Natural vs Lab-Created vs Simulated Gemstones Explained

You find a gorgeous blue ring online, and the listing says “lab-created sapphire.” The one next to it just says “blue stone.” A third says “natural sapphire” and costs a lot more. Are they the same thing? Not even close, and knowing the difference is one of the most useful things you can learn before buying gemstone jewelry. This guide walks through natural, lab-created, and simulated stones in plain English so you know exactly what you’re paying for.

The Quick Answer

Here’s the short version before we get into the details:

• Natural gemstones formed in the earth over long periods of time and were mined.
• Lab-created gemstones (also called lab-grown, created, or synthetic) are made in a lab, but they have essentially the same chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties as the natural stone they’re named after.
• Simulated gemstones (also called imitation or simulants) only look like a certain gem. They’re made of a different material, like glass, American diamond, or plastic.

So a lab-created ruby is real ruby, just not mined. A “ruby simulant” is red-colored something else. When you browse our gemstone jewelry collection or any other store, the product description should tell you which of these three you’re looking at. If it doesn’t, ask.

Natural Gemstones: What Makes Them Special

A natural gemstone grew underground under specific heat, pressure, and chemical conditions. Every one carries a bit of that history inside it: tiny crystals, needles, feathers, or color zoning that gemologists call inclusions. Those little “fingerprints” are part of the charm, and they’re one of the ways labs identify natural material.

Why people choose natural stones:

• Rarity and story. Some buyers simply love wearing something the earth made.
• Tradition. For heirloom pieces, milestone gifts, or birthstone jewelry, many shoppers prefer mined stones.
• Character. Natural inclusions and slight color variations make each stone one of a kind.

One thing worth knowing: “natural” doesn’t always mean “untouched.” Many natural gems are routinely treated to improve their color or clarity. Heating is common for sapphire, ruby, and citrine. Emeralds are often filled with oil or resin to make inclusions less visible. Most blue topaz gets its color from irradiation followed by heating. These treatments are standard in the trade and aren’t a bad thing, but a reputable seller should disclose them, and treated stones may need a little extra care.

Lab-Created Gemstones: Real Stones, Different Origin

Lab-created gems aren’t new. Scientists were growing ruby in labs in the early 1900s using a method called flame fusion. Today, common techniques include flame fusion, flux growth, and hydrothermal growth, which mimics how quartz and emerald form in nature.

Because lab-created stones share the same makeup as natural ones, they have the same hardness and durability. A lab-created sapphire is just as scratch-resistant as a mined one. The main differences are origin, price, and look under magnification. Lab stones often look extra clean, with very even color.

Why people choose lab-created stones:

• Value. They usually cost noticeably less than natural stones of similar size and color.
• Consistency. Easier to match for earrings or multi-stone rings.
• Bright, clean color. Fewer visible inclusions.
• Known origin. Some shoppers like knowing exactly where their stone came from.

Under the US Federal Trade Commission’s jewelry guides, a lab-made stone sold under a gem name has to be clearly labeled with a word like “laboratory-created,” “laboratory-grown,” or “synthetic.” So if a listing says “lab-created emerald,” that’s honest, accurate labeling, not a red flag.

Simulated Gemstones: The Look for Less

A simulant is any material made to resemble a gemstone without being that gemstone. Common ones include:

• Glass – can imitate almost any colored stone, but it’s softer and scratches more easily.
• American Diamond– a lab-made crystal, most often used as a diamond look-alike, and available in lots of colors.
• Plastic or resin – common in costume jewelry and some turquoise or amber imitations.
• Other gems standing in – for example, a different lab-made crystal used to look like a sapphire or aquamarine.

Simulated stones are perfect for trend pieces, fun statement jewelry, or anything you’d like to wear without worrying much. The trade-off is durability: glass and plastic wear down faster than real gem material, so they may lose their sparkle over time with daily wear.

Side-by-Side Comparison

How to Read a Product Listing

Most of the confusion comes down to wording. Here’s what to look for:

1. “Natural” or “genuine” + gem name means a mined stone. Look for any mention of treatments.
2. “Lab-created,” “lab-grown,” “created,” or “synthetic” + gem name means a real gem made in a lab.
3. “Simulated,” “imitation,” or “faux” means it only looks like that gem.
4. A color instead of a gem name (“blue stone,” “pink crystal,” “green AD”) usually signals a simulant or an unnamed stone. Ask before you assume.
5. Just a gem name with no qualifier deserves a quick question to the seller. Good stores are happy to answer.

Quick tip: “Synthetic” sounds like “fake,” but in the jewelry world it means the opposite. A synthetic gem is the real material, grown in a lab. A fake is a simulant.

Can You Tell Them Apart at Home?

Honestly, not reliably. Separating natural from lab-created stones often takes a gemologist with a microscope, and sometimes advanced lab testing. A few home clues can hint at a simulant, though:

• Tiny round bubbles seen with a 10x loupe often point to glass.
• Rounded, worn facet edges on a fairly new piece suggest a softer material.
• A stone that feels warm right away when you touch it may be glass or plastic, since many gems feel cool at first.
• A price that seems too good to be true for a “natural” stone of that size usually is.

If a stone’s origin really matters to you, for example for an expensive ring or an insurance appraisal, get it checked by an independent gemologist or a recognized gem lab.

Which One Should You Buy?

There’s no wrong answer, just the right fit for your budget and how you’ll wear it:

• Heirloom or milestone gift: natural stones, if the budget allows, or a high-quality lab-created stone for a bigger, cleaner look.
• Everyday ring you’ll wear constantly: lab-created or natural in a durable gem like sapphire, ruby, or quartz.
• Birthstone jewelry for a kid or teen: lab-created or simulated stones are budget-friendly and low-stress.
• Trendy or seasonal pieces: simulated stones make sense, since you may swap them out next year.

The metal matters too. A gem set in 925 sterling silver (92.5% silver plus 7.5% other metals, usually copper) gives you a real precious-metal setting at an accessible price. Just keep in mind that rhodium-plated or gold-plated silver has a thin surface layer, so it isn’t the same as solid white gold or solid gold.

Caring for Each Type

Good news: care is mostly about the specific material, not where it came from. A lab-created sapphire and a natural sapphire need the same care.

• Hard gems (sapphire, ruby, lab or natural): warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush.
• Treated or included stones (oiled emeralds, opal, turquoise): skip ultrasonic cleaners, steamers, and harsh chemicals. A damp soft cloth is safest.
• Glass and plastic simulants: keep them away from perfume, hairspray, and lotions, and store them separately so harder stones don’t scratch them.
• The silver setting: store pieces in a dry pouch or an airtight bag to slow tarnish, and wipe with a silver polishing cloth, avoiding the stone itself.

Once you know what you’re looking at, shopping gets a lot more fun and a lot less confusing. If you’re ready to find a stone you’ll wear every day, take a look through our women’s gemstone rings and check each listing’s stone details before you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions