6 Things You Didn’t Know About Lab Grown Diamonds in Singapore

Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. That sentence still surprises some buyers in Singapore, which says something about how much confusion the marketing around this category has created. This guide cuts through it — covering six things most people in Singapore do not know about lab grown diamonds, and what actually matters when you are choosing one.

1. Lab Grown Diamonds Are Not Simulants

Cubic zirconia and moissanite are diamond simulants — materials that look like diamonds but are chemically and physically different. Lab grown diamonds are not simulants. They are carbon crystals with the same atomic structure, the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale), the same refractive index, and the same optical properties as mined diamonds.

A lab grown diamond will pass a standard diamond tester. It cannot be distinguished from a mined diamond by the naked eye, or by any test that does not specifically probe for growth method characteristics. GIA and IGI grade lab grown diamonds using the same 4Cs framework as natural stones, because the grading criteria are identical.

2. The Only Difference Is Origin

A mined diamond forms over billions of years under extreme heat and pressure in the earth's mantle. A lab grown diamond forms over weeks in a controlled environment using CVD or HPHT technology that replicates those conditions. The result is the same material, produced by a different process in a vastly shorter time.

This is a meaningful distinction for some buyers — the geological age and natural origin of a mined diamond carries significance that a lab grown stone cannot replicate. For other buyers, it is not meaningful. Both positions are valid. The key is knowing what you are comparing.

3. Lab Grown Diamonds Offer Significantly More for the Same Budget

In Singapore in 2026, a 1.0ct lab grown diamond graded E–F VS1–VS2 with an excellent cut typically costs SGD 900–1,400. The equivalent natural diamond would cost SGD 8,000–12,000 or more.

This price difference means a lab grown diamond allows access to cut quality, colour, and clarity grades that would be out of reach in a natural stone at the same budget. Many couples choose a larger carat weight or a higher cut grade rather than a smaller or lower-quality mined stone at the same price. Both are valid trade-offs — the right choice depends on what matters to you.

4. Lab Grown Diamonds Often Have Exceptional Clarity

Controlled growth conditions produce diamonds with very clean crystal structures. Many lab grown diamonds — particularly CVD-grown Type IIa stones — have clarity grades at VS1 or above, with inclusions that are genuinely difficult to find even under magnification. This is partly a function of production selection: manufacturers optimise growth conditions for quality, and stones with significant inclusions are identified and separated at source.

In practice, the majority of lab grown diamonds we present to clients at Diamond Ateliers are eye-clean at VS2 and above. Paying for FL or IF clarity in a lab grown stone is rarely worth it for the same reason it is rarely worth it in a natural stone: the visual difference from VS2 is invisible to the naked eye.

5. Resale Value Is Lower — and That Is the Honest Answer

Lab grown diamond resale values have declined substantially as production has scaled. A stone purchased three years ago at a price that seemed like a discount has, in many cases, declined further in value since. Natural diamonds also do not hold value reliably — the common belief that diamonds are investments is largely a product of historical marketing — but the decline in lab grown resale has been sharper and faster.

For buyers who do not intend to resell — who are buying a piece to wear for decades — this is largely irrelevant. The stone's beauty and meaning are not diminished by its market value. But it is worth knowing, and a jeweller who does not mention it is not giving you complete information.

6. The Ethics Question Is More Nuanced Than the Marketing Suggests

Lab grown diamonds are frequently marketed as the ethical choice. The reality is more nuanced on both sides.

The mined diamond industry has improved its supply chain practices significantly since the Kimberley Process was introduced in 2003. Conflict diamonds represent a small fraction of the market. Many responsible mining operations are significant employers in developing economies.

Lab grown production is energy-intensive. The HPHT and CVD processes require significant electricity, and the carbon footprint of a given lab grown diamond depends on the energy source used by the specific producer. Some manufacturers use renewable energy; others do not.

The cleanest position is this: if ethical sourcing matters to you, ask your jeweller specifically about the origin and production of the stone you are considering. A blanket claim that lab grown is always more ethical than mined is not fully supported by the evidence.

How to Choose a Lab Grown Diamond in Singapore

Prioritise cut quality first — an excellent or ideal cut grade from IGI or GIA. Then colour in the D–F range for a crisp white appearance, or G–H if the setting is yellow or rose gold. Clarity at VS2 or above for round brilliants; VS1 or above for step cuts like emerald cut or Asscher. Carat weight last — let the other factors set the boundary and find the best stone within it.

Ask about the growth method (CVD or HPHT) and whether any post-growth colour treatment has been applied. Both are disclosed on reputable certificates. There is no wrong answer on growth method for most buyers, but knowing is better than not knowing.

Keep Reading

• Lab Grown Diamond Prices in Singapore — current price ranges by carat weight and specification for 2026.
• CVD vs HPHT: Lab Diamond Growth Methods Explained — how the two production processes differ and what it means for the stone you buy.
• GIA vs IGI Diamond Certificates Explained — what the certificate grading differences actually mean in practice.
• Diamond Guide — Diamond Ateliers' full reference for buying diamonds in Singapore.

Book a consultation to compare lab grown and natural options in person, or message us on WhatsApp with any questions.