Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?

Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined diamonds. They have the same crystal structure (pure crystallized carbon), the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale), and the same brilliance and fire. They are graded on the same 4C scale, cut, color, clarity, and carat, by the same independent gemological laboratories that grade mined diamonds.

How are lab-grown diamonds made?

Lab-grown diamonds are created using one of two processes: HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature), which recreates the conditions found deep in the earth, or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), which grows a diamond crystal layer by layer inside a controlled chamber. Both processes produce real diamond crystal, not a diamond substitute.

What's the difference between lab-grown and mined diamonds?

The only differences are origin and price. A lab-grown diamond forms in weeks in a controlled facility rather than over billions of years underground, which allows it to be sold at a meaningfully lower price for the same size and quality. A gemologist cannot tell the two apart by eye; specialized equipment is required to identify a diamond's origin.

Are lab-grown diamonds the same as moissanite or cubic zirconia?

No. Lab-grown diamond is still diamond, the same mineral as a mined diamond. Moissanite and cubic zirconia are different minerals entirely, with different hardness, brilliance, and composition. See the full comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Will a lab-grown diamond lose value or clarity over time?
No. A lab-grown diamond is exactly as durable and permanent as a mined diamond, since it is the same material.

Can I get a lab-grown diamond certified?
Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are graded and certified by the same major gemological laboratories that certify mined diamonds, with the certificate explicitly noting the diamond's lab-grown origin.

Do lab-grown diamonds sparkle the same as mined diamonds?
Yes. Since the crystal structure is identical, light behaves identically inside the stone, producing the same brilliance, fire, and scintillation.