Since the 1950s, the demand for lab created diamonds has significantly increased. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Yet so are lab created diamonds, structurally and chemically identical to naturally occurring diamonds.
With the passing of time, the prejudice and stigma concerning lab created diamonds have sensibly diminished. Once regarded as fakes or not as valuable as natural diamonds, the laboratory created precious stones are in high demand.
The timeless charm of diamonds cannot fade away. Yet, as the public became more aware of the conflicts and ethically compelling arguments surrounding some of the natural diamonds, man-made diamonds became a more alluring option.
What are Lab Created Diamonds?
There are several terms that refer to laboratory created diamonds. Cultured diamonds, man-made diamonds, lab-grown diamonds or synthetic diamonds are used as synonyms referring to diamonds created in the laboratory through complex technological processes.
Sometimes, ‘synthetic diamonds’ is used in a depreciative manner. When lab created diamonds are referred to as synthetic diamonds, most understand that these are fake. This understanding is erroneous. All these terms denote the end product of sinuous technological processes controlled to the minutest detail. To answer the often asked question – are lab created diamonds real – the following paragraphs should come handy.
The laboratory conditions duplicate the exact natural conditions leading to the development of diamonds under the Earth’s crust. Albeit being grown in the laboratory, these diamonds boast the same qualities and chemical structure of natural diamonds.
When submitted to minute cutting and polishing, lab grown diamonds are indistinguishable from their natural counterparts. Obtained through two different technological processes, a lab created diamond will simulate the exact diamond formation process in the Earth’s mantle.
You may have seen lab created diamond rings sporting synthetic diamonds in different colors. Indeed, there are lab created colored diamonds. Nonetheless, there are also mined diamonds sporting different colors.
Under laboratory conditions, the color of the diamond is dictated by the tiny amounts of trace elements. As such, there are fancy blue, fancy pink or fancy yellow laboratory created diamonds in addition to the infamous colorless diamond.
What Are Diamond Simulants?
It is only when we talk about diamond simulants that we understand the differences between fake diamonds, lab created diamonds and diamond look-alikes. The difference between the first two phrases has already been explained.
What then are diamond simulants? Diamond simulants are diamond look-alikes that lack the crystal structure of the precious stones and aren’t carbon crystals. Moissanite and zirconia are known as diamond simulants.
While cut and polished they imitate the colorless diamond quite well, many are able to tell the difference between a diamond and any of these two stones. As they do not have the same properties and chemical composition or structure as lab created diamonds and natural diamonds, even the refraction of light and their luster differs greatly.
At the other side of the spectrum, the best lab created diamonds and natural diamonds are indistinguishable. Chemically, optically and physically, they are one and the same. Jewelers and gemologists alike need specialized equipment and severe tests to differentiate between the natural stones and the laboratory grown ones.
Nonetheless, a lab created diamond must come with a certificate of origin. If you purchase a lab created diamond engagement ring and no gem certification accompanies the jewelry piece, it’s time to become suspicious.
What are the Advantages of Lab Created Diamonds?
Lab created diamonds are not only identical to mined diamonds, but they offer multiple other advantages. The demand for created diamonds has been driven higher and higher due to communities’ increasing care for the environment and social aspects.
Synthetic diamonds are thus ethically sourced and grown. Their environmental impact is reduced to a minimum. No mining is involved. Their beauty and rarity perfectly duplicate those of diamonds grown in our planet’s mantle.
Luckily, lab created diamonds are less costly than their natural counterparts. The excellent value is more affordable even when it comes to comparing created diamonds and natural diamonds of the same size and quality.
Conflict-free, socially responsible, sustainable and environmentally friendly, created diamonds represent the choice of the socially conscious buyer. Such qualities have drawn lab created diamonds the animosity of important actors in the sector back in the 1950s. The fear that the entire industry could collapse with the advent of laboratory created gems led to a destabilizing effect.
The growing support that laboratory created diamonds are receiving is endearing. Not to mention well deserved. An international gemological certificate or gem certification proves the origin and qualities of such a gemstone. This is one of the reasons that lab created diamond engagement rings have become such a popular choice in recent years.
How are Synthetic Diamonds Created?
Lab created diamonds are produced – as their name suggests – under laboratory conditions. The two artificial processes through which they are created are known as High Pressure High Temperature process and Chemical Vapor Deposition process (HPHT and CVD).
When the diamond mounted on a lab created diamond ring has the HPHT or CVD denomination specified, this is to indicate the exact method of production. Albeit different as production processes, both methods lead to the same result: a diamond identical to one created through geological processes.
As a result of the methods of creation, these gems are labeled as laboratory-grown, laboratory-created or manufacturer-created. The labels are required by the Federal Trade Commission.
Why Should You Choose a Lab Created Diamond?
If you read through lab created diamonds reviews, you’ll certainly find plenty of reasons for which created diamonds make perfect choices. The colorless lab created diamond is certainly one of the most popular choices.
Nonetheless, the beauty of the lab created yellow diamonds is fascinating. As such, many lab created diamonds rings feature the fancy yellow diamond. Jewelry sets boasting lab created diamonds are as exquisite and valuable as those featuring geological diamonds.
A breakthrough for fashion and beauty and a remarkable achievement of human ingenuity, lab created diamonds are prized gems with the added benefit of being ethically sourced, sustainable and environmentally friendly.
