Lab-Grown Diamonds

Benefits of lab-grown diamonds

• Extremely durable for everyday wear
• Excellent value as an affordable diamond alternative
• Lab created with minimal environmental impact

 
Gemstone Brilliance Refractive Index Fire Dispersion Hardness MOHS Scale Durability Toughness
Lab-Grown Diamond 2.42 0.044 10 Excellent
Diamond 2.42 0.044 10 Excellent
Ruby 1.77 0.018 9 Excellent
Sapphire 1.77 0.018 9 Excellent
Emerald 1.58 0.014 7.5 Good to Poor
   

What is a lab grown diamond?

If you're wondering whether a lab-grown diamond is a real diamond, the short answer is yes. Lab-grown diamonds are commonly referred to as man-made diamonds or lab-created diamonds, but they should not be mistaken as "fake" or "synthetic." The only characteristic that sets a man-made diamond apart from a “natural” or “earth” diamond is the creation process. A natural diamond is grown underground before being mined and sold. A lab-grown diamond is created in a laboratory, using innovative technology. Browse King Jewelers' extensive selection of lab-grown diamonds in a variety of shapes and sizes by visiting our store in Nashville, Tennessee.

How are lab made diamonds created?

Natural diamonds take billions of years to grow underground near the earth’s core through naturally-occuring high pressures and heat. Lab grown diamonds replicate this process utilizing two different processes. One of them is High-Pressure-High-Temperature (HPHT) and the other is Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). HPHT diamonds can be created by using a belt press, split-sphere (BARS) press, or cubic press. These three machines provide incredibly high temperatures and pressure that are essential to the creation of a diamond. CVD diamonds use a thin slice of an HPHT-generated diamond that is then sealed in an 800-degree chamber filled with carbon-rich gas. Then, the stone begins to crystalize through the ionization process.

Other Benefits of Buying a Lab Diamond

From an environmentalist perspective, man-made diamonds utilize a reasonable and controlled amount of energy to create. This benefits the companies who grow these diamonds because the less energy they use, helps to keep their overall costs to a minimum. The ethical aspect of production is also important to those who are ready to buy a diamond. Since these diamonds are made in a lab, you’ll never have to question the ethical origins of your stone because the process is controlled from beginning to end. Financially, cultured diamonds are typically less expensive than mined diamonds because they can be produced in mass quantities. In addition, they require fewer resources to create than their naturally-mined counterparts.