---
title: "Natural diamond: meaning in gemology"
description: "A natural diamond is a diamond that formed in the earth, about 160 km deep, under enormous heat and pressure. An eruption carried it to the surface."
url: https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/natural-diamond
image: https://digitalgemology.com/img/og-digital-gemology.png?v=d224fb01
---

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[Glossary](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary) · Treatments and origin

# Natural diamond

Also called mined diamond, earth-grown diamond

A natural diamond is a diamond that formed in the earth, about 160 km deep, under enormous heat and pressure. An eruption carried it to the surface.

## In more detail

A natural diamond and a laboratory-grown one are the same material. Only a gem lab's instruments can tell them apart. Screening devices answer Pass (natural) or Refer.

## On a grading report

GIA's Diamond Grading Report and Diamond Dossier are for natural diamonds.

## Related terms

- [Laboratory-grown diamond](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/laboratory-grown-diamond): A laboratory-grown diamond is a diamond that people grow with machines, by HPHT or CVD. It has essentially the same composition, crystal structure and properties as a natural diamond.
- [Diamond](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/diamond): Diamond is a single element, carbon, with every atom bonded to four neighbors in a cubic crystal. It is the hardest gem, Mohs 10.
- [Screening device](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/screening-device): A screening device separates natural diamonds from laboratory-grown diamonds and simulants. Most answer Pass (natural) or Refer (send to a laboratory).
- [Diamond grading report](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/diamond-grading-report): A diamond grading report is an independent lab's record of what a stone is and how it grades. It is true for the day the lab examined the stone.

## Learn more

- [Diamond vs moissanite: two look-alikes, two different materials](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/diamond-vs-moissanite/diamond-vs-moissanite-differences)
- [Comments, treatments and lab-grown origin on a diamond report](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/grading-reports/diamond-report-comments-treatments-origin)

[All 328 terms](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary)