Some diamonds take the old route, made deep in the Earth over billions of years, and stay underground until humans mine the Earth for their crystals. But some diamonds use a very complex, surprising journey; lab-created diamonds are grown in a lab.
Lab-created, synthetic, and mined diamonds look identical; a diamond is a diamond no matter where they come from. This article gives helpful information on lab-created vs. mined diamonds so you can pick the stones that are the most suitable for you.
What are lab-created diamonds?
Lab-created, aka man-made diamonds, on the contrary, are created in laboratories. Scientists studied and tested for years to understand how to do what the Earth does naturally in the laboratory. The main difference between mined diamonds and lab-created diamonds is that, in contrast, mined diamonds are at least A Billion Years Old and take Millions Of Years To Develop; lab-created diamonds finish developing in weeks or months.
Lab-created diamonds have two sources — chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) diamonds. These names are the methods through which they are created.
HPHT Diamonds
To make HPHT diamonds, lab workers put carbon to very high temperatures and high pressure — same as the situations that produce mined diamonds under the Earth’s crust — to create the crystals in the lab. This method, first done in a crude mode by General Motors in the 1950s, makes many Brown And Yellow diamonds because of various gases that mix with the carbon. Still, it is also costly because of the power and equipment it needs.
CVD Diamonds
Lab scientists begin with a diamond seed crystal to make CVD diamonds and grow a large crystal by layers of chemical deposits. This process pumps hydrocarbon gas, generally methane,
into a vacuum case. It then applies microwaves to part the gas molecules into hydrogen and carbon atoms. The carbon atoms accumulate and build upon the diamond seed.
This process, which has been there for a decade, is less expensive because it works at lower temperatures and pressures and needs less energy and equipment. Additionally, it can directly produce colorless, clear diamonds because it requires only hydrogen and carbon.
Are lab-created diamonds genuine diamonds?
YES!
Are man-made diamonds valuable?
YES!
There has been a lot of talk about what a lab-created (also identified as man-made) diamond is and if it’s a genuine diamond.
Let’s jump into what sets these crystals apart from naturally-mined diamonds. Needless to say, it’s a personal choice, but we don’t believe lab-created diamonds are a fad. On the contrary, we think they’re here for a long time. So here are a few facts so you can determine what’s best for you!
Man-made diamonds are not the same as natural diamonds as they are artificially created, man-made in a laboratory, rather than naturally created in the Earth, like natural diamonds.
Basically, this is the only exception. Lab-created diamonds appear and feel just like natural diamonds. They even have nearly identical chemical compositions.
Affordability
Diamonds grown in laboratories and natural diamonds have the same costs for cutting, polishing, and inspection. The price difference results from the variation in the prices and mining methods that drove the high cost of mining up to that point.
Do laboratory-grown diamonds look real?
The short answer: Yes, because they are genuine diamonds. No one can differentiate Lab-grown and natural diamonds with the bare eye. They also have the same shine you see in a natural diamond. You cannot differentiate between lab-created and real diamonds without specific tools, even if you’re a trained gemologist! The best way to differentiate between lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds is to study the grading report.
GIA Certification
A lab-grown diamond is rated and approved using the same process as a mined diamond. Like our mined diamonds, our lab-crafted diamonds are assigned to a gem lab practicing in grading diamonds. Every diamond is graded applying the 4C’s (cut, clarity, color, and carat). Both are perceived with the same standards.
Will people know if I have a lab-created Diamond?
No! Unless you tell them. To the naked eye, Lab-created Diamonds and Natural Diamonds look the same. How can you tell the difference? You cannot tell without a diamond lab by your side.
