Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Pass a Diamond Tester?

Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Pass a Diamond Tester?

It should be noted that lab-grown diamonds have become the one and only that stood out from the crowd of mined ones on a market, but several people still can't figure out if those diamonds pass a diamond tester without any doubt. Let me try to make it clear for you.

What Is a Diamond Tester?

Diamond tester is a portable instrument with which jewelers can find out if a stone is a diamond or not. The most widespread devices measure thermal conductivity—diamond being the best heat conductor, and therefore, testers use this feature to recognize them. In addition to the heat conductivity property, a few advanced testers also check the electrical one to differentiate diamonds from moissanites, which resemble them very much.

Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Pass Diamond Testers?

To be exact, laboratory diamonds are indistinguishable from natural diamonds by standard diamond-testing tools. Lab-diamonds are identical to natural ones in chemical composition and physical properties as well as in optical ones. Since all of these qualities are common between them, testers will show lab-grown diamonds as real diamonds.

➛ Thermal Conductivity Testers: Lab diamonds transfer heat in the same way as natural diamonds, so the testers indicate them accordingly.

➛ Electrical Conductivity Testers: In general, lab diamonds produce the same reaction as natural ones; however, in cases of very peculiar trace elements, some tests may result in a no-answer situation.

Can a Diamond Tester Tell the Difference Between Lab-Grown and Natural Diamonds?

Standard diamond testers fail to differentiate lab-grown diamonds from the natural ones. Both will certainly be identified as diamond since the devices only detect diamond characteristics; they do not verify the source. To separate them, high-tech laboratory procedures are required...

➛ Spectroscopy (the radiation of light resulting from the excitation of the sample)

➛ UV Fluorescence and photoluminescence.

➛ Growth Pattern Analysis (the study of the lattice defects in the crystal and its structure)

➛ X-ray Luminescence

Typical jewelry stores cannot perform such tests; these are the specialized gemological labs that can do it.

For more information, see the section on Lab-Grown Diamonds and Diamond Testers.

1. How Diamond Testers Work

➛ Thermal Conductivity Testers: They check how fast heat transfers through a gemstone. Both lab-created and natural diamonds share the same heat conduction; therefore, they both pass the test as real diamonds.

➛ Electrical Conductivity Testers: They make the difference between diamond and moissanite. Most diamonds, including lab-grown ones, are not going to conduct electricity, whereas moissanite is. But some lab-grown diamonds, especially those made by the HPHT method, can conduct electricity with small amounts of boron, which is when they can produce these testers.

2. Accuracy and Limitations

➛ General Accuracy: Diamond testers are perfect for checking if a stone is a diamond (lab-grown or natural), but they cannot be used to get the stone's origin.

➛ False Results: In a very rare case, HPHT lab-grown diamonds that contain boron can make them test as moissanite or give an uncertain result on the electrical tester.

➛ Simulants: Materials such as cubic zirconia or moissanite are not fooling a standard tester into thinking that they are diamonds, as their thermal and electrical characteristics are different from those of a real diamond.

Advanced Methods to Distinguish Lab-Grown from Natural Diamonds

A typical diamond tester cannot differentiate a diamond that is made in a laboratory from a natural one. When it comes to the identification of the origin of the stone, however, sophisticated gemological techniques play a vital role.

➛ Spectroscopy: This method helps to find out in what manner the diamond is absorbing and reflecting light of various kinds. Different types of spectroscopy, such as UV-Visible and Infrared, can reveal subtle differences between lab-grown diamonds and natural stones.

➛ UV Fluorescence and Photoluminescence: The diamonds that are made in a laboratory may give off a particular fluorescence that can be detected by the instrument under the UV light, which is one of the characteristics of those diamonds.

➛ Growth Pattern Analysis: The main distinguishing features of the lab-grown diamonds' production patterns are characteristic growth lines or patterns for CVD diamonds, parallel striations, and metallic inclusions for HPHT diamonds that are visible even to the naked eye under high magnification.

➛ NX-ray Luminescence (XRL): The diamonds create unique luminescence patterns when X-rays are used, which can be troubling news for the fakes, as they are identical only to the characteristic ones among those of the natural stones. Certification: A grading report from a reliable gemological agency (e.g., GIA, IGI) is the most trustworthy means to identify a diamond's provenance, which implements not only the above methods but also other techniques.

➛ X-ray Luminescence (XRL): The diamonds create unique luminescence patterns when X-rays are used, which can be bad news for the fakes, as they are identical only to the characteristic ones among those of the natural stones.

➛ Certification: A grading report from a reliable gemological agency (e.g., GIA, IGI) is the most trustworthy means to identify a diamond's provenance, which implements not only the above methods but also other techniques. 

Practical Considerations for Buyers

➛ Diamonds that are created in the laboratory are definitely diamonds, and these diamonds will pass all standard diamond authenticity tests.

➛ Standard testers cannot figure out where the diamond came from—only an advanced laboratory can tell if a diamond is lab-grown or natural.

➛ Certification is essential: Always get a grading certificate from a trustworthy lab that confirms the diamond’s origin and the quality of it.

➛ Lab-created diamonds are not only ethical but also have a lower carbon footprint and are usually cheaper than the ones from the earth.

Common Questions

Lab-grown diamonds are just like natural diamonds when it comes to beauty and durability, but with the additional advantages of ethical sourcing and often more affordable prices. For complete transparency and confidence, always shop with reputable dealers and get certified grading reports.

FAQs

1. Would lab-made diamonds fool a diamond tester?

Lab-created diamonds have the same physical property of high thermal conductivity as natural ones; thus, they will easily pass a diamond tester.

2. Would a lab-grown diamond still be considered real if tested by a diamond tester?

Yes. If a lab-grown diamond has the same physical and chemical properties as a natural one, no standard diamond tester will manage to distinguish it, especially thermal conductivity testers.

3. Are diamond testers able to tell if a diamond is made in a lab or natural? 

Simple diamond testers can't differentiate between lab-grown and natural diamonds. Advanced testers or pro lab equipment can only identify the source (CVD, HPHT, or mined); thus, they are able to trick.

4. Will all lab-grown diamonds be positive in this test? 

Surely, the perfect lab-grown diamonds are high-quality, and hence, they will pass the standard diamond tester. On the other hand, some impure parts of bad-quality diamonds may change the results sometimes.

5. Can moissanite pass a diamond tester as well? 

Yes, that is possible, as moissanite sometimes may pass thermal testers. Therefore, to differentiate correctly, it is advisable to use combination testers, which measure both thermal and electrical conductivity.

6. How can I be sure my diamond is lab-grown or natural?

The most fail-safe way is to check the certificates from reliable labs such as GIA, IGI, or GCAL. These papers give it openly, whether the diamond is from the lab or the mine.

7. Do jewelers reveal that a diamond is from a laboratory? 

Ethical and certified jewelers are the ones who will tell you definitely if the diamond is from a lab, and they ought to give you a certificate as proof.