Are lab grown diamonds real diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds share identical chemical, physical and optical properties. They are real diamonds, totally different from diamond simulants such as moissanite and cubic zirconia.

Here is a simple analogy to help you understand. Natural diamonds are like wild flowers growing in nature, valued for their natural origin and rarity. Lab-grown diamonds are similar to flowers cultivated in greenhouses, which come with a much lower cost. As for diamond imitations like cubic zirconia and moissanite, they are just artificial flowers made of plastic or resin. Some of these fake stones even look brighter and more vivid than real diamonds. All of them look like flowers in appearance, but they differ greatly in growing environment, formation time and the degree of human intervention.

Why are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?

World-renowned gemological institutions, including the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI), issue official certification reports for lab-grown diamonds. These organizations use the exact same 4C grading standards — Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut — to evaluate both lab-grown and mined natural diamonds.

Lab-grown diamonds and mined natural diamonds have many similarities as well as clear differences.

They are both made of pure carbon (C) and feature the same cubic crystal structure. This basic composition defines what a real diamond is. The identical crystal structure gives them the same level of hardness and high thermal conductivity. Their physical traits are fully matched, so ordinary professional diamond testers cannot tell them apart. When it comes to visual performance, lab-grown diamonds deliver the same fire, sparkle and brilliance. Human eyes and most common testing tools fail to find any visual difference between the two kinds of diamonds.

The biggest gap lies in their formation process. Lab-grown diamonds are created in laboratories by simulating underground high temperature and high pressure environments. The two mainstream production methods are HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition). In contrast, natural diamonds form deep underground over billions of years. One is a product of modern technology, while the other is a gift from nature.

Their sources also lead to a huge price gap. Lab-grown diamonds are sold at a much lower price, generally only one third of the price of mined diamonds or even cheaper. With the same budget, buyers can get a larger stone or a diamond with better quality. Mined diamonds are extremely expensive in comparison.

Both types of diamonds contain inclusions, but the included materials are different. Lab-grown diamonds may have metal catalysts or cloud inclusions inside. Natural diamonds often have crystal inclusions or feather traces. These tiny features can only be distinguished by professional gemologists under a microscope.

In terms of rarity, lab-grown diamonds can be produced in large quantities endlessly, so they are not rare at all. Mined diamonds are limited natural resources, which makes them relatively scarce. A large part of the value of natural diamonds comes from their rarity and unique natural formation story.

Lab-grown diamonds are widely recognized as an eco-friendly choice. The production process consumes less water and causes less land damage. They also help people avoid ethical issues related to conflict diamonds. However, traditional diamond mining may lead to environmental damage, excessive carbon emissions and various ethical controversies.

What are the main differences between natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds?

The most obvious differences are origin and rarity.

For formation time, lab-grown diamonds can be fully produced within just a few weeks in a lab. Natural diamonds take billions of years to form deep inside the earth.

Since natural diamonds are limited natural resources and lab-grown diamonds have unlimited production capacity, their market prices vary hugely.

When it comes to resale value, natural diamonds usually hold value better in the second-hand market, thanks to their natural scarcity and long history. As lab-grown diamond technology keeps improving and output keeps rising, their replacement cost and resale value stay relatively low for now.

The main production areas of lab-grown diamonds are India and China. They adopt two mainstream technologies: CVD and HPHT.