Let’s get one thing straight. A lab grown diamond IS a diamond. It is not another gemstone pretending to be a diamond, but it is an actual diamond that has been grown in a factory instead of the earth. Now, we can continue!
A synthetic diamond or lab grown diamond has the same chemical, optical, and physical properties of a naturally occurring diamond, including crystal structure, but it is grown in a factory instead of being formed below the Earth’s crust.
The first lab grown diamond was grown in the 1950’s, but they remained very small and off colored until the mid-2010’s when colorless lab grown diamonds in large carat sizes came in to the market!
There are two ways to grow a diamond in a laboratory or factory:
· High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) – A large cubic hydraulic press, roughly 10-15 feet high and wide, imitates the high pressure and high temperatures used to create a diamond in the Earth. It’s the same pressure as a commercial jet plane balanced on your finger with temperatures 1300 to 1600 degrees Celsius!
· Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) – A diamond seed is put into a vacuum chamber where carbon-containing gas is deposited, and the seed crystalizes into a synthetic diamond. If a larger diamond is wanted, they give it more time in the chamber.
Lab grown diamonds are not without their own carbon footprint. The metal used to create the large cubic hydraulic press is mined from the earth and uses oil to operate. Both machines also use A LOT of electricity to grow diamonds.
Lab grown diamonds have declined in price from when they first came out, and some sources predict their prices to continue to go down. They can be a great way to save on the budget in the short term, but will not go up in value like a natural diamond will, and may even go down. For some clients, that is a deal breaker, and they opt for natural, while others don’t have an issue with it. I want you to be aware so you make the best decision for you!
I would love to help you create the wedding ring or anniversary ring of your dreams, whether it is lab grown or natural! Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping, so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:
One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)
Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)
Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 26 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)
Learn more about me and my process: www.AngelaCisneros.com
Book your FREE appointment with me today! www.AngelaCisneros.com/book-appointment