Photos: Shine on, you lab-made diamond

Real or fake? Makers of diamonds such as this one prefer to call their creations cultured, like farm-grown pearls. To the naked eye and under professional examination, mined and synthetic diamonds are identical--although machine-made gems often exhibit fewer flaws. The FTC requires diamond makers to mark their work to enable jewelers to distinguish its origin. No matter the source, each diamond is different from the next.

Photo by Apollo Diamond