Lab grown and mined certified diamonds often have a microscopic laser inscription on their girdle. As you can see from the image, the number on your diamond will match the number on your certificate so you can be sure that your diamond is as described on its certificate.
Professional jewelers and gemologists cannot tell the difference between a lab created diamond and a natural one just by looking at it with the naked eye.
When you choose a lab grown diamond instead of a natural diamond, its origin cannot be determined by the naked eye. The only way one could distinguish a lab grown diamond from a natural diamond is with the help of a microscope. Natural diamonds will have small amounts of nitrogen, whereas lab grown diamonds will not.
In addition to these methods, some lab-grown diamonds may also have small laser-inscribed markings on the girdle (edge) of the diamond that indicate that it is lab-grown. This marking is not visible to the naked eye and can only be seen under a microscope.
The differences between Natural Diamonds and Lab Grown Diamonds cannot be seen with the naked eye. Natural Diamonds have tiny amounts of nitrogen, while Lab Grown Diamonds have no nitrogen. This is actually one of the signifiers gemologists use to identify if a diamond is lab grown or natural.
A Mass Produced Product Will Never Hold its Value
For several reasons, the value of lab-produced diamonds depreciates over time, negatively impacting its resale value. There's only a finite number of natural diamonds available, so they will retain their value over time, which is not the case with synthetic gems.
From a monetary standpoint, however, your lab grown diamonds aren't going to hold very much value after they are taken out of the store. Almost all diamonds you buy will drop in price once worn, but lab grown diamonds are particularly susceptible to losing value after purchase.
Man made diamonds are difficult to spot because of their chemical, physical and optical properties similar to their natural counterparts. Professional jeweler services and pawn shop brokers often have the equipment needed to tell the difference.
Unlike simulant diamonds, like cubic zirconia and moissanite that are made from completely different minerals to diamonds, diamond testers will be able to recognise that lab-grown stones share the same thermal and electrical levels as mined diamonds and would therefore be able to highlight them as real diamonds.
In fact, each lab created diamond is laser inscribed on the diamond's girdle (the widest part of the diamond) and a report. Not only do lab created diamonds look and wear the same way as a mined diamond, they cost about 20-40% less than a mined diamond.
Most diamonds will reveal blue florescence under a black light; therefore, you'll see a medium to strong color of blue, which means the diamond is real. If you don't see the blue color and instead see a slight green, yellow or gray fluorescence then this usually indicates the gem is not a real diamond.
Color: Man-made diamonds are commonly colorless, near-colorless, light to dark yellow or yellow-brown; they are less commonly blue, pink red or green. Man-made diamonds can be subjected to the same color treatments as natural diamonds, so any color is possible.
As outlined, we believe that lab-grown diamonds may not be a good financial choice because they may not retain value in the future. We also think they lack the romance and allure of natural diamonds while not necessarily providing any environmental benefits (this is still up for debate).
They share the same physical and chemical properties as natural diamonds. In terms of sparkle and durability, they're virtually the same stones. That's why jewelers and diamond testers can't detect them.
According to Jewelers Mutual, “Standard homeowners policies often provide limited jewelry protection, frequently excluding jewelry damage and loss.” So, can a lab-grown diamond be insured? Yes! Lab-grown diamonds exhibit the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as a diamond, because they are a diamond!
Lab-created diamonds are chemically the same as natural, mined diamonds. They are more affordable, but their value likely will not hold up over time. They will also never have the same rarity, uniqueness and meaning as a natural stone that was formed over billions of years deep in the earth.
Do Lab-Created Diamonds Lose Their Shine? Similar to natural diamonds, lab diamonds will not lose their sparkle. Because of how they are created, they are incredibly resilient. Lab diamonds have good clarity and won't appear cloudy if you take good care of them.
Some people may think that diamonds glow in the dark due to the way that they are cut and polished, but this is not the case. Some lab-grown diamonds may have been treated with irradiation which may cause them to emit light under UV light but it's not a permanent effect and the light is not visible in darkness.
They have NO resale value.
Unlike natural diamonds which holds value over time, laboratory-grown diamonds are industrial products that are factory produced in matters of weeks. Since they are not rare and easily mass produced, there is NO secondary market for them.
While the market for lab-grown diamonds isn't as large or powerful as earth mined diamonds, there is still a resale value for lab-grown diamonds. The resale value typically depends on the carat and quality of the diamond. But it also depends on the commodity market for diamonds which is constantly fluctuating.
Simply put, no. Due to lab-grown diamonds being chemically identical, they are visually too. Even when tested on a diamond tester, lab-grown diamonds test positive! Every diamond above 0.35ct, whether mined or lab-grown, should have an inscription.
This means that—just like a mined diamond—a Lab Created Diamond will last a lifetime and beyond as long as they are cared for properly. This includes cleaning your ring regularly and—as you would with a mined diamond—protecting it from chemicals and lotions.
In addition to typical inclusions that all diamonds can have, Lab Made Diamonds sometimes also include small black metallic inclusions. Most couples we work with want an “eye clean” Man Made Diamond. In other words, a stone in which no inclusions are visible to the naked eye.
Simulated diamonds are also known as diamond simulants and include things like cubic zirconia (CZ), moissanite, and YAG. They can also include some natural clear gemstones like white sapphire, white zircon or even clear quartz.