Lab Diamond Guide

The science

How a lab diamond is grown

A diamond is a diamond, whether it is grown in a laboratory or taken from the ground.

Our stones begin as a slender diamond seed placed inside a chamber that recreates the conditions found deep within the earth. Carbon crystallises around the seed atom by atom, over several weeks, until a rough diamond emerges — chemically, optically and physically identical to a mined stone.

Because growth is controlled rather than accidental, our gemmologists can select stones of exceptional purity: the clarity, colour and precision we require are achieved far more consistently than nature allows.

Shape guide

The ten cuts

Round brilliant

Classic and timeless: fifty-seven facets engineered to return the greatest possible light.

Oval

The brilliance of a round cut in an elongated silhouette that flatters the hand.

Radiant

Trimmed corners and brilliant faceting: the elegance of an emerald with the fire of a round.

Emerald

Long step facets create a hall-of-mirrors effect and reward exceptional clarity.

Pear

A teardrop between round and marquise — singular, graceful, quietly theatrical.

Cushion

Softly rounded corners and vintage charm, with generous depth of sparkle.

Princess

Sharp corners and brilliant facets for a modern, architectural line.

Asscher

A square step cut with cropped corners and a deliberate, vintage geometry.

Marquise

Pointed ends maximise apparent size and lengthen the finger.

Heart

The most personal silhouette, demanding perfect symmetry from the cutter.

Quality

Reading the four C's

Carat

Weight, not size. Two stones of equal carat can read very differently depending on cut and proportion.

Colour

We work in the colourless range, D to F, so the stone reads as pure white light.

Clarity

Astrea selects VVS1 and VVS2 stones: inclusions are invisible to the eye and difficult to find under a loupe.

Cut

The one C decided by human hand — and the one that determines whether a diamond truly comes alive.

Value

A Diamond Is a Diamond

A diamond is a diamond — whether it is created above ground or formed beneath it. This is not a matter of opinion, but of science.

Lab-grown and mined diamonds share the same fundamental chemical composition and crystal structure, and the same optical properties, brilliance, hardness and durability.

Their distinction lies in their origin — not in their identity as diamonds.

So why can the difference in price be so extraordinary?

A mined diamond carries with it the considerable economics of extraction: exploration, mining infrastructure, heavy machinery, labour, energy, transportation and the complex journey from deep within the earth to the jewellery house.

A lab-grown diamond is created using highly advanced technology in a precisely controlled environment, removing much of the enormous cost associated with finding and extracting diamonds from the earth.

The result is remarkable: the same diamond material, without the economics of mining.

Today, an exceptional two-carat lab-grown diamond — D colour, VS2 clarity or above, independently certified by IGI or GIA and selected for exceptional light performance — can be acquired for approximately $8,000, while a mined diamond of equivalent quality may command $60,000 or more at retail.

And this is where the conversation about value — and particularly resale value — becomes important.

A diamond is a jewel, not a financial investment.

It is something extraordinary to own, to wear, to celebrate and, perhaps, one day to pass on.

Its emotional value may be immeasurable. But its retail purchase price should never be confused with its resale value.

The assumption that a mined diamond necessarily represents a superior financial proposition simply because it costs more is deeply misleading.

Consider the reality of the purchase.

A mined diamond acquired for $60,000 may have a resale value approximately $30,000 below its original retail price.

In other words, by the time you leave the shop, you may already have lost $30,000.

And that is before considering what may happen to its value over time.

The market for mined diamonds has not been immune to falling prices. Like any luxury asset, diamond prices can rise and fall, and the price paid at retail is no guarantee of what someone will be prepared to pay for that diamond in the future.

Lab-grown diamonds also depreciate. We make no attempt to disguise that fact.

But the financial exposure is fundamentally different.

With an exceptional lab-grown diamond purchased for approximately $8,000, even in the purely theoretical scenario in which its resale value were zero, the maximum amount at risk would be $8,000.

With a $60,000 mined diamond, the difference between its retail purchase price and its resale value may represent a minimum of $30,000 by the time the customer leaves the shop.

That is the distinction that matters.

Not whether one diamond has a resale value and the other does not — both do — but how much capital you put at risk in the first place.

At Astrea London, we believe this represents a new expression of luxury.

Luxury should not be defined by the cost of extracting something from the earth.

It should be defined by the excellence of the diamond itself; by its beauty, brilliance and light performance; by the artistry and craftsmanship of the jewellery; and, perhaps most importantly, by the integrity, vision and values of the brand behind it.

A magnificent diamond should be chosen because it is magnificent.

Because of the way it captures light.

Because of the way it has been cut and set.

Because of the craftsmanship surrounding it.

And because of the emotion it creates when you wear it.

That, to us, is luxury.

Not paying more simply because something cost more to extract, but choosing exceptional beauty with intelligence and discernment.

The same beauty.

The same brilliance.

The same permanence.

A diamond is a diamond — with a more intelligent approach to value.

— Nathalie Morrison

Founder, Astrea London

Certification

Independently verified

Every centre stone is graded by IGI and accompanied by its own report, which you may verify directly with the laboratory. Precious metals are hallmarked to UK standards and Astrea London is a registered Assay Assured Jewellery Retailer.