With the growth in popularity in diamonds in the early 1950’s, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) saw a need to standardize the quality of diamonds. By creating the 4C’s, color, clarity, cut and carat, buyers and sellers can now communicate with each other in a universal language regarding the quality of diamonds.
Overview
Benefits
Certification & Grading
Choosing Lab-Created Diamonds
Lab-Created Diamond
There are many options when it comes to diamonds and engagement rings. If you’re looking at the choices, you have likely come across lab-grown diamonds, and you might be wondering exactly what they are.
Here is everything you need to know if you’re shopping for lab-created diamonds Toronto or anywhere else.
What are Lab-Grown Diamonds?
Lab-created diamonds or lab-grown diamonds (sometimes referred to as cultured or engineered diamonds) are created inside a lab, using technology that simulates how diamonds are formed in nature. Lab-grown diamonds feature the same chemical components as natural diamonds.
The process of making a diamond involves intense pressure and heat. In natural diamonds, this process happens deep in the earth. These diamonds then need to be mined before they can be cut and made into jewelry. With engineered diamonds, this happens inside a machine that is designed for this purpose. Then the diamonds are cut and prepared just like any other diamond.
How are Lab-Created Diamonds Made?
There are two ways to create diamonds using technology, Both involve using what is called a “diamond seed.” This is a flat slither of another diamond that is then placed inside a chamber. Many lab-created diamonds are made using a High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) system. In this process, the seed is placed alongside graphite carbon and exposed to extremely high temperatures and pressure. Over time, a diamond is formed.
The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process also involves a diamond seed. However, in these cases, the seed is sealed in a chamber filled with carbon-rich gas and heated. The results of both processes is the creation of a new diamond.
What are the Differences Between Lab-Created Diamonds and Other Diamonds?
Lab-created diamonds have the same hardness, durability, and look as natural diamonds. They are not simulated diamonds like cubic zirconia. Simulated diamonds have a different chemical composition and often lack the look, feel, and hardness of real diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, not only have the same visual characteristics and sparkle as mined diamonds, but they are also essentially chemically identical. You can’t tell the difference with the naked eye.
One of the most common questions is “are lab-created diamonds real diamonds?” and the answer is yes! The processes involved replicates what happens naturally in the earth and lab diamonds have the same physical properties and chemical composition as mined diamonds. They are diamonds. They are just made differently.
An expert using specialized technologies, and years of experience may be able to tell the difference between lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds, but the differences are not visible to the naked eye.
One major difference between the two is that mined diamonds contain small amounts of nitrogen in their composition, while this is absent from engineered diamonds. Of course, this difference cannot be seen by someone who is just looking at the stone.
The Benefits of Lab-Grown Diamonds
There are many benefits to choosing a lab-created diamond. Some of these benefits include:
Price
As mentioned, lab-created diamonds and natural diamonds are essentially identical to the naked eye. However, lab-grown diamonds are often considerably more affordable. This is because they do not have to be mined and they can be grown much more quickly than mined diamonds.
Quality
In general, many lab-created diamonds are free from many of the defects that often occur in mined diamonds. This means you could end up getting a brighter, more beautiful stone if you choose engineered diamonds.
Eco friendly diamonds
The process of mining diamonds can be tough on the earth in many ways. There is also the risk that natural diamonds could be the products of conflicts, human rights issues, and war. These issues are not present with lab-created diamonds.
The look
As mentioned, many lab-created diamonds are free of common defects and issues that can hinder their appearance. However, they are also available in different colors that would be extremely rare (and therefore expensive) to find in nature. So you could get a diamond with the exact unique look you’re dreaming of.
What to Look for with Lab-Created
Many of the things you would look for when buying lab-created diamonds are the same things that matter when you’re looking at mined diamonds.
For instance, lab-created diamonds are certified and graded in the same manner as natural diamonds. This means you can use the 4Cs of diamond quality (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight) to compare them. They are also certified much in the same way, so you’ll be able to know which diamonds are of higher quality by looking at their certification.
How to Choose a Lab-Created Diamond Engagement Ring
Whether you are looking for a lab-created diamond engagement ring Toronto or beyond, it’s important to trust the jeweler you are working with.
At Damasci, we ensure that we not only provide the best lab-created diamonds Toronto has to offer, but also a high level of customer service. We will not only guide you through the process of reviewing and comparing different diamonds, but also help you select the engagement ring style that is right for you and your partner. We also offer free shipping, a lifetime warranty agreement, and much more.
When you’re shopping for a lab-created diamond engagement ring Toronto or beyond, choosing a reputable and experienced jeweler is crucial. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to know more about the lab-grown diamonds we have to offer.