jewellery, you’ll get a higher return.

Coloured diamonds (pink, blue, etc) are rarely found naturally. Lab-grown diamonds use the latest technology and can be elaborated according to your wishes. 

Lab-grown diamonds have traceable origins and certificates that reflect this. With earth-mined diamonds, this isn’t the case; supply chain information is usually less transparent.

Because lab-grown diamonds are cultured under specific technological conditions, they can be made to contain fewer inclusions (blemishes), which makes them sparkle more. For this reason, we’re able to use VS, or the even rarer VVS, diamonds in our jewellery.