Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are 100% real diamonds. They are not glass. They are not fake. They are not cubic zirconia wearing a disguise. Lab-grown diamonds carry the exact same chemical formula, crystal structure, and physical properties as diamonds pulled from the earth. The only difference is where they came from.
Yet the myths keep spreading. Ask anyone at a family gathering, and someone will tell you lab diamonds are "plastic" or "not worth anything." They are wrong, and this guide proves it, one myth at a time.
What Exactly Is a Lab-Grown Diamond?
A lab-grown diamond grows in a controlled environment using one of two scientific processes: Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) or High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). Both mimic the conditions under which natural diamonds form underground.
The result is pure carbon in a diamond cubic crystal lattice. Chemically, it is indistinguishable from a mined diamond. Not similar. Identical.
India's Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) officially recognised this under IS 19469:2025, which sets the standard for lab-grown diamond nomenclature and disclosure. This is not a fringe product. It has government-level recognition in India.
Want to understand the science behind how these diamonds grow? Read our detailed guide on CVD vs HPHT: How Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Made.
10 Common Myths About Lab-Grown Diamonds, Busted
Myth 1: Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Fake
MYTH: Lab-grown diamonds are fake diamonds.
THE TRUTH: They are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined diamonds.
This is the biggest myth of them all, and it simply does not hold up to science.
A mined diamond is pure carbon arranged in a specific crystal structure. A lab-grown diamond is also pure carbon in the same crystal structure. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades both under the same system. IGI certifies both under the same 4Cs framework.
The US Federal Trade Commission updated its definition of "diamond" in 2018 to include lab-grown diamonds, removing the word "natural" from the definition entirely. You can read the FTC Jewellery Guides for full reference.
Calling a lab-grown diamond fake is like calling ice from your freezer fake water.
Myth 2: They Are Just Glass or Cubic Zirconia
MYTH: Lab diamonds are the same as cubic zirconia or glass.
THE TRUTH: Cubic zirconia is zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Glass is silicon dioxide. Lab diamonds are pure carbon. These are entirely different materials.
Cubic zirconia has a hardness of about 8 to 8.5 on the Mohs scale. Glass sits at around 5.5. Lab-grown diamonds, like mined diamonds, score a perfect 10.
A trained gemologist can tell cubic zirconia apart from a diamond in seconds. With a lab-grown diamond, they need specialised equipment like a DiamondView or a spectrometer, because there is nothing visually or physically different to detect.
Myth 3: You Cannot Tell the Difference With the Naked Eye
MYTH: Everyone can spot a lab diamond vs a mined diamond.
THE TRUTH: Nobody can, not even expert gemologists, without advanced laboratory equipment.
This myth exists in both directions. Some people believe they can spot a lab diamond easily. Others believe lab diamonds must look "too perfect" or "too dull."
Neither is true. Even trained gemologists at IGI and GIA cannot distinguish a lab-grown diamond from a mined diamond without tools like photoluminescence spectroscopy. The stones look exactly the same because they are exactly the same material.
Myth 4: Lab Diamonds Have No Resale Value
MYTH: Lab-grown diamonds are worthless when you try to sell them.
THE TRUTH: Lab diamonds do have resale value. It has adjusted in recent years due to market oversupply, but so has the original purchase price.
Here is the honest picture. Lab-grown diamond resale values have shifted since 2022, largely because production scaled faster than demand. Prices for new lab diamonds fell, and that affected buyback rates too.
However, the same logic applies to mined diamonds in many cases. The jewellery market, broadly, does not offer high resale margins. The real advantage of lab diamonds is that you buy a better-quality stone at a lower upfront price, which changes the value equation entirely.
Goenka Jewellers offers a 100% buyback policy on its lab-grown diamond jewellery. That is a concrete, bankable commitment, not a vague promise.
Myth 5: Lab Diamonds Are Not Certified or Graded
MYTH: Lab diamonds come with no proper certification.
THE TRUTH: IGI, GIA, and SGL all certify lab-grown diamonds using the full 4Cs grading system.
Every lab-grown diamond sold by Goenka Jewellers comes with an IGI certificate, which grades the stone on Cut, Clarity, Colour, and Carat weight. The same criteria used for mined diamonds.
The certificate includes a unique report number that you can verify on the IGI website. If a seller cannot give you a certificate, that is the real red flag, not whether the diamond is lab-grown or mined.
Our guide on what an IGI certificate means and why it matters covers this in full detail.
Myth 6: Lab Diamonds Are Only for Budget Buyers
MYTH: Lab-grown diamonds are a cheap, low-quality option.
THE TRUTH: Lab-grown diamonds can be of exceptional quality, including Internally Flawless and D-colour stones.
Lab-grown diamonds offer lower prices because the supply chain is shorter, not because the quality is lower. You can find lab-grown diamonds graded Internally Flawless (IF) and D-colour, which is the highest colour grade, and these are rare and expensive even in lab-grown form.
Choosing a lab-grown diamond lets you get a larger, better-graded stone for the same budget. That is smart buying, not budget buying.
Myth 7: Mining Is More Natural, So It Must Be Better
MYTH: Natural origin automatically means higher quality or greater value.
THE TRUTH: Origin does not determine quality. Grading, cut precision, and certification do.
"Natural" does not mean "better." A mined diamond with poor cut, colour grade I, and visible inclusions is objectively lower quality than a well-cut, D-colour, VS1 lab-grown diamond.
Beyond quality, the ethical argument runs the other way. Diamond mining has a documented history of land disruption and environmental impact. Lab-grown diamonds avoid these issues entirely, which matters to a growing number of Indian buyers, particularly younger ones.
Myth 8: Lab Diamonds Look Too Perfect or Too Dull
MYTH: Lab-grown diamonds either look unnaturally perfect or they appear dull.
THE TRUTH: Lab-grown diamonds have the same range of clarity and brilliance as mined diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds can have inclusions, just like mined ones. They can also be internally flawless. The process does not guarantee perfection. It produces a range of qualities, exactly as nature does.
As for brilliance, the fire and sparkle of a diamond comes from its cut and refractive index, which is 2.417 for diamond. Lab-grown diamonds share that exact refractive index. A well-cut lab diamond sparkles identically to a well-cut mined diamond.
Myth 9: Moissanite and Lab-Grown Diamonds Are the Same Thing
MYTH: Moissanite is just another name for a lab-grown diamond. THE TRUTH: Moissanite is silicon carbide (SiC). Lab-grown diamonds are pure carbon. They are entirely different materials.
Moissanite is a diamond simulant, not a diamond. It has a different chemical composition, different hardness (9.25 on Mohs), and a different refractive index (2.65 to 2.69), which gives it a slightly different kind of sparkle that some buyers love and others find too flashy.
Both are legitimate products. They are just not the same product. Calling moissanite a lab diamond is like calling a mango a fruit salad because it belongs to the same food group.
Myth 10: Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Not Recognised in India
MYTH: Lab-grown diamonds have no legal or industry recognition in India. THE TRUTH: BIS IS 19469:2025 formally defines and governs lab-grown diamonds in India. GJEPC also recognises them.
India's Bureau of Indian Standards released IS 19469:2025 specifically to define, label, and regulate lab-grown diamonds in the Indian market. This is official, government-level recognition.
The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) tracks lab-grown diamond exports separately, acknowledging the sector as a legitimate and growing part of India's jewellery industry. India is, in fact, one of the largest producers of lab-grown diamonds globally.
How to Verify That Your Lab-Grown Diamond Is Real
Before you buy, here is a simple three-point check:
- Ask for the IGI certificate. Verify the report number directly on the IGI website.
- Check for BIS hallmarking. India's IS 19469:2025 standard requires proper disclosure and labelling.
- Buy from a certified retailer. Goenka Jewellers sells only IGI-certified stones with full documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds or fake?
Lab-grown diamonds are 100% real diamonds. They share the same carbon crystal structure, hardness, and optical properties as mined diamonds. The FTC, IGI, and GIA all recognise them as real diamonds.
Can a jeweller tell the difference between a lab and mined diamond?
Not with the naked eye. Even trained gemologists need specialised equipment such as photoluminescence spectroscopy to distinguish between the two. They are physically and chemically identical.
Do lab-grown diamonds come with a certificate in India?
Yes. Reputable sellers provide an IGI or GIA certificate with every lab-grown diamond. The certificate includes a unique report number you can verify independently on the certifying body's website.
Are lab-grown diamonds the same as moissanite?
No. Moissanite is silicon carbide, a completely different material from diamond, which is pure carbon. They have different chemical compositions, hardness levels, and refractive indices. Moissanite is a diamond simulant, not a diamond.
Do lab-grown diamonds hold resale value in India?
Lab-grown diamonds have a resale market, though values have adjusted as production scaled and prices fell. Goenka Jewellers offers a 100% buyback programme on its certified lab-grown diamond jewellery.
Are lab-grown diamonds legal and recognised in India?
Yes. BIS IS 19469:2025 formally defines lab-grown diamonds under Indian standards. GJEPC tracks and promotes lab-grown diamond exports. They are fully legal, recognised, and regulated in India.
The Bottom Line
Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds. Not real-ish. Not sort-of real. Real. The science, the certifications, the government standards, and the industry bodies all say the same thing.
The myths exist because change makes people uncomfortable, and the diamond industry spent decades telling everyone that only what comes from the earth has value. That story is changing.
If you want a diamond that is chemically identical to a mined one, certified by IGI, priced more fairly, and backed by a 100% buyback policy, explore Goenka Jewellers' IGI-certified lab-grown diamond collection. The facts speak for themselves.