CVD Diamonds – What Do You Understand By This?
The full form of CVD is Chemical Vapor Deposition and is generally used to manufacture diamonds grown in this process mentioned above. However, it would be best if you kept in mind that the Carbon Vapour Deposition process is different from HPHT Diamonds (High Pressure High Temperature).
CVD Diamonds are grown by humans in laboratories but are similar to real diamonds. They are also 100% authentic in quality and appearance. It is unthinkable to differentiate between diamonds grown through the CVD process and naturally extracted diamonds. You can tell them apart by using specialized and advanced machinery.
Lab Grown Diamonds are becoming the most popular trend among jewelry types: rings, wedding bands, pendants, or bracelets. Thus, the Carbon Vapor Deposition process is considered one of the most popular diamond growing processes in laboratories. An individual acquires certain advantages while buying CVD Diamonds: sustainability, ethical origin, affordable price, and high-quality diamonds. As the popularity of diamonds grew through carbon vapor deposition increases, BLGD provides one of the most superior quality CVD Diamonds.
What Are The Features Of CVD Diamonds?
The features of natural diamonds are similar to diamonds grown through Carbon Vapor Deposition. CVD Diamonds are composed of similar chemical and physical makeup, internal structure, and lustrous beauty to real diamonds. Like naturally extracted diamonds, the properties of CVD have great durability and reach a scale of 10 on the Mohr scale, with intense sparkle and brilliance.
Like real diamonds, diamonds made through carbon vapor deposition are graded on the 4C’s of diamonds – cut, clarity, color, and carat. Although CVD is grown by humans, they contain the same flaw and imperfections as natural diamonds. They may pick up certain internal flaws and color tints while growing in the laboratories. It is very scarce to find CVD Diamonds devoid of flaws and perfect. Some diamonds grown through CVD can be poorly colored or heavily included, while some can be colorless with minute imperfections. Even naturally extracted diamonds are made of similar flaws and blemishes. Look between VS2 clarity grades and SI1 and D to F colour grades; a diamond appears superior in quality and provides a good return for your investment.
Even expert gemologists cannot make out the difference between CVD Diamonds and natural diamonds. The reason is that CVD diamonds are real diamonds. CVD contains the same chemical, physical, and optical features. When you buy CVD Diamonds, you will find that GIA or IGI certification specifically states its origin. Apart from this, any human will need advanced machinery to distinguish between CVD and real diamonds.
The Process Of Carbon Vapor Deposition (CVD)
- A thin diamond seed is selected and placed on it in a sealed chamber.
- The sealed chamber is flooded with carbon-rich gas and is heated to around 800 degrees Celsius.
- The gas breaks down into pure carbon after ionization.
- The original diamond seed gets attached to pure carbon molecules.
- The growing process continues till a fully formed diamond is achieved.
The process of CVD Diamonds needs a highly-advanced, scientific process that has been grown and perfected over many decades. CVD helps to make jewelry-quality gemstones in a relatively speedy and efficient way. The carbon vapor deposition process is scientific and is used to make several solid materials, generally for the semiconductor industry. The CVD process takes around two to four weeks to grow a diamond.
A very fine piece of diamond seed, around 300 microns thick and 10x10mm, called a ‘diamond seed’, is chosen and thoroughly cleaned. It is vital to clean a diamond seed, as any imperfections or blemishes get crystallized during the CVD growing process of the diamond. The crystallization causes the formation of inclusions. The fine slice of the diamond is generally taken from a superior quality diamond formed by HPHT.
The superior-quality diamond seed is put inside the sealed chamber and then heated to around 800 degrees celsius. The sealed chamber is filled with gas rich in carbon. The chamber must be completely closed to prevent any other gas from entering the chamber that will hamper the growth of CVD Diamonds.
The carbon-rich gas goes through the process of ionization in the sealed chamber. The ionization process includes breaking molecular bonds that settle down on the existing diamond seed. The pure molecules of carbon attach themselves to the seed, and the process continues as more carbon-rich gas ionizes and settles down to the existing diamond.
After CVD Diamonds are grown in labs, it has a similar life process to natural diamonds. First, it will be cut according to the desired shape and carefully polished to achieve brilliant sparkle and shine. The gemstone is then graded by GIA, like naturally extracted diamonds, and traded by the jewelers.
How Much Time Does It Require To Grow Diamonds Through CVD?
The speed of diamonds' growth through CVD depends on the size of the stone and the efficiency of the machines used. One can create one carat of these gemstones in less than a month or smaller stones in two weeks. Colored diamonds, such as yellow gemstones, can take five to ten days. Colored gemstones take lesser time than transparent gemstones because the nitrogen added to form them speeds up the process of crystallization.
Can You Identify CVD Diamonds?
You do not have to worry about the appearance of diamonds grown through the carbon vapor deposition process. Any individual, including expert gemologists, can only identify the difference between CVD and real diamonds using specialized technology. Caron Vapor Deposition Diamonds do not appear fake or different from natural diamonds.
When these gemstones are put under magnification, you may be able to detect that diamonds grown through CVD has a different strain pattern than mined diamonds. However, you may need the help of an expert gemologist knowledge to decide what you are looking for, as even top gemologists struggle to see the difference between them. When equipment is used to differentiate between mined diamonds and CVD created diamonds, one tries to look for traces of silicone. The traces of silicone are sometimes picked up during the growing process of CVD created diamonds.
When you purchase these types of diamond, make sure it is GIA certified. The good news is every diamond offered by BLGD has the grading certification from GIA and is curated by expert craftsmen from the diamond industry.
Grading And Certification Of Diamonds
Like natural diamonds, Lab created diamonds such as CVD are graded based on their 4C's – cut, color, clarity, and carat. In addition, it is also graded on other details like polish, symmetry, and fluorescence. The grading of the diamonds gives an accurate reading of their authenticity and quality. The determination of the price of the diamond is also done through the help of grading. GIA also imprints a distinctive code on the girdle of the gemstone. The distinctive code is visible only under magnification which is then printed on the paper, where all the details of the stone, including carat weight, grades, and measurements, are mentioned. At BLGD, we provide gemstones that have been selected and vetted by our top gemologists that will provide you value both in terms of aesthetics and money. Also, we sell only and only GIA-certified diamonds – one of the top grading institutions globally.
What Is The Cost Of CVD Diamonds?
The price of a natural diamond is much more than diamonds grown through CVD. The only reason behind its cost-effective price is that it takes less than one month to grow a piece of stone. Thus, it does not need any mining cost. Whereas when one talks about natural diamonds, it takes billions of years to form. Mining companies invest a lot of money and time to excavate land, build mines, and employ a large physical labour force. Although newest CVD diamond needs investment in advanced machinery and a skilled workforce, the total investment is still less than in mining diamonds.
Lab made diamonds such as CVD and HPHT are 40-60% less in cost than mined diamonds. However, they are still valuable, authentic, and very real. Many work and professional skills are needed for growing, cutting, grading, and polishing CVD Diamonds.
Should You Buy Diamonds Grown Through CVD?
Choosing between mined and CVD Diamonds is a personal decision. But it would be best to keep in mind that when you choose CVD, you choose an ecologically sustainable and ethical option. It is also less expensive and will not dent your budget. You are choosing a gemstone that is a product of the wonders of science over something mined out from the earth by depleting the natural resources of the earth.
If you are looking for something within your budget that is still very precious and rare, CVD Diamonds should be your go-to option. They are very durable, high in quality, have long longevity, and have similar physical, chemical, and optical properties to naturally mined diamonds. So if you are looking for something exquisite and rare, you should opt for CVD Diamonds!
