What is a lab grown diamond? Well, it is a diamond created in a laboratory setting that mimics the formation of diamonds in nature – but in a fraction of the time. Identical to natural diamonds in look and composition, lab grown diamonds have soared in popularity for engagement rings, wedding rings and diamond rings over recent years.
Offering excellent value of money, while being ethically and sustainably produced - and are indistinguishable from a natural stone - lab-grown diamonds are certainly worth considering for engagement rings and diamond rings.
Are they Real Diamonds?
Are they real diamonds – like, really real? The short answer is - yes. Despite being also known as cultivated diamonds, man-made diamonds, or even synthetic diamonds, lab grown diamonds are the real thing. Classified as such by the GIA they are graded as real diamonds in accordance with the Four C’s (read more about the Four C’s here), and they have the exact same chemical composition as a natural diamond.
Natural diamonds are created by carbon atoms crystalising under extreme heat and pressure, before being pushed to the surface by a volcanic eruption. Hard as it is to believe, laboratories around the world have managed to recreate these conditions in a controlled manner, producing real diamonds in under a month, as opposed to the billions of years it takes in nature. And yes – they are identical to a natural stone, with even the most experienced gemmologists unable to distinguish a natural from lab grown diamond. It is for this reason however, that every diamond produced in a lab will be recorded as such.
Why Choose a Lab Grown Diamond
When searching for the perfect diamond for engagement rings, wedding rings or diamond rings, it is certainly worth considering a lab grown stone. The process of selecting your diamond be it lab grown or natural is the same, you will need to take into consideration the Four C’s – Cut, Clarity, Colour and Carat. Remember our gemmologists are available to guide you through the finer points of selecting a stone for engagement rings, wedding rings or diamond rings if you need support.
Value for money
One of the greatest draws of lab grown diamonds is the cost. This is perhaps the biggest deciding factor when selecting a lab grown stone over a natural one for engagement rings or wedding rings. Offering great value for money, the engagement ring of your dreams (or even beyond your dreams!) may be affordable with lab grown diamonds.
Ethical & Conflict Free
Natural diamonds are mined from the earth. This alone brings with it repercussions regarding sustainability and environmental impact. With a lab grown stone, there is no need to mine. However, lab-grown diamonds do create a high energy demand in order to be manufactured in a laboratory setting, but sustainable energy and ever-improving technologies are slowly off-setting the levels of energy demand.
In recent decades global efforts have worked to eradicate the trade of conflict and blood diamonds – stones that are mined in war zones at the expense of human life. And efforts have been successful, with over 99% of the worldwide trade in blood diamonds having been eradicated. However, for traceability, transparency regarding origins and assurance your stone has not been produced at the expense of others or the environment, lab grown diamonds could be the ideal choice for your engagement ring or wedding ring.
Lab Grown or Natural…
If you decide a lab grown diamond is for you, rest assured you will have a stunning stone that is identical in every way to a natural one, and like a natural one it won’t get cloudy over time, it won’t wear or loose sparkle, and it can be insured just like the ‘real thing’. Yes, there is no denying there is a romance in a natural diamond forming over billions of years to be worn as a token of love, but with lab grown diamonds offering so much, they are hard to overlook for a fleeting sentimental notion. The choice, as they say, is up to you.
