If you’re shopping around for something special and sparkly, you may very well have come across the term ‘laboratory-grown diamonds’. You might be wondering what this means and whether or not it's something you should be considering adding to your jewellery collection. 

Here, we teach you the difference between diamonds grown in a lab and natural diamonds, how to tell the difference between the two and the pros and cons of each so that you can make the right diamond-buying decision.

How are diamonds made?

Unlike diamonds that have been grown in a lab, natural diamonds are formed over hundreds of thousands—maybe even millions—of years within the earth’s crust. The intense heat and pressure in the earth cause carbon atoms to crystallise over time et voila, a diamond is formed. Hence the famous saying, ‘Pressure creates diamonds’. 

Diamonds are mined from the earth and then cut and polished, ready to be transformed into jewellery, whether it’s a piece of precious luxury to add to a collection or a diamond engagement ring that will become part of a romantic love story.

How are laboratory-grown diamonds made?

Developed by science, as opposed to nature, laboratory-grown diamonds (also commonly known as laboratory-created diamonds or synthetic diamonds) are grown in highly controlled labs. They’re made using sophisticated technology and advanced processes that have been purpose-built to mimic the way non-synthetic diamonds form naturally in the earth.

Fascinatingly, diamonds grown in a lab have the exact same chemical composition as natural diamonds, which means they also look exactly the same to the naked eye. We’ll explore how to tell the difference—or indeed if you can tell the difference—between the two in just a moment.

Like diamonds grown in the earth, laboratory-created diamonds are also made using carbon but there are two different ways this can be done:

The High-Pressure, High-Temperature (HPHT) method

This involves a diamond ‘seed’ being put inside a carbon source like graphite and then pressed with extreme pressure in a press machine. Temperatures of 1,600℃ are applied at the same time and the combination of this high pressure and high heat causes the carbon to melt and crystallise around the seed. 

This forms diamonds as we know and love them over a period of a few months or even weeks.

The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method

This is a super scientific process that involves the diamond seed being placed inside a vacuum chamber with some high-carbon gas. The carbon atoms are then filtered out of the gas so they can bond to the seed, crystalise and then form a diamond in a similar timeframe to the HPHT method.

Whichever lab-based method is used, the stones are then cut and polished in the same way their natural counterparts would be so they can sparkle just as much.

When shopping for diamond jewellery, it’s important to note that laboratory-grown diamonds aren’t the same as diamond simulants like moissanite or cubic zirconia.

How to tell the difference between laboratory-created diamonds and natural diamonds

The beauty of laboratory-grown diamonds is that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them just by looking at them. Their similarities go so far beneath the surface, right down to their scientific makeup, that you would need special lasers to be able to tell them apart.

Expert gemologists can use professional laser testing methods to identify whether a stone is a natural diamond or a laboratory-created diamond. These lasers will be able to tell whether or not the stone has layers or any nitrogen content.

Diamonds grown in a lab will have no internal layers and no nitrogen. Natural diamonds will have thousands and thousands of layers inside and a small amount of nitrogen content.

Diamonds should come with an official grading report to let you know whether it’s a laboratory-grown diamond or not.

Laboratory-grown diamonds vs. natural diamonds

The choice between a laboratory-created diamond or a natural diamond is a nice choice to have and hopefully, this blog post will help make your selection easier.

Below, we take you through the pros and cons of laboratory-grown diamonds so you can see how they stack up against each other. After all, with natural diamonds looking and feeling identical to diamonds grown in a lab, it’s small details like these that matter most.

The pros - reasons to choose laboratory-created diamonds:

• Cost - Diamonds grown in a lab can be up to around 75% cheaper than an earth-grown diamond. This means you can either save some money or spend the same amount of money and get a bigger stone for your budget.
  
  
• Outcome - The process of growing a diamond in a lab means there’s more accuracy and precision about its size and composition.
  
  
• Ethics - Laboratory-created diamonds are thought to be more eco-friendly than the process of mining natural diamonds. 

The cons - some things to consider:

• Charm - Some people prefer the charm of natural diamonds that have been grown by nature for hundreds of thousands of years. Along with this also comes the uniqueness and rarity of a stone that hasn’t been created in a lab by machinery.
  
  
• Value - The value of natural diamonds is higher because they aren’t quickly or easily produced. Laboratory-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are readily available.
  
  
• Sustainability - The temperatures used in HPHT and CVD methods of making laboratory-grown diamonds produce a high volume of greenhouse gases.

Shop laboratory-grown diamond jewellery at Sarah Layton

Before you go, explore our selection of expertly curated laboratory-grown diamond jewellery with all of the same showstopping sparkle as natural diamonds. The collection offers a range of different diamond cuts, from a timeless round brilliant cut to a playful lightning bolt diamond design.

Find your dream diamonds right here at Sarah Layton. Browse our collection online, or book an appointment and visit us in-store. We offer 0% finance options and free delivery on all orders over £75.

If you’d like more pearls of wisdom about laboratory-grown diamonds vs. natural diamonds, get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to help.