Naturally Beautiful,
Ethically Sourced Diamonds

A mined 1-carat round brilliant diamond typically costs anywhere from about $2,500 to well over $10,000, depending on its colour, clarity, cut and certification. The round brilliant is the most popular shape, so it is the usual benchmark.

The value of any diamond is set by the 4Cs: Carat, Colour, Cut and Clarity. Mined diamonds generally cost more than lab-grown diamonds of the same quality because of rarity, long-standing tradition and a longer supply chain.

Natural and lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically and optically identical. Both are real diamonds made of carbon, and both are graded on the same 4Cs scale.

The real differences are origin and price. Natural diamonds form over billions of years deep in the earth and cost more. Lab-grown diamonds are created in a controlled environment in weeks and usually cost significantly less for the same size and quality. Many buyers choose lab-grown for value and sustainability, while others prefer natural for rarity and tradition.

The most reliable ways are a diamond tester (thermal or electrical conductivity), examination by a qualified gemologist, and a grading certificate from a lab such as GIA or IGI.

A magnifying loupe can also help. Real diamonds usually have tiny natural inclusions and sharp, clean facet edges, while many fakes look flawless or have rounded edges.

Home tricks like the fog test are not fully reliable on their own, because some imitations can pass them. If you are spending real money, always insist on a certificate.

No. Common imitations such as cubic zirconia, moissanite and glass are all denser than water, so they sink just like real diamonds. The float test cannot tell you whether a stone is genuine.

To check a stone properly, use a diamond tester, have a gemologist examine it, or buy one that comes with a grading report from a recognised lab.

A flashlight is not a dependable test. Diamonds do split light into flashes of white and colour, known as brilliance and fire. However, cubic zirconia and moissanite often show even more rainbow colour than a diamond does.

Excessive rainbow flashes can in fact be a sign of an imitation. For a trustworthy result, use a diamond tester or ask a jeweller or gemologist to verify the stone.

Not always. Some mined diamonds have been linked to conflict, forced labour and human rights abuses, which is where the term "blood diamond" comes from. The Kimberley Process was introduced to reduce this, and many mined diamonds today are traceable and responsibly sourced, but it is not a perfect system.

Lab-grown diamonds are created in controlled facilities and have no connection to mining conflicts, which makes them a straightforward choice if conflict-free origin is important to you.

No. The colour of a diamond has nothing to do with whether it is a "blood diamond". That term refers to diamonds mined in war zones and sold to fund armed conflict, and it can apply to a diamond of any colour.

Natural black diamonds get their colour from dense graphite or other mineral inclusions, and some are treated to deepen the colour. Black diamonds can also be grown in a lab, which removes any sourcing concerns.

Red is widely considered the rarest natural diamond colour. Only a very small number of true red diamonds are known, and the largest examples have sold for millions of dollars, with prices reported at several million dollars for stones of around 5 carats.

Other rare natural fancy colours include blue, pink, green and vivid orange. Yellow and brown are more common.

Natural diamonds form when carbon is subjected to extreme heat and pressure in the Earth's mantle, roughly 150 to 200 kilometres (90 to 125 miles) below the surface. They are then brought up by deep volcanic eruptions through structures called kimberlite pipes.

Most natural diamonds are between 1 and 3.5 billion years old. Trace elements present during formation can create coloured diamonds. For example, nitrogen produces yellow and boron produces blue.

It depends on the source. An ethical natural diamond comes from a mine with safe working conditions, fair pay and responsible environmental practices, and ideally has a traceable origin.

Because mining has an environmental footprint and sourcing standards vary, many buyers prefer lab-grown diamonds, which avoid mining altogether. If you choose natural, ask your jeweller for details about where the stone came from.