Everything you need to know before buying a lab-grown diamond
Throughout the last few years, lab-grown diamonds have continued to grow in popularity, not only for their authentic look but also for their accessibility.
These uniquely crafted gems are man-made in laboratories using technology that replicates the natural diamond-growing process — which consists of a tetrahedral arrangement of carbon atoms tightly bonded together.
The result of this lab-grown entity are diamonds that have the same optical, physical and chemical properties as those grown beneath the Earth’s surface.
How are lab-grown diamonds different from natural diamonds?
While there isn’t a huge structural difference between lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds, one of the biggest differences comes down to origin. “Natural diamonds are extremely old,” Gemological Institute of America (GIA) manager of diamond research Ulrika FS D’Haenens-Johansson told ABC. “They formed up to 3.5 billion years ago, deep within the Earth, under extreme pressure and temperature conditions and were brought up to the surface through ancient volcanic eruptions.”
Another major contrast is price. Jean Dousset, a lab-grown diamond designer and founder of his own namesake jewelry brand explained to ABC that lab diamonds remove the tension that mined diamonds present with the financial commitment and quality compromises many will end up making when
