Lab-grown diamonds are everywhere now — and so are the questions. Are they real? Do they test as diamonds? Will they last? Do they lose value? And aren't they just moissanite with better marketing?
We've gathered the questions asked most by our customers and answered them honestly — the same way we'd answer them in our workshop, with a master craftsperson across the table. If you have a question that isn't here, our FAQ page and our inbox are open.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?
Yes — chemically, physically and optically, a lab-grown diamond is identical to a mined diamond. Both are pure carbon in a cubic crystal structure that rates 10/10 hardness. The only difference is where the crystal formed: underground over billions of years, or in a laboratory over weeks.
Lab-grown diamonds are not simulants. Simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite merely look similar but have different chemistry. Lab-grown is the same material, just grown instead of mined.
Will a Lab-Grown Diamond Pass a Diamond Tester?
Yes. Standard thermal and electrical diamond testers read lab-grown diamonds as diamonds, because the material is identical. Only advanced laboratory spectroscopy can distinguish grown origin from mined — which is exactly why accredited certificates like IGI's clearly record the stone's origin.
Is Lab-Grown Cheaper Than Natural?
Significantly. Lab-grown diamonds typically cost 30–50% less than natural diamonds of comparable carat, cut, color and clarity. That saving is why couples can afford a bigger, brighter stone — and why our handcrafted collection offers premium looks at realistic prices. Want the full breakdown? See our lab-grown vs natural comparison.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Worth It?
For most buyers, absolutely. You get a real, certified diamond with the same beauty and durability as a mined stone, for far less money, with a cleaner ethical story. The main trade-off is resale — lab-grown stones retain less resale value than natural diamonds. Since the vast majority of rings are bought to be worn and treasured — never sold — it's a trade most couples happily make.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Ethical / Sustainable?
Yes, and the argument is strong: no open-pit mining, no conflict-diamond supply chains, full traceability, and far less water and land disturbance per carat. Like all manufacturing, growth facilities use energy — but the footprint is a fraction of mining at scale. If verifiable ethics matter to you, lab-grown is the clear choice.
Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Last as Long?
Exactly as long. Hardness 10 diamond doesn't degrade, scratch or dull with normal wear, regardless of origin. A lab-grown diamond looks as brilliant on your anniversary as on the day you proposed.
Is a Lab-Grown Diamond the Same as Moissanite?
No. Moissanite (silicon carbide) is a different mineral — it's a simulant, not a diamond. Moissanite is slightly softer (still very hard), has a different, more "disco-ball" fire, and looks distinctly different under light. A lab-grown diamond is as close to a natural diamond as a stone can be: the same material, the same performance.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Less Sparkly?
No. Sparkle is controlled by cut, not origin. A well-cut lab-grown diamond sparkles identically to a well-cut natural one. The only way a lab-grown stone sparkles less is if it's poorly cut — which applies to all diamonds regardless of source.
Do I Need an IGI Certificate for a Lab-Grown Diamond?
Yes — we strongly recommend buying certified. An IGI report independently verifies carat, color, clarity, cut and, for lab-grown stones, the growth method and origin. It's the proof that what you're buying is genuine, and it protects insurance, resale and peace of mind. Every Pure Brilliant Jewels piece ships IGI-certified. Understand the document with our IGI guide.
Can I Get a Lab-Grown Diamond in Any Shape?
Yes — any shape you can cut in a natural diamond can be grown and cut in a lab-grown stone: round, oval, cushion, pear, emerald, asscher, marquise, radiant, heart and beyond. Controlled growth even produces large, fancy-color stones that would be extremely expensive to source mined. Explore shape options in our diamond cuts guide.
Will People Be Able to Tell It's Lab-Grown?
Not by looking, not by wearing, and not by a standard diamond tester. Only gemological laboratory equipment can determine origin. To your friends, your jeweler, and any sparkle-obsessed eye, it reads as a diamond — because it is one.
How Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Made?
Two principle methods exist, and both yield genuine diamond. HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) mimics the earth's conditions, squeezing carbon under enormous pressure and heat. CVD (chemical vapor deposition) is more common for gem stones: a small carbon "seed" rests in a vacuum chamber, plasma breaks down a carbon-rich gas, and layer after layer of diamond builds up atom by atom over a few weeks.
After growth, the rough stone is cut and polished exactly like mined rough — with the same precision tools and the same 4Cs. The final product is indistinguishable from a mined diamond by eye and under standard testing, which is why certificates matter. If you'd like the full growth story, our lab vs natural guide goes into depth.
What's the Difference Between Lab-Grown and Cubic Zirconia?
Everything. Cubic zirconia (CZ) is a synthetic simulant made of zirconium dioxide — a completely different material that mimics a diamond's look at a fraction of the cost. It scratches easily, dulls with wear, and is not a diamond.
A lab-grown diamond is carbon, hardness 10, chemically identical to a mined diamond. It doesn't scratch, doesn't discolor, and is recognized as a real diamond by testers and laboratories alike. The only similarity to CZ is that both are created in a facility. If "real diamond" matters — and it should — lab-grown is the only option that gives you the real thing at a reasonable price.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Tested Differently Than Natural?
Only by origin-detection instruments, not by standard jewelry equipment. Off-the-shelf diamond testers, eyes and even magnification cannot separate them. Advanced machines detect subtle growth patterns (like different lattice trace elements that reveal a grown origin) — which is why graders like IGI report origin cleanly rather than confusing anyone. For you as the owner: there is no practical difference in how the two are tested at the jewelry counter or on the hand.
Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Need Special Storage or Care?
No special care whatsoever. Treat a lab-grown diamond exactly as you would a mined one: clean with warm water and mild soap, avoid harsh chemicals, store away from other pieces, and have the setting checked yearly. Durability on the Mohs scale is a perfect 10, so it won't scratch, chip or dull with normal wear.
Can You Insure a Lab-Grown Diamond?
Yes. Insurers readily cover lab-grown diamonds, provided the ring is properly appraised. Your IGI certificate and a jewelry appraisal give insurers what they need to set replacement value. It's worth insuring any fine ring regardless of origin; grown stones are covered by mainstream jewelry policies without special handling.
How Big Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Available?
Grown diamonds are produced in a wide range of carat weights — from delicate accents to striking multi-carat center stones that would be exceptional (and extraordinarily priced) in mined form. Controlled growth isn't limited by geologic luck, which is exactly why a pair of matched earrings or a substantial center stone is so much more attainable than in the mined world.
What If I Want a Fancy Color?
Lab-grown technology shines here. Trace elements introduced during growth can produce vivid colored diamonds — pink, blue, yellow, green — at a fraction of what those colors cost in mined form. Whether she dreams of a classic white stone or a blush pink center, the grown world can deliver almost any color at a realistic price.
A Few Myths We're Tired of Hearing
Let's retire a few persistent fictions in one clean sweep:
- "Lab-grown diamonds shine less than natural." — False. Same material, same refraction, same fire.
- "They turn yellow with age." — False. Diamonds are color-stable; what you see of the stone's own color today is what it has always been.
- "The certificate is fake marketing." — False. IGI and GIA reports are independent, verifiable documents. Ours always travel with the ring.
Lab-Grown vs. Moissanite: The Detail That Decides
Moissanite gets raised in nearly every lab-diamond conversation, and the distinction is worth nailing down:
- Material: moissanite is silicon carbide; a lab-grown diamond is pure carbon.
- Hardness: moissanite is 9.25 on the Mohs scale — a superb gem, but slightly softer than diamond's 10.
- Fire: moissanite refracts light differently, producing a pronounced, rainbow-heavy "disco" sparkle that reads differently from diamond's crisp brilliance.
- Certification and testing: moissanite does not register as a diamond on thermal testers; a lab-grown diamond does, and carries the certificate to prove it.
If you want the look of diamond at a lower price, moissanite is a legitimate budget opening. But if you want an authentic diamond — with the hardness, the fire and the IGI documentation — a lab-grown diamond is the real answer. For a forever ring, we recommend the real thing; your money goes further with grown diamond than most shoppers realize.
Why a Certificate Matters So Much Here
Because lab-grown diamonds are visually identical to natural ones, documentation is your only reliable proof of what you own. A certificate from IGI verifies the 4Cs, confirms the stone is genuinely grown diamond (not inventory-labelled moissanite), and records its origin. It also future-proofs insurance, appraisal and any eventual resale conversation. We cover the whole paperwork topic in our IGI certification guide — worth a read before you buy.
Can I Return or Exchange a Lab-Grown Ring?
Policies vary by maker, but a reputable jeweler stands behind its work regardless of stone origin. At Pure Brilliant Jewels, pieces are made to order, so confirm sizing and design carefully at purchase; once correct, the ring is yours for life. For ready-to-ship orders we're happy to discuss fit and sizing adjustments before your piece goes into production so you rarely need the return policy at all — planning beats paperwork.
How to Shop With Total Confidence
Three habits make any lab-grown purchase worry-free:
- Insist on a certificate — the 4Cs and origin on paper.
- Choose a maker that handles your design itself — craftsmanship you can reach, not a drop-shipper.
- Understand fit and metal before you order — pairing our sizing guide with a gold alloy decision locks the details.
Follow those three and you'll join the thousands of couples — ourselves included — who chose lab-grown and never looked back.
Caring for Your Lab-Grown Diamond Long-Term
A grown diamond will outlive you if treated even halfway well. Practical long-term upkeep:
- Weekly clean: warm water, a drop of dish soap, a soft baby toothbrush; rinse and pat dry with a lint-free cloth.
- Seasonal checks: prongs hold stones for decades, but have the setting inspected once a year — an inexpensive visit that prevents an expensive surprise.
- Mind the metal: 14K gold is durable, but keep the ring away from chlorine and harsh chemicals that can stress any gold alloy.
- Storage: alone in a fabric-lined slot, never loose next to other diamonds, which can scratch one another.
That's the complete maintenance program — the same one we'd recommend for a mined diamond. Sparkle, hardness and care are origin-agnostic, and that's the whole point of lab-grown.
Are People Really Switching?
In a word: yes. Millions of couples now choose lab-grown each year, and the percentage of engagement rings set with grown stones keeps climbing. Big-box retailers carry dedicated lab-grown lines; independent artisans build entire brands around them. The switch isn't niche anymore — it's the mainstream value choice of a generation that compares prices online and cares where its sparkle comes from. If you still feel like the odd one out for considering grown diamond, you're actually part of a very large majority-in-the-making.
A Final Word From the Workshop
After decades at the bench, we can tell you what experience teaches: a diamond's magic lives in its light, its weight, and the story you give it — none of which depend on whether it was pulled from the earth or grown in a reactor. Buy certified, buy what you love, and wear it every day. That's the whole philosophy behind everything we make.
Do You Sell Only Lab-Grown?
Yes. At Pure Brilliant Jewels we specialize exclusively in lab-grown diamonds, and we chose this path deliberately: everyone deserves the brilliance of a real diamond without compromise. Every piece is handcrafted in solid 14K gold and IGI-certified — see the collection, read the lab-grown diamond FAQ, or get in touch to ask anything we haven't covered here.