JEWELRY EDUCATION
Lab Grown Diamonds 101
The sparkle, fire, and timeless beauty of diamonds have made them synonymous with elegance, wealth, and eternal love. These qualities have ensured that they stayed at the top of fine jewlery for ages; but now, a new alternative is challenging the status quo. Lab grown diamonds created in high tech labs are shaking up the jewlery world by offering those same qualities – often at a fraction of the cost.
What are lab grown diamonds? How do they compare against their natural counterparts? In this article, we’ll dive into the world of lab grown diamonds, discussing how they’re made, how they differ from natural diamonds, and how their value holds up over time.
What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
Lab grown diamonds, at the core, are exactly what they sound like – diamonds grown in a lab. Don’t let the “lab grown” fool you, though. These diamonds aren’t simulants like cubic zirconia or moissanite. Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds – chemically, physically, and optically identical to the natural diamonds excavated from the earth.
It takes extreme pressure, heat, and billions of years for diamonds to form naturally within the earth’s mantle. Lab grown diamonds still require extreme pressure and heat – circumstances that we’re able to replicate thanks to advanced technology – but they’re made within a matter of weeks. These lab grown diamonds have the same brilliance, scintillation, and fire that have made natural diamonds endlessly desirable.
How Lab Grown Diamonds Are Made
Currently, there are two main methods of creating lab grown diamonds: the High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) method, and the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method. Both of these processes accomplish the same goal of replicating the conditions needed for diamonds to form, and they both create diamonds as real as those found in the earth. These diamonds are even graded on with the same 4 Cs as natural stones: cut, color, clarity, and carat.
High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT)
Believe it or not, HPHT has been around since the 1950s. This technique takes carbon, or a diamond seed, and places it under enormous pressure (over 1.5 million pounds per square inch) and extreme heat (over 2,000 degrees Celsius). This causes the carbon atoms to bond together, crystalizing into a diamond.
At first, HPHT-grown gemstones were used for use in cutting tools and abrasives. Since they were destined for industrial applications, it wasn’t much of an issue that the nitrogen involved in the creation process left a yellow or brown tint in the diamonds.
Modern technology now allows HPHT diamonds to be produced in stunning, colorless grades that are hard to tell from natural diamonds. Thanks to these advancements, HPHT diamonds can now be created and utilized in jewlery, as well.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), the second method, is newer. The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process takes an initial seed diamond and places it in a chamber filled with gasses – like methane. Those gasses are then heated to a point where the carbon atoms break apart and deposit themselves onto the seed. Layer by layer, a full diamond is formed. Since this process allows for more control of impurities, it produces clearer diamonds.
The CVD process allows for significant control over the diamond’s characteristics. This means that these lab grown diamonds have minimal inclusions and impurities, making them clearer and more brilliant gemstones. This also means that the diamonds can be made larger in size, making them especially appealing for buyers looking for larger stones without the larger price tag.
Both HPHT and CVD produce diamonds that are just as real as those from the earth. They’re also graded by the same standards – the 4Cs: carat, cut, color and clarity.
How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Different From Natural Diamonds?
Origin
This is the easy one: they have different origins. Lab grown diamonds are created within a matter of weeks in a lab, and natural diamonds are formed over billions of years deep within the earth. There is no difference in quality, but for some consumers, the rarity and romance of a natural diamond are important.
Natural diamonds take a nearly unfathomable amount of time to form, and they travel from the earth’s crust to the surface through volcanic activity. This complex journey is celebrated, and a huge aspect of their rarity and appeal. Lab grown diamonds, on the other hand, have a shorter story to tell. They’re a modern creation shaped by human innovation and ingenuity – a worthy and impactful story of their own.
It’s worth noting natural diamonds are often celebrated for their journey – they travel from deep in the earth to the surface through volcanic activity. Lab grown diamonds are a modern creation shaped by human innovation. Both have a story to tell but the natural diamond’s origin is steeped in geological history which may appeal to those who like the uniqueness of earth formed gems.
Price and Availability
This is possibly one of the biggest differences for most buyers. Since lab grown diamonds are significantly easier to produce, they’re much less expensive. Put simply, lab grown diamonds offer better value for the money.
It’s worth noting though, that due to the relative ease of creating lab grown diamonds, they’re not rare, and will not hold their initial intrinsic value.
One of the biggest appeals of natural diamonds is their rarity. If a buyer is looking for a one-of-a-kind gemstone that will hold its value through time, choosing a rare, natural diamond would be the better choice over a lab grown one.
Appearance
To the naked eye, it’s impossible to see a difference between a lab grown diamond and its earth-formed counterpart. Both have the same brilliance, fire, and scintillation. Gemologists though, can tell the difference. Using specialized equipment, they can detect tiny growth patterns and trace elements within a given diamond to help distinguish it from being lab grown or natural.
Note that natural diamonds will almost always have some type of inclusion – tiny imperfections that occur during their formation. While some may find these imperfections a valuable part of their stone’s character, others may be drawn to something with a greater clarity. This greater clarity is much more easily attainable and thus affordable with a lab grown stone than with a natural one.
Long Term Value: How Do Lab Grown Diamonds Hold Up?
For many, buying a diamond piece of jewelry isn’t just about beauty – it’s an investment. Natural diamonds have been considered assets for centuries because of their rarity. High quality diamonds tend to retain their value and are often passed down from generation to generation as family heirlooms.
While lab grown diamonds are beautiful and identical to natural diamonds in many ways, they just don’t have the same resale value. Lab grown diamonds are able to be produced in larger quantities, so they lack the scarcity that keeps the value of natural diamonds high. As more lab grown diamonds hit the market, their resale value will surely stay below their natural counterparts.
If you’re looking to purchase as an investment, with steady or even rising resale value, a natural diamond will continue to be your best option. However, if you’re looking for a beautiful gemstone with all the benefits and qualities of a diamond without the price tag, lab grown is a great choice.
Conclusion
Science and technology have come a long way – a real diamond experience no longer has to come with an incredible price tag. Whether crafted through HPHT or CVD, lab grown diamonds are just as beautiful and durable as a natural stone. They sparkle the same, and can be enjoyed for life.
When it comes to lasting, long-term value, though, lab grown diamonds just don’t carry the same weight as natural diamonds. Rarity is one of the biggest factors in a diamond’s value as an investment, and lab grown pieces unfortunately don’t have it.
Whether you’re looking for a piece that features lab grown diamonds, or one that features a diamond from the earth, the team at Kosmima can help.
As custom jewelers with over 30 years of experience, we have connections with diamond dealers all around the globe. We can help you source and set the perfect stone, whether it be made in a lab or natural.
We invite you to our showroom in Chestnut Hill, where you can experience first hand the world-class jewelry experience that we have to offer. Come in and discover why we’ve been the Greater Boston Area’s preferred custom jeweler for over three decades.