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Lab Grown Diamonds

Diamonds are formed when carbon is compressed under immense pressure and high temperature, as you have already learned.
This happens either under the earth's crust or in a laboratory, but at the end of the day, both lab-grown and natural diamonds are crystallized carbon. Lab-grown diamonds are visually, chemically and physically identical to natural diamonds. The differences between the two are so subtle that they can only be certified with specialized equipment in specialized institutes.
In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) itself has declared that a diamond is a diamond whether it is lab-grown or mined from the ground.

There are two main methods for producing lab-grown diamonds:

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HIGH PRESSURE - HIGH TEMPERATURE (HPHT)

In this process, the diamonds are produced in laboratories that mimic the pressure and temperature of natural diamond formation in the earth. HPHT diamonds grow at a pressure of 5-6 gigapascals (5-6 billion pascals) and at temperatures of 1300-1600 degrees Celsius.

This method can also be used to improve the color and clarity of lower quality diamonds. The process can be used to color diamonds not only colorless, but also pink, blue or yellow. However, the diamond must then be declared as a "treated" diamond.

CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD)

CVD works by placing a so-called “diamond seed”, a piece of diamond, in a chamber with carbon-rich gases and heating it to 800 degrees Celsius. The gases adhere to the seed and gradually a diamond grows. The process is essentially an accelerated version of what happens under the earth's crust.

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LAB-GROWN VS NATURAL DIAMONDS

Certificates

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When it comes to grading diamonds according to the 4Cs, the GIA (Gemological Institution of America) and the IGI (International Gemological Institute) use the same methods and standards to grade lab-grown and natural diamonds. This means that these standard-defining bodies see no difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds in terms of cut, color, clarity and carat, allowing each stone to be graded according to its individual and unique characteristics. To avoid confusion, the certificates clearly state whether the diamonds are synthetic or natural.

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LAB-GROWN VS NATURAL DIAMONDS

SUSTAINABILITY

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It is not unique. Lab-grown diamonds have been developed through years of dedicated, complex engineering work, and the technology varies from producer to producer and is considered a trade secret. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to track the energy used to produce a lab-grown diamond. Therefore, it is difficult to say whether a synthetic diamond is more sustainable than a natural one.

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LAB-GROWN VS NATURAL DIAMONDS

VALUABILITY

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High quality natural diamonds are technically much rarer than their lab-grown counterparts (there is a limited amount on earth).

Natural diamonds are more expensive, but retain their value over time compared to lab-grown diamonds. A lab-grown diamond can cost up to 80% less than a natural diamond with a similar valuation.
This is because natural diamonds have a much more complex history - from the exact circumstances of creation, findability and availability, to mining, cutting and polishing, to the logistical solution of a natural diamond.

Lab-grown diamonds are not affected by these structural issues, their supply chain is short, and it costs little money to grow a synthetic diamond.

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LAB-GROWN VS NATURAL DIAMONDS

bottom line

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Lab-grown diamonds are less expensive, so you can buy a larger or higher quality diamond at a lower price than a natural diamond. However, they have a significantly lower or no resale value.

Natural diamonds are more expensive, but retain their value long after purchase. As a product of the mining industry, they are part of a sector that, through the intricate infrastructure of mining operations, offers remarkable economic development in parts of the world that desperately need it and has worked to significantly improve practices in terms of sustainability and humanity.

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