- IGI-certified diamonds
- Triple Excellent standard
- Lifetime setting upgrades
- Free, fully insured shipping
- Made to order in Toronto
Two diamonds. One pulled from the ground, one grown in a reactor. Under a 10x loupe an IGI gemologist cannot tell them apart — because they are the same crystal. Same atomic lattice, same Mohs 10 hardness, same 2.42 refractive index. The only real differences are origin, footprint and price.
A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond — chemically, physically and optically identical to a mined one, and IGI-certified the same way. The only real differences are origin and price: lab-grown costs a fraction of mined for the same size and quality, with no mining. For most couples today it is simply more diamond, more ethically, for the money.
Key takeaways
- Lab-grown and mined diamonds are physically, chemically and optically identical — both are real diamonds.
- They are graded by the same laboratories (IGI, GIA) on the same 4Cs.
- The differences are origin, environmental footprint and price — not the stone itself.
- A lab-grown stone of identical specs typically costs 60–80% less than mined at retail.
- How a diamond looks is decided by cut, not origin.
What is identical
Lab-grown diamonds are physically, chemically and optically the same as mined diamonds: carbon in a cubic crystal structure, the same fire, the same brilliance, the same hardness. They are graded by the same labs on the same 4Cs scale — if those are new to you, see the 4Cs explained.
What is different
The origin story. A mined diamond grew over billions of years a hundred miles below the surface and was carried up by volcanic activity. A lab-grown diamond grows over weeks in a reactor that recreates those conditions — the same temperature, pressure and chemistry. Both processes produce diamond. One leaves a roughly 250-ton-per-carat earth disturbance behind it; the other, a few kilowatt-hours.
Every centre diamond is Triple Excellent, D–E, VVS and at least three carats — the hard calls are made for you.
Design your ringLab-grown vs mined, side by side
| Property | Lab-grown | Mined |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical / optical make-up | Identical (real diamond) | Identical (real diamond) |
| Hardness | Mohs 10 | Mohs 10 |
| Certification | IGI / GIA, same 4Cs | IGI / GIA, same 4Cs |
| Origin | Grown in weeks | Formed over billions of years |
| Environmental footprint | Minimal | Significant extraction |
| Price (same specs) | 60–80% less | Baseline |
What actually matters for your ring
Cut. Then cut. Then cut. A 3-carat VVS1 D-colour stone with a mediocre cut will look duller than a smaller stone cut to Triple Excellent. We set Montare's floor at Triple Excellent for that exact reason — it is the variable that separates a diamond that catches every angle of light from one that just sits there. Here is why Triple Excellent matters.
The pricing question
A lab-grown stone of identical specifications costs 60–80% less at retail than its mined counterpart — and that is before retail markup. The difference is not a discount on quality; the stone is identical. It is the absence of a century-old extraction industry and the layers of markup on top of it. We run the numbers in what an $11,000 lab-grown ring is really charging you for, and cover the Canadian specifics in our guide to buying lab-grown in Canada.
What we will not say
We will not tell you lab-grown is ‘better’ than mined — they are the same crystal. We will tell you that at the VVS, D/E, Triple Excellent floor Montare insists on, the value calculation is straightforward: you are paying for the stone, the craftsmanship and the standard, not for an extraction story.
Design your ring in minutes. Every centre diamond is D–E colour, VVS clarity, Triple Excellent cut and at least three carats — IGI certified, made to order in Toronto.
Open the ring builder →Frequently asked questions
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond — identical carbon crystal, hardness and brilliance — simply grown in a lab rather than mined. It is not a simulant like cubic zirconia or moissanite.
Can a jeweller tell lab-grown from mined?
Not by eye or with a loupe — they are identical. Distinguishing them requires specialised laboratory equipment, which is why the certificate states the origin.
Do lab-grown diamonds hold their value?
Like most diamonds, lab-grown stones are not bought as investments — choose the ring you love, not a stone to resell. The value is in buying a far larger, higher-grade diamond for the same budget.
Why are lab-grown diamonds cheaper?
Because the supply chain is shorter and there is no extraction industry behind them — not because the stone is lesser. Same diamond, less arithmetic between you and it.
See the standard for yourself. Build a ring in the ring builder or book a consultation.
The Montare standard
Lab-grown · D–E colour · VVS clarity · Triple Excellent · 3ct minimum · IGI certified
Every ring is made to order in Toronto and backed by our lifetime setting upgrade, with free, fully insured shipping.
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