The First Lab Grown Diamond

In 1954, physical chemist H. Tracy Hall and his team at General Electric made the first lab grown diamond. It wasn’t intended for use in jewelry but rather as industrial abrasives.

Now, a growing number of consumers are choosing lab-grown diamonds for their eco-friendly and affordable qualities. These man-made gems can be grown in two ways: HPHT and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition).

The Story of a Lab Grown Diamond

For decades, the center stone of engagement rings has been mined diamonds. But with rising social and environmental issues, a new normal is emerging: lab grown diamonds.

Unlike synthetic diamond simulants like cubic zirconia, lab created diamonds have essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties as natural diamonds. They are formed of tightly-bonded carbon atoms and respond to light in the same way.

These lab grown diamonds are available in a variety of shapes, colors and clarity grades. They are also less expensive than mined diamonds and have a higher resale value, making them a more affordable option for your ring.

There are two main methods to create lab grown diamonds: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and high pressure, high temperature (HPHT). CVD begins by placing a seed crystal in a chamber filled with heated gases. This causes the seed to grow, forming layers of carbon on the crystal.

The second process involves a machine that crushes the natural graphite into diamond-like crystals under extreme pressure and temperatures. Once the diamond is formed, it is cut and polished to reveal maximum brilliance.

A lab grown diamond is a man-made, certified diamond that was “grown” in a laboratory. They are often referred to as synthetic, cultured or artisan diamonds.

These diamonds are made in a controlled, technological process that produces a diamond that looks and feels like a natural diamond. There are differences in the appearance and structure of a lab grown diamond versus a natural diamond, which can be difficult to spot with the naked eye.

They can also vary in price and durability. Typically, the difference between a natural diamond and a lab grown diamond is 30-50%. However, this does not mean a lab grown diamond is any less beautiful than a natural diamond.

Despite their lower price, lab grown diamonds cannot be resold for the same amount as natural mined diamonds. That is why they are not commonly used as a wedding or anniversary gift.

The process of growing a lab diamond uses three times more energy than mining a natural one, and therefore has a much larger impact on the environment. Additionally, a diamond grown in a laboratory is not subject to the strict regulations that are required when mining diamonds from the earth.

The Process

To create a lab grown diamond, a tiny sliver of carbon called a “seed” is exposed to intense heat and pressure, just like in naturally-mined diamonds. Using either of two methods, High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), the seed is slowly sculpted into a diamond structure.

Unlike natural diamonds, which were formed by the chaos of the earth billions of years ago, a lab-grown diamond is created using precise controlled conditions. As a result, these synthetic gems are more pure and have better clarity than “dirt” diamonds mined from the ground.

While they do not have the same resale value as mined diamonds, lab grown diamonds are often cheaper and can be sourced from countries with ethical mining practices that avoid community displacement, child labor and dangerous working environments. They are also eco-friendly because they do not use fossil fuels for manufacturing.

The process of creating a lab grown diamond can take weeks, depending on the method used. In one method, an HPHT process, a carbon starting material such as graphite is placed in a capsule and put under extreme heat (1300-1600degC) and pressure (1.5 million pounds per square inch).

As the temperature and pressure rise, the carbon seed crystallizes into a rough diamond, which gradually becomes more polished until it’s the shape of a diamond. The crystallized diamond can then be cut into different shapes and sizes, just like a natural diamond.

Another process, CVD, is much less expensive and requires a lot less energy. In CVD, a vacuum chamber is filled with carbon-rich gas and heated to around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Under these extreme temperatures, the gases begin to break apart and stick to the diamond seed. The carbon atoms bond to the seed crystal, forming layers that eventually harden into a diamond structure.

Once the diamond is complete, it’s carefully graded. Each grade focuses on the four main aspects of a diamond: color, cut, clarity and carat.

A good quality lab-grown diamond should have a bright, white appearance, with fewer flaws and signs of strain in its crystal structure. As the purity of a lab-grown diamond increases, it will improve in clarity and brightness. This type of diamond is also more durable than mined diamonds, which can wear out easily with normal wear and tear.

The Final Product

A lab-grown diamond is a man-made gemstone that is created in a laboratory. They have all the same qualities, appearance, and optical properties of a real diamond.

They are made through a precise scientific process that replicates how natural diamonds are produced underground. These diamonds are a lot less expensive than mined diamonds. They are also more sustainable and ethically sourced, and offer many more options than their natural counterparts.

The first lab grown diamond was created in the 1950s by General Electric (GE). Since then, several companies have developed similar methods to grow diamonds in a lab.

There are multiple processes used to make lab grown diamonds, but one of the most common is called Chemical Vapor Deposition, or CVD. This method uses a growth cell, which contains a diamond seed and highly refined graphite. The chamber is filled with gases that are heated to a certain temperature, and the catalyst mixture inside the growth cell reacts to the added heat and pressure to transform the seeds into a diamond crystal.

Once the crystal has formed, it is cut into a specific shape and size. It is then polished to create the final product. The finished product is a round, square, or rectangular diamond with a specific color, clarity, and carat weight.

GIA grades lab grown diamonds using the same four Cs as natural ones, focusing on cut, color, clarity and carat. A diamond with a perfect cut, and excellent clarity and color will have a higher value than a diamond with a poor cut and less-than-perfect color and clarity.

However, the quality of lab-grown diamonds will vary from producer to producer. This is because the cost of energy, raw materials and labor differ between companies.

A lab-grown diamond uses half the energy of a mined diamond, which makes it more environmentally friendly and cheaper to produce. This is because a mined diamond requires eighty-kilowatt-hours of energy to extract each carat, while a lab-grown diamond can be grown for only 20-28 kilowatt-hours.

In addition to being more environmentally friendly, a lab-grown diamond can be made much faster than a mined diamond. This can make it cheaper to produce and more convenient for consumers.

The Future

In a time when the diamond industry is struggling with ethics and sustainability concerns, it’s no surprise that lab-grown diamonds are climbing the ranks in popularity. And for good reason: These man-made stones can be made to look just like natural gems and are more affordable to the consumer than mined diamonds.

Despite all the positives, some people still question whether lab grown diamonds will hold their value in the long run. One of these questions is based on the fact that lab diamonds don’t have a secondary market for resale. This is because they don’t have the same track record to measure what consumers are willing to pay for them on a consistent basis.

This is a problem for lab diamond companies, because they have to rely on consumers to find a secondary market for their products. That means that the resale value of their pieces will depend entirely on the branding and reputation of their products.

But as lab-grown diamonds gain more popularity, there is hope that the market will mature and that resale values will come to match those of mined diamonds. And it may happen soon.

Some companies like Ada Diamonds, for example, offer buy-back or trade-in guarantees to give buyers a chance to upgrade their purchase. Others, like VRAI, have a lab-grown diamond certification process to guarantee quality and sustainability in the diamonds they produce.

Another factor that may influence resale value is the perceived rarity of lab-grown diamonds, according to Zimnisky. Historically, diamonds have been seen as a rare commodity that only the wealthy could afford to buy. But with the advent of lab-grown diamonds, this perception is fading away.

The other major factor that can impact resale value is the changing nature of society’s attitudes toward engagement and marriage. As millennials and Gen Z become more concerned about social issues, many are opting for less traditional symbols to represent their relationships.

As a result, there is less demand for diamonds as a symbol of love and marriage, which can cause the price of diamonds to drop in some cases. However, if the trend continues, there may be an opportunity to sell lab grown diamonds at a lower price.

The First Lab Grown Diamond