Are lab diamonds considered "real diamonds"?
One of the most common questions that we receive is whether lab grown diamonds are considered “real diamonds”.
The answer is a resounding “Yes!”. Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds and possess all of the same physical components and beauty as natural, earth-mined diamonds. Instead of being extracted from the Earth through mining, they are produced in a controlled environment.
Unlike moissanite or cubic zirconia which are high-leaded glass diamond stimulants that are made to look like diamonds, but possess none of the same physical qualities, lab grown diamonds provide all of the beauty, shimmer, and prestige as earth made diamonds.
How can you distinguish between mined diamonds and man-made diamonds?
Visually, you cannot tell the difference between a lab grown and natural diamond.
To anyone on the street or anyone that does not have sophisticated industry equipment and years of experience, it is almost impossible to distinguish between the two.
Oddly enough, the biggest difference between mined and lab grown is that the most expensive of the two (mined) features imperfections that can be found under the microscope by a trained expert.
Mined diamonds are formed naturally in the earth which means that they have imperfections such as inclusions that are not found in man-made diamonds. Loose, natural diamonds will also typically be more irregular in shape and appearance than diamonds that are formed in a lab.
Using a run of the mill diamond tester that is used by jewellers, pawn shops, and people on social media to test the authenticity of diamonds, lab grown diamonds will return a positive test. Because they have the same physical and chemical components, a regular diamond tester will not be able to distinguish between the two.
Why should you consider a lab grown diamond?
One of the biggest attractions with a lab-grown diamond is the price. You can have a stone that is identical to the naked – or even trained – eye for a fraction of the price.
One of the biggest misconceptions around lab grown diamonds is that they do not hold their value and hold little or no value on the resale market. As a percentage of their original purchase price, lab grown diamonds hold roughly the same resale value as natural diamonds.
