Lab Grown Diamonds
What’s all the buzz around Lab Grown Diamonds?
Lab grown diamonds (also known as lab created diamonds, man made diamonds, engineered diamonds, and cultured diamonds) are grown in highly controlled laboratory environments using advanced technological processes that duplicate the conditions under which diamonds naturally develop when they form in the mantle, beneath the Earth’s crust. These lab created diamonds consist of actual carbon atoms arranged in the characteristic diamond crystal structure. Since they are made of the same material as natural diamonds, they exhibit the same optical and chemical properties but at a fraction of the cost, hence why they are so popular amongst clients today.
Lab Grown Diamonds vs. Natural Diamonds
Without specialized equipment, the naked eye won’t be able to tell the difference between a lab grown or a natural diamond — they appear the same. The only noticeable difference between them is their origin: one was formed deep within the Earth, the other was grown in a laboratory.
Lab grown diamonds display the same physical, chemical, and optical characteristics and composition as natural diamonds. They exhibit the same fire, scintillation, and sparkle much like you find in a real diamond. Lab created diamonds may exhibit different trace elements than natural diamonds that do not affect the overall appearance of the diamond. Lab created diamonds can be distinguished from natural diamonds only with tests using specialized equipment and with a trained eye.
The Benefits of Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab grown diamonds are an excellent alternative to mined/real diamonds. Not only are they physically identical, but they’re also sourced responsibly and are more cost-effective. Some of the biggest advantages of a lab created diamond include:
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- Fewer defects
- Greater affordability
- Lab created diamonds are available in a variety of colorless ranges. Lab diamonds come in an array of fancy colors that are considered very rare in nature, including popular hues of vivid yellows, blues, and pinks. Man made fancy colored diamonds are formed when small amounts of specific trace elements are present during the growth phase of the created diamond, just like in nature. Fancy colored lab created diamonds sell at more affordable prices and are much easier to come by compared to their natural colored diamond counterparts.
- Trackable origin sources allow us to source diamonds from reputable places that don’t engage in poor treatment of workers or communities.
How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Certified and Graded?
Lab grown diamonds are certified the same way natural diamonds are. Gemological graduates at institutions such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI) determine the 4C’s (cut, color, clarity, and carat grades) of individual gemstones before providing a physical or digital report.