Diamonds are timeless and the most significant symbol of love and commitment. One can easily get confused between a lab-grown and a natural diamond. Lab grown diamonds are made in a laboratory under meticulously controlled conditions, simulating the process by which diamonds form under the earth’s surface.
To the naked eye, they resemble natural diamonds; the prices, though, can differ considerably. That is why they are so popular, but some still wonder if they are worth it. In this article, we will cover the area of lab-created diamonds from a professional point of view.
Let’s discuss it in detail!
What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
Lab grown diamonds are created in a laboratory by scientists and are not part of any organic findings on Earth. They are real diamonds created by special equipment that simulate the natural conditions of deep underground formations. As such, this process yields diamonds that look and act exactly like those mined from the earth.
Creation Process:
Best lab grown diamonds begin with a small seed diamond. Experts subject this seed to the same growing conditions naturally forming diamonds: high pressure and temperature or a specially filled gas chamber.
Differences in the Production Methods (HPHT vs. CVD)
High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT):
During this process, the seed diamond is placed in a pressurizing and heating machine. That is similar to how it happens on Earth, which results in diamonds naturally. The high pressure and temperature then convert carbon material into diamond around the seed.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD):
This one also starts with the diamond seed, but this one is placed in a chamber filled with gases. The gas mix is then heated up until it begins to ionize and break down, starting to deposit layers of carbon atoms onto the diamond seed and gradually build it into a bigger diamond.
Lab grown diamonds vs natural diamonds
Laboratory grown diamonds require a close look compared to natural diamonds when it comes to physical and chemical properties, appearance, and durability. The two kinds of diamonds have different benefits, but on issues like this, one decides which is best for their jewellery, such as lab-created diamonds that are the best for rings or earrings. Here we will see lab grown diamonds vs natural:
Physical and Chemical Properties:
Lab-grown and natural diamonds are both pure carbon, structured in a crystalline form that gives diamonds extraordinary hardness, extraordinary brilliance, and fire. That means, molecularly speaking, the lab created diamonds are the same as those mined from Earth. They have the same refractive index, density, and hardness, making them equally hard and suitable for wearing daily.
Appearance:
Visually, a lab grown and a natural diamond are almost indistinguishable to the naked eye; specialized equipment is needed to distinguish them from each other. High-esthetic-standard lab-grown diamonds will make the best of them, often creating stones that are optically, physically, and chemically indistinguishable from mined diamonds—then they sparkle, refract light, and show the fire that diamond lovers search for. This makes them an excellent choice for settings in lab grown diamond rings and lab grown diamond necklaces where visual appeal and durability of prime importance are required.
Durability:
Durability is of great concern, especially to those kinds of pieces like an engagement ring or earrings that are worn every day. Both types of diamonds have the highest rating on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, they score a 10. This makes them very durable and resistant to scratches and abrasions. This means that whichever way you decide to go with, either the lab grown or natural diamond, your jewellery will be in a position to withstand everyday wear while maintaining that outstanding sparkle.
Market Trends and Consumer Preferences
The jewellery market has experienced a change in consumer behaviour over the past few years, particularly toward lab grown diamonds as opposed to natural diamonds. This can be partly attributed to emerging ethical and environmental concerns with mining. As a result, lab-grown diamond earrings and other types of jewellery have increased in popularity.
This lab-grown gemstone is sustainable, but what is more, it is affordable to get big or flashy ones, which no one can afford with a natural stone, such as a 3 carat lab grown diamond for a fraction of what one would pay for a natural stone with the same characteristics. This is one total paradigm shift in consumer purchasing behaviour when most consumers want to opt into the lab-created product for its ethical benefits and the luxury of being able to afford a more significant, yet equally beautiful, diamond at a fraction of the cost.
Benefits of Choosing Lab-Grown Diamonds
Choosing a lab grown diamond makes the most sense for any party due to the innumerable advantages it holds over mined diamonds, which pertain to cost efficiency, the environment, and ethical sense above all, impressive varieties in colour and size.
Cost Efficiency
The most significant advantage associated with lab-grown diamonds is their relatively affordable nature. The price for lab-grown diamonds, when compared to that of natural diamonds, gives the former an edge over the latter since it is usually very cheap to buy lab-created gems. This difference is reflected in size; thus, one buyer might be able to afford a 3 carat lab grown diamond or maybe even a 2 carat lab grown diamond for the money that would buy them a much smaller natural diamond. This is highlighted by the fact that lab-created diamonds have lower production costs and fewer overheads in extraction and transportation, which keep their price pretty low.
Environmental and Ethical Considerations
The case against the ecological effects of diamond mining is very well documented, with the extraction of diamonds disrupting ecosystems and even communities. In contrast, lab-grown diamonds present a much more sustainable alternative with a dramatically lower ecological footprint.
Variety and Availability
Lab-grown diamonds come in a variety of colours and sizes that are rare or even more expensive. This also includes bright blues, pinks, and yellows that are very attractive to most final consumers who are after conspicuous jewellery. Added to this, availability and personalization options are better for lab-grown diamonds compared with natural, given the controlled nature of their production process, which makes it easier to provide what precisely each customer wants—a precise matching of demand that natural diamond supplies cannot offer.
Conclusion
They are a great alternative to natural diamonds, offering very similar aesthetics and physical properties at a much more affordable cost. At the same time, they add some extra benefits in terms of ethics and the environment, hence making them very special to the customer who wants to be sustainable without giving up on quality. Whether you’re looking for that big, eye-catching gem or a unique piece of jewellery, lab grown diamonds offer a broad spectrum of choices—styles that cater to the tastes and values of modern women.
Explore more topics only on Storieslap. We published an Article on the topic of Diamond Planet. Must read that article
Lab-created diamonds are as natural as a diamond grown by processes produced in a laboratory under controlled environments, which create an artificial process mimicking the natural diamond-growing process.
Yes, they are real diamonds with the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as natural diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds generally hold their value less than natural diamonds, which is mainly due to the much lower purchase price of lab-created ones and their noteworthy availability.
Lab-created diamonds are between 20% to 40% less costly than natural diamonds. The price difference will still depend on size, colour, cut, and clarity.
