Why Shop Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry?
Lab Diamonds vs. Real Diamonds
Whether it’s a diamond ear cuff set in gold or a pendant set in sterling silver, every single diamond is ethically crafted instead of mined. But, you may be wondering, why would we choose lab diamonds vs. real diamonds?
We believe in evolution for the world we live in. Today, lab-grown diamonds offer a lot to fine jewelry companies and consumers alike. If you’re curious about what lab-grown diamonds are, how they’re different from mined diamonds, and why you should buy jewelry made ethically, we have your answers. Explore our blog today to learn more!
What Are Lab-Grown Diamonds?
Real diamonds are mined vs. lab diamonds that are synthetic creations grown in a laboratory — almost like flowers in a greenhouse or farmed pearls. Instead of waiting millions of years for the earth to compress carbon into diamonds and then expending massive effort, money, and human resources to mine them, we opt to speed up the process a little bit with cutting-edge technology.
At a fraction of the cost, and in a fraction of the time, you’ll get diamonds that sparkle just as brilliantly as mined diamonds.
How Do You Make Lab-Grown Diamonds?
Just like mined diamonds, our lab-grown diamonds are made of carbon. They’re exactly the same as mined diamonds physically, chemically, and even visually — but they’re made a bit differently.
Instead of allowing our diamonds to form naturally over millions of years, we recreate the heat and pressure of the earth artificially. There are generally two methods for creating lab diamonds vs. real diamonds: High-Pressure High Temperature and Chemical Vapor Deposition. Each method is slightly different, but in both, we form a diamond seed and grow it into a crystalline structure with high-quality carbon.
High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT)
This process for creating lab diamonds vs. real diamonds is exactly what it sounds like — applying high pressures and temperatures to carbon. The process typically takes just a few crucial elements:
- Placing the diamond seed in the growth chamber of a special press
- Placing a carbon material in a different chamber
- Heating the carbon to 1300-1600 °C and melting it
- Adding a pressure of 870,000 pounds per square inch
As the molten metal dissolves the carbon source, the carbon atoms migrate to the growth chamber and start forming the crystal structure of the diamond onto the diamond seed. When the diamond reaches a sufficient size, we can cut and polish it into any size and shape. This process can take anywhere from several days to a few weeks.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
The second method for growing diamonds requires a bit less heat and pressure than the first, but it starts out pretty much the same way.
- Placing a diamond seed in a growth chamber
- Filling the chamber with a hydrocarbon gas mixture
- Heating the chamber to 900-1200°C
- Applying a microwave beam that causes the carbon to deposit onto the diamond seed
This growth process can take three or four weeks, but diamonds must be removed every few days for polishing to clean off any non-diamond carbon. Unlike real diamonds, lab diamonds often develop a black graphite edge that must be cut away.
What’s The Difference Between Lab Diamonds vs. Real Diamonds?
To any consumer and even diamond experts examining lab diamonds vs. real diamonds with the naked eye, there is essentially no difference. They sparkle the same, have the same rainbow colors, and can reach the same size. However, even though they are chemically and physically the same, there are some minor differences you may be able to spot under a microscope.
Main Differences Between Lab Diamonds vs. Real Diamonds
What gives away lab-grown diamonds are the internal growth patterns. Mined diamonds will typically form octahedrons, while HPHT forms cubic faces and octahedrons, and CVD diamonds form just cubic faces. Looking at these growth patterns is the most reliable way to differentiate between lab diamonds vs. real diamonds.
The difference in their growth patterns will also subtly affect the color distribution of the gemstones, as well as the graining pattern and fluorescence zoning — all impossible to spot when worn. In rare cases, some lab-grown diamonds will glow in the dark after being exposed to UV light.
Are There Any Benefits to Buying Lab Diamonds vs. Real Diamonds?
Now that you know what lab-grown diamonds are, we can start talking about why you might buy these synthetic diamonds instead of mined ones. In addition to the shorter creation time and controlled environment, there are several other advantages, including cost, value, ethics, and environmental impact.
Cost
The cost of lab-grown diamonds is constantly changing according to the market. While in the past, lab-grown diamonds were a bit more expensive than mined diamonds, the cost of the process and the time it takes has been significantly reduced by advancing technology, making lab-grown diamonds now 50-60% more affordable than mined diamonds.
While the cost of creating diamonds is one factor, another factor behind the price is the supply. Since mined diamonds are limited by the DeBeers company, they’re more expensive due to artificial scarcity. With synthetic diamonds, we don’t have to worry about one company controlling all the jewels, as the technology for lab-grow diamonds makes them accessible to all.
Value
Cost and value are slightly different metrics that affect both lab diamonds and real diamonds. Here, we’re talking about the resale value of each type of diamond. When it comes to natural diamonds, they retain about 50% of their initial value, but lab-grown diamonds aren’t as easy to resell and lose nearly all their value after the first purchase.
Additionally, since mined diamond scarcity will only increase as synthetic diamond availability rises, this difference in resale value will only increase. Hopefully, you’re not buying your diamonds as an investment, so any rings, bracelets, and earrings you purchase will remain in your fine, affordable diamond jewelry rotation for a lifetime.
Social Consciousness
As we’re learning more about what it takes to mine diamonds, many people are questioning whether it’s even ethical to buy mined diamonds. You might have already heard about blood diamonds or conflict diamonds, but if you haven’t, these are jewels that come from areas where people are used and unfairly treated to extract this precious resource.
Real diamonds cause social issues vs. lab diamonds that don’t come with this extra baggage, as human rights issues and wars over resources aren’t part of the artificial growing process. Furthermore, mined diamonds are often part of a supply chain that ends up funding harmful activities. Lab-grown diamonds on the other hand are free from such social harm, supporting a brighter future for everyone on our planet.
Sustainability
Another issue many consumers have with natural diamonds is their impact on the environment. Lab diamonds are sustainable vs. real diamonds that have a negligible effect on polluting the earth, air, and water. Unfortunately, every mining process is damaging to the environment and dangerous for miners. Some of the negative effects of the diamond mining process include:
- Acidic water that contaminates groundwater for wildlife and local communities
- Changing the courses of waterways, disrupting wildlife ecosystems
- Stripping fertile topsoil, making entire areas completely barren for decades
- Over-consuming electricity that contributes to greenhouse gas pollution
- Forcing local communities to work in dangerous environments for as little as $1 per day
The social and environmental implications of mined diamonds are daunting. Many human rights and environmental support groups have spent decades trying to improve the industry and conditions for humans and animals alike.
Choosing lab diamonds vs. real diamonds means that every jewel you buy is a guilt-free, radical solution.
Revolutionizing the Diamond Industry
As we briefly mentioned above, the DeBeers corporation controls the supply of mined diamonds, creating artificial scarcity and keeping prices high for decades. Lab-grown diamonds can help disrupt that control by providing accessible, affordable diamonds to nearly everyone.
Should You Shop Lab-Grown Diamonds?
After learning what lab-grown diamonds are and how they differ from mined diamonds, to us, the choice is simple. Lab diamonds are the ethical, sustainable, and affordable choice.
Learn more about how we continue to support the environment with our lab-grown diamonds when you explore how Seed2Stone gives back today.
