Nobody talks about the difference between a natural diamond and one made in a lab. Lab-Grown diamonds don’t have any nitrogen, but natural diamonds have tiny amounts. This is one of the ways that gemologists can tell if a diamond was made in a lab or was found in nature.
Over millions of years, the pressure of the earth’s crust turns carbon into diamonds. After that, the diamonds are mined, cut, and polished. A lab-grown diamond goes through the same process but does so in a lab. How a lab-grown diamond is made reduces the time it takes to grow from millions of years to just a few months. They are also cut and polished at this point.
What Is A Lab Grown Diamond?
A diamond made in a controlled lab setting is called a Lab Grown diamond. Scientists can now make diamonds that look like diamonds mined from the earth and have the same chemical and physical properties by using the popular methods of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) or High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). These diamonds can even be certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI).
Are Diamonds Made In A Lab Worth Buying?
In most cases, the answer is “yes.” Whether it comes from a lab or the earth, a perfectly cut diamond with no flaws inside is very expensive and hard to find. Natural and lab-grown diamonds have different amounts of internal “inclusions,” which look like fingerprints and are referred to and graded by gemological labs. Lab-grown or natural diamonds with lower clarity grades may have flaws that can be seen with the “naked eye.” Cut and colour are also significant in deciding whether a diamond is excellent, good, good, or poor.
Should You Buy A Diamond Made In A Lab Or One Found In Nature?
If you can’t tell the difference between a diamond made in a lab and a natural diamond, which one should you choose? It’s hard to give a single answer to this question because each buyer has different priorities. If the way a diamond looks is the only thing that matters to you, then it doesn’t matter if humans made it. Unless you tell them, no one will notice. But some significant differences should make you think twice before you choose.
Value
The difference in value between real and lab grown diamonds are even more significant than the price difference. Lab-made diamonds are almost impossible to sell for more than a few pennies on the dollar, while natural diamonds usually keep about half of their original value. When you buy something, you immediately lose a considerable amount of its value.
Also consider how their prices change over time. Since the price of lab grown diamonds is going down and the price of natural diamonds is going up, your lab grown diamond will probably be worth less than a natural diamond of the same grade, and that’s before you consider the difference in resale value.
Sustainability
Some people may worry about how natural diamond mining affects the environment and people’s lives. That doesn’t mean that natural diamonds are always wrong. But it makes sense that diamonds made by people in labs will last longer than diamonds from the ground.
There are some different opinions about this. The FTC warned several jewellers not to make claims that their jewellery was sustainable or suitable for the environment that couldn’t be proven.
Price
The price of lab diamonds still changes all the time. It is found that lab-made diamonds were, on average, 23–25% more expensive than natural diamonds just 4–5 years ago. Today, lab-grown diamonds are much less expensive than natural diamonds, from 50 to 60% less, or sometimes even more.
This is because of supply. Because it takes nature billions of years to make a diamond, there aren’t many of them around. But with synthetic diamonds, there is no limit to how many can be made. As the number of diamonds made goes up, the price goes down.
The price of lab-grown diamonds is dropping at an alarming rate, and it doesn’t look like it will stop or turn around any time soon. Think about this before you buy: a lab diamond that costs $1,000 today may only be worth a small fraction of that in one or two years.
How To Tell The Difference?
Look closely. Most of the time, you can’t tell the difference between a diamond made in a lab and a mined diamond. If you buy a ring with a diamond made in a lab, it’s almost certain that no one will know unless you tell them. Some tiny things can be in lab-grown diamonds that aren’t in natural diamonds. The only way to see these inclusions without a magnifying tool is very rarely.
Most of the time, a lab diamond will have the same brilliance and shine as a natural diamond. If you want a beautiful diamond, lab diamonds can be a cheaper option without settling for a lower grade.
Should I Get A Ring With A Lab-Grown Diamond?
When choosing between a lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond, there is no right or wrong answer. You can choose anything you want. When making your choice, the most common things to consider are your budget, what your significant other likes, and how substantial resale value is to you.
Conclusion
Even though diamonds are not a good investment in general, it makes sense to buy a piece of jewellery that will likely keep its value over time. If this is important to you, choose diamonds that are made from nature.
Don’t rule out artificial diamonds as a choice. With a lab-made diamond, a couple on a tight budget can afford a beautiful ring that is otherwise out of their price range. But remember that you might find the same diamond for a lot less money in the future. So, where do you stand? Tell us what you think!
FAQs
Are diamonds made in a lab real diamonds?
Yes. The chemicals in a “Lab Grown” diamond are the same as those in a “Natural” diamond. A diamond certification is also included.
Are lab-grown diamonds as strong as diamonds found in nature?
Yes. On the scale of hardness, both lab diamonds and natural diamonds have a score of 10.
Do lab-made diamonds shine as brightly as real ones?
Yes, lab-grown diamonds have the same shine, sparkle, colour, and clarity as diamonds that come from mines. Aside from how they were made, there is no difference.
Are diamonds made in a lab worth anything?
Over the past few years, the price of lab-grown diamonds has decreased, and some people think this trend will continue. That doesn’t mean that a Lab Grown Diamond has no resale value; it just means that it usually won’t be as valuable as a natural diamond.