What is a lab-grown diamond?
Lab-grown diamonds have exactly the same appearance, chemical composition and properties as diamonds mined from the earth's crust. They are therefore just as genuine as natural diamonds; only their origin differs.
Lab-grown diamonds are manufactured in controlled laboratory environments by recreating the process that occurs in nature when a diamond is formed. Using high heat and high pressure, the diamonds are grown from a seed consisting of a carbon atom from an existing diamond, which is allowed to grow to the desired size. This process, which takes many millions of years in nature, takes approximately three to six weeks in the laboratory.
It is very difficult to distinguish a lab-grown diamond from a natural diamond, and this requires special equipment and expertise. With a standard magnifying glass (10x magnification), it is virtually impossible to see the difference. Lab-grown diamonds are graded and certified according to the same criteria as natural diamonds, but the certificate always clearly states that the diamond is lab-grown. All our lab-grown round diamonds with a size of 0.30 carats and above come with a certificate from the IGI (International Gemological Institute), which is the certification body with the most experience and highest reputation when it comes to certifying lab-grown stones. For shapes other than round, diamonds come with a certificate from 0.50 carats and above.
NATURAL OR LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS?
Whether one prefers natural or lab-grown diamonds is highly individual. Many people feel that the appeal of a diamond lies in the fact that it was formed beneath the earth's crust millions of years ago, while others are fascinated by new technology and the perfection that can be achieved in a modern laboratory.
It is a controversial issue whether lab-grown or natural diamonds have the lowest carbon footprint, with different advocates presenting widely differing results regarding how much energy is used to produce a diamond. There are simply good and bad examples in both laboratories and mines. A decisive factor in the environmental impact of lab-grown diamonds is the type of energy source used in their production: the more renewable and clean the energy, the lower the carbon footprint. Regardless of this, one environmental advantage is that lab-grown diamonds do not contribute to the disruption of natural ecosystems that mining inevitably causes. In this way, the Earth's resources are preserved for future generations. In addition, the price of a lab-grown diamond is approximately 40-60% lower than that of a natural diamond of equivalent quality.
Gold of Sweden collaborates with a number of carefully selected suppliers of lab-grown diamonds, several of which have been certified as carbon neutral. One such supplier is Diamond Foundry, which uses hydropower in its facilities. Depending on the size and shape you have in mind for your diamond, we can often offer a stone from Diamond Foundry. The diamond will then come with a special certificate stating that it was manufactured by them and that they are a carbon-neutral company. Please contact us for more information and a price quote!
