Natural, lab grown, moissanite- they all have a place in your showcase!
As a pawn shop owner, it is important to realize: there is no such thing as “fake diamonds”.
At the lab, we often hear the term “fake diamonds” used in reference to both lab-grown diamond and moissanite. Delete this term from your vocabulary! It’s misleading and confusing.
Natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, and moissanite are each beautiful stones with their own unique appeal. Understanding how these gems are different will help you see the value in each and explain the difference to your customers.
| DIAMONDS | DIAMOND SIMULANTS | ||
| Diamonds are the hardest mineral on Earth. They form naturally within the Earth over millions of years. They can also be grown in a laboratory. | Diamond simulants are stones that are similar in appearance to diamond. These stones are completely different minerals. | ||
| NATURAL DIAMOND | LAB-GROWN DIAMOND | Moissanite | CZ |
| WHAT IS IT? | |||
| Natural diamonds are beautiful, rare, and durable. Form through natural geological processes deep beneath the Earth’s crust over millions of years. Value is determined by color, cut, clarity and carat weight (“The Four C’s). | Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds. They are exactly the same as natural diamonds in every way- except how they form. Created through synthetic processes in a laboratory. Can be fully formed in a matter of weeks. Value is based on the four C’s- but since lab-grown diamonds are manmade and can be made in any quantity at any time, they are not rare. Therefore, they are less valuable than natural diamonds. | Moissanite is a gemstone frequently used as a diamond simulant. Moissanite is rare in nature. Stones used in jewelry are lab-created. | Cubic zirconia is a man-made stone frequently used to imitate diamond. Inexpensive and readily available. Stones used in jewelry are lab-created. |
| HOW CAN I IDENTIFY IT? | |||
| Virtually all naturally formed diamonds have inclusions. Singly refractive. Known for optical properties like fire, scintillation, and brilliance. Facets will be sharp and exact. Some diamonds (but not all) fluoresce under UV light. | Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds. Same optical properties as natural diamonds- cannot be separated visually, only with specialized equipment. The girdle of a lab-grown diamond may be inscribed (look for “LG”, “LGD”, etc.) but isn’t always. Some lab-grown diamonds (but not all) fluoresce under UV light. | Almost always eye-clean, but sometimes displays unique “stringer” inclusions Doubly refractive Displays extreme fire (the rainbow shimmer of colors created by light refraction). Typically does not fluoresce under UV light. | Eye-clean, usually inclusion free Displays extreme fire Singly refractive Not as hard as diamond, so look for rounded facet junctions under magnification. Typically does not fluoresce under UV light. |
| HOW DO I VALUE IT? | |||
| The industry standard for pricing diamonds is the Rapaport Price List, or “Rap Sheet”. Values diamonds based on their color, cut, clarity, and carat weight. | Companies like Rare Carat and Brilliant Earth have websites where you can shop lab-grown diamonds. Narrow your selection by color, cut, clarity, and carat weight to get an idea of what a similar stone would retail for. | Can be purchased online from wholesale retailers such as Stuller. | Can be purchased online from wholesale retailers such as Stuller. |
| HOW DO I SELL IT? | |||
| Emphasize the rarity, beauty, & romance of natural diamonds with luxurious showcase displays. Sell stones with third-party authentication. Add value to the sale by offering insurance appraisals with purchase. | Lab-grown diamonds differ from diamonds in non-tangible ways that might appeal to certain kinds of consumers: they are more affordable, more eco-friendly, and are considered to be a more ethical choice than mined diamonds. | Moissanite is a unique gem with optical properties that consumers might prefer to those of diamond: it has stronger fire, displays more brilliance and is typically inclusion-free. | CZ stones have extreme fire, brilliance and are inclusion-free- they have more “sparkle” than diamonds and are more showy. CA is inexpensive compared to diamonds and can be easily replaced. |