Will Lab-Grown Diamonds Pass A Diamond Tester?

Cultivated diamonds, or lab diamonds as you might know them best, represent an incredible feat of technological prowess and artistry. Created in controlled laboratory settings, lab-grown diamonds embody the same physical, chemical, and visual characteristics as earth-mined diamonds. 

But can they pass a diamond tester? 

This blog post will answer that question, but first, it’s important to understand the basics of lab-grown diamond tests and how they compare to standard diamond testers.

Standard Diamond Tests and How They Work

Standard diamond testing can be divided into two types: thermal conductivity tests and electrical conductivity tests.

Although diamond testing might evoke images of a comprehensive lab setting and an incredibly involved process, standard diamond testing is relatively straightforward. A diamond expert uses a handheld and portable pen-like tester to quickly measure a diamond’s thermal and electrical conductivity. 

Thermal Conductivity

Diamonds have high thermal conductivity. This means any heat on the diamond’s surface quickly disperses. A diamond tester will report a lower temperature if the diamond is real. Diamond simulants (like cubic zirconia) are not as thermally conductive, and a diamond tester will report a higher temperature.

Electrical Conductivity

Diamonds do not conduct electricity as they are natural insulators. Conversely, diamond simulants like moissanite and cubic zirconia do.

Do Lab Diamonds Pass These Tests?

Yes, lab diamonds and earth-mined diamonds test the same and are indistinguishable based on standard diamond testing protocols.

Can Lab Grown Diamonds Test as Fake due to Nitrogen Levels?

While lab-grown diamonds pass most standard diamond tests, some electrical conductivity testers look for nitrogen levels to distinguish between natural and synthetic diamonds. Since about 98% of mined diamonds contain nitrogen, but some lab-grown diamonds do not, these tests can occasionally give a false negative and suggest the diamond is not real.

This doesn’t mean the diamond is fake—it simply means it was created using a method that eliminates nitrogen from the crystal structure.

Advanced Diamond Testing Methods

Although they are less common than standard diamond testing, a few more advanced testing methods exist.

UV Testing

One form of advanced diamond testing involves a gemstone’s reaction to UV rays. In this case, the tester can discern lab-grown from natural diamonds. This test looks at a gemstone’s “spectral fingerprint.” The unique pattern shows how a diamond absorbs in and emits certain wavelengths.

An expert diamond tester can tell the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds based on their spectral fingerprints and diamond fluorescence.

• The Gemological Institute of America released its own UV ray test, the GIA iD100, which yields more accurate results than other testers. It can quickly tell the difference between lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds.

• The GIA iD100 can distinguish simulated and laboratory-grown diamonds from natural diamonds in under two seconds. 
  
  

X-Ray Luminescence (XRL) Testing

Another lab diamond detection tool is X-ray luminescence (XRL). X-ray exposure causes diamonds to emit certain luminescence patterns. Based on these patterns, expert diamond testers can often tell the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds. 

Loupe Examination

A diamond tester can check a diamond for microscopic flaws or “inclusions” using a small magnifier. The presence of these (which a diamond report indicates) is evidence of a natural diamond. That said, a loupe test is very difficult to perform accurately unless an expert diamond tester is performing it. 

Can a Jeweler Tell a Lab-Created Diamond?

An expert diamond jeweler can tell if a diamond is lab-grown or natural based on the testing methods they employ. 

Can The Naked Eye Tell The Difference?

No, to the naked eye – trained or untrained – lab-grown and natural diamonds are not different. Although some tests can distinguish lab-grown from natural diamonds, looking at them with the naked eye is not one of them.

Moissanite and Diamond Stimulants: Do They Pass?

Now that we’re more familiar with lab-grown versus natural diamond testing, let’s discuss moissanite and diamond stimulants.

While lab-grown and natural diamonds yield the same test results depending on the method employed, it is generally easier to distinguish moissanite and diamond stimulants from lab and natural diamonds.

For example, moissanite has a hexagonal crystal structure. Diamonds, on the other hand, have a cubic structure. Moissanite could be read as a diamond on a heat conductivity test but not on an electrical conductivity test.

This highlights the importance of choosing the appropriate testing method for gemstones and ensuring the testing process is comprehensive. 

How to Test Your Lab Diamond

If you want to test your own lab diamonds, you will require specialized tools to do so. Relying on visual inspection will not tell you whether a diamond is lab-grown or natural. 

How Do You Authenticate Lab-Grown Diamonds?

Some lab-grown diamonds are authenticated by a microscopic device that reads an inscription on the diamond’s girdle with its report number. You can use this number to authenticate the diamond.

Access the Brian Gavin® Premium Lab-Grown GIA and AGS IDEAL Diamond Reports.

Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Get a Certificate?

Yes, lab-grown diamonds should come with a certificate. The jewelry industry recognizes and values a verification of quality. However, independent gemological labs (including the American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) and Gemological Institute of America (GIA)) do not issue diamond grading certificates or certify diamonds. Rather, they issue grading reports or a Diamond Quality Document (DQD) in the case of the AGSL.

Diamond grading reports are often referred to as certifications, although they are reports rather than certificates. Often, people use the term lab-certified when they mean lab-graded. 

Some jewelers who are members of the AGS can request an AGS Diamond Quality Certificate. However, an AGS Diamond Quality Certificate does not certify the quality of the diamond per se. Instead, it offers a diamond grading report format with a space for the jeweler who is selling the diamond to sign the document. Upon signing, this certifies that the diamond matches the quality on the diamond grading report.

Shop High-Performance Lab Diamonds 

The experts at Brian Gavin Diamonds believe our responsibility is to provide our clients with visible perfection, the best sparkle, and maximum diamond performance. With that goal in mind, we’ve spent years researching the various methods of growing lab-created diamonds. 

Today, we can offer our customers another first in high-performance diamonds: the Premium Lab and Deluxe Lab Collection.