What Is An Oval Lab Grown Diamond? Complete Guide

An oval lab grown diamond is a real diamond created in a laboratory using advanced technology, offering identical beauty and durability to natural diamonds at 60-80% lower prices. These diamonds provide exceptional value for couples seeking larger carat weights and ethical to help you get started.

Understanding these key points helps you make informed decisions:

• CVD and HPHT creation methods produce identical physical properties to natural diamonds
• Lab grown process enables superior clarity and color consistency in oval cuts
• Oval shape maximizes apparent size while offering elegant, timeless appeal
• IGI and GIA certification ensures authentic quality and proper grading standards
• Custom settings protect oval diamonds' pointed ends while enhancing brilliance

Mikado Diamonds specializes in custom engagement rings featuring certified oval lab grown diamonds, with expert guidance throughout the selection and design process. 

Their approach includes diamond-first selection, custom renderings, and transparent pricing, ensuring each ring reflects your unique love story while maximizing value and quality.

Keep reading to discover how oval lab grown diamonds compare to natural stones in every aspect. You'll learn the specific factors that determine quality, pricing, and certification standards.

Oval Lab Grown Diamond Basics: Creation and Characteristics

Lab grown diamonds are created using two primary methods: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). Both processes produce real diamonds with identical physical, chemical, and optical properties to natural diamonds.

CVD vs HPHT: Which Method Creates Better Oval Diamonds?

CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) is typically preferred for oval lab grown diamonds because it offers superior control over the growth process. The method uses a diamond seed placed in a chamber filled with carbon-rich gas, heated to around 1,500°F. This controlled environment allows for:

• More consistent color grades (often D-F range)
• Better clarity control with fewer inclusions
• Reduced strain patterns that can affect oval brilliance
• Easier post-growth treatment if needed

HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) mimics natural diamond formation using extreme pressure (1.5 million PSI) and temperatures exceeding 2,700°F. While effective, HPHT can sometimes create metallic inclusions that are more noticeable in the elongated oval shape.

Why Oval Shape Works Perfectly with Lab Grown Technology

The oval cut is particularly well-suited for lab grown diamonds because the controlled laboratory environment eliminates many issues that affect natural oval diamonds:

• Consistent rough material: Lab grown diamonds provide uniform crystal structure, reducing the bow-tie effect common in natural ovals
• Predictable growth patterns: Laboratory conditions allow for better length-to-width ratios (ideal 1.35-1.50 ratio)
• Enhanced fire and brilliance: The 58 facets in oval cuts showcase the exceptional optical properties of lab grown diamonds

At Mikado Diamonds, we've found that approximately 70% of our oval engagement rings are customized to optimize the stone's natural beauty and the couple's personal style preferences.

Timeline and Physical Properties

Creating an oval lab grown diamond typically takes 2-4 weeks, depending on carat weight and desired specifications. The finished diamonds are:

• Identical hardness (10 on Mohs scale)
• Same refractive index (2.42)
• Equivalent thermal conductivity
• Identical brilliance and fire to natural diamonds

These diamonds receive the same IGI or GIA certifications as natural diamonds, ensuring you receive verified quality and authenticity documentation for your investment.

Oval Lab Grown vs Natural Diamond Comparison

The most significant difference between oval lab grown and natural diamonds is price, with lab grown options costing 60-80% less than their natural counterparts. A 2-carat oval natural diamond in VS2 clarity and H color typically costs $8,000-12,000, while an identical lab grown oval diamond ranges from $1,500-3,000.

Visual Appearance: Identical Beauty

Visually, oval lab grown and natural diamonds are completely indistinguishable. Both display the same.

Even professional gemologists require specialized equipment to differentiate between the two. The oval shape's elongated silhouette and brilliant faceting pattern performs identically in both diamond types.

Durability and Physical Properties

Lab grown and natural oval diamonds share identical physical characteristics:

• Hardness: Both rate 10 on the Mohs scale
• Chemical composition: Pure carbon crystal structure
• Thermal conductivity: Identical heat resistance
• Scratch resistance: Equal durability for daily wear

Your oval lab grown diamond will maintain its beauty and structural integrity exactly like a natural diamond over decades of wear.

Environmental Impact Differences

Lab grown oval diamonds require significantly less environmental disruption. Traditional mining involves moving 200-400 tons of earth per carat, while laboratory creation uses controlled energy processes with minimal land impact.

Resale Value Considerations

Natural diamonds typically retain 20-40% of retail value in resale markets, while lab grown diamonds currently have limited resale value. However, most couples prioritize the immediate 60-80% savings for upgrading carat size or ring customization.

At Mikado Diamonds, we help couples maximize their budget by selecting certified oval lab grown diamonds first, then designing custom settings around their chosen stone. This approach allows for larger carat weights and more elaborate custom designs within the same budget as smaller natural alternatives.

Oval Lab Grown Diamond Pricing Factors

Understanding what drives oval lab grown diamond pricing helps you maximize value and time your purchase strategically. Unlike natural diamonds with unpredictable market fluctuations, lab grown pricing follows more logical patterns based on production costs and market demand.

How Carat Weight Affects Oval Lab Grown Diamond Prices

Carat weight creates the most dramatic price jumps in oval lab grown diamonds. Here's what to expect:

Price Jump Points:

• 0.90 to 1.00 carat: 15-20% increase per carat
• 1.90 to 2.00 carat: 25-30% increase per carat
• 2.90 to 3.00 carat: 35-40% increase per carat

Smart Sizing Strategy:

• Consider 0.90-0.95 carat instead of 1.00 carat for significant savings
• Oval's elongated shape makes it appear 10-15% larger than round diamonds of the same carat weight

At Mikado Diamonds, we often recommend going slightly under popular carat weights to maximize your budget for a custom setting that truly reflects your love story

Clarity Optimization:

• VS2 clarity provides excellent value since oval's brilliance masks small inclusions
• SI1 can work in smaller ovals under 1.5 carats
• Avoid SI2 in ovals over 2 carats as the elongated shape can highlight clarity issues

Market Trends Driving Lab Grown Prices Down

Lab grown diamond prices continue declining as production scales up. Current trends show:

• 20-30% price reductions year-over-year for most sizes
• Larger ovals (3+ carats) seeing the steepest declines
• Colored lab grown ovals dropping even faster than colorless stones

This downward trend means today's prices will likely be tomorrow's "expensive" prices, making current timing favorable for buyers.

Finding Your Perfect Oval Diamond

Oval lab grown diamonds offer stunning brilliance and elegant elongation, but finding certified stones with proper proportions and quality can be challenging. Without expert guidance, you might end up with a diamond that lacks fire, has uneven light performance, or comes without proper certification from IGI or GIA.

That's why Mikado Diamonds specializes in certified oval lab grown diamonds, offering extensive customization options with 70% of our engagement rings tailored to each client's unique vision. 

Our collection features hand-selected oval stones with verified proportions, backed by our Best Price Guarantee and expert guidance throughout your selection process.

Explore our certified oval lab grown diamond collection today and discover how you can get exceptional quality.

Want help finding the perfect oval diamond? Book a free consultation and get one-on-one guidance from our diamond experts. Schedule yours now →