Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?

Yes, lab-created diamonds are real diamonds. They share the same physical, atomical, and chemical properties as their mined counterparts. Yet lab-grown diamonds have ushered in a new era of sustainability, offering environmentally friendly choices in an industry historically dominated by mined diamonds. Below we’ll break down what a lab-grown diamond is, why they are considered real, and how they compare to mined diamonds.

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What Is A Lab-Grown Diamond?

Today, lab-grown diamonds are diamonds that are produced by two methods: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or high pressure, high temperature (HPHT). While both offer a controlled environment, the HTHP is more costly and less energy efficient. The thermodynamic process involves placing a diamond seed into pure carbon, then exposing it to intense pressure and heat. The carbon attaches to the diamond seed in 14 different directions and forms a rough diamond with a complex cuboctahedron shape.

CVD is a more economical and sustainable process, using vacuum chambers to convert carbon-heavy gasses into plasma with less energy consumption. Kinetics allows the carbon atoms inside the chamber to build on top of the diamond seed in a single vertical direction, so the rough diamond grows into a cleaner square shape.

Lab-grown diamonds are cut, polished, and evaluated by a certified gemologist, just like mined diamonds. They can be sold as loose diamonds or set into jewelry.

What Is A “Natural” Diamond?

A “natural” diamond is another name for a mined diamond. Officially, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines a diamond as “A mineral consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallized in the isometric system.” Whether a diamond is mined or created, both share this chemical composition. The difference and designation between lab-grown and mined diamonds lie in the way in which it is created. Titles like “lab-grown” and “mined” designate origin.

Mined diamonds are extracted from Earth through complex pit, underground, or alluvial methods, and utilize heavy machinery as well as an extensive amount of labor. To distract consumers from the human and environmental toll of these methods, some in the diamond industry have begun to call their diamonds “natural.” The term is for marketing purposes only and does not make a mined diamond atomically different from its lab-grown counterpart.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Considered Real?

If you’re wondering if a lab-grown diamond is a real diamond, the answer is yes. Lab-grown diamonds are considered real diamonds.

Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Test As Real?

Lab-grown diamonds test as real because they're made of crystallized carbon, as are mined diamonds. And, just like mined diamonds, lab-grown diamonds are graded by independent gemological organizations on their diamond 4C’s - cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Not all lab-grown diamonds are “perfect” — they will differ in color and quality, just as a mined diamond would, but lab-grown diamonds will be graded and tested just the same.

Are Diamonds Made In A Lab Considered Minerals?

Lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds are both considered minerals, as they have identical chemical compositions. The only difference between the two is how they are made, not what they are made of.

Can A Jeweler Tell If A Diamond Is Lab Created?

GONA created diamonds are inscribed with a microscopic inscription at the girdle. A jeweler can use this lot number to pull up that specific diamond’s grades and measurements. This would inform them of its origin and therefore, if it’s a lab-grown.

Lab Diamonds Vs Mined Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds share the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as mined diamonds. The only difference is a lab-grown diamond’s innovative origin. In 2018, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) considers both lab-grown and mined diamonds to be real. The NAD expanded further on this topic in 2021, clarifying that a lab-grown diamond is a real diamond.

Whether diamonds are made in a lab or mined from the Earth, both diamond types share an identical formation process. Once formed, rough diamonds of either designation are cut and polished to reveal their maximum brilliance. Identical to mined diamonds, lab-grown diamonds also exhibit unique variations in color and clarity, known as inclusions, that occur naturally during the diamond’s growth process. These distinct markers are what make each diamond truly one of a kind.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds The Same As Mined Diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds are physically the same as mined diamonds. The difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds could be compared to the difference between ice formed outside on a winter’s day versus ice that’s formed inside your refrigerator. However, lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds differ in sustainability, ethics, and cost. Created diamonds are made by replicating the way diamonds are made in nature without the negative environmental or human toll of mining.

Are Lab Diamonds As Valuable As Mined Diamonds?

The value of lab-grown diamonds versus mined diamonds has been largely misunderstood. The cost of mined diamonds is determined by a small group of people who control the availability of diamonds. They can charge more due to the higher demand, not the true value of the diamond. Mined diamond production is also more labor intensive, and requires more resources, than lab-grown diamond production.

This is why when comparing lab diamonds vs mined diamonds cost, you’ll notice that mined diamonds cost more. Lab-grown diamonds cost less because they are a renewable resource, not because they are less valuable. A GONA created diamond's price reflects the true value of the diamond, with no middlemen markups.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds As Strong As Mined Diamonds?

Yes, lab-grown diamonds are just as strong as mined diamonds. Since they have the same chemical composition, one is not stronger than the other. They both score 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.

What Are The Advantages Of Buying A Lab-Grown Diamond?

There are several advantages to buying a lab-grown diamond over a mined diamond. Lab-grown diamonds are often more sustainable, ethical, and affordable than mined diamonds, with guaranteed quality and origin.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Better Than Mined Diamonds?

Physically, lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds are equal - one is not better than the other. However, when it comes to human and environmental toll, lab-grown diamonds are better than mined diamonds. The diamond industry is a largely unethical industry that has long been linked to human rights abuses and environmentally destructive mining methods. Mined diamonds can never transparently say they are conflict-free.

Since lab-grown diamonds have a guaranteed point of origin, the journey of a GONA created diamond is fully traceable.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Better for the Environment?

Mined diamond production is wholly unregulated and has a significant environmental impact. However, some lab-grown diamonds are produced using fossil fuels. They can have a large carbon footprint comparable to mined diamonds.

Lab-grown diamonds are only better for the environment if you choose lab-grown diamonds that are sustainably made. GONA created diamonds are carbon neutral. They are grown in our zero-emission foundry in the pacific northwest, using hydropower from the Columbia River.

Why Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Cost Less?

Lab-grown diamonds cost less than mined diamonds, due to fewer middlemen and less required labor. Since mined diamonds are more widely known, and therefore have more demand, diamond retailers can and do charge more for them.

GONA created diamonds are available at the most competitive diamond prices in the industry. Since we produce our diamonds and jewelry in-house using renewable energy, we can offer high-quality, certified diamonds for less.

Lab-Grown Diamonds Vs Synthetic Diamonds

If you’re wondering if it is accurate to call a lab-grown diamond a synthetic diamond, the answer is no, lab-grown diamonds are not synthetic diamonds. Synthetic diamonds, such as moissanite and cubic zirconia, are not diamonds and are made from synthesized materials.

Moissanite vs Lab-grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are not the same as moissanite. Moissanite is a naturally occurring gemstone, with entirely different chemical properties than diamonds. To the untrained eye, moissanite resembles a diamond, which makes this stone a popular alternative.

Is Cubic Zirconia The Same As A Lab-Grown Diamond?

Lab-grown diamonds are not the same as cubic zirconia. Cubic Zirconia, similar to moissanite, is a lab-created gemstone. It’s made from zirconium dioxide and is often chosen by those who want a stone that resembles a diamond for a much lower price point. However, cubic zirconia is not the same thing as a lab-grown diamond and it will not offer the same beauty, durability, or value that a diamond has.

How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?

Lab grown diamonds are created from tiny carbon seeds of pre-existing diamonds. Scientists use advanced technology – either extreme pressure and heat or a special deposition process known as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) – to mimic the method of natural diamond formation. Over the course of six to ten weeks, a rough diamond is formed. Then it’s cut, polished, and set in lab diamond jewelry such as a pair of earrings, a necklace, or a bracelet.

There are two primary methods of producing lab diamonds:

1. High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT): This method mimics the conditions under which natural diamonds are formed inside the earth. To produce the lab diamond, a large machine is fed a certain amount of carbon material that it then crushes under pressures of more than 870,000 lbs. per square inch at extreme temperatures ranging from 1300 – 1600 degrees Celsius.

2. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): CVD is when a seed diamond is placed in a small, vacuum chamber filled with heated hydrogen and carbon-containing gasses. At a certain temperature, the gas molecules are broken down and layers of crystallized carbon begin to form around the seed, growing a more substantial diamond. Some lab diamonds created through CVD may also undergo pressure and heat treatment after they are grown.

You can’t tell the difference between natural diamonds, lab diamonds grown via HPHT method, and lab diamonds grown via CVD method with the naked eye, only scientists can distinguish the differences by analyzing identifying markers caused by the growth conditions.lab-grown diamond and it will not offer the same beauty, durability, or value that a diamond has.

Why Choose Lab Grown Diamonds

How Are GONA Created Diamonds Priced?

As the only jewelry company that is vertically integrated, GONA eliminates middlemen and markups to provide diamonds of impeccable value and origin. We own the complete production process, including cutting and polishing studios, so our diamonds pass through fewer hands and incur fewer expenses along the way. Utilizing superior technology and renewable energy, our prices reflect the more economical and sustainable means we’ve created to grow our own diamonds in today’s market.

We offer complete transparency throughout this process and ensure that every one of our diamonds has no human or environmental toll. With a responsibly sourced, vertically integrated supply chain, we are certain about the origin of our diamonds at all times. Every GONA created diamond truly represents the beauty of evolution.

How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Certified and Graded?

Lab grown diamonds are certified the same way natural diamonds are. Gemological graduates at institutions such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI) determine the 4 C's (cut, color, clarity, and carat grades) of individual gemstones before providing a physical or digital report.

GONA Diamond Selection Standards: Exclusively Excellence

At GONA, we adhere to an uncompromising standard in diamond selection, epitomizing love's unwavering commitment. Our promise is simple: only the highest caliber diamonds bear the GONA name. Guided by the belief that love knows no compromise, we dedicate ourselves to excellence. Every GONA diamond meets the pinnacle of quality: D color, VVS1/VS1 clarity, and Excellent cut. Moreover, each diamond weighing 0.5 carats or more is accompanied by an official IGI certification, ensuring the integrity of the 4C standards.

Hand-Set Stones

Our lab-grown diamonds are all round brilliant excellent cut or square princess excellent cut, reflecting IGI standards. Each stone is hand-set in the jewelry by skilled artisans, creating a piece to treasure for decades to come

Popular Engagement Rings

Discover our most popular settings to pair with lab created diamonds.