Are Lab Grown Diamonds Cheaper Than Natural Diamonds?

Diamonds have been favoured by almost everyone for hundreds of years for their beauty, rarity and their symbol of love. In recent years, technological advancements have led to the creation of laboratory-grown diamonds. Lab grown diamonds have become recently more popular as people start to read more information about them and the cost of production has been reduced. But are lab grown diamonds real? And more importantly, are they more affordable than natural diamonds? In this blog post, we will take a look into what lab grown diamonds are, the similarities they have to natural diamonds and if they are just as expensive as natural diamonds.

What Are Lab Diamonds?

Lab grown diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments using technological processes. These processes replicate the natural conditions where natural diamonds form on earth, but in an extreme fraction of the time it takes for natural diamonds to form. Let's take a look at some of the methods:

HPHT Method

The HPHT method mimics the natural conditions that cause natural diamonds to form. It starts by placing a small diamond seed in a carbon-rich high-pressure environment. A diamond seed can be a natural diamond or a previously grown laboratory diamond. The chamber where the diamond seed is placed reaches extremely high temperatures, ranging from anywhere between 1200°C and 1600°C. The diamond seed will then grow into a diamond. This method can produce diamonds in 5 to 10 days - depending, of course, on how big you want the diamond to grow.

CVD Method

The CVD method works in similar ways to the HPHT method and it works by a small diamond seed being placed in a vacuum chamber. The chamber is then filled with a carbon-rich mixture usually containing hydrocarbon gases such as methane and hydrogen. The gas is then heated up to temperatures between 800°C and 1200°C. Once the gas is heated, plasma activation will begin. This is a process where microwave energy or electric discharge is introduced. These energy sources then create a plasma ball of carbon atoms which will gradually cause the diamond seed to crystalise layer by layer.

Are Laboratory Grown Diamonds Real?

Yes! Lab grown diamonds are real. They possess all of the same qualities and properties as natural diamonds - the only difference is where they came from. Natural diamonds are formed deep within the earth's crust and take billions of years to form. They are then brought to the surface of the earth by earthquakes and other shifts in the earth's composition, making them available to be mined. Lab grown diamonds are almost identical, but jewellers and gemologists have methods and ways that they can identify a lab grown diamond from a natural diamond.

Natural vs Laboratory

Both diamonds are so similar so which one do you choose? Let's look into some of the factors of each.

Quality

When it comes to the quality of the diamond, lab grown may arguably win. This is because lab grown diamonds can be created with fewer imperfections and blemishes. Natural diamonds can be different shades and can sometimes appear yellow, whereas lab grown diamonds can be created to be perfectly clear, meaning there is a higher chance of getting a higher-quality diamond.

Environmental Impact

The mining process of a natural diamond has an impact on the environment due to the amount of water and disruption it has on the land. Lab grown diamonds do not need any water and don't disrupt the earth's atmosphere, however, energy consumption used when forming a lab grown diamond may have an impact on the environment. So, there isn't exactly a more environmentally-conscious option.

Which Is More Expensive?

Natural diamonds are more expensive than lab grown diamonds. This is because of the vigorous process of getting the diamond from the ground to your jewellery box. Natural diamonds need to be mined and searched for, whereas a lab grown diamond is grown in a controlled environment. Depending on the size of the lab grown diamond it can take as little as a few days to a few weeks for the diamond to form, once grown it doesn't need to be mined, it just simply needs to be shaped and cut. The creation of a lab grown diamond is generally less expensive than the mining process of a natural diamond, which contributes to the cost. Supply and demand can also play a big role in the cost of a diamond. Lab grown diamonds have an infinite supply and as long as you have a diamond seed and the right equipment, you will have a perfectly formed diamond. This makes lab grown diamonds a more accessible option than natural diamonds. There is a finite amount of natural diamonds available to us, as natural shifts in the earth can bring them high enough to the surface of the earth to be mined. Because natural diamonds are rarer and limited compared to lab grown diamonds this affects the price, not everyone can have a natural diamond, but everyone can have a lab grown one.

• 1-carat natural diamond cost - Anything from £1,400 to over £17,000.
• 1-carat lab diamond cost - Anything from £700 to £3,650.

Where Can You Buy Lab Grown Diamonds?

Here at Miltons Diamonds, we offer lab grown diamonds, you can choose between our selection of lab grown diamond jewellery, or you can design your very own diamond ring using our bespoke state-of-the-art service. You will plan out how you want the cut of your diamond to look, what metal you would like to use and how you want the style of the ring to look. You will start by planning out your design with the help of our bespoke design team, once the design is complete. A wax model is created using computer-aided design software so that you can make any amendments before the real ring is created. If you would like to hear more on how you can create your own ring using our computer-aided technology, then please don't hesitate to reach out to us and one of our experts will be in touch to answer all of your questions. Browse our website and view all of the natural diamond and lab grown diamond jewellery Miltons Diamonds has to offer today.