Lab Grown Diamonds: Can You Tell the Difference?

Diamonds have always been a significant part of any engagement ring. These precious stones signify your eternal love for your partner. Lab Grown Diamonds it’s perfectly natural to be cautious about the kind and quality of diamond engagement rings. A lot of factors are at play when you buy proposal rings, such as a diamond’s four C’s.

But these days, there’s another factor that buyers consider when they buy diamond jewelry. People often look at whether the diamonds are lab-grown or natural. Lab grown diamonds are gaining traction, not only in rings but also in other jewelry.

Manufacturers claim that they are just as timeless as real diamonds, but how true is this? Are these lab-created diamonds the same as real diamonds? Are they worth it when it comes to wedding jewelry? This article explains the similarities and differences between these two diamond types. 

Grown Diamonds and Real Diamonds: Are They Identical?

You’ll find it hard to spot the difference between these two diamonds when it comes to their appearance. Both lab grown and natural diamonds are made of crystalline carbon. That means they both have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties.

Because of this, both Lab Grown Diamonds Are Identical and natural ones come with the same diamond cuts, styles, and shapes. The market has a lot of options for this type of diamond. The most popular ones are wedding rings, but you can also find them in tennis bracelets and as diamond pendants.

But, lab-created diamonds are man-made. They did not occur naturally, which means they still differ from real diamonds. This section will discuss the key differences between these two types of diamonds.

Where They Come From

Most natural diamonds available today developed deep beneath the Earth’s mantle. They came from carbon and became solid after exposure to extreme heat and pressure. Deep-source volcanic eruptions, then, bring the stones closer to the surface. The process breaks the diamonds into smaller pieces.

What happens is they use a thin slice of diamond with an already-developed crystalline structure. They call this the “seed” of a diamond and is made entirely of carbon. The diamond seed is put in a vacuum, where carbon atoms absorb into the diamond seed.

Some use the high-pressure high-temperature method (HPHT). They compress pure carbon inside a metal cube and expose it to intense heat and pressure. Diamonds eventually form as carbon deteriorates and crystallizes. After the process, you won’t find any metal traces within the diamonds. 

So does that make lab grown diamonds fake? Unlike what other people believe, that’s far from the truth. They are as “genuine” as real diamonds since they have the same physical and chemical makeup. What may be regarded as “fake” diamonds are cubic zirconia and moissanite.

Although they are also made in a lab, they are not actual diamonds since they don’t have carbon atoms. They also don’t shine as bright as lab grown diamonds. You’ll also find that moissanite and cubic zirconia have a hardness score of 8 to 9.5 while lab grown ones are a perfect 10.

Prices

The cut, carat, color, and clarity of diamonds determine their prices. The diamond shape also affects how much the diamond will be. For example, round diamonds are more expensive than any other diamond shape. Fancy-shaped diamonds like emerald cuts are cheaper since they waste the least amount of rough diamonds.

Since natural diamonds are rare, they are more expensive than lab grown diamonds. Not to mention that the mining process is intricate and complicated. There are no promises about what will come out of mining.

If you have a tight budget for wedding day diamonds, you can save a lot with lab-created diamond rings. In today’s market,Technology advancements also help in creating more of these diamonds.

Durability

As mentioned, both natural and lab grown diamonds are made up of the same material. This makes both diamonds have the same hardness level on the Mohs scale.

Sustainability

Natural diamonds may have been the traditional go-to when it comes to wedding jewelry. But some suppliers get these diamonds from mining, which hurts the environment.

That is not to imply that using natural diamonds is always wrong. But, it makes sense that lab grown diamonds are more sustainable than natural diamonds. If you don’t know any reliable suppliers, it’s best to switch to lab grown diamonds.

Other manufacturers also use recycled metals to fashion diamond rings. Combine these with lab-created diamond rings and you got yourself eco-friendly jewelry.

Clarity

The same grading organizations that evaluate genuine diamonds also grade lab-created diamonds. This means that there are no differences between lab grown and natural diamonds in terms of the 4Cs. Both types of diamonds have the same clarity ratings, which are from Flawless (F1) to Included (I3).

Color

Much like in clarity, the color quality of lab grown diamonds uses the same color scale as a natural diamond. That’s because you won’t find any physical differences between these two types of diamonds. 

Most couples look for G to J diamonds in the color rating scale. These stones are almost colorless, which is more affordable. True colorless diamonds have D to F color grades. They are extremely rare, which makes them expensive.

Can You See the Differences Between Lab Grown Diamonds and Natural Diamonds?

Here’s the million-dollar question: Will you be able to tell the difference between the two?

With the naked eye, you can’t since the difference is microscopic. This means you need to use specialized equipment to know which diamond is which. So you don’t have to be afraid of buying lab grown diamond engagement rings. If anything, these diamonds help you save a lot for other wedding preparations.

But if you want to make sure you’re buying natural diamonds, you can ask the jeweler yourself. They can provide you with a diamond certification. If you’re looking for natural diamonds, you need to ask for their GIA certificate. When it comes to lab-created diamonds, they can provide you with a GCAL or IGI certificate.

It’s the Thought That Counts

As you can see, lab grown diamonds are identical to natural diamonds. They look the same and both don’t chip easily. You can also find the same shape, style, and cut for both diamonds. The difference all boils down to where they come from and their prices. 

But not all people fuss about whether the diamond is real or lab grown. This all depends on which diamond you can afford. Keep in mind that no one can tell the difference between the two unless they have a screening device.

At the end of the day, it isn’t about the diamond that makes a ring special. It’s about what the diamond represents to you and the one you’re giving it to. We can bet that your partner will still love you no matter which diamond engagement ring you choose to give them.