Diamonds and gemstones · 14 Sept 2026 · 1 min read

Natural and laboratory-grown diamonds: disclosed clearly, priced separately

The two share a structure but differ in origin, price and resale value. Kim Bảo Minh Châu states the type on every document.

Written by Kim Bảo Minh Châu

Laboratory-grown diamonds are increasingly popular because they cost far less than natural stones of the same size. They are a legitimate choice, provided the buyer knows exactly which one they are buying.

Same and different

	Natural	Laboratory-grown
Structure	Crystalline carbon	Crystalline carbon, identical
Hardness	10 on the Mohs scale	10 on the Mohs scale
Formation	Millions of years underground	Weeks in a laboratory
Tell apart by eye	No	No; specialist equipment needed
Purchase price	High	Much lower
Resale value	Keeps a significant share	Low, falling with lab-grown market prices

The risk for buyers

Because the eye cannot tell them apart, lab-grown stones can be mixed into natural parcels or sold undisclosed. The buyer pays a natural price for a lab stone and only finds out on resale.

The three-stone ring, natural diamonds with specifications on the warranty card

Kim Bảo Minh Châu commitments

State "laboratory-grown diamond" on the tag, invoice, warranty card and product page.
Separate them in display, pricing and storage.
Screen every incoming stone with detection equipment before setting.
Separate buy-back terms: certified natural diamonds at 70% of the stone price on buy-back, 90% on trade-in; lab-grown not bought back for cash, 30% on trade-in. Published in advance so you can weigh it up.

Which to choose

A bigger stone on a set budget, resale not a priority: laboratory-grown makes sense.
A piece that keeps value, to save or pass down: a certified natural diamond.

Either way, ask three questions: natural or lab-grown, which lab issued the report, what percentage is bought back. The answers belong on paper.