Are there any girls who don’t like diamonds? Or a better question, is there anyone in the world who has not at least once been amazed by diamonds? This precious stone, which is basically composed of the same atoms as coal, is perhaps the most valuable crystal in the world. You can find it in various pieces of jewelry, but also as a precious stone, and even an asset for those who want to have something of great value with them.
Nowadays, diamonds are divided into two basic categories – natural and laboratory. Many mistakenly believe that laboratory diamonds are fake, simply because they are grown under strictly controlled conditions. However, this is not true at all, on the contrary, top quality is achieved in this way. Therefore, before you judge in any way, you must be clear that lab diamonds are also real diamonds.
What exactly are lab-grown diamonds?
This is a cost-effective way of synthetically creating real diamonds, rather than mining them from the earth. Chemically, the two types of diamonds are exactly the same, and so are their physical characteristics, such as appearance or hardness. In fact, it is a product intended to make diamond jewelry more affordable. Also, Lab grown diamonds look no different than a diamond you would find in nature.
However, what is the difference?
Source: yadavjewelry.com
It seems that only true experts in gemology can tell which diamond is natural and which is lab-produced.
However, for those of us who are not gemologists, there are these few differences that would help us better understand what are lab-grown and what is natural and mined diamonds:
1. Certain visual differences
If you put them side by side, at first glance you won’t notice a difference between a lab-grown and a natural diamond. Both diamonds will have a distinctive appearance, as the aim is to copy the natural process to obtain an identical crystal structure.
What may give lab-grown diamonds away is that they look absolutely perfect in terms of both color and processing. A rough diamond may have some discolorations and threads in it, which does not make it any less quality. On the contrary, some people prefer precise imperfections.
However, lab-grown diamonds are comparable to the highest grade of natural diamonds. They can be processed into any shape we want, and even have their color adjusted to perfection in the laboratory.
2. Less wasted resources
Mining requires a large investment of money and human labor, which can be really expensive. Over 30% fewer resources are used in the laboratory to extract a diamond of excellent quality.
Of course, these diamonds meet all quality standards and can be used in jewelry making or for collectible purposes.
3. Natural diamonds have been formed for a long time
Source: naturaldiamonds.com
When we say a long time, we mean that some diamonds can be up to a billion years old, depending on the depth at which they form.
The natural process of creating diamonds is much slower than the laboratory one. That’s why the price is really high, but there’s also a certain charm in wearing a piece of a precious stone that was created when humanity didn’t even exist.
4. Cubic Zirconia is not a diamond
Many times marketing misrepresents cubic zirconia as a copy of a diamond. In fact, this stone does not have a single carbon atom in it, which is not the case with natural and laboratory diamonds.
Cubic zirconia is an inexpensive substitute for the sparkling stones used in jewelry making, but they do not actually come in contact with diamonds.
5. Advantages of laboratory diamonds
As we have already said, if your goal is not collecting, then laboratory diamonds are also an excellent choice. In fact, you could save quite a bit of money and still get the quality you expect from diamonds.
This means that their value is in line with what is expected of a diamond, regardless of how it was obtained.
6. Price is the biggest difference between lab-grown and mined diamonds
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
As we have already mentioned, the cost of producing diamonds in the laboratory is significantly lower than in mining. Therefore, jewelry with such diamonds is cheaper than one with natural ones. Of course, creating a diamond is faster in the lab, which means it relies on knowledge and technologies as well as science.
Also, the processing of laboratory diamonds is much faster and easier, because in nature the diamond is far from clean and transparent if it is not properly processed. In fact, you can get a finished diamond ready to be set into jewelry in a lab.
What to decide?
Practically, when it comes to quality, there is not a huge difference between these two types of diamonds. Both are strong enough, shiny, and look beautiful when set in jewelry. Their market value is different only due to the fact that the resources are used differently. Of course, it’s not about the price of coal, but about the machinery and the labor invested to create from that carbon the diamonds that are shiny and that we are all in love with.
The decision depends only on your passion and financial situation, i.e. willingness to spend more money on a natural diamond. Also, knowing that diamonds in nature are rare and take millions of years to form, each natural piece also has great historical value. Some users find it really important, but others don’t at all.
If, on the other hand, the decisive factor is precisely the price of the diamond, then it is more than obvious that the choice will be laboratory-grown diamonds. It is important to remember that you are not losing quality, only sentimentality, and historical value.
We hope our explanation is enough for you to understand the difference between these two types of diamonds. This guide will make it easier for you to decide what you really want. Therefore, do not hesitate and do not believe that lab diamonds are fake – on the contrary, they are excellent and real.
