Natural vs Lab Diamonds, Moissanite, Cubic Zirconia

and Everything You Need to Know

 
 
big oval diamond in focus in front of other diamonds.

What’s the difference between a lab grown diamond and a natural diamond? You may have asked yourself this question, especially with the rising popularity of lab grown diamonds. There’s many different options when searching for the perfect center stone for a ring. Keep reading to get the breakdown of different options offered here at Fadel’s Fine Jewelry.

Natural Diamond

Natural diamonds are diamonds that were formed in the Earth billions of years ago. Diamonds are made almost completely out of the element carbon. In the Earth, the carbon goes through intense heating and pressure to form the diamond. Once it is located and mined, it goes through a very precise cutting process. It then gets graded based on its cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. After that process is finished, it gets distributed and enjoyed in the jewelry piece.

Lab Diamonds

Lab diamonds are created by man in a lab. Engineers have been able to replicate the process a diamond goes through as it’s formed in the earth, and they use that to be able to create diamonds in less time. These diamonds go through the same grading process of cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Because of the process and the lack of scarcity of lab diamonds, they sell for a much lower price and do not retain their value like a natural diamond does. That being said, they are a great option for couples and individuals wanting a high carat stone with a smaller budget.

Moissanite

Moissanite is another stone that we sell that is fabricated in a lab. It is different from a diamond in a few ways. First, it’s softer than a diamond, and second, it has something called double refraction. That means that when the light is reflected it splits into two rays, diamonds on the other hand, are single refracted stones.

Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia, also known as CZ, is a man-made material that is inexpensive and imitates a diamond in the way it appears. It’s good to know that it is softer than a diamond, so it is susceptible to getting scratched but with proper care it can stay pristine for a long time.