Lab-Grown Diamonds vs. Real Mined Diamonds
Man-made. Synthetic. Cultured. Imitation gems. No matter what you call lab-grown diamonds, they aren’t the same as real mined diamonds that come from the Earth. There are quite a few differences between the two that you should understand before purchasing. Nothing replaces the beauty and elegance of a true natural diamond that was formed three billion years ago within the Earth’s crust where carbon crystallized under the optimal heat and pressure. What was created is a substance of pure enduring value. A diamond. The perfect symbol of lasting love.
At Corey Anthony Jones, we specialize in bespoke jewelry for engagement rings, wedding bands, and other jewelry featuring real diamonds. I remember the first time I saw a real diamond. The pure unadulterated bliss I felt was one of the best reasons to create timeless jewelry for my clients to feel the same way.
A Scenario to Think About
Picture giving your fiancé the ultimate gesture of commitment and adoration, the engagement ring. You place it gently on her finger in a moment you’ll never forget. Both of you are in awe of the life you’ll have together. Then at some point, you’ll have to break it to her that you’ve given her a lab-grown diamond. That her treasured ring is the product of a “diamond simulant” and made of some non-diamond materials. Wouldn’t that put a damper on her excitement about the ring? It should.
The gift of a true real diamond is an unforgettable and memorable gesture that she’s going to look at fondly for the rest of her life. Should that symbol be something that was grown coldly in a lab and doesn’t have any real value? Probably not.
Let’s look at some additional reasons why a real mined diamond is far superior to a lab-grown imitation one.
Lab-Grown Diamonds Cannot Be Called Real
Lab-grown diamonds or “lab-created” diamonds, as they are also called, cannot be called “real.” According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), these laboratory items aren’t allowed to be referred to as real since they don’t come from the Earth naturally. Jewelers that sell lab-grown diamonds have to be careful about not tricking the consumer into thinking they are getting the real thing, a mined diamond.
How Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Made
The way that synthetic diamonds are made is in a laboratory. It’s a process that works through either Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) or High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT).
The CVD lab-grown stone begins as a small seed or sliver. Then it’s subjected to a high-temperature chamber that is filled with a gas like Methane. It creates a molecular bond that makes the pure carbon start to crystallize to create the imitation stone.
In the HPHT process, the diamond seed is placed in carbon and then goes through temperatures of 1500 degrees Celsius and intense pressure to produce the form of the diamond. Both of these processes take a few weeks to go through which tries to replicate the natural process of a mined diamond that has formed over millions of years. They are not one-of-a-kind stones like a natural diamond is.
You Can Sometimes Tell It’s Synthetic By Looking Through a Jewelers Loupe
At first glance looking at a lab-grown diamond to the naked eye, you may not be able to tell that it's fake or synthetic. If you take a jewelers loupe, which is a magnifying glass, you can see up close some tell-tale signs. Sometimes there is a small inscription on the girdle that indicates it’s lab-grown.
There are many other ways that jewelers use to tell the difference, like using magnetics, special Ila type testing machines, evaluating the growth patterns, and phosphorescence. When you have a question about whether or not your diamond is real mined vs. lab-grown, it’s best to take it to a professional for a proper evaluation.
The Considerable Benefits of Real Mined Diamonds
There are so many reasons to buy a real mined diamond. First of all, a diamond that naturally comes from the Earth is rare. It has characteristics that are one-of-a-kind to that specific diamond. When GIA grades a diamond, they come up with classifications about every aspect of that gorgeous gem. In their report, they evaluate what is commonly called the “4 Cs” of the diamond. That’s cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. The report goes into much more than that though so you know that what you have on your finger is the real deal. A natural diamond.
Mined Diamonds Appreciate In Value Over Time
Over time, mined diamonds only grow in value and worth. Think of it this way as a comparison...one point I make to clients is the question, “Do you ever hear about lab-grown diamonds breaking auction records at Sotheby’s or Christie’s?” No, those high-end auction houses aren’t selling lab-grown diamonds to people around the world. The auctions are always for extraordinary diamonds of great worth, like a 5.29 carat fancy blue/grey pear-shaped diamond or a 28 carat emerald-cut, D color, with VVSI clarity beauty. Both are marvelous stones that fetched millions of dollars each.
Diamonds Are a Piece of Real History
When you purchase real mined diamonds, you are getting a glimpse into the history of the world. You’re touching something that has been around longer than we can even comprehend. It's a vision of precious beauty that has no equal. Timeless and unique.
There’s a romance of history unfolding every time a real mined diamond is put into a stunning piece of flawless custom-made jewelry. That’s why a diamond is such an important symbol of love and enduring commitment.
A lab-grown diamond is only a symbol of technology. The value of that will never be able to compete with a natural diamond. Let us show you just how extraordinary a real mined diamond can be in all of the custom jewelry creations we do at Corey Anthony Jones.
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