An article from our Reader, Parth Gupta (Founder and CEO, Xazina Diamonds)
Lab-Grown Diamonds are diamonds that are created in a lab. They have the same physical, chemical and optical properties as a mined diamond. The biggest difference between mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds is the source. These are what I believe to be the diamonds of the next generation.
Diamonds do not come out of the earth as we see them in the market. They come out in the shape of small pebbles or stones.
The packet of these dug out stones is called rough of a diamond. These roughs are then sorted based on what's fit for industrial use and ornamental use. The ones sorted for ornamental use, go through a long process of cutting and polishing. The rough stone is analysed in order to yield maximum weight and a diamond with the least inclusions and the best possible clarity. Diamond roughs are then cut and polished on a wheel manually.
The value of a diamond is based on the 4 C's - Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. Cut refers to how well the diamond is cut and polished. The better the cut, the better the dispersion, scintillation and reflection. Colour does not indicate diamonds of different colours but the yellow colour shade a diamond emits due to the presence of nitrogen, trapped during the diamond formation process. Clarity tells us how clear a diamond is, the lesser the inclusions in a diamond, the better the clarity. Carat is the weight of a diamond; 1 Carat is equal to 200 mg. Diamonds are graded and certified based on these 4 C's throughout the world and are also priced based on these characteristics.
As mentioned earlier, the biggest difference between mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds is that mined diamonds are formed inside the earth and lab-grown diamonds are created in a lab, even though the process of formation remains the same. In the case of lab-grown diamonds, the rough is created in a lab. A thin slice of a diamond, called diamond seed, is placed in a sealed chamber and heated up to 800 degree Celsius. The chamber is filled with carbon-rich gases and these gases are ionized into plasma. The ionization breaks the molecular bonds in the gases and pure carbon adheres to the diamond seed and slowly crystallizes, creating a diamond rough. The process used for this is called chemical vapour deposition.
Two questions often come to one's mind after knowing about lab-grown diamonds. "Are they authentic?" and "Are there any benefits?".
The authenticity of a diamond is judged on the basis of its certification. A certificate of a diamond is its identity and is obtained from labs like International Gemological Institute (IGI), Gemological Institute of America (GIA) etc. The certificate of a diamond contains complete information about its 4 C's. Lab-grown diamonds are the only man-made diamonds that are certified by these labs due to it being exactly the same as a mined diamond.
The biggest benefit of a lab-grown diamond is that it costs up to 50% less than a mined diamond. However, this does not mean that a lab-grown diamond is "cheap". For a mined diamond, its major cost is due to its rarity and mining. Mining is a very crucial stage which costs millions and also has adverse effects on the environment as well as people who are forced into harsh conditions for it. The advantage of lab-grown diamonds is that we do not have to go through the stage of mining. They, not only take away the major costs of mining but are also Eco-friendly and eradicate the possibility of blood diamonds.
Diamonds have always been associated with love and purity. But lately, they have become a symbol of wealth. Moving into an era where I believe experiences are valued more, these lab-grown diamonds serve a greater purpose. With all the environmental benefits, these diamonds can save us a lot of money as well. The money, which I personally would love to invest or to spend on more experiences. According to me, all the choices that we make should help us move towards a sustainable future and I believe this is one of those choices. Hence, I believe them to be the Diamonds of the Next Generation.
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