A soft pink oval, a vivid yellow cushion or an icy blue solitaire: coloured lab grown diamonds open up a different way to choose an engagement ring. You can start with a shade you love, then build the shape, metal and setting around it.

These are real diamonds, grown in a controlled environment, with colour created by tiny features within their crystal structure. They offer a more accessible route to many of the colours associated with rare natural diamonds, particularly pink and blue.

At Faire & Fine, we help you choose coloured lab grown diamond engagement rings online or create a bespoke design with our independent family jewellers in Hatton Garden, London.

Ready to explore? Choose an engagement ring setting and use the diamond selector’s Fancy colour filter, or tell us about the coloured diamond ring you have in mind.

What are coloured lab grown diamonds?

Coloured lab grown diamonds are diamonds produced in a laboratory with a noticeable body colour, such as yellow, pink, blue or green. You may also see them described as lab created coloured diamonds or fancy colour lab grown diamonds.

Like natural diamonds, they have a crystal structure made primarily of carbon and essentially the same fundamental physical and optical properties. Moissanite and cubic zirconia are different materials; a lab grown diamond is diamond.

The colour may develop as the crystal grows, or be created or adjusted through treatment afterwards. Understanding both the diamond’s origin and the origin of its colour is part of choosing it properly.

What causes colour in natural diamonds?

A diamond’s colour comes from the way it absorbs light. Trace elements, missing atoms and distortions in the crystal can change which wavelengths are absorbed and which reach our eyes. Gemologists call many of these features “defects”, but the word describes the atomic structure, rather than damage to the finished stone.

Different colours can have different causes. Even two diamonds that look similar may owe their appearance to different features inside the crystal.

Yellow diamonds and nitrogen

Natural yellow diamonds usually owe their colour to nitrogen within the crystal. Certain arrangements of nitrogen absorb light towards the blue end of the spectrum, leaving a yellow appearance. The amount and arrangement of nitrogen affect the result, so simply having nitrogen present does not automatically make a diamond visibly yellow.

In yellow lab grown diamonds, manufacturers can incorporate nitrogen during growth, particularly with the HPHT process. This can produce colour within the diamond as it forms, from lighter yellows to stronger shades.

Blue diamonds and boron

Many natural blue diamonds contain traces of boron, which alter how the diamond absorbs light. Boron can also be introduced during laboratory growth to create blue diamonds, especially using HPHT. Other defects or treatments can produce blue colours too, so appearance alone does not identify the exact cause.

For a blue lab grown diamond engagement ring, compare the undertone as well as the strength of colour. A pale grey-blue and a more saturated blue can give the finished ring quite different characters.

Pink diamonds and changes in the crystal

Most natural pink diamonds owe their colour to distortion of the crystal structure, associated with enormous forces within the Earth. The precise atomic structure responsible for this common natural pink colour is still a subject of research.

Pink lab grown diamonds usually take a different route. A diamond containing nitrogen is irradiated and then heated in a controlled process called annealing. This can create nitrogen-vacancy centres: a nitrogen atom beside a missing carbon atom. These features absorb light in a way that produces pink or related colours.

So a pink lab grown diamond can achieve a beautiful pink appearance without recreating the exact mechanism responsible for most natural pink diamonds. For your ring, the practical choice is the shade: delicate blush, a warmer pink or a stronger purplish pink.

Green diamonds and natural radiation

Many natural green diamonds acquire their colour through exposure to radiation from surrounding minerals. This can displace carbon atoms, leaving vacancies in the crystal that change how light is absorbed. Other defects can also contribute to green colour.

Controlled irradiation can create similar vacancies in lab grown diamonds. Depending on the starting material and any subsequent treatment, the result can include green or blue-green shades. A green lab grown diamond is a diamond; an emerald is a different gemstone with its own appearance and properties.

How are coloured diamonds made in a lab?

The diamond itself is generally grown using one of two methods:

• HPHT, or High Pressure High Temperature: carbon crystallises on a diamond seed under high pressure and heat. The ingredients and growth conditions can be controlled to introduce colour-causing elements.
• CVD, or Chemical Vapour Deposition: carbon from a gas is deposited onto a diamond seed, building the crystal in layers.

After growth, processes such as irradiation, annealing or HPHT treatment may change the colour. These work on the diamond’s internal structure. The growth method and any disclosed treatment should be considered alongside the stone’s grading report.

For a buyer, “treated” does not automatically mean poor quality. Ask what has been done, what the report records and whether there are any specific care requirements. The right choice combines an appealing colour with clear information about the individual diamond.

How to choose a coloured lab grown diamond

Start with the shade you actually want

Colour is described through hue, meaning the colour itself; tone, meaning how light or dark it is; and saturation, meaning its strength. Look closely at any modifying colours. A purplish pink diamond will have a different appearance from an orangy pink one.

Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense and Fancy Vivid are descriptions you may encounter. They relate to colour appearance, rather than being a simple overall quality score. A lighter pink may suit your design better than a vivid one. Fancy Deep and Fancy Dark describe different combinations of tone and saturation; darker does not automatically mean better.

Compare the individual stone and its report

Use photographs and video where available, and ask to see the diamond in different lighting before making a final decision. Screen settings and photography can affect how colour appears. Check for an attractive face-up colour, pleasing light return and any distracting dark areas or uneven colour.

Review the independent grading report, including the laboratory-grown identification, colour description, measurements, clarity and any treatment information. Two diamonds with the same carat weight can have different dimensions and look noticeably different on the hand.

Choose the shape and setting together

A yellow cushion in a chunky gold setting, a pink oval with colourless side stones and a blue emerald cut in platinum all create different effects. The cut influences how colour is seen, while the surrounding metal can change your perception of it.

Think about the whole ring: the width of the band, the height of the setting, whether you want a solitaire or trilogy, and how it will sit beside a wedding band. If you have a particular combination in mind, our bespoke engagement ring service lets us work around your chosen diamond.

Set a budget for the complete ring

Allow for the centre diamond, setting, metal and any additional stones. Coloured lab grown diamond prices vary with colour, size, quality and availability, so a larger stone is not automatically the better purchase. Share your total budget and we can help you decide where it will make the most difference.

How to select coloured diamonds on the Faire & Fine website

You can explore coloured lab grown diamonds through our online ring builder:

1. Choose your setting. Browse our lab grown diamond engagement rings and open a design you like.
2. Open the diamond selector. On designs offering “Or pick your own diamond”, click Choose Now.
3. Check you are viewing Lab Grown diamonds. Under Colour, switch from White to Fancy.
4. Select a colour. Choose a filter such as Yellow, Pink, Blue or Green. The available stones will depend on your chosen setting and search criteria.
5. Refine your search. Adjust carat weight, price and clarity, and use the Light, Fancy, Intense and Vivid filters to explore different colour strengths. Your chosen setting may determine the diamond shape shown.
6. Compare your options. Open the diamond details, review the available imagery and grading information, then use Select diamond to continue building your ring.

If you cannot find the shade or combination you want, send us an enquiry. Tell us your preferred colour, shape, approximate size, total budget and proposal date. A reference image is helpful if you have a very particular pink, yellow, blue or green in mind.

A yellow lab grown diamond ring to start with

Our East-West Yellow Oval engagement ring pairs a yellow lab grown diamond with a horizontal oval setting in yellow gold. Its product page offers Fancy Light, Fancy and Fancy Intense colour options, as well as the option to pick your own diamond.

It is a useful starting point if you like a warm colour and a clean, contemporary shape. If you would prefer a different setting, we can discuss a bespoke version around the look you want.

Coloured lab grown diamond FAQs

Are coloured lab grown diamonds real diamonds?

Yes. They are diamonds grown in a laboratory, with essentially the same chemical composition and crystal structure as natural diamonds. Their laboratory-grown origin should be clearly disclosed.

Are pink and blue lab grown diamonds cheaper than natural diamonds?

They are generally much more affordable than comparable natural pink and blue diamonds, whose rarity can command substantial prices. The cost of an individual lab grown stone still depends on its colour, size and quality, so compare actual diamonds and complete ring quotes.

Is a fancy colour grade the same as D to Z?

No. The familiar D-to-Z scale assesses the relative absence of colour within the normal colour range. Fancy colour grading describes the presence of colour. A Fancy Intense yellow diamond is being chosen for its yellow appearance, so a D-colour comparison is not the right way to judge it.

Can I design a bespoke pink, yellow, blue or green diamond ring?

Yes. Start with a colour or a design reference and we can discuss suitable lab grown diamond options and a setting, subject to availability. You can meet us in Hatton Garden or begin the conversation remotely.

Find your coloured diamond with Faire & Fine

We are an independent family jeweller with three generations of jewellery experience. Our bespoke rings are handmade in London using recycled precious metals, with guidance from diamond selection through to the finished design.

Whether you are looking for a pink lab grown diamond engagement ring, a yellow solitaire or a more unusual blue or green centre stone, start with the colour you love. We will help you work through the details.

Explore engagement ring settings

Enquire about a coloured diamond ring — share your preferred colour, budget and any date you need it by. You can also use the WhatsApp button on our website for an initial chat.

Further reading on diamond colour and growth: GIA on pink diamonds; GIA on green diamonds; GIA on laboratory-grown diamonds; GIA on fancy colour grading; IGI on fancy coloured diamonds.