CVD Diamonds or HPHT Diamonds? A Complete Guide

Lab-grown diamonds are everywhere right now, and honestly, it makes sense. They’re real diamonds, but without the baggage of mining — which means they’re a much more sustainable and ethical choice.

If you’ve been doing a little digging, you’ve probably bumped into two terms that keep popping up: CVD diamonds and HPHT diamonds. At first, they sound super technical and science-y, right?

Here’s the thing: both CVD and HPHT are just different ways of making a real diamond. Same sparkle, same hardness, same chemical makeup as the ones pulled from the earth. The big difference? It’s how they’re grown, and those little details can affect things like their appearance, price, and even how jewellers spot the difference under a microscope.

What Are CVD Diamonds?

CVD is a process in which a solid piece of atom is placed in a vacuum chamber filled with carbon-rich gases. When these gases are heated, the carbon atom seeds are deposited layer by layer, and eventually the atomic particles become crystals.

Key Points About CVD Diamonds –

When initially produced, CVD diamonds are light brown in colour but then they are treated.

Another great feature of CVD diamonds is that they are grown at lower pressure than HPHT.

The most important feature is that they come with consistent quality and high clarity.

Another key point is that they come out with fewer metallic inclusions.

What Are HPHT Diamonds?

HPHT stands for High Pressure High Temperature, a process that mimics the Earth's natural diamond formation process. In this method, a diamond seed is placed with carbon, then exposed to extremely high temperatures until it crystallizes into a diamond.

Key Points About HPHT Diamonds –

This method produces colourless and high-quality diamonds that are really very good.

A key point of HPHT diamonds is that they mimic the natural diamond formation environment.

They generally grow faster than CVD diamonds.

It may exhibit metallic inclusions due to the growth process.

CVD Vs. HPHT Diamonds: A Quick Comparison Guide –

Feature	CVD Diamonds	HPHT Diamonds
Color	Can be brownish but easily treated	Can achieve near-colorless naturally
Growth Process	Chemical gas deposition on a seed	High pressure & temperature like Earth
Cost	Slightly more affordable	May cost a bit more depending on size
Clarity	Often higher, fewer metallic inclusions	May contain metallic inclusions

Which One Should You Choose?

The truth is, whether it’s lab-grown diamonds CVD or HPHT, both are real diamonds. Same sparkle, same toughness, same chemistry as the ones that come out of the ground. In fact, they’re so identical that even jewellers can’t just glance at them and know the difference — they need special equipment to tell them apart. Well, choosing between the two diamonds depends on your personal taste and preferences.

If you want a budget-friendly option then HPHT diamonds can be the perfect choice for you. And if you don't mind spending a little more then CVD diamonds can be the perfect choice for you.

Ice Lane offers jewellery made from both types of diamonds which are of high quality and in the affordable range. Visit https://theicelane.com/ to view our collection.