LAB GROWN DIAMONDS

WHAT ARE LAB GROWN DIAMONDS

As its name suggests, lab grown diamonds are grown and produced in a laboratory, which recreates the conditions of the natural diamond growing process. They are REAL diamonds, NOT diamond simulants. Because the growth process is similar, lab grown diamonds also vary in Cut, Colour and Clarity – without the social and environmental impacts caused by mining diamonds.

“They are real diamonds. They have the same optical, chemical, thermal, and physical features.” – Matthew Hall, Director, Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

Lab grown diamonds vs mined diamonds

Lab grown diamonds share identical chemical, optical and physical composition as mined diamonds. The only difference is their origin. It is difficult to distinguish a blood diamond – a product of child labour exploitation, forced labour and human rights violation from the rest of the mined diamonds. 

Because lab grown diamonds are produced in a laboratory, you can be 100% certain that they do not have a damaging impact on our environment and communities. Furthermore, you can get a lab grown diamond more than 50% larger than a mined diamond at the same price.

are lab grown diamonds certified

Yes, lab grown diamonds are independently graded on the exact same criteria by the exact same gemological laboratories such as GIA and IGI that also grade mined diamonds. All Sam & J Diamonds are certified Ideal Cut, D – F Colour and Flawless – VS2 Clarity grades with no fluorescence.

how are diamonds grown in a lab

There are two methods of creating diamonds in a laboratory – High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Depolarisation (CVD).

HPHT

A HPHT diamond begins its journey as a small diamond seed placed in a capsule before pure carbon is inserted onto the diamond seed. The capsule is then placed into a chamber reactor and surrounded by metal anvils. At extreme temperature and pressure, the pure carbon dissolves and its molecules crystallise on the diamond seed. Thereafter, it is cooled into the strongest form of carbon – a diamond crystal.

CVD

A CVD diamond starts as a thin diamond silver placed inside a vacuum plasma reactor. Hydrocarbon gas is then injected into the reactor chamber. The CVD process involves breaking down the hydrocarbon gas into carbon and hydrogen atoms, which are deposited into the diamond silver to produce a square-shaped diamond crystal – the strongest form of carbon.