Lab-grown diamonds, an often maligned industry (mostly by those connected to the mined diamond industry), offer an intriguing — and highly affordable — alternative to their naturally occurring counterparts.
A common misconception is that lab grown diamonds are assembly-line / factory-line diamond alternatives that all come out the same, like cubic zirconia. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Like nature, lab grown diamond production is all over the place and the results must be sorted and graded and treated exactly as mined diamonds. The only difference is that they can make more of them, thereby causing market pricing fluctuations.
But – as we have learned over the years – DeBeers lied about mined diamond availability anyway to fool you all into wanting them more.
Anyway, it turns out that the process of creating these lab diamonds is not so different from the geological miracle that transpires deep within the Earth’s crust over eons.
The disparity lies in the timeframe: while natural diamonds take billions of years to form, lab-grown diamonds require just a few short weeks in a controlled laboratory environment. However, from a scientific perspective, they are virtually indistinguishable.
To fabricate a diamond, a combination of carbon dioxide, intense heat, and immense pressure is essential. These elements initiate a transformative chain of events that ultimately yields the stunning gemstones we recognize as diamonds. There are two primary methods employed to produce lab-grown diamonds: High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).
The HPHT approach commences with a minuscule diamond seed, positioned amidst pure carbon, and subjected to temperatures of around 1500 degrees Celsius (2700 Fahrenheit) and pressures exceeding 1.5 million pounds per square inch. This intense heat and pressure cause the carbon layer to liquefy, resulting in the formation of a complete diamond structure enveloping the initial seed.
On the other hand, the CVD method, an abbreviation for Chemical Vapor Deposition, relies on lower levels of heat and pressure compared to HPHT. Carbon-based gases serve as the foundation for diamond growth in this process. Once again, a diamond seed plays a vital role, often being a thin slice obtained through the HPHT method. Encased within a sealed chamber, the seed encounters gases, predominantly methane and hydrogen, while the environment is heated to several hundred degrees Celsius. As the gases break down under this elevated temperature, carbon atoms from the gas source begin to accumulate around the diamond seed, gradually fostering the growth of a new diamond structure.
Both methods remain prevalent in contemporary diamond production as they yield stones that are atomically identical to those found naturally. Each approach, however, comes with its own set of advantages and drawbacks, influencing the quality and cost of production. It is worth noting that many diamond growers strive to transition their operations to renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, leading to the adoption of terms such as “made by sun” or “made by air” to describe lab-grown diamonds.
Like their subterranean counterparts, lab-grown diamonds can emerge in a variety of sizes and qualities during the growth process. Consequently, all lab-grown diamonds must undergo evaluation and certification by professional diamond grading institutes to ascertain their characteristics and value.
We think lab grown diamonds are wonderful. Especially if you like having a larger diamond – and many do – we highly recommend going this route. These diamonds are stunning, high quality, and there are as many designs available as there are with their mined counterparts. You should not think twice about buying an engagement ring with a lab grown diamond!
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