Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are carbon in the same crystal structure as mined diamonds, with essentially the same chemical, optical and physical properties. They're 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and show the same brilliance. The only difference is where they came from: they're grown in a controlled environment instead of formed in the earth.

Origin. Mined diamonds formed underground over millions of years and were dug up. Lab-grown diamonds are made with technology that recreates how diamond crystals form. Both are diamond. What differs is growth history, supply chain, price and resale value. Our lab-grown vs natural guide compares them side by side.

Not by looking, even with a loupe. Standard jeweler's diamond testers read both as diamond. Telling them apart takes specialized lab equipment that examines growth patterns, which is why an independent report stating the origin matters.

No. Moissanite and cubic zirconia are different materials that imitate the look of diamond. They have different hardness, different sparkle and a different chemical makeup. A lab-grown diamond is actual diamond.

Two main ways. HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) recreates the conditions deep underground to grow diamond around a small seed. CVD (chemical vapor deposition) grows diamond layer by layer from carbon-rich gas in a vacuum chamber. Both make real diamonds, and the IGI report notes which method was used.

Yes. They're exactly as hard as mined diamonds. Like any diamond, they can chip if struck hard at the right angle, especially at sharp corners or points, which is why a good setting protects those areas.

Not really, and we'd rather tell you that up front. Lab-grown diamonds have very limited resale value, and prices have dropped over the past several years. Buy one for the ring you'll wear, not as an investment.

An IGI report records the International Gemological Institute's examination of one specific diamond. It lists the shape, measurements, carat weight, color grade, clarity grade, cut grade where issued, polish, symmetry and the lab-growth method, plus any detected post-growth treatment. It's a grading report, not an appraisal and not a guarantee of future value.

Yes. Every Axiom lab-grown diamond includes an independent IGI report.

It means a diamond is graded Excellent for cut, polish and symmetry on its report. Every Axiom diamond carries Triple Excellent grades. The individual report for your stone is always the record to go by.

Every Axiom diamond is D, E or F color, the colorless grades at the top of the scale, and VS2 clarity or higher. We don't sell near-colorless stones or SI and I clarity grades. The 4Cs guide explains color and the clarity guide covers the full clarity scale.

You'll hear that a warm metal makes a lower color grade "look the same," and it's often used to sell a G or H stone at a higher price. A colorless diamond in yellow or rose gold looks crisp and bright against the metal, and that contrast is a big part of why people choose gold. With Axiom you get D, E or F color for less than traditional retailers charge for a warmer stone, so you don't have to trade down to stay on budget.

Our diamond manufacturers shoot each stone to show it as accurately as they can, usually under controlled lighting and magnification. How it looks in person still changes with lighting, your screen and the distance you're viewing from. Magnified video can show details you'd never notice on a hand.

Our team learned this business working in local retail jewelry stores, the same stores that put heavy markups on diamonds. We've seen how those prices get built from the inside, and we know exactly where the money goes.

Most of it lands on the center stone. Gold and platinum have a public price per ounce, so a store can only mark up the setting so far. Diamond costs aren't public, which makes the stone the easiest place to add margin. On top of that, a store's price has to cover a showroom, inventory sitting in display cases, sales commissions and advertising.

We sell online, so we don't carry any of that. We don't pay commissions, and we add the same margin to every diamond no matter its size or grade. That's where the savings come from.

How we make the comparison. When we say half the price of traditional retail, we're comparing our price to what traditional brick-and-mortar jewelry stores typically charge for a comparable lab-grown diamond: the same shape, similar carat weight, the same color and clarity range, Excellent cut, polish and symmetry, and an IGI report. The retail figures come from the pricing models used by those stores.

What that means for you. The savings on any single diamond depend on the stone and the store you compare it to, so some diamonds will come in a little above or below half. The retail comparison shown with each diamond is an estimate based on those pricing models, not a quote from a specific store. The best way to check is to take a stone's report details to a local jeweler and ask what they'd charge for the same specs.

No. "Wholesale" on a listing doesn't prove a lower price. Compare the same specifications, report, measurements, treatment disclosure, shipping, setting costs and return terms. We sell loose lab-grown diamonds directly to customers and don't call our prices wholesale. The price guide shows how to compare listings fairly.

No. Setting the stone is a separate charge from your jeweler. Most jewelers charge to set a diamond they didn't sell, while stones they sell are usually set for free. Our calculator adds an estimated setting fee based on industry-standard prong-setting rates and accounts for that free setting on the store side, so you can compare the full cost of each option honestly. Bezel, channel and custom settings usually cost more, and each jeweler sets their own prices, so we can't guarantee the estimate. Your jeweler will give you the final quote.

Only the diamond. Axiom sells the loose center stone. The setting, band, sizing, engraving and setting labor come from your jeweler. Before you order, confirm your jeweler accepts customer-supplied diamonds and that the setting can take the stone's exact measurements.

Yes, and it works for both existing settings and custom rings. Share the diamond's report number and exact length, width and depth with your jeweler before the setting is finished, get the design and labor quote in writing, and confirm who's responsible for the stone while they have it. Keep the diamond sealed until the setting is ready so your return window stays open. The ring setting guide walks through the whole handoff.

There isn't one right answer. Start with the shape you love, then compare cut, face-up measurements, color and clarity against your budget and setting. The best stone is the one that looks right on the hand without paying for clarity grades nobody can see. The engagement ring guide lays out a step-by-step order.

Compare the full cost of a loose diamond plus a setting against a comparable finished ring, not just the diamond prices. The biggest savings usually come from buying the center stone without retail markup, avoiding sellers who add a whole-carat premium to VS and VVS stones (a real jump only exists for Flawless and Internally Flawless), and not overpaying for clarity grades you won't see once it's set. Color is one place not to cut corners, which is why every Axiom stone is D, E or F.

If the diamond is going into a setting, give yourself at least four to six weeks, and more for a custom ring. The diamond takes 1 to 9 days to reach our offices from the manufacturer, then we inspect and verify it matches the report and our quality standards before we ship it with insured 2-day delivery. After that, it depends on your jeweler's schedule for setting and sizing, which often takes an extra 2 to 3 weeks.

Free, insured and in discreet packaging. Every delivery requires a signature. Each diamond ships in a clear acrylic case that's double-sealed so the correct stone stays in the correct case, and we include tools so you can inspect and clean it yourself.

We source diamonds from manufacturers around the world. Depending on the manufacturer, it takes 1 to 9 days for a diamond to reach our offices. Once it arrives, we inspect it and verify it matches the report and our quality standards before we ship it to you with insured 2-day shipping. You'll get an estimated delivery date with your order.

Inspect the package and the diamond as soon as it arrives. If anything's wrong, report it to the carrier right away and email us at support@axiomdiamond.com so we can help. See the refund and return policy for details.

You can return any Axiom lab-grown diamond for any reason within 15 calendar days of delivery, as long as it remains in its original unopened, sealed acrylic case and is returned with its original IGI grading report (certificate). The diamond, case and report must be in original condition. The full process is in our refund and return policy.

Yes. The diamond arrives in a clear, sealed acrylic case, so you can look at it closely, compare it to the report and video and see it in different light without breaking the seal. Opening the case, or having it mounted or set, ends return eligibility.

Email support@axiomdiamond.com within 15 calendar days of delivery to get a return authorization number. We'll send shipping and insurance instructions, and the package needs to go out within 5 business days after you get the authorization. Once we receive and inspect the diamond, we refund your original payment method.