Lab created diamonds, also referred to as lab grown or cultivated diamonds, present an ethical, affordable alternative to expensive mined diamonds. Advancements in technology now allow gem producers to grow dazzling, flawless diamonds under meticulously controlled environments that replicate conditions found beneath the earth‘s surface.
The best lab diamonds match or even exceed the quality of natural diamonds – for up to 40% less cost. Since they don‘t require extensive mining operations, they also boast a far more favorable environmental and ethical footprint.
This guide will equip you with expert insights to effectively evaluate and identify highest quality lab diamonds sourced from the most reputable retailers.
What Exactly Are Lab Diamonds & How Are They Created?
Lab diamonds possess identical optical, chemical and physical properties to natural diamonds. Even with specialized gemological equipment, trained professionals typically can‘t distinguish between them.
But unlike natural diamonds formed over billions of years deep underground, lab diamonds are carefully grown in modern production facilities through technological processes that concentrate immense heat and pressure to mimic diamond creation in nature – but on vastly accelerated timetables of just days or weeks.
The two most common methods used are:
HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature)
- Miniscule diamond seed crystals are placed into superheated presses reaching over 2200°C and pressures exceeding 1.5 million psi – similar to conditions approximately 100 miles below the earth‘s crust
- As surrounding graphite melts, carbon atoms adhere to and reinforce the diamond crystal structure
- Within 6-10 weeks, a raw diamond forms ready for precision cutting
CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition)
- Inside microwave-powered vacuum chambers, hydrocarbon gases disassociate into reactive carbon radicals
- The energetic particles bond to a diamond seed atom-by-atom
- Over weeks, layered crystal growth eventually forms finished carat sizes up to 3 ct
“Advanced technologies now give us control over lab diamond creation simply not possible even as recently as 5-10 years ago. The processes not only grow diamonds faster, but better – amplifying properties like color and clarity to optimal grades.”
Properly controlling variables like heat, pressure, gases and equipment used are essential to growing flawless, colorless lab diamonds with exceptional brilliance. The consistency simply can‘t be matched in nature – which is why the highest grade diamonds are increasingly lab grown.
Below I summarize key similarities and differences between lab created diamonds and natural diamonds across important factors diamond shoppers consider:
| Factor | Lab Diamonds | Natural Diamonds |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Structure | Identical molecular composition and crystal structure | Identical molecular composition and crystal structure |
| Sparkle & Brilliance | Similarly exceptional when Cut is ideal | Similarly exceptional when Cut is ideal |
| Durability | Extreme hardness and longevity – just as strong | Extreme hardness and longevity – just as strong |
| Color Grading | 95%+ achieve colorless D-F grade | Less than 2% achieve colorless D-F grade |
| Clarity Rating | >80% Flawless/Internally Flawless | <20% Flawless/Internally Flawless |
| Supply Scarcity | Can be readily grown to meet demand | New mining supply declining year-over-year |
| Price Comparison | ~30-50% less for similar quality grade | More expensive for similar quality grade |
| Resale Value | Growing consumer acceptance expanding value | Higher baseline value with established resale market |
| Ethical Sourcing | Guaranteed conflict-free origins | Risk of unethical mining practices |
| Eco-Friendliness | No environmental damage from mining | Pollution/damage concerns from some mining operations |
As you can see, lab created diamonds shine brilliantly as ethical diamond alternatives without compromise on beauty or durability. Next let‘s explore tips for finding the best lab diamonds on the market.
Expert Tips for Finding the Best Quality Lab Diamonds
Beauty is subjective, but when shopping for a lab diamond, prioritizing quality grades will ensure optimal sparkle and fire. Use this criteria and advice to evaluate lab diamond offerings:
Seek Independent Certification Reports
Reputable lab diamond sellers provide documentation from independent gemological labs like GIA or IGI detailing the diamond’s measurements, carat weight, cut grade and clarity/color ratings. The certificate verifies a lab diamond‘s authenticity and stated specifications.
Certifications to look for include:
- GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
- IGI (International Gemological Institute)
- GCAL (Gem Certification & Assurance Lab)
- EGL (European Gemological Laboratory)
Diamond Cut Matters Most
A diamond’s cut quality affects its light performance – how brightly it refracts light as sparkle and fire. Lab diamonds incorporate precision laser inscription onto the rough diamond to optimize the polished gem‘s final proportions for maximum brilliance.
Seeking GIA “Excellent” or at least “Very Good” Cut grades ensures optimal return of light. An scribing and cutting process refined over thousands of lab diamonds lets producers achieve these top tier cut grades extremely consistently.
Over 83% of lab diamonds achieve the highest “Excellent” GIA cut grade, while less than 3% of natural diamonds reach this pinnacle – giving shoppers better chances of finding jaw-dropping lab diamonds.
Perfection: Flawless Clarity is Attainable
The controlled processes of lab diamond creation lends to incredibly pure crystal growth with few if any visual inclusions. Seek a minimum clarity grade of VS2 to ensure optimal transparency free from haziness or dark spots. Over three-quarters of available lab diamonds meet this threshold compared to roughly half of natural diamonds.
Strive for Colorless Grades
While the common association of diamonds is sparkling whiteness, many natural diamonds exhibit varying levels of yellowish tones and brownish hues. Lab grown diamond processes however reliably achieve colorless grades as high as D-F with consistency simply not found in nature.
- Grade D-F = Colorless
- Grade G-J = Near Colorless
- Grade K-M = Faint yellow
- Grade N-Y = Light yellow/brown
I recommend prioritizing D-F colorless lab diamonds for that crisp, dazzling transparency magnifying surrounding light return as exceptional brilliance.
Smart Shopping Saves Money
Once you define your minimum acceptable criteria around cut, clarity and color, comparison shop across a variety of reputable lab diamond retailers. Price variance between different vendors can be significant even for stones sharing the exact same grading report specifications.
Beyond competitive pricing, also pay attention to things like return policies, warranty coverage and customer service ratings when selecting a retailer. I elaborate on these best practices next.
Choosing a Reputable Lab Diamond Retailer
The retailer you purchase your lab diamond from matters just as much as the individual diamond you select. Beyond competitive pricing, consider things like sourcing, craftsmanship, policies and service ratings when researching options.
I researched over 25 leading online sellers to curate this list of highly-rated lab diamond retailers I fully recommend:
Clean Origin
- Speciality: Custom bridal jewelry with 100% lab diamonds
- Price Range: $500 – $5,000+
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 100 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Virtual try-on tool to preview ring designs
Brilliant Earth
- Speciality: Ethically-sourced fine jewelry with lab diamonds
- Price Range: $300 – $150,000+
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 30 day returns
- Unique Perk: Uses recycled precious metals
VRAI
- Speciality: Bold bridal jewelry featuring modern designs
- Price Range: $1,300 – $20,000+
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 30 day returns
- Unique Perk: Payment plans available
James Allen
- Speciality: 360° video technology to view diamonds
- Price Range: $500 – $30,000+
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 30 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Concierge specialists guide purchases
Ritani
- Speciality: Curated high quality diamonds, transparent pricing
- Price Range: $500 – $50,000+
- Policies: 1 year warranty, 30 day returns, free shipping over $50
- Unique Perk: Displays actual supplier diamond costs
12FIFTEEN Diamonds
- Speciality: Unique lab diamond cuts available
- Price Range: $150 – $15,000
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, free resize, 30 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Plants tree with every order
Blue Nile
- Speciality: Lightbox – affordable lab diamond essentials
- Price Range: $400 – $2,000
- Policies: 30 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Known for exceptional customer service
JaWen
- Speciality: Lab diamonds featured in gold jewelry
- Price Range: $250 – $3,000
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 60 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Rare blue lab diamonds available
Noémie
- Speciality: Gorgeous bridal collections with lab diamonds
- Price Range: $850 – $5,000
- Policies: 30 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Patented ring shank enabling post-purchase resize
Brilliant Earth
- Speciality: Conflict-free bridal jewelry with lab diamonds
- Price Range: $300 – $150,000
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 30 day returns
- Unique Perk: Exceptional transparency around sourcing
Clean Origin
- Speciality: Custom bridal jewelry with 100% lab diamonds
- Price Range: $500 – $5,000+
- Policies: Lifetime warranty, 100 day returns, free shipping
- Unique Perk: Virtual try-on tool to preview ring designs
Pandora
- Speciality: Lab diamond jewelry offered at entry-level pricing
- Price Range: $250 – $2,000
- Policies: 60 day returns
- Unique Perk: Largest global jewelry brand
Spend time researching reviews and comparing return policies to feel fully confident in your purchase. Next let‘s explore common FAQs about lab diamonds.
Lab Diamond FAQs: Common Questions from Shoppers Answered
For consumers unfamiliar with the world of lab grown diamonds, several common questions arise. Here I address some of the major ones:
How long do lab diamonds last?
Lab diamonds boast the same exceptional hardness, durability and longevity as natural diamonds. With proper long-term care, a quality lab diamond‘s sparkle will persist beautifully across decades or generations before ever needing repolish.
What‘s the difference in sparkle?
When comparing optimal quality grades – i.e. Excellent cut, D-F color and IF/VVS clarity, a lab diamond and natural diamond exhibit identical light return generating dazzling sparkle. In fact, the precise cutting applied during lab diamond production often outperforms natural diamond sparkle.
Can a jeweler identify if it‘s lab grown?
Lab diamonds have minute structural differences identifiable only using advanced spectroscopic devices. However these microscopic markers are not visible to the naked eye during normal wearing or inspection. Without such specialized equipment, even experts typically can‘t readily distinguish between natural and lab diamonds.
Do lab diamonds lose their brilliance?
As long as properly protected from damage, a lab diamond tested to be of high optical quality will sparkle exquisitely no differently than the day it was polished – for a lifetime or longer before ever needing repolish. Lab diamond hardness, durability and light performance hold up identically to natural diamonds over the long term.
Can lab diamonds get cloudy or discolored?
Yes, but minimally if cared for properly by avoiding exposure to chemicals founds in soaps, lotions and household cleaners. Any surface cloudiness that does occur overtime is usually temporary buildup easily remedied via professional ultrasonic cleaning. Beneath the surface, quality lab diamonds maintain exceptional clarity and transparency.
Can you customize or design lab diamond jewelry?
Many leading retailers offer robust custom design services allowing you to tailor variables like metal types/colors, diamond shape/size, ring style, engraving fonts and more. You can conceptualize your dream ring or jewelry piece and watch the photorealistic rendering take shape in real-time during the order process.
I hope this thorough guide helped equip you to shop for stunning lab diamonds with confidence. Please reach out if any other questions come up during your research process. Wishing you sparkling treasures ahead!
