Are you researching and reading conflicting information about Diamonds vs the Alternatives? The process of purchasing an engagement ring can be confusing. If you’re looking for a clear comparison between Earth-mined, Lab-grown or Moissanite, we can help.
Are Lab-made diamonds real diamonds? Are they any different from a Moissanite? Keep reading to make sense out of it all, no bias, just honest facts to help you decide what’s right for you and only you.
What are your options for an Engagement Ring Center Stone?
- Option 1 – A Natural Earth-Mined Diamond
- Option 2 – A Lab-Grown Diamond
- Option 3 – A Moissanite
Before we can go ahead and compare Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanites that you can choose to have on your engagement ring, it’s important to first understand what each one is.
What is a Natural Earth-Mined Diamond?
This is the traditional way we get our diamonds. Earth-mined diamonds are just as they sound. They are natural minerals that are mined from the earth. A diamond is made up of carbon and forms under the pressure of the earth’s crust. This process takes thousands of years and that is one of the reasons diamonds are so special.
A natural diamond can only form under the earth’s crust. It is not yet possible to dig that deep to mine for diamonds. The diamonds we are able to mine reach the earth’s surface by deep source volcanic eruptions where magma rising from the earth’s core carry them to the surface. This process is basically volcanic eruptions.
Diamonds are expensive as they are difficult to mine and thus quite rare. This is why there’s a significant value for diamonds that are bigger, cleaner, and stand out from the rest.
What is a Lab-Grown Diamond?
Lab Grown diamonds are in fact just the same as natural earth-mined diamonds, only that they are made in a lab. These diamonds are also made of carbon that is put under high-pressure, but in this case, such an environment is created in a lab.
Before the 1950’s the only diamonds available were earth-mined diamonds. But because of the high demand for diamonds, the General Electric Laboratory in New York found a way to create diamonds from a laboratory.
Lab-grown diamonds are almost exactly the same as earth-mined diamonds, in fact, they are also imperfect and can have color marks and inclusions just like real diamonds. They are not as rare as earth-mined diamonds, therefore they are not as expensive either.
What is a Moissanite?
A Moissanite is a gem that looks and feels almost identical to a diamond, but it is made of a completely different material. From a first glance, or when looking from a distance, a Moissanite appears identical to a diamond and that’s what makes it a common choice for many engagement rings.
The cost of a Moissanite is a fraction of the cost of a diamond.
Natural moissanite gems are made from silicon carbide, and they are extremely difficult to come by and nearly all the moissanites sold today are lab-grown to a point where lab-grown does not even need to be mentioned.
The Key Differences Between Earth-mined, Lab-grown, and Moissanite
| Earth-Mined Diamond | Lab-Grown Diamond | Moissanite | |
| Natural or Manmade? | Natural | Manmade | Manmade |
| Price | Varies by size and grading | 30-50% Less than Natural Diamonds | 50-90% Less than Natural Diamonds (typically $300-$2000 total) |
| Brilliance and Fire | Same | Same | Same |
| Hardness | 10 | 10 | 9.25 |
If you’re on the hunt for affordable diamond jewelry, you’ll need to know the key-differences between earth-mined diamonds, lab-grown diamonds or moissanite. The choice between the three will differ according to your own preferences in cost and qualities.
To make the choice easier for you (and save you time on doing research), we’ve narrowed down all the important factors to compare to help you compare Earth-mined, Lab-Grown, or Moissanite.
What is the Price Difference?
It is quite obvious that out of the 3, earth-mined diamonds are the most expensive. There is a limited amount of diamonds that can be mined and the general rule of supply and demand forces the prices to remain high.
Lab-grown diamonds take time and resources to manufacture and in the process, they too, like natural diamonds are not all perfect. As such they are priced and graded in a similar way to natural diamonds but their current price is 30-50% less.
These prices are predicted to decrease over time as more are introduced into the market and as production becomes faster, less expensive, and also high quality will be easier to achieve.
Moissanites are much easier to manufacture and can be produced in high quantities and very quickly and also with simpler machinery and materials. For this reason, Moissanites are a fraction of the cost of diamonds.
The price of diamonds varies due to their grading but just to put things into perspective. A 1 carat loose diamond of average quality would cost approximately $3,000, lab-grown approximately $2,000, and a Moissanite approximately $600. The higher the carat weight, the bigger the difference will be and the same with higher quality diamonds.
Why are earth mined diamonds more expensive?
Earth-mined diamonds are more expensive due to their limited supply and the complex process of mining and extraction. Natural diamonds require significant resources, time, and labor to be unearthed from the earth’s crust. Additionally, the rarity and unique characteristics of natural diamonds contribute to their higher value. The cost of mining, transportation, certification, and distribution all contribute to the overall expense of earth-mined diamonds.
What is the Difference in Appearance?
When we compare Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite, it’s important to first compare the difference between the natural diamond and the lab-grown. The Moissanite stone is a completely different stone and therefore, will have different features to a diamond.
Earth-mined Diamonds Compared to Lab-Grown Diamonds
Let’s begin with earth-mined and lab-grown diamonds. Diamonds that are grown in a lab are created to look identical to natural diamonds that come from the earth. Now when it comes to these two types of diamonds inspected under magnification, an earth-mined diamond will most likely have natural inclusions (small imperfections).
On the other hand, a Lab-grown diamond will have metal inclusions from the process in which it was formed. Otherwise, when it comes down to the way these diamonds look with the naked eye, they will look identical to one another.
One important thing to take note of is that Lab-grown diamonds are grown to be close to, if not, completely colorless. Unlike natural diamonds that come in a range of different color tones. The near-colorless earth-mined diamonds are the most expensive stones on the market.
Moissanite Compared to Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds
All Moissanite stones used in jewelry are now lab-grown. The biggest difference in their appearance compared to natural and lab-grown diamonds is that the majority of Moissanite stones used in jewelry now have a color that resembles the K Grade color in diamond color grading. More recently produced Moissanite stones come in a completely colorless option, and therefore, resemble natural diamonds even more.
One fun fact about the appearance of Moissanite gems that make them unique compared to natural and lab-grown diamonds is their ability to reflect a rainbow-colored sparkle. This gives it its own unique brilliance that’s completely different from diamonds.
What is the Difference in Durability?
When you compare the durability of Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite, you are referring to their hardness. The hardness of a stone determines whether or not it is susceptible to damage and scratches.
Diamonds are particularly expensive because of how hard they are and how difficult it is to actually damage them. They are known to be one of the few materials that can withstand the test of time and exposure to natural elements.
Earth-mined, Lab-Grown, or Moissanites are very durable. On the Mohs Scale of Hardness, Diamonds are ranked at 10, and Moissanites are ranked at 9.5. This means that the only materials that can cut through, break, or scratch these stones are gems with the same hardness as them.
If compared, the earth-mined diamond and lab-grown diamond are just as hard as one another. And the Moissanite gem is just a little less hard. This concludes to both diamonds and moissanite have almost the same durability, and can both guarantee to be long-lasting stones for jewelry.
Comparing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Earth-mined, Lab-grown or Moissanite
Choosing between Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite will depend entirely on your preference. All three stones are popular and commonly found in engagement rings. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of each type of stone, to know how to choose between Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite.
Earth-Mined Diamonds
Advantages:
- Best for investment – A natural, earth-mined diamond will sustain its value, no matter how long or how much it has been used. This is because natural diamonds are always valued as a rare piece, and therefore, will always be valued in the market. You can still sell it at a reasonable price, in the near or far future.
- Traditionally used for engagement rings – If you are hoping to stick to the traditions of jewelry, an earth-mined diamond will always be the classic stone used in engagement rings. This is because of what they represent. For decades, natural diamonds were used as a token of love and commitment, a symbol of forever, and there’s a big chance this is what your partner is expecting.
- You have a lot of design options when shopping for natural diamonds – Between Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite, the natural diamond is still the most popular choice for diamond engagement rings. And this means that you will have the most options for designs and styles when it comes to shopping for engagement rings with natural diamonds.
Disadvantages:
- It’s an expensive choice – As previously mentioned, the natural earth-mined diamond is the more expensive choice between the three choices. It is significantly more costly to buy a piece of jewelry with natural diamonds than it is to buy one with lab-grown diamonds or moissanite gems.
- There’s a lot of research involved in shopping for natural diamonds – When you compare Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite, natural diamonds have far more options, and factors to consider before you make a purchase. Natural diamonds have flaws and are categorized with different features such as color and clarity, that affect their overall price. Click here to learn more about how to shop for diamond jewelry.
Lab-Grown Diamonds
Advantages:
- More affordable than natural diamonds – If you want that beautiful engagement ring, with that great big center stone, but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on one, then the option is to go for a lab-grown diamond. It is made to look exactly the same as a natural diamond but is sold for a lot cheaper. This is the better option if you don’t have plans to sell your ring.
- A guaranteed ethical choice – As these are grown in a lab, you’re 100% sure that the diamond you are buying did not require cheap and unethical labor (such as in Africa), for you to have it.
- It is a real diamond – Unless you disclose the fact that it’s a lab-grown diamond, you won’t be able to tell that it is. A big reason why lab-grown diamonds are so popular for engagement rings is that it looks exactly like a real natural diamond, but it costs a lot less.
Disadvantages:
- It’s not the same as a natural earth-mined diamond – There’s a sentimental value to what an earth-mined diamond represents. It has long been the tradition to give your partner a (natural) diamond ring as a symbol of your commitment. Lab-grown diamonds do not hold the same sentiment. You’ll need to consider if your partner is completely fine with receiving a lab-grown diamond, as supposed to a natural earth-mined one.
Moissanite
Advantages:
- It’s the most affordable choice between Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite – Out of all the three options for engagement ring stones, the Moissanite gem is by far the most affordable choice.
- It’s a popular choice – The Moissanite gem can be found everywhere on social media as more and more brides-to-be and jewelry enthusiasts gravitate towards the unique gem that resembles the look of a diamond.
- There are a lot of options for Moissanite Engagement Rings – Because of its popularity with young women, there’s now a growing market for engagement rings made with Moissanite gems, giving you a vast variety of ring designs for your engagement ring shopping.
- It looks like a diamond, for a cheaper price – If the goal is to purchase the ‘big’ diamond, without breaking the bank, a Moissanite center stone is the way to go. It looks almost identical to a diamond but is far more affordable.
Disadvantages:
- It doesn’t have the white sparkle of a diamond – The Moissanite has a unique rainbow-colored sparkle, but can never imitate the unique white sparkle/brilliance a diamond gives off.
- It’s a challenge to re-sell a Moissanite ring – Much like the lab-grown diamond, a Moissanite gem loses its value once purchased. It’s not impossible to re-sell it, but you can’t sell it for the price you bought it.
“To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to be loved by the person you love is everything.”
Conclusion
If you’re on the hunt for affordable engagement rings, understanding the differences between Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite is important. This will help you find that perfect ring, for the perfect price. The natural diamond is the traditional choice for engagement rings, but it’s worth knowing your lab-grown and moissanite options to get a more affordable price. Click here to browse for the best of our affordable 2 Carat engagement rings. Find all of our ring designs available with Earth-mined, Lab-Grown or Moissanite.