Lab Created Diamonds

What are Lab Created Diamonds?

One of the big questions we hear from customers is: “What’s a lab-created diamond?” And that’s a fair question! A lot of people still labor under the assumption that lab-created means that one of these intriguing diamonds is cheap, inferior, or a substitute like cubic zirconia.

On the contrary, lab-created diamonds are the same “allotrope” of carbon as mined diamonds, which means that they’re made from the same stuff as mined diamonds and arranged in the same atomic structure. Diamonds, no matter their form, are made from pure carbon (like coal, pencil lead, and even food!) that’s been exposed to tremendous pressure and thousands of degrees of heat.

For mined diamonds, that pressure and heat happens over millions of years when raw carbon is crushed under tons of rock and soil, heated by magma vents. Thanks to modern technology, the miracle of nature can be replicated in a laboratory. The primary way of creating gem-quality diamonds is the HPHT (high-pressure high-temperature) process places a parcel of raw carbon in a heated anvil that crushes it from all sides until a diamond is formed in the center.

With this process, any number of chemicals can be added to the parcel, making fancy colored diamonds. Alternatively, the lover of white diamonds will be pleased with the beauty of the flawless, fiery gems produced in laboratory settings.

The Benefits of Choosing a Lab Created Diamond

That being said, if lab-created diamonds are chemically the same as mined diamonds, why should you choose them instead?

The answer is twofold: the first is about price, and the second is Earth-friendliness.

Think about it this way, if you have a carat of diamond created on-demand in a laboratory from a little bit of cheap carbon and a big jolt of electricity, isn’t that going to be a lot cheaper than paying for a diamond that had to be mined by tons of equipment and hundreds of employees? Plus, if those tons of mining equipment aren’t digging up the ground, doesn’t that mean that there’s less environmental disruption and greenhouse gasses?

The end result is a diamond that’s something like 30 percent cheaper than a comparable mined diamond. If you’re looking to stay within a budget for your engagement or wedding and staying green while maintaining your aesthetic tastes, choosing a lab-grown diamond may be something that works for you.

Visit Frank Jewelers for Your Lab Created Diamond

Whether you’re looking for a mined diamond or lab-grown one to add to your gorgeous new wedding band, engagement ring, or fashion jewelry, you can be assured that Frank Jewelers has the diamond that you’re looking for.

Additionally, keep in mind that Frank Jewelers has settings from top designers in the industry, so if your heart is set on a particular cut for your lab-created diamond, we’ll have a setting that wows you just as much. If you’re interested in finding out more about lab-created diamonds or the jewelry we offer, contact us at (815) 235-3169, or stop by our Freeport, Illinois showroom today!