Do lab diamonds get scratched easily?
Quick answer
No. Lab diamonds are the hardest material in normal wear, and only another diamond can scratch one. The surfaces you touch most days, including kitchen benches, keys and desks, cannot mark the stone. What scratches is the gold or platinum around it, which picks up small surface marks over time. If a lab diamond looks dull, it's almost always dirt rather than damage.
What can and cannot scratch a diamond
Mohs 10 is the top of the scale. Below that sits sapphire and moissanite at 9 to 9.25, then quartz, granite, hardened steel and glass at 5 to 7. None of those can mark a diamond. The one realistic way to scratch a diamond in daily life is to let two diamond pieces rub against each other in storage, which causes tiny abrasions over years. Storing engagement rings in a soft pouch or compartment, separated from other diamond pieces, prevents that.
What actually wears on a ring
The metal. Gold is around 2.5 to 3 on Mohs and platinum is around 4 to 4.5, so the band picks up fine scratches from keys, desks, kitchen benches and gym equipment. Over years it develops a soft patina, which is sometimes mistaken for wear on the stone. A polish at the jeweller restores the band to a mirror finish. The diamond itself looks the same as the day it was bought.
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