A lab-created diamond is a diamond that is grown in a controlled laboratory environment, which is physically, chemically, and optically identical to a natural diamond. The difference is in their origin: natural diamonds form over billions of years in Earth's mantle, while lab-grown diamonds are made in a matter of weeks or months. The process of growing a lab-created diamond is similar to the way that natural diamonds are formed, but it takes place much faster. Lab-created diamonds are made of the same material as natural diamonds, which is pure carbon. They have the same physical and chemical properties as natural diamonds, and they can be certified by the same gemological laboratories.
There are two main methods for growing lab-created diamonds:
- Chemical vapour deposition (CVD): This method involves depositing carbon atoms onto a substrate in a vacuum chamber. The carbon atoms are heated to a high temperature, and they bond together to form a diamond crystal.
- High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT): This method involves heating and pressurising carbon in a sealed chamber. The high pressure and heat cause the carbon atoms to bond together to form a diamond crystal.
Lab-created diamonds are often more affordable than natural diamonds, and they are also considered to be more ethical. This is because they do not require the mining of natural resources, and they do not contribute to the environmental damage that is often associated with diamond mining.
