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Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds? The Honest Answer
by Ankit Koshiya on Sep 29, 2026
Short answer: Yes. A lab grown diamond is a real diamond — pure crystallized carbon with the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as a mined diamond. The only difference is origin: it formed in a laboratory instead of deep in the earth.
- ✓ Chemically identical — pure carbon in the same crystal structure as mined diamonds.
- ✓ Passes a diamond tester — standard testers read it as diamond, because it is diamond.
- ✓ Graded on the 4Cs — IGI and GIA grade lab grown diamonds just like mined ones.
- ✓ Not a simulant — fundamentally different from cubic zirconia and moissanite.
- ✓ Only the origin differs — grown in a lab vs. formed in the earth; everything else is the same.
What "real diamond" actually means
A diamond is not defined by where it comes from. It is defined by what it is: pure carbon atoms locked into a cubic crystal lattice — the hardest atomic arrangement known. That structure is what makes a diamond a diamond. It is the reason for the 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, the unmatched brilliance, and the unmistakable fire.
A lab grown diamond has exactly that chemistry and exactly that crystal structure. Carbon is carbon, and the lattice does not care whether it crystallized a hundred miles underground over billions of years or inside a laboratory chamber over a matter of weeks. This is not a philosophical point — it is the regulatory one. In 2018, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission revised its Jewelry Guides and removed the word "natural" from the legal definition of a diamond, precisely because lab grown stones have essentially the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as mined ones. Under the guides, a lab grown diamond is a diamond — full stop. Origin must be disclosed, but origin does not change what the stone is.
How lab grown diamonds are made: HPHT and CVD, simply explained
There are two established ways to grow a diamond, and both start with the same ingredients: carbon and a tiny diamond "seed" crystal.
HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) recreates the conditions deep in the earth — immense pressure and heat. A carbon source melts around the seed crystal, and new diamond crystallizes onto it, atom by atom, much as it would in nature, only faster and under controlled conditions.
CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) works differently. The seed rests in a vacuum chamber filled with carbon-rich gas. The gas is energized into plasma, and carbon atoms settle onto the seed, building the crystal upward in thin, precise layers.
Either way, the result is rough diamond crystal — which is then cut and polished on the same equipment, by the same craftsmen, as mined rough. The method describes the growth process, not the identity of the finished stone.
Put to the test: lab grown vs. mined under examination
This is where the "are they real" question gets its most convincing answer. A standard jeweler's diamond tester measures how a stone conducts heat — and diamond, mined or lab grown, conducts heat in a distinctive way that simulants do not. Put a lab grown diamond on a tester and it reads as diamond, because at the atomic level, that is what it is.
What about telling the two apart? To the naked eye, even an experienced jeweler cannot distinguish a lab grown diamond from a mined one of the same grade. Separation requires advanced laboratory instruments that detect subtle growth characteristics — the faint fingerprints of how the crystal formed. That is exactly what the grading labs use, and it is why independent certification matters.
On hardness, brilliance, and fire — the qualities you actually see and wear every day — there is no difference to detect.
Certification and disclosure: how you know exactly what you're buying
Because origin cannot be seen, the industry handles it with paperwork. Major independent laboratories — IGI and GIA — grade lab grown diamonds on the same 4Cs used for mined stones: cut, color, clarity, and carat. The grading report states clearly that the stone is laboratory grown, and it usually notes whether it was created by HPHT or CVD.
That disclosure is the honest core of the trade. A reputable seller will tell you, unprompted, that a diamond is lab grown — and show you the certificate to prove the grade. When you are shopping, ask for that report the same way you would for a mined diamond. If a seller cannot or will not produce one, walk away, whatever the stone's origin.
Myth-busting: "fake," cubic zirconia, and moissanite
Three myths do most of the damage. Let's clear them up one by one.
"Lab grown diamonds are fake diamonds." No. A fake diamond is a stone pretending to be something it isn't. A lab grown diamond isn't pretending — it is diamond, down to the atoms. The FTC itself has cautioned sellers against language designed to imply that lab grown diamonds are not real diamonds.
"They're just cubic zirconia." Cubic zirconia is zirconium dioxide — a completely different material, much softer at around 8 to 8.5 on the Mohs scale, and visibly different to a trained eye over time. CZ is a simulant: it imitates diamond's look. A lab grown diamond doesn't imitate diamond. It is diamond.
"Moissanite is the same thing." Moissanite is its own beautiful gemstone — silicon carbide, hardness 9.25, with a different kind of sparkle: more rainbow "fire," less white brilliance. It deserves respect on its own terms, but it is not a diamond, lab grown or otherwise.
The one-line version: lab grown diamond means real diamond, different origin. Simulants mean different materials that look like diamond.
Why so many smart shoppers are confused
If the science is this clear, why does the question persist? A few reasons — all understandable. For most of diamond history, "diamond" in advertising meant "mined diamond." The FTC's old definition even included the word "natural," and decades of marketing cemented the idea that real means from the earth.
Then there is language. The industry term "synthetic diamond" sounds like "fake" to most ears — which is exactly why the FTC warned marketers that "synthetic" confuses consumers, and why "lab grown" or "laboratory-grown" is the honest, preferred term today.
Add aggressively marketed simulants, plus a price gap that can feel too good to be true, and skepticism is the rational response. It just happens to be misplaced here.
What actually matters when you're buying
Once "is it real?" is settled, the useful questions are the same ones you would ask about any diamond. Cut quality comes first — cut determines sparkle more than any other factor, whatever the origin. Buy certified, with an IGI or GIA report confirming lab grown origin and 4C grades. Choose a seller who discloses — transparency about origin is the mark of an honest jeweler.
And then decide what you value. Some buyers cherish a stone formed over billions of years; others prefer the same beauty, larger or finer, for the budget — or simply prefer to skip the mine. None of those choices is wrong. They are about meaning and money, not about real versus fake. At Ivevar, we work with lab grown diamonds every day — in solitaires, bridal sets, and custom pieces — and we disclose origin on every stone, because an informed buyer is a confident one.
| Feature | Lab Grown Diamond | Natural Diamond | Moissanite | Cubic Zirconia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Pure carbon crystal | Pure carbon crystal | Silicon carbide | Zirconium dioxide |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 10 | 10 | 9.25 | 8–8.5 |
| Standard diamond tester | Passes — reads as diamond | Passes | Can fool basic thermal testers | Fails |
| A real diamond? | Yes | Yes | No — a separate gemstone | No — a simulant |
| Relative cost | A fraction of natural | Highest | Lower | Lowest |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are lab grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. They are pure crystallized carbon with the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as mined diamonds. The U.S. FTC's Jewelry Guides define a diamond by its material, not its origin — so a lab grown diamond is legally and scientifically a diamond.
Can a jeweler tell a lab grown diamond from a natural one?
Not by eye, and not with a standard diamond tester — both read as diamond. Telling them apart requires advanced laboratory instruments that detect microscopic growth characteristics. That is why independent certification exists.
Is a lab grown diamond the same as cubic zirconia?
No. Cubic zirconia is zirconium dioxide — a different, softer material manufactured to imitate diamond's look. A lab grown diamond doesn't imitate diamond; it is diamond.
What about moissanite — is that the same thing?
No. Moissanite (silicon carbide) is a distinct gemstone with its own properties — slightly less hard than diamond, with more colorful "fire" and less white brilliance. It is a legitimate gem in its own right, but it isn't a diamond.
Do lab grown diamonds sparkle as much as natural diamonds?
Yes. Sparkle comes from cut quality and diamond's optical properties, which are identical in lab grown stones. A well-cut lab grown diamond and a well-cut natural diamond of the same grades are visually indistinguishable.
Are lab grown diamonds certified?
Yes. IGI and GIA grade lab grown diamonds on the same 4Cs as mined diamonds, and their reports clearly state that the stone is laboratory grown — usually noting whether it was created by HPHT or CVD.
If they're real diamonds, why do they cost less?
Because you're not paying for mining, scarcity of rough, or a long supply chain. Growing diamonds is scalable and efficient, so the savings pass to you. The lower price reflects production economics — not lower quality.
Sources
- FTC Jewelry Guides: legal definition of "diamond" (16 CFR 23.12)
- Rapaport: "Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds," says FTC
- IGI: Laboratory-grown diamonds
- Do lab grown diamonds pass a diamond tester?
- Moissanite vs. lab grown diamond: what's the difference?
Aumsri Pradhan is the founder of Ivevar Luxury, a Surat-based fine jewelry brand that designs and handcrafts lab grown diamond and moissanite jewelry in its own workshop. She leads the brand's design and customer experience, from engagement rings and bridal sets to custom pieces made to each client's story. Through the Ivevar blog, she shares practical guidance on lab grown diamonds, moissanite, diamond grading and ring design to help buyers choose with confidence.
