Lab Diamond Education

What are lab diamonds?

Lab grown diamonds are man-made using advanced equipment to replicate the process of natural diamond creation. As a result, lab diamonds have the same chemical properties, hardness, radiance and allure as their natural counterparts. Natural diamonds are formed over millions of years, whereas lab diamonds are created in a few weeks, resulting in greater accessibility of lab diamonds.

What are the methods of creating lab diamonds?

Diamonds are made of carbon atoms bonded under extremely high temperatures until they crystallize. They are then delivered to the surface by way of volcanic eruption. This process takes millions of years! But thanks to the inventive efforts of diamond laboratories, there are now two methods for creating Lab Grown Diamonds in a tiny fraction of the time: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).

CVD: Chemical Vapor Deposition

Chemical Vapor Deposition involves a small piece of a diamond acting as a seed; it is inserted into a vacuum chamber which is then filled with a carbon heavy gas such as Methane. This small seed of diamond then blossoms into a larger diamond as the chamber is heated to extreme temperatures. The carbon molecules latch to the diamond seed allowing it to grow to its desired size.

HPHT: High Pressure High Temperature

High Pressure High Temperature method is closer to what natural diamonds experience during their formation under the earth's surface. This process entails vast amounts of carbon put into a machine where the atoms are crushed under severe heat and pressure. This results in lab grown diamonds that look and shine like natural diamonds.

Microscopic Differences: CVD and HPHT

The differences between the appearances of diamonds resulting from the two methods are not visible to the naked eye. Both types of diamonds can have inclusions, just like natural diamonds; however, the sources of these inclusions are different. While HPHT diamonds show graining patterns, no such patterns are found in CVD diamonds. Dark pinpoint inclusions may appear in CVD diamonds, whereas metallic flux inclusions may appear in HPHT diamonds.

One thing to note here is that old natural diamond testers used by jewelry stores do not recognize HPHT diamonds, and may sometimes incorrectly read them as moissanite. Newer lab diamond testers are recommended as they can correctly determine the authenticity of all lab created diamonds.

How do lab diamonds compare with natural diamonds?

Natural and Lab grown diamonds are distinguishable under magnification only. Only independent labs such as IGI or GIA should be used to determine the authenticity and grading of a lab diamond. The value of a diamond, whether natural or lab grown, is determined by the same 4Cs - Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat.

Though natural and lab diamonds are similar, lab diamonds are much more cost effective. Laboratories are able to produce lab diamonds in bulk, making it easier to find a high quality diamond at a fraction of the price of natural diamonds. Lab diamonds also offer reassurance to the buyers that they are making a conflict-free diamond purchase.

Natural diamonds have a long and renowned history, dating back centuries. It has charmed crowns, religious artifacts, worldly museum exhibits, and engagement rings alike. It is an investment that holds its value.

Lab diamonds however have allowed something that a natural diamond simply can’t - inclusivity. They are a new and preferred alternative not just because of their affordability, but also because of their low environmental footprint. Many companies including GemsNY are committed to offering ethical and sustainable choices to all their customers. Lab Diamonds have created a way for that to happen.

To learn in detail about the 4 Cs & diamond grading, please visit here.

What are synthetic diamonds and how are they different from diamond simulants?

The word synthetic means man-made; by that standard synthetic diamonds are lab grown diamonds. The term, however, is also sometimes used to represent diamond simulants. A diamond simulant is a stone created to emulate the look and shape of a diamond without any type of diamond composition or hardness; these are Moissanite and Cubic Zirconia. These diamond simulants are far more affordable than a natural or lab grown diamond and therefore, quite appealing to the cost conscious shopper. A good rule of thumb when shopping for synthetic diamonds is to always ask whether they are lab grown diamonds or diamond simulants, since you want to know what it is you are buying GemsNY deals only in natural mined diamonds and lab grown diamonds. We do not carry any kind of diamond simulants.

What are the advantages of buying lab diamonds?

1. Lab diamonds are created in controlled environments which results in little to no contamination, producing stones with fewer inclusions and defects compared to natural diamonds.
2. The origin of lab diamonds can be traced and securely documented, a problem natural diamonds have long presented.
3. The Lab Diamond has proven itself to be the more economical choice between Lab & Natural Diamonds. Lab grown diamonds trade at more than 40% discount to natural diamonds. This results in a broader selection of bigger diamonds of the same quality within the customer's budget.
4. Lab Diamonds are more environmentally friendly to develop as they do not require vast amounts of fossil fuel to run the machinery used to mine them. Over time, the demands for energy to continue extracting natural diamonds from the earth keeps rising but at what detriment to the environment. The more you support lab grown diamonds, the fewer resources go towards mining natural diamonds, leading to a continuous decline in the environmental impact created by mining.

How is GemsNY committed to sustainability?

GemsNY is thoroughly committed to the sustainability and procurement of our gemstones from credible sources, ensuring that ethical considerations are always met. We sell ethically obtained and responsibly created diamonds. We offer both natural and lab grown diamonds to our customers as well as the education they need to confidently make their own decision when choosing a gemstone.

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