The mineral composition of lab-created stones is created through a process similar to what nature does beneath the earth over millions of years, but in a lab at a fraction of the time, and for a fraction of the cost of mining.
The average person would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a natural and lab-created stone. It takes a trained eye, high magnification and other instruments.
The main distinction is natural gems typically have inclusions from the crystallization process — gases and other minerals mixing during the molten stage of stone creation. Because lab-created stones rely on a steady, controlled process of applying minerals, heat and pressure, they usually have fewer inclusions.
So you get high-quality lab-created stones, and their prices are significantly lower than their natural gemstone counterparts. With different setting options, from sterling silver to gold in many colors and karats, lab-created stones provide choices Mother Nature can’t give in the same way.