Lab Diamonds vs Real Diamonds – What are the Differences?
Over the past few years, scientists have been trying to recreate the likes of a diamond without having to actually mine and possibly destroy some of nature’s beautiful creations and they have come up with what we call the lab-grown or lab-created diamonds. There are some Fort-worth diamond ring dealers who sell lab-grown diamonds at a more affordable price compared to diamonds that are mined from the ground. Here are Fort-worth lab diamonds vs. “real” diamonds- what are the differences?
How are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?
Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds that use technology and a laboratory, replicating the whole process of a diamond as naturally as possible. They are usually made differently, and they are produced differently as well, but they are qualified as diamonds nonetheless.
With the technology that we have now, you get to have your own diamond in just a matter of weeks. A laboratory-grown diamond is made out of carbon atoms, just like diamonds that are mined and come from the ground. The only difference between the two is how they are produced.
Lab Made Diamonds – Two Popular Methods
1. High Pressure- High Temperature:
In this method, diamonds are grown through intense heat, which is usually about 1,500 degrees Celsius or otherwise also known as 2,700 Fahrenheit. The pressure on the seed and carbon atom coating that is being put on the diamond is about 1.5 million pounds per square inch.
2. Chemical Vapor Deposition:
The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), unlike the High Pressure – High Temperature (HPHT), uses a lot less of everything, from the heat to the pressure. They replace the heat by using chemicals in a form of gas that would be able to break down and harden the carbon atoms, effectively crystallizing them and creating the lab-grown diamond itself.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds Good?
Yes, lab-grown diamonds are just as good as real mined diamonds, if not better. They are very similar in terms of what they are made of, the only difference is a matter of how they are made. They are also more affordable so if you could not afford mined diamonds, then lab-grown diamonds are a great next purchase. The only downside that you would be able to really see is that lab-grown diamonds do not exactly have a resale value. So if you want to sell it, you would be lucky if you get 50 percent of the price of the diamond to come back to you.
Pros of Buying a Lab Grown Diamond
1. Quality:
When you are comparing diamonds that are grown in the lab and diamonds that are mined from the ground, they have the same components. But lab-grown diamonds are much cleaner and purer since there would be fewer defects and stains. You would notice that they are a bit brighter, and have better colors since they are in a rather controlled area.
2. Budget-friendly:
Comparing prices with diamonds that are created in the lab and diamonds that are mined, they are relatively cheaper because they are more efficient and if you look at the profit between everyone involved, mining companies actually have large profits. The rough diamond does not even stop at them since they have to go through all of these other people that specialize in these specific parts of honing a diamond.
3. Origin:
Knowing where your diamond came from is always a great thing to know since it could be a way to further appreciate the diamond that you have, but if you have a mined diamond then it would be a bit harder to distinguish where it came from, not impossible, but hard.
Being able to know where your diamond came from gives you the reassurance that the diamond that you bought is not smuggled and is ethically sourced since there had been some smuggling allegations between other mining companies so there are some diamonds that are not documented.
4. Environment friendly
Mines are some of the reasons why there are a lot of beautiful places on our earth that are being destroyed, and they also use fossil fields to get the diamonds from the mines. So they are really heavy contributors to global warming and have a big carbon footprint on the ozone.
Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are more sustainable and make diamonds renewable since you could grow them in controlled areas.
Are Lab-Created Diamonds Worth It?
Adding all of these factors together, then we could confidently say that diamonds that are created in the laboratory are extremely worth it. They are budget-friendly, environmentally friendly, and they have the same components that a mined diamond has. What is not to like?