If you’re uncertain of what a Lab diamonds is or how they’re created, this guide will take you through the procedure step-by-step. Additionally, you’ll gain insight into the ethical advantages and environmental impact of lab grown diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are created through two processes – Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) and High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) – that replicate the formation of natural diamonds to yield stunning gem-quality gems.
How They’re Made
Laboratory Lab Grown Diamonds UK can be created through two primary processes: High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD). With HPHT, a small diamond seed is placed amidst pure graphite carbon before being exposed to temperatures around 1,500C for several days.
It is then pressurised to around 1.5 million pounds per square inch in a machine, mimicking the natural diamond formation process deep underground in the earth.
Natural diamonds, which are formed over millions of years in intense pressure and heat underground, take weeks to form in a laboratory setting.
When purchasing a lab-grown diamond, its quality is certified to be on par with mined diamonds based on four Cs: colour, cut, clarity and carat. This ensures your diamond is of the same standard as other mined stones based on colour, cut, clarity and carat weight.
Lab diamonds have become increasingly popular with young diamond buyers due to their transparency, sustainability, and typically lower price point than mined diamonds. However, it’s essential to remember that these gems still require electricity for production – with an associated carbon footprint that is quite significant.
The Process
Similar to natural diamonds, lab-grown gems begin with a carbon seed (a small sliver of the mineral). They are then subjected to intense heat and pressure through either High Pressure-High Temperature or Chemical Vapour Deposition processes.
These experiments produce a chemically identical diamond that looks and feels just like its natural counterpart, complete with colour zoning, metallic inclusions, weak strain patterns and colours of ultraviolet fluorescence.
They’re more cost-effective than mined diamonds, with prices ranging between 20-40 percent lower. Furthermore, they require less water usage and produce significantly fewer carbon emissions compared to their mined counterparts.
These are just a few reasons why lab-grown diamonds are becoming more and more popular. They offer an ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to complex supply chains that may involve community displacement, worker mistreatment or child labour. Furthermore, due to their much shorter chain of custody, you can trace your purchase and ensure it was ethically sourced.
The Materials
Lab-grown diamonds are composed of pure carbon and have the same chemical and physical characteristics as their mined counterparts, but they’re created under controlled conditions in a laboratory rather than being exposed to the intense pressure and heat of Earth’s mantle.
Two primary methods for producing lab-grown diamonds are high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Both involve placing a diamond seed inside carbon material then subjecting it to intense pressure and temperature.
This molten metal solution transforms carbon into diamond crystals, which are then cooled and polished into their final form. Diamonds can then be graded according to color, cut, clarity, and carat weight.
The End Product
Lab-Grown Diamonds offer an innovative and exciting new way to wear diamonds. They’re created in a laboratory through an exact replica of natural diamond formation through a special process that replicates this natural phenomenon.
Sustainable and cost-effective compared to mined diamonds, lab grown diamonds are less harmful for the environment and require much less energy consumption than their mined counterparts. Plus, mining and transporting diamonds requires much more energy than growing an equivalent size diamond in a laboratory setting – saving you money in the process!
Conclusion
Laboratory-grown diamonds can be created through several methods, but the most popular is a high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) process. It starts with a diamond “seed” crystal placed inside an enclosed press along with metal catalyst like nickel or iron. Subsequently, this special deposition process replicates natural conditions to produce perfect diamonds.
