Lab-grown diamonds can be found in several jewelry stores all around the world. They are popular for their use in engagement rings. However, the increasing popularity has stirred several questions. People are concerned about whether lab-grown diamonds are real and wonder if they match up to mined diamonds. If these and more are questions in your heart, then you are in the right place.
Let’s start by examining what lab-created diamonds are –
What are Lab-Created Diamonds?
Lab-created diamonds, also called lab-grown diamonds or man-made diamonds are diamonds that are produced in the laboratory. These gemstones are manufactured using processes that mimic the exact formation process of natural diamonds.
Natural diamonds form deep below the earth’s crust when very high temperature and pressure work on carbon, causing it to crystallize and form the gem. In the laboratory, these processes are dubbed, making it possible to have diamonds without the mining process.
Differences Between Natural And Lab-Grown Diamonds
Lab-created diamonds possess the exact chemical, physical, and optical properties as mined diamonds. In other words, they are as real as diamonds dug up from the earth.
If we must insist on a difference between mined and lab-grown diamonds, it would be in the way these gems are sourced. As you already know, natural diamonds are mined from under the earth’s crust while manufactured diamonds are made to grow in a lab. Also, natural diamonds form over millions of years while lab-created diamonds can be grown within a couple of months.
Apart from origins, we may also be able to pick some other variations between lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds.
Cost
Lab-grown diamonds are relatively less expensive than mined diamonds of the same carat size. The created gemstones cost about 10 to 50% less than natural diamonds. The reasons for this huge price difference are not far-fetched. Lab-grown diamonds can be manufactured within a shorter time and do not encounter all the complexities associated with mining natural diamonds.
Clarity
Lab-created diamonds carry the same clarity as mined diamonds. Most diamonds contain one kind of flaw or the other and the presence or absence of these flaws contribute to the overall quality of diamonds. Because natural diamonds grow uncontrolled in the earth, they have higher chances of containing flaws. These flaws can range from anything like bubbles to thread-like inclusions and whatnot.
While lab-created diamonds are also susceptible to flaws, they are less likely to contain inclusions as they grow without interference from external factors. In essence, lab-grown diamonds tend to be of the highest quality in terms of clarity. Most lab diamonds like the ones sourced by BIRON® Gems are created to be of a flawless grade. So it is safe to say you can boast of the quality of a lab-grown diamond more than a mined one.
Can You Tell the Difference Between a Lab-Grown Diamond and a Mined Diamond?
Supposing a jeweler holds up two diamond stones, one mined and the other created in the laboratory, would you be able to tell the difference? No. Not by staring or even by years of use. You will not be able to tell the difference between a lab-created and mined diamond.
The jeweler will also not be able to tell the difference. This is because lab-grown diamonds were created to be just exactly as mined diamonds. And as we have already explained, these lab-created gems are also real diamonds.
Most of the equipment used by jewelers are effective for detecting fake diamonds but will not determine how a real diamond was sourced. It would require professional equipment, mostly found in laboratories to determine if a diamond was lab-grown or not.
Therefore, the only way you and your jeweler would be able to tell a lab-created diamond from a natural one is to check the grading certificate. The certificate says a lot about the gem, including how it was sourced and other details such as the carat size, clarity, cut, and color.
Conclusion
While the idea of buying for a natural diamond is classy and feels like going for the “real thing,” it is important to note that lab-grown diamonds are just as real as mined diamonds. Besides, they offer you other benefits such as more value for money and higher quality.
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