Lab-grown diamonds have usher in a new era of sustainability, providing ecologically benign alternatives in an industry previously dominated by mined diamonds. The 2 carat lab grown diamond also have the same physical, atomic, and chemical characteristics as mined equivalents.
What exactly is a lab-grown diamond?
Nowadays, lab-grown diamonds are made using one of two techniques: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) (HPHT). While both provide a regulated atmosphere, the HTHP is more expensive and uses less energy. The thermodynamic technique is immersing a diamond seed in pure carbon and then subjecting it to extreme pressure and heat. Carbon bonds to the diamond seed in various ways, resulting in a rough diamond with its structure. CVD is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly method that uses vacuum chambers to transform carbon-heavy gases into plasma while requiring less energy. Because of kinetics, the carbon atoms inside the chamber may assemble in a single vertical direction on top of the diamond seed, causing the rough diamond to grow into a cleaner square form.
What exactly is a natural diamond?
A mined diamond is sometimes known as a “natural” diamond. Diamonds are officially defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as “a mineral consisting largely of pure carbon crystallised in an isometric structure”. The distinction between lab-grown and mined diamonds is based on how they are produced.
Mined diamonds are taken from the Earth using complicated pit, subterranean, or alluvial procedures that require heavy gear and a large amount of manpower. To divert buyers’ attention away from the human and environmental costs of these procedures, some in the diamond business have begun to refer to their gems as “natural.” The word is only used for marketing purposes and does not distinguish a mined diamond from a lab-grown diamond.
Is the quality of lab-grown diamonds the same as that of mined diamonds?
Physically, 2 carat lab grown diamond is identical to mined diamonds. Artificial diamonds are created by mimicking the natural process of diamond formation without the negative human or environmental toll of mining. The distinction between lab-grown and natural diamonds is analogous to the distinction between ice created outside on a cold winter day and ice generated inside your refrigerator.
Do lab-created diamonds pass the authenticity test?
Created diamonds are authentic because they are formed of crystalline carbon, exactly like mined diamonds. Similarly to natural diamonds, manufactured diamonds are rated by independent gemological organizations based on their cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, generally known as the 4C’s. Not all lab-grown diamonds are “perfect”; they vary in color and quality, much like mined diamonds.
