How lab-created diamonds are becoming choice for many

Scientists say lab-created diamonds have same properties as natural ones, but some might not yet be convinced

Stock image. Danielle De Angelis (Pexels)

Is a diamond only a diamond when itā€™s formed over millions of years in the ground?

Evidently, the answer to that question is becoming a resounding ā€œnoā€ to many who shop for jewelry.

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More and more, people are turning to diamonds made in labs, not found in mines.

According to reports, the lab-grown diamond market is expected to be a $50 billion industry by 2030.

Diamonds made by scientists in a lab are often a much less expensive option for jewelers and consumers, and more readily available than diamonds that have to be mined.

But how exactly are diamonds made in a lab and just how authentic are they?

Dr. James Shigley, research fellow at the Gemological Institute of America, lent insight on how diamonds are produced in a lab compared to naturally, and their authenticity.

Is a lab created diamond a cubic zirconia?

It should be noted that there are differences between lab-created diamonds and a cubic zirconia, as explained here by Luminesce Lab Grown Diamonds.

How are diamonds naturally formed?

Shigley said diamonds are naturally formed over millions of years in the ground in certain parts of the planet.

ā€œOnce the diamond crystals form in the Earth, they stay down there in that high temperature and pressure environment for millions of years,ā€ he said. ā€œThey kind of come up accidentally in a way by eruptions of a special magma called kimberlite. Itā€™s kind of like an elevator bringing them to the surface. Theyā€™re blown up on the surface by an eruption. That is whatā€™s being mined today for natural diamonds.ā€

How are diamonds made in a lab?

Shigley said there are two main methods to doing, both of which are similar to ā€œgrowing sugar crystals in hot water.ā€

ā€œYouā€™ve got a source of carbon, which is we believe is typically diamond powder,ā€ he said. ā€œThatā€™s the start of where the carbon comes from. You have a molten metal alloy, which is kind of like the hot water, and you have a diamond seed crystal thatā€™s placed in a growth chamber. There is a slight difference in temperature between the top and bottom of the chamber. The diamond powder goes in the solution in the middle at the hot end of this chamber, and the carbon atoms migrate through the metal to the sea crystal, which is slightly cooler in temperature. Thatā€™s where you have the actual synthetic diamond crystal being grown. Itā€™s very similar to growing sugar crystals in water. To grow a crystal of two to three carats, I would guess itā€™s maybe two or three weeks.ā€

Shigley said the second method is ā€œkind of like growing diamonds in a microwave oven.ā€

ā€œYou have a high temperature chamber and you have a carbon containing gas like methane in the chamber,ā€ he said. ā€œYou have diamond seed plates at the bottom of the chamber and you can activate that methane gas with like a microwave beam, and it breaks the methane down into carbon and hydrogen atoms, and those are attracted to the seed plates at the bottom. Youā€™re growing diamonds layer by layer upward. You end up with kind of flat, tabular-shaped crystal.ā€

How authentic are lab-produced diamonds?

Shigley said while lab-produced diamonds canā€™t fully replicate the geological formation over millions of years that natural diamonds have, they are still diamonds.

ā€œOur main concern has been getting consumers to understand that these are diamonds,ā€ he said. ā€œThey are not imitation material. These are actual diamonds. It has the same chemical and physical properties as a natural diamond.ā€

What are the pros and cons of lab-produced diamonds?

The main pro is that lab-produced diamonds can cost 40% to 50% less than natural diamonds, according to the International Gem Society.

Shigley said that is not only good for customers looking to buy jewelry, but also for industries. Itā€™s incredibly expensive for industries to find mines and extract diamonds that way.

ā€œLab production is good for industrial use if you want many crystals in the same shape or way,ā€ he said.

Of course, the main con is that some may simply feel lab-produced diamonds arenā€™t authentic, even if they are produced in the same manner as natural ones formed in the Earth.

ā€œThe only cautionary part of this story is that if you are purchasing them, if you make them, they canā€™t be totally rare,ā€ Shigley said.

Are you a lover of jewelry who has tried lab-produced diamonds? What do you think of them? Let us know in the comments below.


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