Lab-Grown Diamond vs Natural Diamond. (Educate and Protect yourself and your customers)

I’m not going to get too technical on this subject as I won’t be able to fit it on this blog, so here are a few of the questions you may have before buying a Lab-Grown Diamond.

A few of my Instagram followers have asked me about Lab-grown Diamonds, and with them becoming more and more popular, I thought I could write about the differences between Diamonds to build more awareness and clear a few questions you might have.

The question on everybody’s mind is:

Are they Diamonds?

The quick answer is Yes, but here is the long answer.

A Laboratory Grown Diamond is a 100% Diamond. The only difference is the origin as laboratory-grown Diamonds are created in a lab with very similar conditions to the natural one’s.

Natural Diamonds form under Cratons, deep beneath the earth’s crust at approximately 90-120 miles with temperatures in the range of 1,150 -1,200 Degrees Celsius and pressure of 50-70kbar over millions of years. Those extreme conditions are the answers to why the diamonds are so tough and durable.

Here is a comparison chart of Natural Vs Lab-Grown Diamonds

As you can see, their chemical structure and properties are the same.

Scientists first grew diamonds in a laboratory in the mid-1950s. These diamonds were too small for jewellery, however. Production of larger, gem-quality crystals began in the mid-1990s and continues to today, with more and more companies producing Lab-Grown Diamonds.

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There are two types of lab-grown Diamonds, HPHT and CVD.

HPHT – High-Pressure High-Temperature as the name suggests mimics the temperature and pressure condition that the natural diamonds forms in the earth. The rough diamond has a cuboctahedral crystal shape.

CVD - Chemical Vapor Deposition method involves breaking down the molecules of a carbon-rich gas, such as methane, into carbon and hydrogen atoms, which then are deposited on diamond seeds to produce a square-shaped, tabular diamond crystal.

Environmental Impact

Now you know about the science side of the Lab-Grown Diamonds, here is my opinion on them.

Working in independent jewellers, I’ve seen more and more clients asking about the Lab-Grown Diamonds for engagement rings, earrings and pendants. I personally don’t mind them, and I have purchased a Lab-Grown diamond for a research purpose to which I was amazed to how good it looked compared to the Natural one.

Here are the details on the Diamond I purchased:

Type: HPHT

Carat: 0.30

Colour: F

Clarity: SI1

Cut: Excellent

Polish: Very Good

Symmetry: Very Good

Lab Report: IGI