What is the difference between a Natural and Synthetic Gemstone?

Natural gems are those that have been formed in the earth over millions of years. They can also be found in their raw form, such as when a diamond is mined from its original location. Natural gems are often used for jewelry because they have unique characteristics like color and clarity that cannot be replicated by man-made materials.
Natural gemstones include:

• Diamonds (diamonds are made up of carbon atoms arranged in a tetrahedral structure)
• Emeralds (a green variety of beryl)
• Rubies (corundum with chromium impurities giving it its red color)

The Benefits of Natural Gemstones

Natural gemstones are more durable than synthetic gems. They’re also rarer, which means they can be passed down through generations of your family. Natural stones have beautiful colors and patterns that can’t be replicated in a lab.
You might think that synthetic diamonds are less expensive than natural ones, but that’s not always true–it depends on what type of diamond you’re buying (and how much). For example, if you want to buy an engagement ring with a round brilliant cut diamond set into it and then compare prices between two different jewelers who sell both natural and synthetic diamonds, chances are good that the price difference will be minimal at best!

The Benefits of Synthetic Gemstones

Synthetic gemstones are made in a laboratory, but they’re not just glass. They’re real crystals that have been grown from scratch and can be used to make jewelry just like natural stones. Synthetic gems are often cheaper than their natural counterparts because they aren’t as rare or difficult to find.

Differences in Appearance

• The clarity of a gemstone refers to how many inclusions it has. Inclusions are tiny mineral deposits or flaws that occur during the formation of the stone, and they can affect its overall appearance. Natural gems tend to have fewer flaws than synthetic ones because they’re formed naturally over millions of years with little human intervention.
  Natural gems also tend to be darker in color than synthetics because they contain trace amounts of impurities that give them their unique hue.

Differences in Quality

The most obvious difference between natural and synthetic gemstones is the quality of the cut. A well-cut diamond will reflect light in such a way that it appears brighter than other diamonds with less than perfect cuts. Natural stones are rarely completely free from flaws or inclusions (imperfections), while synthetics can be made with virtually no flaws at all.
Natural gems also tend to have more variation in color than synthetics, which are usually more consistent in hue and tone across their entire surface area. This can make them more difficult to match when creating jewelry pieces that require multiple stones of different hues, but it also means that each piece has its own unique character and story behind it–something you won’t find with synthetic gems!

Differences in Price

Natural gemstones are typically more expensive than synthetic ones, but they also have many benefits that make them worth their cost. Synthetic gems tend to be less expensive than natural ones because they’re easier for manufacturers to produce in large quantities. In addition, some treatments used on natural stones may affect their durability and therefore reduce their value as well as increase their price tag.