Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real?
There are many myths about lab grown diamonds. One of the popular myths is that lab-grown diamonds are fake. But this is false. Lab grown diamonds are diamonds grown in laboratories and are the same as that real diamonds mined from the earth. Like natural diamonds, they come in various shapes, sizes, colours, and clarity grades.
Some people may refer to lab-created diamonds as "fake diamonds", imitation diamonds or diamond simulants, but this is incorrect. Lab-created diamonds' chemical and physical properties are similar to natural diamonds produced by geological processes.
How are Lab grown Diamonds Made?
CVD diamond is named after the process of Chemical Vapour Deposition. It undergoes the same process as natural diamonds. It all starts with the diamond seed. A thin layer is cut from the natural diamond to form the CVD diamond seed.
This is a type 2A seed, the purest form of a diamond which is 100% Carbon. The seed is then polished and prepared for the required thickness to be placed in the CVD plasma reactor. Once placed in the reactor, the process begins the same way as found under the earth's surface.
In an intense environment, temperature and pressure are created just like on the planet. When the diamond is grown in the natural environment, several other impurities, like Nitrogen & Boron, enter the diamond formation along the gases.
The CVD process is controlled and doesn't allow any contaminant to enter the diamond. Carbon particles slowly start disintegrating and forming a layer on the diamond seed. The result is the rough CVD diamond, the same as the natural diamond, only purer.
The diamonds are removed with precision, and the cutting process beings. And they are identical CVD diamonds with the same Physical, chemical and optical properties as natural diamonds. The guarantee of quality, the beauty of nature, a diamond desire to be perfect.
In a lab, diamonds are made more efficiently. High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) are the two methods used in laboratories to grow diamonds.
HPHT Diamonds Process
HPHT involves putting a diamond seed into a carbon piece. Carbon is then pressurised to approximately 1.5 million pounds per square inch using either a belt press, cubic press, or split-sphere (BARS) press. A temperature of over 2,700 Fahrenheit is also applied to the carbon. During this process, the carbon is melted, forming a diamond around the initial diamond seed. Diamonds are carefully cooled after they have been formed.
CVD Diamonds Process
Like HPHT, CVD also uses a small diamond seed. This process begins with a thin layer of natural diamond placed in the reactor, and the same environment that the diamond gets below the surface is re-created above the surface in the reactor. This is similar to the test tube baby concept, where the end output is the same but grown in a different environment.
All CVD diamonds bear the same carbon composition and physical, thermal and optical characteristics as natural diamonds. And most importantly, they are more uniform yet cheaper than natural diamonds.
Are lab-grown diamonds a good investment?
There is no doubt that lab-created diamonds are a good investment. They are also cost-effective, durable, brilliant, and luxurious and are ethical and conflict-free.
Should you consider buying a lab-grown diamond?
Buying a lab diamond comes to your preferences. You might have come across all the different options for diamond rings, and a lab-grown diamond may have caught your attention for its affordability. According to diamonds.pro, The price of lab grown diamonds is up to 50% less than that of naturally mined diamonds. However, are they the same as buying a diamond mined on earth? Lab diamonds are your best bet if you are in the market for a less expensive and sustainable diamond.
FAQ
Are lab diamonds as good as natural diamonds?
The quality of diamonds grown in laboratories is the same as that of diamonds mined from the earth. Like Natural Diamonds, they come in various shapes, sizes, colours, and clarity grades.
Are lab-grown diamonds real?
Yes, lab grown diamonds are as real as mined diamonds as they share the same or similar chemical and physical properties as real diamonds produced by the geological processes of mother nature.