Lab Grown vs Natural Diamonds

When purchasing a diamond now, you get to choose which stone is right for you. That choice is between natural diamonds, originating from the earth, and lab grown diamonds, man-made in a laboratory. Neither choice is wrong, but fully understanding the difference between the two is important when deciding which one is the best for you.

What is a Natural Diamond?

The hardest naturally occurring mineral on earth is a diamond. This comes from its unique crystal structure made up mostly of the carbon element. They were formed billions of years ago deep beneath earth’s surface. They needed very harsh conditions to form, extreme heat and pressure. They were stuck deep in earth’s core until millions of years ago when erupting volcanoes started to shift them up towards the surface making it much easier for us to find them.

What is a Lab Grown Diamond?

Although a lab grown diamond has the same chemical composition as a natural diamond, their value and origin differ greatly. These diamonds are produced in laboratories across the world using two different methods: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). They allow us to artificially replicate the conditions necessary for a diamond to form.

The disc takes 3-4 weeks to grow, and are removed when they have optimal characteristics. The diamonds come out in rough cubic shapes which are then sent to be cut and polished. The finished product looks identical to a natural diamond, and since they are manufactured the price is significantly less.

Whichever type of diamond you chose, Star129 can help you through the process.