Shoppers meet a confusing list of names for the same product: lab-grown, lab-created, laboratory-grown, synthetic, man-made, engineered, cultured. Here's what they mean.
They describe the same thing
Lab-grown, lab-created, laboratory-grown, laboratory-created, synthetic and man-made diamond all describe a real diamond produced by people in a controlled environment rather than formed in the earth. Chemically and physically, it is a diamond.
Which terms are used where?
- Laboratory-grown / laboratory-created: the formal terms recommended by the international standard ISO 18323 on consumer confidence in the diamond industry.
- Lab-grown / lab-created: the everyday short forms used by many retailers worldwide, especially in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia.
- Synthetic: technically correct and used by gemmologists, though some shoppers find it misleading because it can suggest "fake".
- Man-made: common in everyday speech, especially in Canada and Australia.
- Cultured: used by some brands, but it can be confused with cultured pearls, so many regulators discourage it.
What a diamond simulant is
A simulant only imitates diamond: cubic zirconia, moissanite, white sapphire or glass. These are not diamonds and must not be called "lab diamonds". See our comparison.
What honest labelling looks like
A trustworthy seller:
- always qualifies the word "diamond" with laboratory-grown (or an equivalent term) for lab-made stones
- names the stone clearly on the invoice and the grading report
- discloses any treatments
If a listing just says "diamond" with no qualifier and the price seems too good to be true, ask.
Our practice
At Sheladiya Diamond, every stone we sell is described as a laboratory-grown diamond, with the growth method and grading details on our paperwork. Read our disclaimer and diamond disclosure for more.
