Lab Grown Diamond vs Moissanite: What Is the Difference?
By Clint Casmiro, Co-Founder, Smiro Studio · Updated October 22, 2026
Short answer: A lab grown diamond is a diamond: the same carbon crystal as a mined one, 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, graded and certified the same way. Moissanite is a different material, silicon carbide, about 9.25 on the Mohs scale, with more rainbow-coloured fire than a diamond and usually a lower price. We don't sell moissanite. Every ring we make is set with a lab grown or natural diamond, or a natural gemstone like a sapphire.
If you have seen moissanite online and want to know how it compares, here is the straight comparison.
What is the difference?
| Lab grown diamond | Moissanite | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Carbon, the same crystal as a mined diamond | Silicon carbide, a different mineral |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 10 | About 9.25 |
| Sparkle | White light with flashes of colour | Stronger rainbow-coloured flashes |
| Is it a diamond? | Yes | No |
| Grading report | IGI states the grades and that it is lab grown | No diamond grading report, since it is not a diamond |
The lab grown column comes from our own stones. The moissanite column is general, widely published gem information, since we don't carry it. How a lab grown diamond compares with a mined one is in lab grown vs natural diamonds.
Do they look the same?
Close up, no. Moissanite throws more rainbow-coloured fire than a diamond, which some people love and others find reads as a different stone, especially in bright light. A lab grown diamond looks like a diamond, because it is one.
How do I know what I am buying?
Ask for a grading report. Some basic handheld diamond testers can read moissanite as a diamond, so a tester alone is not proof. Every diamond we sell of 1 carat and up comes with an IGI report that states it is lab grown, and the report number is laser inscribed on the stone so you can match the two. See IGI certified lab grown diamonds.
What does a lab grown diamond cost?
Less than most people expect. In our June to September 2026 listings, a 2 carat lab grown diamond had a median price of $2,546 CAD, loose. A comparable 2 carat natural diamond was $9,905 CAD.
Our complete listed rings with a 2 carat lab grown diamond start at $3,100 CAD in 14K gold. Prices by carat are in lab grown diamond ring prices by carat.
Do you make moissanite rings?
No. We don't sell moissanite. If budget is the reason you are looking at it, ask us for a lab grown quote on the same size: the gap is often smaller than people think. Start with lab grown diamond engagement rings.
Want a lab grown quote on the size you have in mind?
A free 20 minute video call with our team. Bring a photo, a budget, or nothing at all.
Book a free callGet a free estimateFrom our collection
Questions we get about this
Is moissanite a diamond?
No. Moissanite is silicon carbide, a different mineral. A lab grown diamond is carbon in the same crystal as a mined diamond.
Is a lab grown diamond harder than moissanite?
Yes. A diamond is 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and moissanite is about 9.25.
Do you make moissanite engagement rings?
No. We don't sell moissanite. Our rings are set with lab grown or natural diamonds, or natural gemstones like sapphires.
How much is a 2 carat lab grown diamond?
In our June to September 2026 listings, a 2 carat lab grown diamond had a median price of $2,546 CAD, loose.
Keep reading
Share
