We test all recommended products and services independently and exhaustively. If you buy through our links, we might receive compensation. Our recommendations are not influenced by monetary considerations. Learn more.
In this guide to yellow lab-grown diamonds, you’ll learn all about yellow diamonds created in the laboratory. We’ll walk through the differences between mined and lab-grown yellow diamonds, how yellow diamonds are made in the laboratory, how yellow lab diamonds get their color, and more. You’ll also learn how to save on yellow lab-grown diamonds and the best places to buy yellow lab-grown diamonds.
3 best places to buy yellow lab-grown diamonds
SALES ALERT! Save at the best places to buy lab-grown diamonds online:
- 10% off ALL lab diamonds and up to 50% off jewelry at Ritani!
- Up to 50% off the Black Friday sale at James Allen!
- Free gift & $200 off first $1000+ purchase at Grown Brilliance!
- Free gift & $100 off at Clean Origin w/code: LABGROWNCARATS! (US only)
- Black Friday promo with free gift with all purchases at Brilliant Earth!
What are lab-grown yellow diamonds?
Both mined and lab-grown yellow diamonds get their different yellow hues from nitrogen impurities. The more nitrogen is introduced to the crystal as it grows, the stronger the yellow hue.
Nitrogen is a common impurity that enters diamonds as they grow. Other impurities, like boron which create blue diamonds, are very rare. But though nitrogen is common, it’s not as common to have an intense yellow hue that many people know as canary diamonds.
Yellow diamonds can be pure yellow but often have secondary hues of orange or brown. A yellow diamond grown in a laboratory environment can create intense color and give it stronger, more saturated hues at a more affordable price.
Yellow lab-grown diamonds are created by simulating the same conditions underground that it takes to create a diamond in a lab. High pressure and high temperatures (HPHT process) force a piece of a diamond called a diamond seed to crystallize. Then, scientists manually introduce nitrogen impurities into the stone. They can control how intense the hue is, depending on how much nitrogen is used.
Are yellow lab-grown diamonds real diamonds
Yes, yellow lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds. They are just as real as yellow mined diamonds and have precisely the same physical properties, optical properties, and chemical composition as mined ones do.
So, even if it’s created in a lab, a lab-created fancy yellow diamond is still just as much a real diamond as a mined yellow diamond is. The only difference is the origin, which positively impacts the price and environmental and ethical footprint of diamond production, which we’ll get into later.
Yello lab-grown diamonds that have the same color intensity will look exactly alike. Even jewelers will not be able to distinguish lab-grown and mined yellow diamonds unless they have costly equipment typically reserved for diamond laboratories.
Lab-created yellow diamonds are also just as hard and durable as mined diamonds (10 on the Mohs scale). The only difference is the origin. And with the lab creation comes added benefits. The first is much lower production cost, which translates into lower prices. In fact, lab-grown diamonds are 60-80% cheaper than mined ones, according to our recent price analysis.
In addition, yellow lab-grown diamonds are better for the environment and do not risk any of the ethical issues that have been linked to the mining of diamonds. So it really is a win-win-win.
In summary, yellow lab-created diamonds and yellow diamonds pulled from the earth are exactly the same, and you will not be able to see any difference between them. Except your wallet will be heavier and your diamond larger because you can buy a lab-grown diamond for up to a fifth of what a mined one costs.
Which yellow diamond is lab-grown? And mined?
Are lab-grown yellow diamonds rare?
Yellow lab-grown diamonds are the most common fancy color lab diamonds. Natural fancy color diamonds are the most common color, too. Yellow diamonds with strong intensities and strong secondary hues, however, are very rare.
And that’s often what shoppers look for. The rarest yellow diamond of all is a canary diamond. Depending on where you look, different jewelry professionals have different ideas of what constitutes a “real” canary diamond.
Some will refer to all yellow diamonds (mined or lab-grown) as canary diamonds. Others say the diamond must be a pure yellow hue without any secondary colors of brown or yellow. They say it must be graded as fancy vivid or fancy intense color grades.
Those properties are much harder to come by, especially in large-carat weights. But with yellow lab-grown diamonds, it’s a lot easier. Yellow lab-grown diamonds can achieve color grades like the canary, but they don’t have the rarity and value a mined canary diamond would have. So don’t buy lab diamonds as an investment, but as a piece of stunning jewelry that you will actually wear.
Fancy yellow diamonds vs. colorless yellow diamonds
Many people confuse fancy yellow diamonds (mined or grown) and yellow tints in colorless diamonds. The two are graded very differently.
A colorless diamond is valued for its cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. In the color scale, diamonds are graded in groups as colorless (DEF), near colorless (GHIJ), and faint yellow (KLM). Color grades of N-Z exist too.
You may see colorless diamonds with these color grades marketed as “cape” diamonds.
These are lower-quality diamonds marketed at a higher price than they usually sell for. Though people try to say they’re a good substitute for light yellow diamonds, they aren’t valued the same as a fancy light yellow diamond.
Just like yellow lab-grown fancy diamonds, a colorless diamond obtains a yellow tint from nitrogen.
Yellow lab-grown diamond or yellow colorless diamond?
Reasons to buy lab-grown yellow diamonds
Fancy yellow diamonds have been a long-time favorite for both jewelry seekers and celebrities. Many famous people have walked the red carpet and attended awards shows donning an elegant yellow diamond, such as Whoopi Goldberg, Kate Hudson, Heidi Klum, Lady Gaga, and many more.
While most of us don’t have the salary some of these celebs do, we can still own a beautiful yellow diamond that looks just as good and often better. And we can do this by way of yellow lab-grown diamonds.
Though lab-grown yellow diamonds have all the same features as natural fancy yellow diamonds, they can be between 60-80% less expensive for the same intensities. It’s more likely that the saturation and clarity will be better too. The only drawback is that they’re not as rare and can’t be used as an investment (we don’t recommend you invest in diamonds anyway).
But most people aren’t looking to sell their yellow diamonds because of how beautiful they are and because they can be sure they come from ethical origins. Instead, they chose it as an attractive and better alternative to a mined diamond engagement ring. With lab-grown yellow diamonds, you can too!
Yellow lab-grown diamond engagement ring ideas
Tips for saving on yellow lab-grown diamonds
Yellow lab-grown diamonds often have more intensive colors and are both much cheaper than mined yellow diamonds. But you can save even more on your next yellow lab-created diamonds by following our tips for saving:
- Buy a yellow lab-grown diamond with a lower clarity and cut grade. That will lead to a significant cost-saving that you can put towards getting a better color grade or larger diamond. That’s because, unlike colorless diamonds, the critical aspect of a fancy-colored diamond is color, hue, and saturation.
- Opt for a smaller diamond since large fancy-colored lab-grown diamonds are more expensive (because they are much harder to create). Therefore, it may sometimes be better to pick a smaller diamond but with better color.
- Shop for your yellow lab-grown diamond online at one of our recommended jewelers (see below). Buying at one of our highest-rated lab-grown diamond retailers will ensure you get the perfect diamond at the best possible price.
- Find lower prices during sales and by using discount codes on yellow lab-grown diamonds. See our list of all of the best sales on lab-grown diamonds!
- And, of course, buy a yellow lab-grown diamond, not a mined diamond. Lab-created yellow diamonds are much cheaper and often better than mined stones but are precisely the same. Especially fancy-colored diamonds, such as yellow, are significantly more affordable. See how much in our comparison of lab-grown vs. mined diamond prices.
Where to buy yellow lab-grown diamonds
We review lab diamond jewelers at LabGrownCarats.com to help you find the best diamonds and the lowest prices. Not all lab diamond retailers offer fancy-colored lab diamonds, but the yellow lab-grown diamond is one of the most popular and cheap, and you’ll be able to find it at the below top-rated jewelers.
We recommend buying yellow lab-grown diamonds at the below jewelers due to their large inventory of the best yellow fancy-colored lab diamonds. They offer the absolute lowest prices, incredible customer service, and the easiest and best shopping experience. Read our reviews and learn why they are the best places to buy yellow lab-grown diamonds.
- Read our Ritani review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Read our Brilliant Earth review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Read our Clean Origin review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Read our James Allen review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Read our Grown Brilliance review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
