Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but they are an expensive friend. But they don’t have to be – befriend the revolutionary new lab-grown diamonds which are more affordable than a mined diamond, have identical chemical properties and sparkle the same. The only difference between a lab grown and a naturally mined diamond is how they are created. As the name suggests, lab grown (or cultured ) diamonds are grown in a laboratory starting as tiny carbon seeds from diamonds which are then exposed to extreme pressure and heat that mimics how a natural diamond is formed. It takes about six to ten weeks for the diamond to grow and then is cut and polished.

Both Ernest Jones and H. Samuel have created a range of lab- grown diamonds.

All prices are correct at time of publishing.

DIAMONDS REIMAGINED Introducing H. Samuel Lab Grown Diamonds

H. Samuel, has now reimagined diamonds into the ultimate accessible treat, with the launch of H. Samuel Lab Grown Diamonds. Beautifully cut, colourless and with incredible sparkle, H. Samuel Lab Grown Diamonds have been designed for easy gifting and self-purchase in mind, at unbeatable prices.The stunning collection offers a new expression of a classic, featuring both solitaire and halo designs, crafted in 9ct white gold.Conflict-free and responsibly sourced, H. Samuel Lab Grown Diamonds are high quality stones of minimum colour F and minimum clarity SI2. Each piece is marked ‘LGD’ which is visible to the naked eye, as well as every stone over 0.18 carats.

Classic Solitaires Collection 

13 classic solitaire styles – studs, pendants and bracelets

Prices starting from £339 to £1,350

Halo Collection

9 lines using fancy cuts, halos and eternity – studs, pendants and eternity band

Prices starting from £269 to £739

BLOOM – Diamonds Grown With Love

Ernest Jones, has launched its new lab grown diamond collection, Bloom. Designed for sentimental, luxury gifting and self-purchase, the range features bold and daring silhouettes in fashion-led fancy cuts and carat weights, exclusive to Ernest Jones.

There are seven different fashion inspired collections named after European cities, six of which are distinguished by the shape of the fancy cut stones and one for the seamless, smooth stone setting: FLORENCE- Heart, PARIS-Marquise, ROME- Emerald, VENICE- Square Radiant, CAPRI- Pear, VIENNA- Oval and SEVILLE- Seamless

Prices are from £750 up to £8,000, fully traceable, G Colour and VS2 Clarity, 

Certified by the Gemological Institute of America(GIA); made in a factory using renewable energy; crafted in repurposed metals; engraved with ‘LGD’ which is visible to the naked eye including every stone over 0.18 carats.

Director of Commercial, Helen Gibb says “We’re bringing affordable luxury to our customers by taking fancy cut trends and being bold with them. These new collections showcase striking designs centred around large, eye-catching stones—styles that, in natural diamonds, would be out of reach for most people,”

Images provided by H Samuel and Ernest Jones