Lab grown diamonds – new rock on the block? All you need to know about lab grown diamonds!

Lab-grown diamonds have gained massive popularity in recent years, emerging as the

centre stone of choice in engagement rings and other contemporary jewelry pieces for their

environmental and social advantages over mined diamonds. However, there are still many

misconceptions around these gems due to which certain consumers are leery of purchasing

them. This article will separate fiction from the facts and bust all the myths surrounding lab

grown diamonds once and for all.

Lab grown diamonds can be grown in the laboratory through two different processes currently:

(1) Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process (2) High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT)

process. Whilst CVD technology exactly replicates the diamond creation process that occurs

below the surface of the earth, HPHT process doesn’t fully replicate the diamond creation

process that occurs below the earth. It begins with a mined diamond seed but then uses

graphite and a molten metal influx as part of its diamond creation process. As a result of the

metal influx, HPHT diamonds have metal impurities and are not 100% carbon composed. As

a result, unlike CVD diamonds, they are not the purest diamonds and do not receive a

classification of Type IIA by the diamond grading labs.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds are fake, artificial, or synthetic.

Fact: Lab grown diamonds are neither synthetic nor artificial. They are as real as mined

diamonds and are grown by replicating the earth’s conditions in a laboratory instead of being

mined from under the surface of the earth.

This has been validated by industry experts as below:

“They (lab grown diamonds) are real diamonds. They have the same optical, chemical,

thermal and physical features.” – Matthew Hall, Vice President, GIA

Also, the GIA and the US Federal Trade Commission (US FTC) dropped the word “synthetic”

in describing lab grown diamonds in their diamond reports and jewellery guidelines

respectively.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds are inferior in quality as compared to mined diamonds

Fact: Lab grown diamonds are of the same quality, if not better than mined diamonds. There

is no optical, thermal, physical, or chemical composition difference between mined & lab

grown diamonds. Yet, in the case of lab grown diamonds particularly CVD diamonds,

consumers benefit from better brilliance and shine as these diamonds are devoid of

nitrogen impurities and composed entirely of carbon – classified & and certified as Type IIa

diamonds.

A Type IIA diamond in the mined counterpart is an extreme rarity as 98% of world’s mined

diamonds have nitrogen impurity and are not the purest. In that case, a CVD diamond is in

fact superior quality to its mined counterpart.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds are cheaper because they are of poor quality

Fact: Lab grown diamonds are created using advanced technology in laboratories

whereas mined diamonds are mined from under the surface of the earth. Lab grown

diamonds do not incur the expense of mining and hence pass on the cost-benefit to the

consumers with lower pricing. There is absolutely no compromise or difference in quality.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds are not certified

Fact: Lab grown diamonds are certified by the same diamond grading & certifying agencies

that grade & certify mined diamonds including world renowned organisations such as GIA,

IGI and SGL.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds do not have resale value

Fact: Lab grown diamonds have resale value with brands like Limelight Diamonds offering

buyback and exchange opportunities to the end consumers.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds impact the environment and our society in the

same way as mined diamonds do

Fact: Lab grown diamonds are not mined diamonds. As a result, they do not bear the burden

of mining and its associated environmental and social costs. 1 carat of a lab grown diamond

can save up to 109 gallons of water and 250 tonnes of land. Today, in the world nearly 150

million carats of mined diamonds are consumed and one can only imagine the damage done

each year!

They are also devoid of any ethical conflicts as they do not undergo an ambiguous supply

chain or face any hazards owing to mining conditions.

Myth: You can tell the difference between lab grown diamonds and mined

diamonds just by looking at them

Fact: No, the naked eye cannot tell the difference between mined diamonds and lab grown

diamonds. Specifically designed hi-tech machines in certification labs only can tell

the difference between lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds.

Myth: Lab grown diamonds (Chemical Vapor Deposition) diamonds are the same as

CZ (Cubic Zirconia) or Moissanite.

Fact: Diamond is entirely made of carbon. Diamonds crafted through the Lab grown

diamonds process are made up of 100% carbon and share the same chemical, optical,

thermal properties as a mined diamond. Cubic Zirconia on the other hand is a diamond

simulant, made up of Zirconium Oxide and does not share the same properties as a diamond.

Moissanite is also a diamond simulant made up of silicon carbide.