Lab grown diamonds are diamonds created in an actual diamond lab, they’re also known as man-made diamonds, manufactured diamonds, synthetic diamonds and cultured diamonds depending on the context. The name ‘cultured’ comes from the way these gemstones are made: in a lab under high pressure and temperature to replicate the process that creates natural diamonds over millions of years. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of lab-grown diamonds, so you can make an informed decision about whether to buy one or not!
Introduction To Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown or cultured diamonds are created in a laboratory environment, not mined from the earth. Diamonds are made of carbon, so they grow when placed in a chamber with a precisely controlled high-pressure, high-temperature environment that simulates the conditions deep within the earth. The process takes about one month, then the diamond can be cut and polished to create a stone indistinguishable from natural diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are typically much less expensive than mined stones because they bypass all of the costly steps involved in digging up, polishing, cutting and marketing natural stones.
Lab grown diamonds do not have any negative effects on the environment like mining does because they don’t use any natural resources or produce any waste during their creation process.
What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds are created in a laboratory by replicating the earth’s natural processes. They are created when a carbon seed is placed in a high-temperature, a highly pressurized chamber with a mixture of gases. The seed reacts to the environment and grows into a diamond over two weeks. The diamond is then cut, polished, and set just like any other diamond.
Lab grown diamonds offer many benefits including lower price points, increased supply, cleaner origin (no risk of blood diamonds), and no environmental impact or mining issues. In addition, they have all the same physical properties as mined diamonds. While these factors make them a good option for consumers looking for an ethical alternative, they do come with some downsides. One downside is that they may not be as durable and may crack more easily than mined stones because of their manufacturing process. Another potential downside is that some people do not want to buy artificial diamonds for philosophical reasons.
Why Do Companies Make Them?
Lab-grown diamonds can be made in several ways, but for the sake of this conversation, let’s say it’s CVD diamonds manufacturer (chemical vapour deposition). In this process, a carbon source is heated to around 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat from the carbon source causes hydrocarbons in the air to react with nitrogen gas. This reaction creates diamond particles that are then deposited onto a silicon carbide base. The resulting diamond is not quite as clear or as perfect as an earth-mined diamond, but for many people that isn’t important. What matters is that it’s created without all of the human rights violations and environmental damage that come along with mining.
How Is It Done?
Lab grown diamonds are created from small diamond crystals, which are then cut, polished, and heated to make them shine. The process is so similar to the traditional way that it’s hard to spot the difference between a natural diamond and a lab-grown one. Diamonds are created in high pressure and temperature conditions that we can’t reach on earth. These conditions create incredible pressure on carbon atoms which bond together to create a crystal lattice structure. The most common way of creating these conditions is by detonating a nuclear bomb! Lab created diamonds don’t involve any of this unpleasantness (although some people do consider nuclear testing an ecological hazard). It’s more like growing flowers than building bombs: first, tiny pieces of diamond are cultivated in machines designed for the task; then they’re compressed into thin sheets; finally, those sheets are ground down into rough stones. Each step relies on sophisticated equipment to maintain an exacting level of precision. If anything goes wrong at any point in the process, the whole thing grinds to a halt. But once everything has been set up properly–and adjusted now and again–the work goes quickly.
Conclusion On All Things Lab Grown Diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are created in a laboratory. Diamonds are made of carbon, so scientists take the carbon from other sources to create the diamond. The diamond is then cut, polished, and graded like any other diamond. The process takes more time than mining a natural diamond, but it also costs less. Lab-grown diamonds are popular because they cost about 50% less than mined stones. They’re also environmentally friendly because they don’t use up any natural resources or pollute the environment in any way.