Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?
Are lab grown diamonds real diamonds? Yes. Why they're identical to mined diamonds, why they sometimes test as moissanite, and how to verify yours.
Yes, unequivocally. A lab-grown diamond is pure crystallised carbon, exactly like a mined diamond. It has the same hardness, 10 on the Mohs scale, the same brilliance and fire, and the same chemical formula. The FTC and every major gem lab classify it as a real diamond, not a fake and not a simulant. A moissanite or cubic zirconia is a simulant, which only looks like a diamond. A lab-grown diamond is a diamond.
But my diamond tested as moissanite
Don't panic, this is a known quirk rather than a sign of a fake. Cheap pen-style testers work by measuring electrical conductivity. Some lab-grown diamonds contain tiny traces of boron, which makes them slightly conductive, so the tester wrongly flags them as moissanite. It is a limitation of the tester, not a problem with your diamond.
How to actually verify a diamond
- Check the certificate. Every Varniya diamond has an IGI or SGL report, with a laser inscription on the girdle matching the report number.
- Birefringence, or double refraction. Moissanite shows a doubling effect under magnification; a diamond never does.
- Buy from a certified seller. The simplest safeguard of all.
FAQ
Is a lab-grown diamond the same as moissanite? No. Moissanite is a different mineral, silicon carbide, that only looks like a diamond. A lab-grown diamond is a diamond.
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