They have identical chemical composition (pure carbon), physical properties (10 hardness), and optical characteristics to natural diamonds. The Federal Trade Commission and Gemological Institute of America recognise lab-grown diamonds as genuine diamonds, with the only difference being their origin.
Lab-grown diamonds pass every test that defines what makes a diamond a diamond.
The Federal Trade Commission's Definitive Answer
In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission made a landmark decision that settled this question definitively. They removed the word "natural" from their official definition of a diamond, stating:
"When the commission first used this definition in 1956, there was only one type of diamond product on the market, natural stones mined from the earth. Since then, technological advances have made it possible to create diamonds in a laboratory. These stones have essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as mined diamonds. Thus, they are diamonds."
This change wasn't made lightly. The FTC spent years reviewing scientific evidence and industry developments before concluding that lab-grown diamonds meet every criterion that defines a diamond. The decision reflects scientific reality rather than marketing preferences.
The FTC also recommended that the term "synthetic" no longer be used to describe lab-grown diamonds, recognising that consumers associate "synthetic" with "fake", which lab-grown diamonds decidedly are not.
What The Science Actually Shows
Chemical Composition: Both lab-grown and natural diamonds are pure crystallised carbon arranged in the same cubic crystal structure. Laboratory analysis cannot distinguish between their chemical compositions because they are identical.
Physical Properties: Both score 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them the hardest known material. They have the same density, the same thermal conductivity, and the same resistance to chemicals and heat.
Optical Properties: Both have identical refractive indices (2.42), meaning they bend light in exactly the same way. This creates identical brilliance, fire, and scintillation - the sparkle characteristics that make diamonds so captivating.
The Gemological Institute of America, which developed the 4 C's diamond grading system, has been grading lab-grown diamonds using identical standards since 2007. They use the same cut, colour, clarity, and carat measurements for both types because the stones respond to light and exhibit quality characteristics in exactly the same ways.
How Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Created
Understanding the creation process helps explain why lab-grown diamonds are genuine diamonds rather than imitations.
High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) replicates the conditions deep within Earth's mantle where natural diamonds form. A diamond seed is placed in a chamber with carbon and subjected to pressures of 5-6 GPa (equivalent to 150-190 kilometres depth) and temperatures of 1300-1600°C. These conditions are actually more extreme than those that created natural diamonds, allowing for rapid but authentic diamond growth.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) uses a different approach but creates identical results. A diamond seed is placed in a chamber where methane and hydrogen gases are activated by microwaves to create plasma. Carbon atoms deposit onto the seed layer by layer, building a diamond crystal with the same structure as natural diamonds.
Both methods create genuine diamonds by replicating the fundamental processes that create diamond crystal structure. The key difference is time - natural diamonds formed over billions of years, while lab-grown diamonds develop over weeks or months.
The Distinction Between Real and Simulant
This question often arises because people confuse lab-grown diamonds with diamond simulants, which are entirely different products.
Diamond simulants like cubic zirconia, moissanite, or glass are different materials that merely look similar to diamonds. They have different chemical compositions, different physical properties, and different optical characteristics. They're diamond substitutes, not diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are not substitutes or alternatives - they are diamonds created through technological processes rather than geological ones. Every scientific test confirms their diamond identity.
Professional jewellers cannot distinguish lab-grown from natural diamonds without specialised equipment. The detection requires advanced gemological instruments that can identify microscopic differences in growth patterns, trace elements, and inclusions - features invisible to the naked eye and irrelevant to the diamond's properties.
Industry Recognition and Certification
The diamond industry's most respected institutions treat lab-grown diamonds as genuine diamonds:
Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades lab-grown diamonds using identical 4 C's standards and issues official diamond grading reports. They've been doing this since 2007, confirming these stones meet diamond standards.
International Gemological Institute (IGI) provides comprehensive certification for lab-grown diamonds with detailed quality assessments identical to natural diamond reports.
Insurance companies recognise lab-grown diamonds as genuine diamonds for coverage purposes, appraisers value them as diamonds, and customs authorities classify them under diamond trade codes.
Recent Industry Developments
In 2025, GIA announced they will simplify lab-grown diamond grading to "premium" and "standard" categories rather than using detailed 4 C's grades. This change reflects market realities - over 95% of lab-grown diamonds fall into a narrow quality range due to controlled production - rather than questioning their diamond status.
This development has sparked debate in the industry, with some viewing it as recognition that lab-grown diamonds don't require the same detailed grading as natural diamonds due to their consistent quality. Others see it as an attempt to differentiate products in the marketplace. Regardless of grading systems, the scientific reality remains unchanged: lab-grown diamonds are genuine diamonds.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
"Lab-grown diamonds are synthetic": While technically accurate from a production standpoint, this term misleads consumers into thinking they're artificial substitutes. They're genuine diamonds created through controlled processes.
"Lab-grown diamonds look different": They are visually identical to natural diamonds. Any perceived differences come from quality variations, not fundamental structural differences.
"Lab-grown diamonds aren't as durable": They have identical hardness and durability. Both will last forever with proper care.
"Lab-grown diamonds are just carbon": Natural diamonds are also "just carbon." The specific crystal structure of that carbon is what makes both types genuine diamonds.
What Professional Jewellers Say
Professional jewellers consistently confirm that lab-grown diamonds are genuine diamonds. The American Gem Society, the leading professional organisation for jewellers and gemologists, recognises lab-grown diamonds as real diamonds.
Training programmes for jewellers teach that the distinction between lab-grown and natural diamonds is one of origin, not authenticity. Jewellers use the same tools, settings, and techniques for both types because they respond identically to cutting, polishing, and mounting processes.
The Cultural and Emotional Significance
Some people worry that lab-grown diamonds lack the cultural significance or emotional weight of natural diamonds. This concern reflects personal values rather than the diamonds' physical reality.
Lab-grown diamonds carry the same cultural symbolism because they are the same material. The traditions, meanings, and emotions associated with diamonds apply equally to both types. Many couples find additional meaning in lab-grown diamonds' ethical certainty and technological achievement.
The choice between lab-grown and natural diamonds reflects personal preferences about origin stories, environmental impact, and budget priorities - not differences in diamond authenticity.
Investment and Value Considerations
While lab-grown diamonds are genuine diamonds, they behave differently in terms of value retention and resale markets. Natural diamonds have historically held value better due to their rarity and established market demand. Lab-grown diamonds currently have lower resale values as supply increases and prices decrease.
However, for engagement rings and jewellery meant to be worn and treasured rather than resold, the identical beauty and durability of lab-grown diamonds provide the same emotional and practical value as natural diamonds.
Quality and Grading Standards
Lab-grown diamonds receive identical quality assessments to natural diamonds:
Cut quality affects brilliance and fire identically in both types. Excellent cuts create maximum sparkle regardless of origin.
Colour grading uses the same D-Z scale, with lab-grown diamonds achieving the full range from completely colourless to fancy colours.
Clarity standards apply equally, though lab-grown diamonds often achieve higher clarity grades due to controlled production environments.
Carat weight measures mass identically for both types, with lab-grown diamonds achieving the same visual impact per carat.
Environmental and Ethical Considerations
Both types are genuine diamonds, but they differ significantly in environmental and ethical impact. Lab-grown diamonds eliminate mining-related environmental disruption and provide complete supply chain transparency. This appeals to environmentally and ethically conscious consumers who want genuine diamonds without mining concerns.
The authenticity of lab-grown diamonds makes them particularly attractive to couples who value both traditional diamond symbolism and modern ethical standards.
Making Your Decision
Understanding that lab-grown diamonds are genuine diamonds helps clarify your choice. You're not choosing between real and fake diamonds - you're choosing between diamonds with different origin stories, environmental impacts, and price points.
Both types offer identical beauty, durability, and cultural significance. The decision comes down to personal priorities regarding natural rarity versus technological achievement, environmental impact, budget considerations, and value retention.
Professional Consultation Value
Since both lab-grown and natural diamonds are genuine diamonds with identical visual properties, seeing them in person helps you understand quality differences, setting options, and design possibilities rather than distinguishing "real" from "fake" stones.
A consultation allows you to focus on what truly matters: finding the diamond quality, size, and setting that creates your perfect engagement ring, regardless of whether you choose the geological or technological diamond creation story.
The Bottom Line
The question "Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?" has a definitive scientific answer: yes. They meet every criterion that defines a diamond - chemical composition, crystal structure, physical properties, and optical characteristics.
The Federal Trade Commission, Gemological Institute of America, and international scientific community all recognise lab-grown diamonds as genuine diamonds. Professional jewellers work with them as diamonds, insurance companies cover them as diamonds, and they perform as diamonds in every practical sense.
The choice between lab-grown and natural diamonds is about preferences regarding origin, environmental impact, and budget - not about authenticity. Both are real diamonds that will create beautiful, lasting symbols of love that maintain their brilliance for generations.
Understanding this scientific reality allows you to make your decision based on what truly matters to your relationship rather than misconceptions about diamond authenticity.
If you're ready head over and view our lab-grown diamond engagement ring settings!
Thanks for reading!
Jared & Brie
