Lab-Grown Diamonds
Lab-Grown diamonds (also referred to as synthetic diamonds, laboratory-created diamonds, manufactured diamonds, man-made diamonds, or cultured diamonds) are diamonds that is produced by a manufacturing process, as contrasted with earth or mined diamonds created by geological processes and extracted by mining. Lab-Grown diamonds are chemically and physically no different from minded diamonds. They should not be confused with diamond simulant, which is made of non-diamond material. Lab-Grown diamonds are the same material as mined diamonds: pure carbon, crystallized in an isotropic 3D form.
Lab created diamonds offer excellent value, and are more affordable than mined diamonds of comparable size and quality. Lab grown diamonds usually cost about 30%-40% less than mined diamonds of similar size & quality. The Lab-Grown diamond process making it impossible for the human eye to identify the difference of Lab-Grown or earth mined diamonds.
Lab-Grown diamonds have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as mined diamonds. Like mined diamonds, lab created diamonds will vary in color, clarity, and cut. Each one is unique. Lab created diamonds may contain minor internal or surface inclusions, comparable to high quality mined diamonds. Lab-Grown diamonds are evaluated and graded by independent gemological labs that certify mined diamonds, using the same strict standards. Lab-Grown diamonds are physically and chemically the same as mined diamonds hence they do not have a lower durability and will not get cloudy over time.
Lab-Grown diamonds are certified, giving you important information on Cut, Clarity, Carat Weight, and more. By having a certificate, you can make an informed decision and compare similarly graded diamonds. The best diamond certifications are the GIA and AGS because they're the most consistent Lab-Grown grading entities. That means you can trust their grading in all aspects like Color, Clarity and Cut quality. These labs also grade more rigorously than other labs. They also can be graded by the world's leading diamond laboratories such as the IGI, GCAL, and HRD.
Customers looking for a mining-free alternative or a larger stone within their budget may prefer Lab-Grown diamonds as they are generally at a lower price point compared to mined options. As with any gemstone, the resale value can vary over time. Since Lab-Grown is a more recent introduction to the market, there is more uncertainty on future pricing, when compared to minded diamonds.
Many traditional jewelers tell customers that Lab-Grown diamonds have absolutely no value, but this could not be further from the truth. Most earth mined diamonds have resale value, and most lab created diamonds will have a similar resale value as well.
Yes, just like a mined diamonds, Lab-Grown diamonds can be insured.
A diamond may be mistakenly identified as a moissanite when using some diamond testers due to their similarity in thermal conductivity. Professionals can easily distinguish between the two gems due to their differing refractive properties, with moissanites being double refractive and diamonds being single refractive.
Diamond simulant, diamond imitation or imitation diamond is an object or material with gemological characteristics similar to those of a diamond. Simulants are distinct from synthetic diamonds, which are actual diamonds having the same material properties as mined diamonds. Enhanced diamonds are also excluded from this definition. A diamond simulant may be artificial, mined, or in some cases a combination thereof. While their material properties depart markedly from those of diamond, simulants have certain desired characteristics—such as dispersion and hardness—which lend themselves to imitation. Trained gemologists with appropriate equipment are able to distinguish mined and synthetic diamonds from all diamond simulants, primarily by visual inspection.
The most common diamond simulants are high-leaded glass (i.e., rhinestones) and cubic zirconia (CZ), both artificial materials. A number of other artificial materials, such as strontium titanate and synthetic rutile have been developed since the mid-1950s, but these are no longer in common use. Introduced at the end of the 20th century, the Lab-Grown product moissanite has gained popularity as an alternative to diamond. The high price of gem-grade diamonds, as well as significant ethical concerns of the diamond trade, have created a large demand for.