If you’ve recently shopped for jewellery, you may have come across a set of beautiful diamonds for a strangely low price. It’s more than likely they were lab grown diamonds, which have been steadily growing in popularity thanks to their affordability and environmental benefits.
Coming in all kinds of colours and sizes, lab grown diamond jewellery is luxury for nearly half the price. While these stones are still highly valuable, they don’t require the immense cost of digging deep into the ground for mined diamonds.
So, with all the benefits of these stones, it’s fair to wonder exactly what lab grown diamonds are. Read all about it below.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real?
Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds in every sense but their creation. They have the same tightly packed carbon structure that makes a pure natural diamond, and an almost identical appearance. Most jewellers won’t be able to tell the difference without specialised equipment.
These man-made stones begin as very real diamond seeds, and grow over time using methods that attach carbon to the seeds in layers. One process involves a healthy dose of high temperature and pressure, while the other heats carbon-rich gas until it separates and joins the seed. No matter the way in which they are made, the end result is a diamond ready for use in fine jewellery.
Some confusion comes with the similarity between other diamond-like stones and lab grown diamonds. Cubic zirconia, for example, is another man-made stone that resembles diamond. Moissanite, too. If you see these stones, keep in mind that they aren’t proper diamonds as they have different chemical properties.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds Good For The Environment?
Yes, but there is still progress to be made. Creating a diamond in a lab avoids the obvious downsides of digging deep into the ground; loss of habitat, traditional lands, and contribution to pollution. These benefits, along with reducing the ethical concerns of diamond mining (a source of conflict around the world) will keep you smiling long after your lab diamond purchase.
However, this growing industry is still finding a way to create diamonds with better energy efficiency. Using such a high amount of heat and pressure can come at a cost. Thankfully, each and every lab diamond purchase will help a willing industry progress to an environmental future.
There’s a lot to love about mined diamonds, especially their history and natural formation, but the lab diamond may be the way of the future. With more looking to buy and invest in environmentally friendly products, it’s likely that you’re gonna see more and more lab grown diamonds on the market.
The Verdict
Lab diamonds probably won’t ever replace the naturally mined diamond, but they will provide us with another option in terms of engagement rings and everyday jewellery. If you find a mined diamond and lab grown variant of the exact same quality, the lab diamond will be considerably less expensive.
Keep man-made diamonds in mind next time you look for jewellery or a big gift. They have exactly the look and shine you expect from a diamond.