You may have heard of lab grown diamonds, also known as cultured or lab-created diamonds, but might not understand the difference between them and natural diamonds. Lab grown/cultured diamonds are identical to natural diamonds in every way – they have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties. The only difference is that they are created in a laboratory environment instead of deep within the earth over millions of years. However, there are two main differences between lab-grown diamonds and natural ones – the creation process and the cost of production. A brief overview of these differences follows below...
You may have heard of lab created diamonds before. This acronym stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition, a method used to create diamond thin films in laboratories. If you’re shopping for an engagement ring, it’s likely that you’ve seen CVD (also called synthetic) diamond rings at your local jewelry store. But what is a lab-grown diamond versus a Diamond Created by Vadering (DCV) diamond? Let’s find out!
According to The Smithsonian, in order for a lab diamonds to be considered lab grown, it must be created in a laboratory under controlled conditions. To do so, scientists use high-pressure, high-temperature machines that are able to create certain chemical processes to replicate natural diamond growth. Two methods are used: one of them is called chemical vapor deposition (CVD), where carbon is heated in a chamber until it forms into a diamond crystalline structure; another method uses hydrothermal synthesis, where diamonds form when superheated solutions react with specific minerals.
The Pros of Lab Diamonds -- There are a few key advantages to CVD diamonds, including cost-effectiveness, versatility, and lack of blood on your hands. Cons of Lab Diamonds -- While there’s no scientific consensus on just how real or authentic lab-grown diamonds are, a lot of people take issue with having to buy their engagement ring from a jewelry chain store.
