Differences and Properties of Diamond Simulants and Lab-Grown Diamonds

Diamonds have always dazzled us with their beauty and sparkle, but these days, there are more choices than just natural stones.

The diamond world now includes alternatives like diamond simulants and lab-grown diamonds, which cater to different preferences, budgets, and even ethical concerns.

Simulants, such as cubic zirconia and moissanite, mimic the look of natural diamonds, while lab-grown diamonds are actual diamonds made in a lab under controlled conditions.

Knowing the differences between these options can help you make the right choice.

In this blog, we’ll explore what distinguishes diamond simulants from lab-grown diamonds, from their manufacturing to their place in the market.

Understanding Diamond Simulants and Their Purpose

Diamonds have long been regarded as symbols of luxury and elegance, but in recent years, alternatives like diamond simulants and lab-grown diamonds have become popular in the jewelry market.

These alternatives cater to various needs, offering a range of price points and ethical considerations. While both simulants and lab-grown diamonds can mimic the brilliance of natural diamonds, their definitions and purposes differ significantly. 

To better understand these differences, let’s first define each type and examine their unique roles in the world of gemstones.

Diamond Simulants: The Imitation Gems

Diamond simulants are materials that mimic the appearance of natural diamonds but differ significantly in their chemical, physical, and optical properties. 

These stones are often created to offer the allure of a diamond at a fraction of the cost. They aim to replicate the sparkle, shine, and elegance of diamonds, allowing consumers to enjoy the aesthetic without the hefty price tag. 

While simulants look similar to diamonds, they don’t possess the same intrinsic properties, which makes them easier to identify upon closer inspection.

Lab-Grown Diamonds: The Real Deal, But Man-Made

Unlike simulants, lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds in every sense except their origin. Grown under controlled laboratory conditions, lab-grown diamonds share the same carbon structure, optical brilliance, and hardness as natural diamonds.

The key difference is that these diamonds are created in weeks or months rather than taking millions of years to form naturally in the Earth’s crust. 

Their purpose is to provide an ethical and sustainable alternative to mined diamonds, offering a real gemstone without the environmental or ethical concerns tied to traditional diamond mining.

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As we dive into the materials used to create these stones, we’ll uncover the science behind diamond simulants and lab-grown diamonds, which give them their distinct properties.

Materials and Types of Diamond Simulants

Diamond simulants are made from various materials, each offering different characteristics and levels of similarity to natural diamonds. 

These simulants are designed to mimic the appearance of diamonds, but their chemical composition and physical properties differ significantly. Let’s explore the key materials used for diamond simulants and their distinctive properties.

• Cubic Zirconia: The Popular Synthetic Gem

Cubic zirconia (CZ) is one of the most common diamond simulants. This synthetic material is colorless, hard, and optically flawless, making it a popular choice for imitation diamonds. It captures light brilliantly, though it lacks the hardness of a real diamond. 

While CZ stones can closely resemble diamonds when new, their lower hardness means they can scratch and dull over time. This affordability and visual similarity have made CZ a staple in the world of fashion jewelry.

• Moissanite: Fire and Brilliance Beyond Diamonds

Moissanite is another well-known simulant, often lauded for its exceptional brilliance. Originally discovered in meteorites, natural moissanite is extremely rare. Today, it is synthesized in laboratories, making it accessible for jewelry. 

What sets moissanite apart is its high refractive index, which causes it to sparkle even more than diamonds. However, this extra sparkle sometimes makes it too dazzling, giving it a slightly different aesthetic than natural diamonds.

• White Sapphire: The Historic Diamond Substitute

White sapphire, a form of corundum, has historically been used as a diamond substitute. Known for its durability, white sapphire is a naturally occurring gemstone that has been prized for its hardness and resistance to scratching. 

However, it lacks the brilliance and fire of diamonds, making it a less convincing diamond simulant. Despite this, white sapphire remains a popular choice for those seeking a durable, affordable alternative.

With the materials in mind, let’s move into how diamonds—both lab-grown and natural—are created and the different processes that give them their distinct characteristics.

Lab-Grown Diamond Creation Processes 

The process of creating diamonds—whether natural, lab-grown, or simulants—has a significant impact on their properties and quality. 

Lab-grown diamonds, in particular, are created through advanced technological methods that replicate the natural diamond formation process. 

Two key methods are used to grow lab-grown diamonds: High-Pressure, High-Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Let's look at these processes and understand how they shape the diamonds we see today.

• HPHT: High-Pressure, High-Temperature Method

The High-Pressure, High-Temperature (HPHT) method mimics the natural conditions in which diamonds form deep within the Earth's mantle. 

In this process, a small diamond seed is placed into a press where it is exposed to temperatures exceeding 1500°C and pressures of around 1.5 million pounds per square inch. 

This extreme environment causes carbon atoms to crystallize and grow around the seed, forming a diamond. HPHT diamonds are often smaller due to the limitations of the equipment but share the same hardness, brilliance, and chemical composition as natural diamonds. 

Although HPHT can produce diamonds relatively quickly, the size and color consistency of the diamond may vary based on the duration and exact conditions of the process.

Deep Dive: How Diamonds are Grown and Made in Lab

• CVD: Chemical Vapor Deposition Method

The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method is a more modern approach to diamond creation. In this process, a diamond seed is placed in a vacuum chamber filled with a gas mixture, typically containing methane and hydrogen. 

These glasses are exposed to high temperatures, breaking the molecular bonds and allowing carbon atoms to deposit and bond to the diamond seed layer by layer.

CVD diamonds grow more slowly than HPHT diamonds, but the method offers greater control over the quality and purity of the stone.

This process results in diamonds that are often free from the inclusions commonly found in natural diamonds, and it allows for the production of larger, high-quality diamonds. CVD diamonds are particularly valued for their consistency in color and clarity.

Read More: Differences and Comparison: CVD vs. HPHT Lab-Grown Diamonds

As we move forward, understanding the comparative properties of lab-grown diamonds and simulants will help us see how these creation processes affect the final product's performance and appeal.

Comparative Properties

When it comes to evaluating diamonds, whether natural, lab-grown, or simulant, several key properties define their quality and value. 

Hardness, refractive index, and the 4 Cs—Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat—are essential factors that influence how these stones perform and appear. 

While lab-grown diamonds share nearly identical properties with natural diamonds, simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite differ significantly in these areas. Let’s take a closer look at these comparative properties and how they impact the overall performance of each type of stone.

• Hardness: Durability on the Mohs Scale

Hardness is a crucial factor in determining a gemstone’s durability. Both natural and lab-grown diamonds rank at the top of the Mohs scale with a perfect score of 10, making them the hardest known materials. 

This exceptional hardness ensures that diamonds are highly resistant to scratching, which is why they retain their brilliance over time. 

On the other hand, diamond simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite are slightly softer, with cubic zirconia scoring around 8-8.5 and moissanite around 9. While these stones are still quite hard and durable, they are more prone to scratching and losing their luster over time compared to real diamonds.

• Refractive Index: The Key to Brilliance

The refractive index measures how much light bends as it passes through a stone, directly impacting its brilliance and sparkle. 

Diamonds, both natural and lab-grown, have a refractive index of 2.42, which gives them their signature sparkle. Simulants, however, vary. 

Moissanite has a higher refractive index of 2.65-2.69, meaning it reflects light even more than diamonds, sometimes giving off a more dramatic sparkle. This heightened brilliance can be eye-catching but also makes moissanite appear different from a natural diamond’s more subtle fire. 

Cubic zirconia, with a refractive index of 2.15-2.18, does not reflect light as efficiently as diamonds, resulting in less sparkle and brilliance over time.

• The 4 Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat

The 4 Cs are universally used to grade diamonds, determining their overall quality and value. Natural and lab-grown diamonds are assessed using the same standards for cut, color, clarity, and carat.

A well-cut diamond maximizes brilliance, while color and clarity ratings highlight how free a diamond is from imperfections. Simulants, however, are not graded in the same way. 

For example, cubic zirconia is typically flawless and colorless, but it lacks the intrinsic value of a natural or lab-grown diamond. Moissanite, with its high clarity and fire, is sometimes mistaken for a diamond but still does not hold the same market value due to its different composition.

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Understanding these core properties helps illustrate the nuanced differences between lab-grown diamonds and simulants. 

But beyond their technical qualities, how do these stones appear to the naked eye? Let’s explore their visual similarities and differences next.

Appearance Differences Between Natural & Lab Diamonds

At first glance, diamond simulants and lab-grown diamonds can look remarkably similar to natural diamonds, especially when seen by the untrained eye. 

However, when examined more closely, certain visual differences set them apart. In this section, we’ll explore the visual characteristics that differentiate lab-grown diamonds from simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite.

• Visual Similarities and Subtle Differences

Both lab-grown diamonds and high-quality simulants can appear dazzling, but the differences start to show under closer inspection.

Lab-grown diamonds are identical in structure to natural diamonds, meaning they possess the same balance of brilliance, fire, and scintillation. 

Cubic zirconia, on the other hand, may initially mimic the appearance of a diamond, but over time it loses its sparkle due to its lower hardness. 

Moissanite, with its extra sparkle and fire, often appears “too brilliant,” which can be a giveaway that it’s not a diamond. These subtle visual differences, especially under magnification or specific lighting conditions, make it easier to distinguish between these gems.

• Refractive Properties: Singly vs. Doubly Refractive

One of the defining visual differences between diamonds and simulants is their refractive properties. 

Natural and lab-grown diamonds are singly refractive, meaning light passes through them in a uniform direction, giving them a consistent sparkle and clarity. 

Moissanite, however, is doubly refractive, meaning light splits into two beams as it passes through the stone. This creates a distinct “double vision” effect that may be noticeable when viewed from certain angles, adding an extra dimension to its sparkle but making it visibly different from a diamond’s uniform brilliance. Cubic zirconia, like diamonds, is singly refractive, but its lower refractive index results in less sparkle overall.

• Fire and Brightness: How Light Plays with the Stone

"Fire" refers to a stone’s ability to disperse light into a spectrum of colors, and it’s another area where differences between diamonds and simulants become evident. 

Diamonds, whether natural or lab-grown, exhibit a balanced combination of brilliance (white light) and fire (colored light). Moissanite, with its higher refractive index, displays more fire than diamonds, which can make it appear almost rainbow-like under certain lighting conditions. 

While this extra fire can be dazzling, it often makes moissanite stand out as something other than a diamond. Cubic zirconia, by comparison, has less fire than diamonds and can appear dull over time as it gets scratched.

As we transition to discussing the cost and market dynamics of these stones, it’s important to note how these visual differences contribute to their overall value and appeal in the jewelry market.

Cost and Market Dynamics

Several factors, including the materials, manufacturing processes, and consumer preferences, shape the pricing and market demand for diamond simulants and lab-grown diamonds. 

Let's explore how cost and market dynamics play out for these two categories and what the future holds for each.

• Price Differences: Affordability and Value

One of the most noticeable differences between diamond simulants and lab-grown diamonds is their cost. 

Simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite are significantly cheaper than both natural and lab-grown diamonds, primarily due to their less complex manufacturing processes and lower material costs. A cubic zirconia ring, for instance, can cost only a fraction of what a lab-grown or natural diamond ring would. Lab-grown diamonds, while less expensive than natural diamonds, are still priced higher than simulants because they are real diamonds and require more advanced technology to produce. 

Their value is further increased by the fact that they share the same physical and optical properties as mined diamonds, making them a genuine alternative.

• Market Trends for Lab-Grown Diamonds

The market for lab-grown diamonds has been expanding rapidly, driven by growing awareness of the ethical and environmental concerns surrounding diamond mining. 

As consumers seek more sustainable and conflict-free options, lab-grown diamonds have gained popularity as a responsible alternative to natural diamonds. 

This demand has led to increased production and availability, making lab-grown diamonds more accessible to a wider audience. As production methods continue to improve, prices may decrease further, contributing to an even greater market share for these diamonds. 

In contrast, simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite continue to hold a strong position in the fashion and costume jewelry markets, where affordability is the key driver.

Consumer Preferences and Future Outlook

Consumer preferences are shifting toward sustainable, ethical, and affordable options, which bodes well for the future of lab-grown diamonds. 

As these diamonds become more accepted in the mainstream jewelry market, we can expect their market share to grow, particularly among environmentally conscious buyers. 

Simulants, on the other hand, are likely to remain popular for their affordability and ability to mimic the look of diamonds at a much lower price point. While simulants won’t replace diamonds in terms of value, their continued demand in budget-friendly markets will ensure their presence in the jewelry world.

As we move into the next section, we’ll explore the important role of gemological laboratories in identifying and certifying diamonds, which plays a crucial part in maintaining consumer trust and ensuring the authenticity of gemstones.

Identification and Certification

With the growing popularity of lab-grown diamonds and diamond simulants, proper identification and certification have become more important than ever. 

Certification not only confirms the origin and composition of the diamond but also provides consumers with the peace of mind that their gemstone meets specific standards for cut, color, clarity, and carat.

Gemological and Spectroscopic Methods:

Gemological laboratories use highly sophisticated tools to analyze diamonds and simulants. Spectroscopic methods, for instance, allow experts to examine a stone’s atomic structure, helping to identify whether it is natural, lab-grown, or a simulant. 

Microscopic evaluation can reveal growth patterns, inclusions, and other internal features that provide clues about a diamond’s origin. 

Lab-grown diamonds can be difficult to distinguish from natural ones with the naked eye, making these advanced techniques essential in determining authenticity.

GIA Certification for Lab-Grown Diamonds

Just like natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds can receive certification from prestigious organizations such as the GIA. A GIA report for a lab-grown diamond details its 4 Cs—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight—offering a clear and reliable grading system. 

This certification ensures that the lab-grown diamond meets the same quality standards as natural diamonds. 

While simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite are not usually certified in this way, gemological testing can still confirm their material composition and optical properties, ensuring transparency in the purchasing process.

Certification and identification serve as vital tools in maintaining consumer confidence, especially in the growing market for lab-grown diamonds. Everyday offers Type II diamonds that are both GIA and IGI-approved, a hallmark of trust and quality.

Quick Recap Summary

Making the Right Choice: Lab-Grown Diamonds or Simulants?

In the world of diamonds, both lab-grown diamonds and simulants offer appealing alternatives to natural stones, each with its own set of benefits.

Lab-grown diamonds provide the same brilliance, durability, and value as natural diamonds, all while being more ethical and affordable. Everyday's collection of lab-grown diamonds, for example, showcases stunning Type IIA diamonds that reflect both superior quality and sustainability. 

Simulants like cubic zirconia and moissanite, on the other hand, offer a budget-friendly option for those looking for the sparkle of a diamond without the investment.