What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?

 

 

 

Lab grown diamonds are almost exactly the same as regular diamonds except that they have been made in a laboratory. 

They are the result of decades of research. People have been trying to create diamonds since their true nature as pure carbon was discovered by Antoine Lavoisier in 1772. 

Throughout the 19th century, many attempted to create lab made diamonds by recreating the conditions necessary for diamond formation. 

The first proven synthetic diamonds were made in 1954 by General Electric in a project called project superpressure. The early diamonds of the 1950s were far too small to be used as gems. For many years the process was too expensive to compete with natural diamonds. The early synthetic diamonds were often yellow in colour and heavily included. 

Early lab grown diamonds were HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) which mimics diamond-forming conditions underground. This process was extremely expensive. 

Today, most lab grown diamonds are made through a process called chemical vapour deposition. 

This method uses a diamond seed in a chamber that gets heated by carbon gas, causing the carbon to stick to the seed & grow into a larger diamond. The process can occur at a much lower temperature & pressure which is much less costly. 

Throughout the 2000s, the cost of producing diamonds has slowly declined as processes are improved. In 2007, the GIA officially recognized lab-grown diamonds by beginning to issue reports and grades for them. 

Growing consumer interest in ethical diamond sourcing has seen the demand for lab grown diamonds increasing significantly over the past few decades. 

Once a lab grown piece of diamond rough is formed, in the same way with natural diamonds, they are cut & polished into various shapes like round, emerald, pear, cushion or marquise. 

Can you tell the difference between lab-grown diamonds & natural diamonds? 

By simply looking at a lab-grown diamond & a synthetic diamond, you can not tell the difference. 

Given that lab grown diamonds are chemically, physically & optically identical to their natural counterparts, traditional diamond detectors are not able to tell them apart either. 

With specialized equipment however it is possible to detect a difference. 

Lab diamonds exhibit growth patterns that appear different from the octahedral growth pattern in natural diamonds. 

Common CVD techniques create cube shaped diamond rough with growth in only 1 direction compared to the 8 directions of natural diamonds. The resultant fluorescence patterns (as well as other markers) make identification between lab diamonds & natural diamonds possible. 

Natural diamonds may have different inclusions from natural minerals whereas lab diamonds may have metallic inclusions or other markers related to the HPHT or CVD growth process. 

Electrical conductivity testers may well detect these inclusions, leading to incorrect results that suggest a diamond is not present. This is not the case however. 

It is important that consumers know what they are buying because the price difference between lab grown & natural diamonds can be significant. 

Nitrogen impurities: 

Additionally, the nitrogen impurities in natural diamonds have billions of years to clump together. Whereas in lab grown diamonds their nitrogen atoms remain isolated or are completely absent. 

CVD lab diamonds are grown using a highly purified methane & hydrogen gas mixture, resulting in no measurable nitrogen impurities. 

The nitrogen impurities that form in natural diamonds create a unique fingerprint that can not be replicated in a laboratory. 

What is the same between lab grown & natural diamonds? 

Both lab grown and natural diamonds rank 10 on the mohs scale for hardness.

They both share the same fire, sparkle & scintillation.

Both types can receive certification from laboratories to confirm their grading & origin. 

In other words, lab grown & natural diamonds are the same in every way that affects appearance & durability. 

What are the main differences? 

The main differences are origin, rarity & price. The natural geological conditions in which diamonds are formed in nature carries a scarcity, once supplies are gone, they are gone forever. This rarity commands higher price tags in the market place for natural diamonds. 

Lab diamonds however can be made in several days or weeks compared to natural diamonds that take millions of years to form in the Earth’s crust. Both types of diamond are made from carbon. 

Due to the lower price point of lab grown diamonds, it means that you can get a larger carat size in higher grades than you would be able to afford when regarding natural diamonds. 

Lab diamonds also offer a more environmentally friendly option by avoiding the requirement of traditional mining. Just how environmentally friendly a lab diamond is largely depends if the energy used to produce it was using renewable energies or fossil fuels. 

FAQs 

Are lab grown diamonds actually real diamonds? 

Yes, lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. The main difference is the origin of the diamond. They have the same chemical, physical & optical properties as regular diamonds. 

Will a lab grown diamond look different from a natural diamond? 

A lab grown diamond will look exactly the same as a regular diamond because they have the exact same chemical composition. 

Are lab grown diamonds durable enough for everyday wear? 

Yes - lab grown diamonds have the same physical properties & characteristics as regular diamonds. 

What many consumers discover when researching the differences is that lab grown diamonds are not imitation stones or lower quality alternatives. 

Are lab diamonds flawless? 

A common misconception is that lab diamonds are going to be flawless because they have been made in controlled conditions. Just like natural diamonds, lab diamonds may contain inclusions. Lab grown diamonds still have unique characteristics & variations. 

Do lab diamonds pass a thermal diamond tester? 

Yes, lab diamonds test positive as real diamonds by a thermal diamond tester. 

A thermal diamond tester indicates a positive result when a stone’s thermal conductivity matches that of a diamond. Lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same thermal conductivity as natural diamonds, so they test positive. 

How much do lab diamonds cost? 

Lab grown diamond prices can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of pounds. Carat weight is the largest driver of price when it comes to lab diamonds although all the four Cs will affect the final price. 

The prices are typically lower than that of comparable natural diamonds due to the production processes involved. 

Shop Lucy Jurado gold rings with lab grown diamond.