Lab-grown sapphires and natural sapphires have the same chemical composition and are a variation of the mineral corundum. The difference between natural and lab-grown sapphires lie in how they are made; natural sapphires form in the earth whereas lab-grown sapphires are created in a lab.

Yes - in the gemstone trade, lab-grown sapphires are also known as synthetic sapphires. The term synthetic sapphire should not be confused with imitation sapphires, which are made from other materials, such as glass, to imitate the appearance of a sapphire. Lab-grown / synthetic sapphires are made from the same material as natural sapphires.

Lab-grown sapphires cost much less than natural sapphires because there are no associated mining costs and they are more readily available than natural sapphires. High quality natural sapphires are rare, which makes them expensive, whereas lab-grown sapphires are grown on demand. Their abundance is what makes them more affordable, rather than a difference in appearance or quality.

Often, value in jewellery stems from rarity, so lab-grown sapphire jewellery is unlikely to ever be perceived as valuable as natural sapphire jewellery. However, lab-grown sapphires offer all of the same qualities as natural sapphires, such as colour and durability, without the hefty price tag of their natural counterparts.

Lab-grown sapphires will look more perfect than natural sapphires because they are grown in controlled conditions. This means that lab-grown sapphires are often more saturated in colour and have no inclusions.

Lab-grown sapphires are more affordable than natural sapphires. For the same price, customers can purchase a larger gemstone with better colour saturation and no inclusions. High quality natural sapphires with saturated colour are rare. Lab-grown sapphires offer the chance to make more sapphire jewellery for the world to enjoy.