In the jewelry industry, diamonds are one of the most sought-after gemstones. Their sparkle and durability make them an excellent choice for engagement rings, earrings, and necklaces, as well as anniversary gifts and other special occasions. However, not all diamonds are equal in quality or color, even though they all look very similar to untrained eyes. One type of diamond that is quickly becoming popular in its own right is CVD diamonds, which have a more consistent color than HPHT (high-pressure high-temperature) lab-grown diamonds.
What are lab-grown diamonds?
Before we get into CVD diamond vs. lab-grown diamond, let’s first talk about what laboratory-grown diamonds are. They’re also known as cultured or lab-created diamonds. To put it simply, laboratory-grown diamonds are man-made in a controlled environment using different methods and technologies. Over time, cultured diamond has become a market in its own right—one that often competes with mined diamond for shoppers who want to buy real gemstones without spending a fortune on them. There are plenty of reasons why some people choose lab-grown: it can be cheaper, easier to procure, and offers more transparency than mined gems. So what is a CVD diamond?
What is the HPHT diamond manufacturing process?
The conventional CVD method of diamond production has been around for decades. In a nutshell, the process involves introducing large amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into a chamber where they are exposed to high temperatures to generate diamond films on various substrates. Over time, film thicknesses can grow as high as 40 microns. Because silicon carbide is one of those common substrates, it’s not uncommon for gas emissions to contaminate CVD diamonds with silicon carbide particles.
How long does it take to grow a diamond in an HPHT machine?
To answer that question, we need to take a look at how diamonds are grown in an HPHT machine. The process of growing a diamond involves growing a tiny crystal (often referred to as a diamond seed) from carbon under immense pressure and heat. This process can take anywhere from three months to two years (or longer).
Where can you buy lab-grown diamonds from?
The four largest online retailers of lab-grown diamonds are James Allen, Amazon, Blue Nile, and Walmart. More than a dozen other online retailers also sell lab-grown diamonds but don’t make it as easy to find out that they’re selling synthetic diamonds. Walmart is surprisingly willing to tell customers about their lab-grown options on their website and both Blue Nile and James Allen sell various brands from suppliers other than Apollo Diamond (it’s a closely held secret who Apollo sells to). At Amazon, you have to read the small print in individual product descriptions or do some digging in consumer reports for information about lab-grown diamonds on offer. The result of all of these roadblocks is that many customers end up buying CVD diamond jewelry at brick and mortar stores.
Is the quality comparable with natural gemstones?
Both CVD Diamonds and HPHT diamonds are cut from similar material—grown in a lab under high pressure and temperature, formed into crystals over thousands of years. Although their origins may be very different, they share a lot of physical characteristics with each other. Some CVD diamonds are so hard that they can scratch natural diamonds. Others have flaws inside them like tiny dots or clouds. These imperfections aren’t visible to our eyes, but they can be magnified when you view them through a microscope. But just because it’s flawed doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful—some flawed lab diamonds have been known to sell for large sums at auction houses around the world. Choose Lab Grown Diamond Manufacturer.
Are lab-grown diamonds expensive compared to natural gemstones?
One of the most common questions people ask us is, how expensive are lab-grown diamond compared to natural gemstones? To give you a bit of background, lab-grown diamond are made in a controlled environment through a process called chemical vapor deposition. This process uses various combinations of elements and gases to create beautiful gems inside machines that produce extremely high temperatures and pressures. So how expensive is lab-grown diamond compared to natural gemstones? The truth is that CVD diamond prices are much more affordable than mined diamond, which can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per carat. Many of our customers agree that when it comes to brilliance and luster, there’s no comparison between lab-produced stones and naturally formed ones.
Are lab-grown diamonds available in different colors as well as natural gemstones?
Yes. Lab-grown diamonds come in all colors of natural diamond. The only difference is that you can get any color that exists in nature. For example, if you want a white diamond but do not want to pay for its rarity as compared to other diamond colors, lab-grown diamonds are an excellent option since they are available at prices much lower than those of natural ones. This is because of their high production rate and lower cost and these factors have made them highly desirable by jewelry lovers who would otherwise shun common yellow and brown colored gemstones.
Read more: Review Of The Latest Lab Grown Diamond Jewelry [2022]
