Lab grown diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are not new to the market, but they have only recently become widely known.

These are diamonds grown in a laboratory from diamond seeds under highly controlled conditions, using advanced technological processes that reproduce the conditions in which natural diamonds form beneath the Earth's crust.

The three main international diamond grading institutes confirm that lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical, physical and optical properties as natural ones, and that they differ only in how they came to be. A natural diamond is taken out of the ground; a lab-grown one is grown above it.

Are lab-grown diamonds real diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds, because in composition they are identical to natural ones. A diamond grown in a laboratory has the same sparkle, the same clarity and the same beauty as one dug out of the ground. So lab-grown and mined diamonds are the same in composition, but several decisive differences are worth pointing out. Lab-grown diamonds are much cheaper (by 20–40%) than natural ones, which makes them an excellent choice for engagement rings and other jewelry. Growing diamonds in a laboratory does not put human lives at risk the way mining natural diamonds can, but a natural diamond is singular, and for the end buyer that is what makes it more expensive.

How do you tell a natural diamond from a lab-grown one?

It may surprise you that not even gemologists (gemstone specialists) can see the difference between the two with the naked eye or under a loupe. Establishing the difference calls for specialist laser instruments, and only with those is it possible to tell which kind of diamond it is.

Most diamonds carry a laser-engraved code. The code on a natural diamond begins with a number, for example 407889901, while the code on a lab-grown one begins with the letters LG, for example LG 511322407.

So you cannot establish a diamond's origin on your own, but every diamond you buy comes with a certificate from a diamond grading institute. The certificate is proof of the diamond's authenticity and is valid anywhere in the world. The certificate of a natural diamond must say natural diamond, and that of a lab-grown one must say lab grown diamond.

The difference between a lab-grown or natural diamond and a zircon

Cubic zirconia was created as a cheaper alternative to diamond. Chemically it is an entirely different material: it is not as hard as diamond and it lacks the same fire. It is also not considered a gemstone, because it is not found in nature. It is made from powdered zirconium and zirconium dioxide, melted and formed into a stone.

To a layperson a zircon and a diamond can look the same at first glance, because the greater differences appear over time. Diamond is the hardest mineral in nature (10 on the Mohs scale) and cannot be scratched. Which is to say that in 300 years' time a diamond will look and shine exactly as it did on the day it was bought, because brilliance is lost through scratching and this material cannot be scratched. Zircons, on the other hand, are less hard (8.5 on the Mohs scale), reflect light less well, and can be scratched, at which point they lose their original shine.

Get in touch with any further questions about lab-grown diamonds.

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