Lab Grown Diamonds Are Real Diamonds: The FTC Made It Official
For years, people have asked the same question: Are lab grown diamonds real?
In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection authority, settled that debate once and for all. After reviewing its Jewelry Guides, the FTC officially removed the word “natural” from the definition of a diamond. That decision confirmed what science has long known: lab grown diamonds are real diamonds.
What is the FTC? The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that protects consumers from false or misleading business practices. It ensures that companies, including those in the jewelry industry, advertise truthfully and use accurate product descriptions. The FTC’s role is to make sure consumers get clear, honest information about what they buy, including how diamonds are defined and marketed.
“Technological advances have made it possible to create diamonds in a laboratory. These stones have essentially the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as mined diamonds. Thus, they are diamonds.”
FTC Statement of Basis and Purpose, 2018 Jewelry Guides Revision
What Changed in the FTC Diamond Definition
Before 2018, a diamond had to come from the earth to be called “real.” That outdated definition excluded modern innovations in diamond creation.
Today, lab grown diamonds are formed using advanced methods such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). These processes recreate the same heat and pressure found deep underground, resulting in a diamond that is chemically, physically, and optically identical to a mined diamond.
The FTC’s updated Jewelry Guides now state:
- A diamond is a mineral consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallized in the isometric system.
- The origin, whether earth or laboratory, does not change its identity as a diamond.
What matters is the structure, brilliance, and purity, not the source.
Truth in Labeling: How Jewelers Must Describe Lab Diamonds
The FTC also set clear advertising standards to ensure honesty. Jewelers can use the word “diamond” to describe a lab grown stone, but they must include clear qualifying language such as:
- Laboratory grown
- Laboratory created
- Manufacturer name created
The FTC also allows the use of the word “cultured,” as in cultured diamond, provided it is paired with one of the above terms. This ensures consumers know the diamond’s origin without implying any difference in authenticity.
This balance of transparency and truth protects both the jewelry industry and the consumer, acknowledging that lab grown diamonds are real while maintaining full disclosure.
The Science: Why Lab Grown Diamonds Are Identical
Lab grown diamonds are not imitations or substitutes. They are not cubic zirconia or moissanite. They are pure carbon crystals that share the exact same hardness, sparkle, and refractive index as mined diamonds.
When tested with a diamond tester, both types register as diamonds. Even expert gemologists require advanced instruments to determine whether a diamond is mined or lab grown.
That means every lab grown diamond offers:
- The same brilliance and durability (hardness 10 on the Mohs scale)
- The same optical fire and light dispersion
- The same grading standards used by GIA, IGI, and GCAL
- The same timeless beauty
The only difference is origin and impact.
Ethical and Sustainable Beauty
Mining traditional diamonds often involves environmental destruction, heavy water use, and complex supply chains that can hide labor injustices.
Lab grown diamonds eliminate those concerns. They are created responsibly in controlled facilities, using renewable energy sources and without disturbing ecosystems or communities.
For conscious couples and modern collectors, lab grown diamonds represent a new chapter in luxury built on integrity rather than extraction.
Why the FTC Decision Matters to Jewelry Buyers
The FTC’s decision changed how the jewelry world communicates about diamonds. It validated that authenticity is not tied to geography but to science and truth.
For consumers, this means:
- Freedom to choose a real diamond that aligns with ethical values.
- Access to luxury without the environmental cost.
- Confidence that lab grown diamonds are recognized by law as genuine.
This ruling also empowered small, ethical studios such as Haejin Jewelry in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to showcase their diamonds honestly.
Haejin Jewelry: Real Diamonds, Real Transparency
At Haejin Jewelry, we believe love should never come at the expense of the planet or the well-being of others. The natural diamond trade has long been linked to human hardship and unsafe labor conditions, and we believe beauty should never carry that cost. Every lab grown diamond we offer meets the same standards of beauty, brilliance, and purity as mined diamonds because, as the FTC affirms, they are real diamonds.
We are a Brooklyn based woman owned studio creating engagement rings, wedding bands, and fine jewelry with lab grown diamonds and recycled gold. Our mission is to redefine luxury through honesty, sustainability, and compassion—crafting jewelry that honors both people and the planet.
When you choose Haejin, you are choosing:
- Diamonds grown, not mined
- Transparent sourcing and pricing
- Local artistry rooted in Williamsburg’s creative spirit
- A lasting symbol of love made responsibly
The Future of Diamonds Is Transparent
The FTC’s 2018 ruling marked a turning point in jewelry history. It confirmed that lab grown diamonds are not synthetic imitations but authentic gems with the same natural brilliance and permanence.
The agency summarized it best:
“These stones have essentially the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as mined diamonds. Thus, they are diamonds.”
Federal Trade Commission, 2018 Jewelry Guides Revision
At Haejin Jewelry, we celebrate that truth every day. Real beauty is not defined by where it comes from but by the integrity behind it.
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