Are Lab-Grown Diamonds the Same as Moissanite or Cubic Zirconia?
As everyday expenses continue to rise, lab-grown gemstones are becoming increasingly popular in jewelry, given their accessibility in price.
While natural diamonds remain the go-to choice for gems, it’s likely that shoppers have heard of alternatives like lab-grown diamonds and diamond simulants, like cubic zirconia and moissanite.
With all these alternatives to a natural diamond, you may be wondering - what’s the difference between each? Are they the same?
The short answer is no, and the reasons why matter more than most shoppers realize.
If you look deeper into the characteristics behind each gem, you’ll see that their similarities end at their laboratory origins.
They are made of very different materials and are inherently different, from how they react to light to how well they hold up to daily wear.
If you’re considering an alternative to a natural diamond and want a piece that’s meant to last, understanding the distinction between diamond simulants and real lab-grown diamonds is essential.
In this article, we’ll go over what exactly cubic zirconia, moissanite, and lab-grown diamonds are, and outline the differences between each.
Diamond Simulant: Cubic Zirconia
Cubic zirconia, or CZ for short, is a diamond simulant that’s made out of zirconium dioxide. While it is found in nature in extremely scarce quantities, the cubic zirconia used in jewelry is virtually all created in a lab.
If you take cubic zirconia and compare it next to a diamond (real or lab), you’ll notice that while it’s meant to copy a diamond’s sparkle, it looks different when it comes to light performance.
CZ tends to throw off stronger rainbow flashes and looks perfectly clear and icy white, which can seem impressive at first but also a bit too perfect - almost artificial.
While cubic zirconia is harder than many natural gems, its internal structure and chemical makeup make it susceptible to gradual softening and scratching. It can last for a long time if it’s well taken care of, but these stones were not designed to meet the same standards as diamonds or high-quality gemstones for everyday wear.
Over time, daily wear — even simple exposure to dust, microscopic scratches, and abrasion — causes these stones to dull.
With this in mind, CZ is best kept for dainty or fashion jewelry pieces that are meant to be worn for fun.
Diamond Simulant: Moissanite
Moissanite is a gemstone that’s made out of silicon carbide. Like with cubic zirconia, naturally occurring moissanite is extremely rare - so much so, that virtually all moissanite gemstones in jewelry are created exclusively in a lab.
Moissanite has a higher refractive index than diamond, making it appear more colorful by comparison. This gemstone produces stronger rainbow flashes that are much more noticeable, especially in bright light.
When comparing a diamond to moissanite side by side, diamonds reflect light in a subtle pattern that’s more white dominant, while moissanite leans heavily into color, creating a sparkle that looks significantly different.
Some buyers love this trait, while others find it looks artificial.
Unlike CZ, moissanite is extremely durable, ranking just below diamond on the hardness scale. This makes it one of the more resilient alternatives available.
That being said, even with its durability, the growing accessibility of lab-grown diamonds makes them the better choice for most shoppers who want the true look and performance of a diamond.
What is a Lab-Grown Diamond?
Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds. They are virtually identical to their mined counterparts and hold the exact same physical, optical, and chemical properties.
They hold the same durability as natural stones, and have the same hallmark light performance - the natural, subtle shine that the world has come to love.
Even with professional testing equipment and a keen eye, it’s extremely difficult to distinguish between lab diamonds and mined ones, if at all. Usually, the only tell is specific inclusion patterns specific to their growth process, or from an inscription telling of their lab origin.
With how far the technology has come, lab-grown diamonds have become a very practical option for fine jewelry.
They’re much more affordable than mined stones, yet you’re still getting a real diamond with the same strength, sparkle, and long-term durability.
Conclusion: Durability, Value, and the Right Choice
Lab-grown diamonds and diamond simulants are often grouped together as alternatives to natural diamonds, but they aren’t the same thing and they serve different purposes. If you’re trying to find a stone that actually looks like a natural diamond, it helps to understand how they differ visually.
Looks-wise, each stone reflects light in its own way. Cubic zirconia tends to look perfectly clear, while at the same time gives off exaggerated rainbow flashes that can look artificial.
On a similar note, Moissanite also shows colorful flashes and fire, giving larger bursts of rainbow light that are easy to spot in bright lighting.
In contrast to this, lab-grown diamonds reflect light exactly the same as mined diamonds.
Durability-wise, there’s no contest. Cubic zirconia wears pretty easily over time, and while Moissanite is incredibly hard, it doesn’t match that of a lab-grown diamond, which again, is as hard as a real diamond.
With that in mind, cubic zirconia is best kept for fashion jewelry and dainty pieces.
When you compare moissanite and lab-grown diamonds, especially at today’s prices, lab-grown diamonds simply make more sense for anyone looking for a true alternative to a natural stone.
You’re getting a real diamond with unmatched durability, without the compromises that come with simulants.
If you’re in the market for a lab-grown diamond piece of jewelry, we invite you to visit our showroom in Houston, Texas. We specialize exclusively in natural and lab-grown diamond jewelry and custom design, and we’re happy to walk you through your options. As jewelers who take pride in our world-class, white-glove service, our goal is simple: to make sure you leave with a piece you feel completely confident in and proud to wear for years to come.