Are Lab Diamonds Real Diamonds? What You Need to Know
Are Lab Diamonds Real Diamonds? What You Need to Know
By Future Jewelry | Expert Lab Diamond Jewelers
Every single week, someone walks into our world at Future Jewelry and asks the same question — quietly, almost apologetically — like they already know what the answer should be but aren't quite ready to believe it yet.
"Are lab diamonds actually real?"
The answer is yes. Completely, unequivocally, scientifically yes. But the reason so many people still ask this question is a story worth telling — because it says a lot more about the diamond industry than it does about the diamonds themselves.
The Water and Ice Analogy That Changes Everything
When I explain lab diamonds to customers for the first time, I use an analogy that stops them in their tracks every single time. Here it is:
Imagine you take a glass of water and put it outside on a freezing winter night. It freezes into ice. Now take that same water and put it in your freezer. It also freezes into ice.
Same process. Same result. Same ice.
But here's the difference — the water left outside absorbs the gases, minerals, and impurities in the environment around it as it freezes, creating tiny imperfections in the ice. The water in your freezer has nothing to absorb except pure cold temperature, so it freezes into a cleaner, purer form of ice.
This is exactly what happens with diamonds.
Natural diamonds formed billions of years ago deep within the earth, absorbing the elements around them — boron, nitrogen, and other chemicals — which caused imperfections and color variations in the stone. Lab grown diamonds are formed in a controlled, clean environment where only pure carbon is present. The result? A diamond that is not just equal to a natural diamond — in many cases, it's actually purer and cleaner.
Both are real diamonds. Both are pure carbon. The only difference is where they were born.
What Actually Makes a Diamond Real?
A diamond is defined by its chemical composition — pure carbon atoms arranged in a crystal structure called a diamond cubic lattice. That is the only scientific definition of a diamond. And lab grown diamonds match this definition perfectly.
| Property | Lab Diamond | Natural Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical composition | Pure carbon | Pure carbon |
| Hardness (Mohs scale) | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 |
| Refractive index | 2.42 | 2.42 |
| IGI / GIA certified | Yes | Yes |
| Visible difference (naked eye) | None | None |
| Conflict-free | Always | Not guaranteed |
The 3 Biggest Misconceptions About Lab Diamonds
Misconception 1: "Lab diamonds are fake"
This is the most common one, and it's simply not true. A lab diamond is not cubic zirconia, moissanite, or glass. It is a real diamond — grown atom by atom using the same carbon structure, graded by the same independent gemological institutes, and indistinguishable from a mined diamond even under professional equipment. When you hear someone say lab diamonds are fake, ask them to explain why IGI and GIA — the world's most respected diamond grading laboratories — certify them using identical standards.
Misconception 2: "Lab diamonds don't hold their value"
Here's what the diamond industry doesn't want you to know — natural diamonds don't hold their value either. If you buy a $20,000 natural diamond ring today and try to sell it in five years, you'll likely get $12,000 back. You've lost $8,000. That $8,000 loss alone could buy you a stunning, larger, higher-quality lab diamond ring. With lab diamonds, you're buying primarily for the emotional value, the beauty, and the meaning — just like you do with any piece of fine jewelry. The difference is you started at a fraction of the price.
Misconception 3: "My friends and family won't accept it"
This one was real five years ago. It's becoming less and less true every day. Lab diamond acceptance has exploded since 2020, and it continues to accelerate. When customers come to us nervous about what their circle will think, we remind them: you're wearing a real diamond. An IGI-certified, pure carbon, chemically identical, stunningly brilliant real diamond. What exactly is there not to accept?
Lab Diamonds vs Moissanite vs Cubic Zirconia: Know the Difference
One of the most important things I make clear to every customer is this: lab diamonds are not in the same category as moissanite or cubic zirconia. These are completely different stones, and the distinction matters enormously.
| Stone | Composition | Hardness | Certified? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab Diamond | Pure carbon | 10 (hardest) | IGI / GIA |
| Moissanite | Silicon carbide | 9.25 | No standard cert |
| Cubic Zirconia | Zirconium oxide | 8-8.5 | No |
Moissanite has a double refraction — meaning if you look at it through a jeweler's loupe, you'll see a doubling effect in the facets. A lab diamond, like a natural diamond, has no double refraction. You cannot tell a lab diamond from a natural diamond this way. Cubic zirconia is simply glass — it clouds over time, scratches easily, and has none of the properties of a real diamond.
Lab diamonds are in a completely different league.
Why Your Jeweler Might Be Steering You Away From Lab Diamonds
I want to be honest with you about something that most people in this industry won't say out loud.
When you walk into a traditional jewelry store and ask about lab diamonds, there's a very good chance the jeweler is going to discourage you. They'll tell you lab diamonds aren't real. They'll say they don't hold value. They'll make you feel like you're settling for something lesser.
Here's why: they make significantly more money selling natural diamonds.
The markup on natural diamonds at traditional jewelry retailers is enormous. Lab diamonds, because of their accessibility and lower production cost, compress those margins dramatically. So jewelers have a powerful financial incentive to protect the natural diamond narrative.
We've all watched Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio. We know about conflict diamonds, about the mines in Congo and South Africa where workers earn almost nothing in dangerous, life-shortening conditions. And yet the certification on your natural diamond will never tell you where it came from or whose hands it passed through.
Lab diamonds carry none of that history. They never will.
A Real Customer Story That Says It All
One of the most meaningful customer journeys we've been part of at Future Jewelry was a woman who grew up in the 1970s. Her entire life, diamonds meant natural diamonds. That's what her generation was taught. That's what the industry sold. Lab diamonds, in her mind, were something lesser — an imitation, a compromise.
She came to us cautiously. She had questions. She had doubts. And then we told her everything you've read in this article — the science, the certification, the purity, the history behind natural diamonds that no one talks about.
Something shifted.
She didn't just buy a ring. She bought a full set — a tennis bracelet, earrings, a pendant necklace. And her favorite color was blue. A blue diamond. Something that in the natural diamond world is reserved exclusively for the ultra-wealthy — we're talking millions of dollars. With lab diamonds, she was able to get a 10-carat blue diamond pendant necklace. A piece she wore with absolute pride, knowing exactly what it was and what it stood for.
She came back. She still comes back.
That is what lab diamonds make possible.
Explore Our Lab Diamond Collections
- Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Rings
- 3 Carat Lab Grown Diamond Rings
- Lab Grown Diamond Necklaces
- Lab Grown Diamond Earrings
- Colored Lab Diamond Jewelry
Related Reading
- Lab Diamonds vs Natural Diamonds: Which Should You Choose?
- How Much Money Do You Actually Save With Lab Diamonds?
- The Future of Jewelry: Why Lab Grown Diamonds Are the Smart Choice
Frequently Asked Questions
Are lab diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. Lab diamonds are 100% real diamonds — chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural mined diamonds. They are pure carbon, graded by IGI and GIA using the same standards.
Can you tell the difference between a lab diamond and a natural diamond?
No. Even professional gemologists cannot distinguish a lab diamond from a natural diamond with the naked eye or a standard loupe. Both require specialized equipment to differentiate.
Are lab diamonds IGI certified?
Yes. All Future Jewelry lab diamonds are IGI certified, graded for cut, color, clarity, and carat weight using the same standards as mined diamonds.
Do lab diamonds hold their value?
Lab diamonds are primarily an emotional purchase — but so are natural diamonds, which also lose 30-50% of their value after purchase. The key difference is you paid far less for the same quality lab diamond, meaning your overall risk is dramatically lower.
Are lab diamonds the same as moissanite or cubic zirconia?
No. Lab diamonds are real diamonds — pure carbon, hardness 10/10. Moissanite is a different gemstone. Cubic zirconia is glass. These are completely different categories.
Why do jewelers say lab diamonds are fake?
Traditional jewelers make significantly more money selling natural diamonds. This financial incentive drives many to discourage lab diamonds. The science and certification from IGI and GIA tell a different story.