What are Lab-grown Diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds that are made in a lab by scientists who are experts in this field of study. The chemical components between these diamonds and naturally occurring diamonds are the same, and they are optically identical. The significant difference between lab-grown diamonds and naturally occurring diamonds is in how they are made, and their rarity.

How are Lab-grown Diamonds made?

Two processes are utilized in the creation of these diamonds

• High-Pressure High Temperature
• Chemical Vapor Deposition

In the High-Pressure, High-Temperature process, the diamond begins as a small seed that is placed in the element carbon. By utilizing a belt press, cubic press, or split-sphere press, the seed is put in an environment with a temperature of about 1500 degrees Celsius and a pressure of approximately 103,421 bar. The pure carbon in this environment melts and starts to form a diamond around the small seed, after which it is carefully cooled to a pure diamond.

For the Carbon Vapor Deposition process, a thin slice of the diamond seed is put in a sealed environment and heated to a temperature of about 8000 degrees Celsius. The environment is then filled with gases rich in carbon, such as methane and other gases. The gases undergo an ionization process like that of lasers or microwaves, changing them into plasma. The result of this ionization is that the molecular bonds of the carbon-rich gases are broken, and the pure carbon sticks to the diamond seed and is left to crystallize slowly.

Advantages of Lab-grown Diamonds over Mined Diamonds

Some of the pros of using this kind of diamond are listed below:

• Reduced effect on the earth compared to mining naturally occurring diamonds
• Lower carbon emissions compared to mining naturally occurring diamonds
• Competitively priced. The price of lab-grown diamonds is 20-30% less than naturally occurring diamonds
• Reduced humanitarian costs. Naturally, mined diamonds have been linked to pollution of water sources due to the drainage from acid mines.

Where to Purchase Lab-grown Diamonds

As a result of their reduced environmental and humanitarian impacts, many people are now shifting towards the purchase of Lab-grown diamonds, especially millennials who have seen firsthand the effects of environmental pollution in their communities. Some of the popular places to purchase these diamonds are indicated below:

• Pure Grown Diamonds
• 1215 Diamonds
• MiaDonna
• Ada Diamonds
• Lightbox Jewelry

Lab-grown diamonds are the future of the diamond industry, and many efforts should be made to make their production more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.