Natural vs. Lab-Grown vs. Imitation Gemstones: Complete Buying Guide
Today's jewelry buyer has more gemstone choices than ever before.
Alongside natural diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and other gemstones, the market now includes lab-grown diamonds, synthetic sapphires, synthetic rubies, lab-created emeralds, moissanite, cubic zirconia, glass, and other gemstone simulants.
These materials can look remarkably similar, but they are not all the same.
Some are genuine gemstones created in laboratories.
Others are entirely different materials designed only to resemble a particular gemstone.
Understanding those distinctions can help you evaluate jewelry more accurately, understand pricing, and avoid confusing terms such as synthetic, lab-grown, imitation, simulated, and natural.
At AYW Luxury, gemstone education is an important part of understanding the designer jewelry we authenticate, evaluate, and offer as Certified Pre-Owned.
Natural, Synthetic, and Imitation Gemstones: What's the Difference?
The easiest place to begin is with three basic categories.
Natural Gemstones
Natural gemstones form without human manufacture.
Most develop through geological processes within the Earth, although some gem materials, such as pearls and coral, have organic origins.
A natural ruby, sapphire, emerald, or diamond was formed through natural processes rather than grown in a laboratory.
Synthetic or Lab-Grown Gemstones
A synthetic gemstone is created by humans but has essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and optical and physical characteristics as its natural counterpart.
For example:
A synthetic ruby is ruby.
A synthetic sapphire is sapphire.
A laboratory-grown diamond is diamond.
The major distinction is origin.
Natural stones form through natural processes, while synthetic stones are produced under controlled laboratory conditions.
GIA explains that synthetic gem materials share virtually all of the chemical, optical, and physical characteristics of their natural mineral counterparts.
That does not mean natural and synthetic stones are impossible to distinguish.
Their growth histories can create different inclusions, growth structures, fluorescence reactions, or other characteristics that trained gemologists and laboratories can identify.
Imitation or Simulated Gemstones
An imitation gemstone, also called a simulant, is different.
It resembles another gemstone visually but has a different chemical composition, crystal structure, or physical properties.
Cubic zirconia is a classic example.
A colorless cubic zirconia may resemble a diamond, but it is not diamond.
Moissanite is another distinct gemstone material commonly used as a diamond alternative.
GIA defines simulants as materials that resemble another gemstone but possess different chemical, physical, and optical properties.
Natural vs. Synthetic vs. Imitation Gemstones
| Characteristic | Natural Gemstone | Synthetic Gemstone | Imitation / Simulant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Natural formation | Laboratory-grown | Natural or manufactured substitute |
| Composition | Natural gem material | Essentially same as natural counterpart | Different from gemstone being imitated |
| Crystal structure | Natural | Essentially same as natural counterpart | Usually different |
| Appearance | Depends on stone | Can closely resemble natural material | Designed to resemble another gem |
| Identification | Gemological testing | Growth characteristics may require advanced testing | Often identified through physical and optical differences |
| Rarity | Depends on natural availability | Can be manufactured | Usually more readily available |
| Market value | Varies greatly | Varies by quality and type | Usually valued separately from the gem being imitated |
The most important lesson is that synthetic does not automatically mean fake.
Synthetic gemstones are genuine examples of the gemstone material, but they were grown through human-controlled processes rather than formed naturally.
Lab-Grown Diamonds: Are They Real Diamonds?
Yes.
A laboratory-grown diamond is diamond.
Lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same crystal structure and chemical, optical, and physical properties as naturally formed diamonds.
Their origin and growth history are different.
GIA notes that the visual difference can be impossible to determine by eye and that advanced gemological instrumentation may be required to separate natural from laboratory-grown diamonds.
This is why a lab-grown diamond should not be confused with a diamond simulant such as cubic zirconia or moissanite.
A lab-grown diamond is diamond.
Moissanite and cubic zirconia are different materials.
How Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Made?
The two primary methods used to grow diamonds in laboratories are HPHT and CVD.
Both can produce gem-quality diamond suitable for fine jewelry.
HPHT Diamonds
HPHT stands for High Pressure, High Temperature.
The process uses extreme pressure and temperature to create conditions in which carbon can crystallize around a diamond seed.
The technique was developed partly to reproduce conditions associated with natural diamond formation.
Over time, improvements in the technology allowed manufacturers to produce diamonds large and clear enough for use in jewelry.
CVD Diamonds
CVD stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition.
Instead of relying primarily on extreme pressure, CVD uses a carbon-containing gas in a controlled chamber.
Carbon is deposited onto a diamond seed as the crystal grows layer by layer.
CVD and HPHT therefore use different production processes, but both can produce laboratory-grown diamond.
CVD vs. HPHT Diamonds
Neither CVD nor HPHT should automatically be considered the “better” kind of lab-grown diamond.
Both methods can produce high-quality stones.
Quality depends on the individual diamond rather than simply the growth method.
Gemologists may use growth structures, fluorescence, inclusions, spectroscopy, and specialized instruments to determine whether a diamond is natural or laboratory-grown and, in some cases, how it was grown.
GIA traces gem-quality laboratory-grown diamond production to the twentieth century and notes that both HPHT and CVD have important histories in industrial and jewelry applications.
How Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Graded?
Lab-grown diamonds can be evaluated using characteristics familiar to natural-diamond buyers, including:
Cut
Color
Clarity
Carat weight
However, buyers should also pay attention to disclosure of laboratory origin.
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission expects sellers to clearly communicate that a diamond is laboratory-grown rather than mined.
Terms such as laboratory-grown and laboratory-created can be used to make that distinction clear.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds the Same as Cubic Zirconia?
No.
This is one of the most common misconceptions in gemstone shopping.
A lab-grown diamond is diamond.
Cubic zirconia is a separate synthetic material commonly used to imitate the appearance of diamond.
Their chemistry, crystal structure, optical characteristics, durability, and market positioning are different.
Calling cubic zirconia a “lab-grown diamond” would be misleading.
The FTC specifically distinguishes laboratory-grown diamonds from simulated or imitation diamonds for this reason.
What Is Moissanite?
Moissanite is another popular diamond alternative.
It is composed of silicon carbide and has different physical and optical properties from diamond.
Natural moissanite exists but is extraordinarily rare. Gem-quality moissanite used in modern jewelry is laboratory-created.
Moissanite is valued for its durability, brilliance, and strong dispersion—the optical property responsible for colorful flashes of light.
GIA notes that moissanite can display slightly greater brilliance and more than twice the fire of diamond.
That difference is one reason experienced observers may notice a more colorful sparkle in moissanite.
Is Moissanite a Lab-Grown Diamond?
No.
Although both can be grown in laboratories and both may appear colorless, they are different gemstone materials.
Diamond is carbon.
Moissanite is silicon carbide.
Moissanite should therefore be marketed and evaluated as moissanite, not as laboratory-grown diamond.
Moissanite vs. Diamond
The choice between moissanite and diamond depends largely on what the buyer wants.
Diamond has its own crystal structure, optical characteristics, market history, and pricing structure.
Moissanite produces a different visual effect, particularly because of its greater dispersion.
Some buyers specifically enjoy that intense fire.
Others prefer the optical appearance of diamond.
Neither preference is inherently correct.
The important thing is knowing which material you are purchasing.
What Is Cubic Zirconia?
Cubic zirconia, commonly abbreviated CZ, is a manufactured material frequently used as a diamond simulant.
It became widely used in jewelry during the late twentieth century and remains one of the best-known diamond substitutes.
GIA describes synthetic cubic zirconia as one of the most popular man-made diamond simulants.
CZ can be produced colorless or in many colors.
It can have strong brilliance and an attractive appearance, but it does not have the same chemistry, crystal structure, durability, or optical properties as diamond.
Cubic Zirconia vs. Moissanite
Cubic zirconia and moissanite are sometimes grouped together because both can imitate diamond.
They are nevertheless different materials.
Moissanite is generally more resistant to scratching and is widely used in jewelry intended for frequent wear.
Cubic zirconia is generally less expensive and may show wear more readily over time.
Both can be attractive choices when accurately represented.
Neither should be confused with natural or laboratory-grown diamond.
Synthetic Rubies and Sapphires
Ruby and sapphire are varieties of the mineral corundum.
Laboratory-created ruby and sapphire have been produced commercially for well over a century.
Synthetic versions have essentially the same fundamental composition and crystal structure as their natural counterparts, while displaying growth features that can allow trained gemologists to identify laboratory origin.
Several growth techniques can be used.
Flame-Fusion Ruby and Sapphire
Flame fusion is one of the oldest and most economical methods of producing synthetic corundum.
It can create vivid colors and transparent crystals efficiently.
Gemologists may identify flame-fusion material through characteristic growth features and inclusions.
Flux-Grown Gemstones
Flux growth uses a molten chemical solution to encourage crystal formation.
The process can be slower and may produce internal characteristics that resemble some features found in natural stones.
Hydrothermal Growth
Hydrothermal techniques use heated solutions and pressure to grow crystals.
This method is used for certain synthetic gemstones and can produce material that requires careful gemological examination to distinguish from natural counterparts.
Synthetic Emeralds
Synthetic emeralds are another important category of laboratory-grown colored gemstones.
Natural emeralds commonly contain inclusions and internal features related to their geological formation.
Laboratory-grown emeralds can sometimes appear cleaner, although synthetic stones can also be intentionally grown with characteristics that make identification challenging.
Common synthetic-emerald production techniques include flux growth and hydrothermal growth.
As with other synthetic gemstones, the key distinction is origin rather than whether the material is “real emerald.”
Other Synthetic Gemstones
Synthetic counterparts exist for numerous gem materials.
Depending on the gemstone, laboratory-grown versions may include:
Sapphire.
Ruby.
Emerald.
Alexandrite.
Spinel.
Quartz.
Opal.
Other specialized gem materials.
GIA notes that synthetic materials have been produced since the late nineteenth century and have applications in both jewelry and industry.
Glass and Other Gemstone Imitations
Not every stone that resembles a gemstone is a synthetic version of that gemstone.
Glass is one of the oldest imitation materials.
It can be manufactured in numerous colors and used to resemble emerald, ruby, sapphire, amethyst, turquoise, opal, and many other gems.
But a green glass stone that resembles emerald is still glass.
It is not synthetic emerald.
That distinction matters.
Rhinestones
The word rhinestone generally refers to decorative stones intended to imitate more valuable gems.
Modern rhinestones may be manufactured from glass, crystal-like materials, acrylic, or other substances.
They are particularly common in costume jewelry, fashion accessories, and decorative applications.
Plastic Gemstone Imitations
Plastic can also be formed and colored to resemble gemstone materials.
GIA notes that plastics have been used to imitate organic gems such as amber, pearl, and coral as well as materials such as turquoise, jade, and lapis lazuli.
Plastic is generally less durable than most gemstones and is used primarily in lower-cost jewelry or decorative products.
Natural Gemstones Can Also Be Simulants
An interesting point often overlooked is that a simulant does not have to be man-made.
One natural gemstone can imitate another.
For example, natural colorless zircon, quartz, sapphire, or topaz may be used in a way that resembles diamond.
The word simulant describes what the material is being used to imitate, not necessarily whether the material itself is natural or synthetic.
How Gemologists Identify Natural and Synthetic Gemstones
Gemologists do not usually identify gemstone origin by appearance alone.
Testing may involve:
Microscopic examination.
Refractive index.
Spectroscopy.
Fluorescence.
Growth structures.
Inclusions.
Optical behavior.
Advanced laboratory instrumentation.
Certain synthetic gemstones can closely resemble natural counterparts, making specialized testing necessary for a confident origin determination.
GIA notes that natural and synthetic gems may differ in identifiable inclusions and growth patterns even though their fundamental composition and properties are essentially the same.
Why Inclusions Matter
Inclusions can provide clues about how a gemstone formed.
Natural stones may contain mineral crystals, fluids, growth structures, fractures, or other features created during geological formation.
Synthetic materials can exhibit their own characteristic inclusions or growth features associated with laboratory manufacturing.
However, inclusion identification is a specialized area.
Consumers should not assume that a clean-looking gemstone is synthetic or that an included gemstone must be natural.
Professional identification requires evaluating multiple characteristics together.
Are Synthetic Gemstones Fake?
No—not when the terminology is being used correctly.
A synthetic ruby is a laboratory-grown ruby.
A synthetic sapphire is a laboratory-grown sapphire.
A laboratory-grown diamond is diamond produced through human-controlled growth.
What would be misleading is selling one of these stones without properly disclosing its laboratory origin.
A simulant, by contrast, is a different material being used to resemble another gemstone.
That distinction is fundamental to gemstone education.
Are Lab-Grown Gemstones More Ethical?
There is no universal answer.
Laboratory-grown gemstones eliminate the need to mine that particular stone from the ground, which may appeal to buyers concerned about mining.
However, laboratory production still requires energy, manufacturing facilities, equipment, raw materials, and supply chains.
The actual environmental and social impact therefore depends on factors such as energy source, manufacturing process, location, labor practices, transportation, and company operations.
Buyers should be cautious of broad sustainability claims that are not supported with specific evidence.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Better for the Environment?
Not automatically.
They avoid the direct land disturbance associated with extracting that individual diamond through mining, but growing diamonds can be energy intensive.
Environmental performance varies according to production method, electricity source, manufacturing efficiency, and other factors.
For that reason, simple statements such as “lab-grown diamonds are environmentally friendly” or “mined diamonds are always worse” oversimplify a much more complicated comparison.
Natural Gemstones and Rarity
One major distinction between natural and synthetic gemstones is supply.
A desirable natural gemstone may depend on a limited geological deposit and cannot simply be manufactured on demand.
Synthetic material can generally be produced repeatedly when the necessary equipment, expertise, and materials are available.
GIA notes that laboratory-grown gems are therefore generally much less rare than comparable natural gems.
That difference in rarity can influence pricing and collector interest.
Do Natural Gemstones Always Hold More Value?
No universal rule applies.
Market value depends on the specific gemstone.
Important factors can include:
Species and variety.
Natural or laboratory origin.
Color.
Clarity.
Cut.
Carat weight.
Treatments.
Rarity.
Provenance.
Certification.
Market demand.
A rare natural gemstone of exceptional quality may command a very different price from a common commercial-quality natural stone.
Likewise, synthetic gemstones vary considerably in quality and price.
It is more accurate to evaluate the individual stone than to assume a fixed value hierarchy applies to every gemstone.
Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Hold Their Value?
The resale market for lab-grown diamonds differs from the market for natural diamonds.
Manufacturing capacity, technological improvement, retail pricing, quality, consumer demand, and supply all influence secondary-market values.
Buyers should therefore avoid purchasing either natural or laboratory-grown diamonds with an assumption that appreciation or a particular resale percentage is guaranteed.
Jewelry is best evaluated first for the quality, design, enjoyment, and price being offered at the time of purchase.
Natural vs. Synthetic: Which Is Better?
Neither category is automatically “better.”
The choice depends on what matters to the buyer.
A natural gemstone may appeal to someone who values geological origin, natural rarity, historical collecting traditions, and individuality.
A synthetic gemstone may appeal to someone who wants the same basic gem material at a different price point or prefers laboratory origin.
A simulant such as moissanite may appeal to someone who specifically enjoys its optical properties and durability.
Cubic zirconia may make sense when affordability and appearance matter more than long-term durability.
Understanding the differences allows you to make the choice intentionally.
What Should You Ask Before Buying a Gemstone?
Before purchasing significant gemstone jewelry, make sure you understand:
What gemstone is being represented.
Whether it is natural, synthetic, or imitation.
Whether it has been treated.
Whether laboratory documentation is available.
The identity of any grading laboratory.
The condition of the stone.
The metal and setting surrounding it.
Whether the seller clearly discloses origin.
The asking price relative to comparable stones.
Clear disclosure is one of the most important components of a trustworthy gemstone transaction.
Gemstones in Pre-Owned Designer Jewelry
Gemstone identification becomes particularly important in the pre-owned designer market.
An older piece may contain natural gemstones, treated stones, synthetic stones, assembled gems, or materials specifically selected by the designer for their visual characteristics.
David Yurman, for example, has used a broad range of gemstone materials and constructions throughout its collections.
When evaluating pre-owned designer jewelry, gemstone identity should therefore be considered alongside:
The collection.
Production period.
Metal.
Dimensions.
Setting.
Hallmarks.
Construction.
Known specifications.
Condition.
This is one reason authentication should evaluate the complete piece rather than relying on a single visual characteristic.
Synthetic Gemstones and Jewelry Authentication
The presence of a synthetic gemstone does not automatically mean a jewelry piece is counterfeit.
Some legitimate jewelry manufacturers intentionally use laboratory-grown or manufactured gem materials.
Likewise, the presence of a natural gemstone does not prove that a designer piece is authentic.
Authentication requires evaluating both the gemstone and the jewelry itself.
Brand hallmarks, construction, dimensions, metals, settings, design characteristics, and known production specifications can all matter.
Frequently Asked Questions About Synthetic and Imitation Gemstones
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes.
Laboratory-grown diamonds have essentially the same fundamental chemical, crystal, optical, and physical properties as naturally formed diamonds, although trained laboratories can identify their different growth origins.
Is moissanite a diamond?
No.
Moissanite is silicon carbide and is a separate gemstone material with different optical and physical characteristics.
Is cubic zirconia a diamond?
No.
Cubic zirconia is a manufactured diamond simulant with a different chemical composition and crystal structure.
Are synthetic gemstones fake?
No.
A properly described synthetic gemstone is a laboratory-grown version of a gemstone material with essentially the same fundamental characteristics as its natural counterpart.
What is the difference between synthetic and simulated gemstones?
A synthetic gemstone is the laboratory-grown counterpart of a natural gemstone.
A simulated or imitation gemstone is a different material used to resemble another gem.
Can you tell a lab-grown diamond from a natural diamond by looking at it?
Usually not reliably.
Advanced gemological equipment may be required to identify laboratory growth origin.
Is moissanite synthetic?
Commercial gem-quality moissanite is laboratory-created. Natural moissanite exists but is extremely rare.
Are lab-grown gemstones more valuable than imitation stones?
There is no universal pricing rule, although genuine synthetic gem materials and simple simulants occupy different market categories.
Value depends on the exact material, quality, size, manufacturer, demand, and jewelry in which the stone is set.
Learn More Through AYW University
Understanding gemstones is an important part of buying fine jewelry with confidence.
AYW University provides educational resources covering:
Gemstone identification.
David Yurman collections.
Designer-jewelry authentication.
Sterling silver and precious metals.
Jewelry care.
Certified Pre-Owned jewelry.
Rare and retired designer pieces.
Our goal is to help buyers understand what they are purchasing rather than relying solely on marketing terminology.
Shop Certified Pre-Owned David Yurman Jewelry
At AYW Luxury, we specialize in certified pre-owned David Yurman jewelry, including gemstone rings, Cable bracelets, pendants, necklaces, earrings, men's jewelry, and rare retired designs.
Every piece is carefully evaluated before being offered for sale, with available information about materials, gemstones, dimensions, condition, and collection documented in the individual listing.
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Looking to Shop With Confidence?
At AYW Luxury, jewelry education is an important part of buying and collecting with confidence.
Understanding whether a gemstone is natural, laboratory-grown, treated, assembled, or simulated can help buyers interpret both its appearance and its value more accurately.
When shopping pre-owned designer jewelry, gemstone identity is only one part of the picture. Authenticity, construction, precious metals, condition, rarity, and the individual design matter as well.