
Are you aware that there are now diamonds that are being grown in the lab? With the growing technology that we have now, it is no surprise that there are diamonds that you could grow in the lab. They would also come in the same cuts, shapes, sizes, but the only difference is where it came from and in choosing a princess cut engagement ring for your loved one, you would be given these two options. So, how can you tell which diamonds are lab grown?
How can natural and laboratory-grown diamonds be distinguished
There really is no visual difference when it comes to natural diamonds and laboratory grown diamonds. They have the same sparkle, types of color, and even the same clarity that may or may not come in the same shapes and sizes. With these facts, lab grown diamonds are also just as hard as natural diamonds.
The only difference that they both seem to have is the chemical difference between natural diamonds and laboratory grown diamonds. Natural diamonds have small amounts of nitrogen, while the lab grown diamonds do not. The lack of nitrogen found in the mineral is one way that the gemologist identifies natural diamonds vs. lab grown diamonds.
They use laser inscription and unice fluorescence in identifying the different features of Lab Grown Diamonds.
Natural Diamonds Vs. Lab Grown Diamonds
When it comes to both of them, people are having a hard time deciding which one they will buy and the answer would differ depending on the buyers and their different priorities. If you only care about appearance and that is the only factor that matters to you, then it won’t matter which type of diamonds you would get, whether it was man-made or obtained naturally. No one will notice it unless you tell them.
But there are some differences in which you should consider in making the decision:
- Price
On average , lab diamonds are 23 percent to 25 percent more expensive than natural diamonds 3 to 4 years ago, but today, they are much cheaper than natural diamonds. Now they are about 50 percent to 60 percent cheaper, even more in some cases.
This difference happened because of supply. Natural diamond’s supply is limited because of the billions of years that it takes for nature to create more diamonds, but synthetic diamonds have no capacity when it comes to their supply, which is why the price becomes lower and lower as supply goes up.
The prices of laboratory grown diamonds are falling at an alarming rate, and it shows no signs of stopping, or even reversing. The price is one thing that you should take into account when you are buying a ring.
- Sustainability
Man-made diamonds offer more in terms of long-term sustainability than those natural diamonds that are pulled out from the earth. But natural diamonds are much better for the environment than synthetic diamonds because of the carbon-intensive process that they go through in order to produce laboratory-created diamonds.
- Value
Do lab diamonds hold value? One thing that we should consider is how the cost of real diamonds vs. the synthetic diamonds change over time and the resale value between the both is greater than the difference in price. Natural diamonds often would retain about 50 percent of their initial value, while laboratory created diamonds are almost impossible to resell without accepting pennies on the dollar. Your synthetic diamond would for sure be worth less than a natural diamond of similar grade.
- Look
They both are very identical to the naked eye and no one will notice when you buy a ring with a laboratory-created diamond, unless you tell them. Lab diamonds would have the same brilliance and shine as a natural one, so if you are looking for a diamond that would look beautiful, then lab diamonds are there to present low-cost options without having to settle for a lower grade.
Does GIA offer grading for laboratory-grown diamonds?
Yes, they have been offering laboratory-grown diamonds since 2007. As of 2019, they no longer use the term “synthetic”. The GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report then includes the standard GIA color, cut, and clarity grading scales for reference purposes.
Can a jeweler tell a lab grown diamond?
Since natural diamonds and lab grown diamonds look very similar, the only difference is the materials in them, it is very hard for a normal jeweler to see, even those with the trained eye have a hard time deciphering the difference between the two.
Do lab grown diamonds last?
Lab diamonds could last forever since they are as durable as natural stones. They also happen to be chemically, optically, thermally and visually identical to earth-mined diamonds, and the only difference would have to be that they were not pulled out of the ground.