What Is a Lab Grown Diamond?

Did you know there are many different types of diamonds?

Most people see a diamond and appreciate its beauty and rareness. But, they most likely don’t realize that this diamond may have been grown in a lab.

What is a lab-grown diamond? How does this differ from a natural diamond?

Keep reading to find out.

What Is a Lab-Grown Diamond?

You may be wondering, are lab-grown diamonds real? Yes, they are very real!

The process of creating them differs, but they are every bit a real diamond as natural diamonds are.

Lab-grown diamonds are, as they sound like, grown in labs. These are highly controlled laboratory environments, which use advanced technology to duplicate the conditions of which natural diamonds are formed under the Earth’s crust.

Lab diamonds consist of carbon atoms that are arranged in the characteristic diamond crystal structure. Because of this, lab-grown diamonds contain the same optical and chemical properties as natural diamonds.

Lab-Grown Diamond vs. Mined Diamond

Because of how lab diamonds are created, to tell the difference between a lab-grown diamond and a mined diamond, specialized equipment and tests are required. It’s nearly impossible to see any differences just by looking at them.

Lab-grown diamonds may contain trace amounts of elements that mined diamonds would not have, though these do not affect their appearance.

If you were to purchase a man-made diamond, it should always have a gem certification that lists it as laboratory-grown.

Benefits of Lab-Grown Diamonds

One of the most significant benefits is the cost of lab-grown diamonds. They are generally cheaper than natural diamonds, and you can often spend up to forty percent less when you choose lab-grown.

This is not because lab-grown diamonds are of cheaper quality. Simply, a diamond created in a lab cuts out all the middlemen that are required with mined diamonds.

You are no longer paying for the cost of miners, distributers, cutters, polishers, and jewelers. Lab-grown diamonds forgo these costs, so you get a real diamond at a better price.

You’re also able to find rare colors of diamonds in the lab-grown form that you wouldn’t be able to find naturally. These diamonds are also more beautiful, as they have higher purity and brighter quality.

And, of course, perhaps the best advantages of lab-grown diamonds are the positive environmental effects.

Mining has significant environmental impacts, and growing a diamond in a lab requires much less energy than it does to mine one. While many mining companies have committed to more eco-friendly ways, they will never be as conflict-free as lab-grown diamonds are.

Ready to Make the Switch?

So, what is a lab-grown diamond? Now you know that there aren’t many significant differences between a man-made diamond and a natural diamond, besides incredible benefits such as a lower price and better quality.

If you think you’d like to check out some lab diamonds, visit your local jeweler today!

In the meantime, why not browse through more of our blog? We have tons of articles waiting for you.