Lab Grown Diamonds At Caleesi Designs Jewelers

Lab Grown Diamonds are approximately 30-50% less expensive than a Natural Diamond, which means you can purchase a significantly larger diamond and truthfully say it is a diamond. The difference cannot be detected with the naked eye when comparing a Lab Grown Diamond and a Natural Diamond of equal characteristics of the 4 C’s. Lab Grown Diamonds have the same physical and chemical properties as Natural Diamonds so they will be just as dazzling.

How Are Lab Diamonds Made?

Our lab created diamonds are grown from the tiny carbon diamond seeds of pre-existing diamonds. Advanced technology – either extreme pressure and heat or a special deposition process known as CVD – mimics the method of natural diamond formation. Some lab diamonds grown through deposition may also undergo pressure and heat treatment after they are grown. Lab grown fancy colored diamonds are formed when small amounts of specific trace elements are present during the growth phase of the created diamond, just like in nature. In both white and fancy colored lab diamonds, the exact composition of trace elements may differ from their natural diamond counterparts. A lab diamond can only be distinguished from natural diamonds using specialized equipment that can detect the minor differences in trace elements and crystal growth.

Pros of Buying a Lab Grown Diamond

Lab Grown Diamonds are approximately 30-50% less than a Natural Diamond, which means you can purchase a significantly larger diamond and truthfully say it is a diamond. The difference cannot be detected with the naked eye when comparing a Lab Grown Diamond and a Natural Diamond of equal characteristics of the 4 C’s. Lab Grown Diamonds have the same physical and chemical properties as Natural Diamonds so they will be just as dazzling.

Are lab-grown diamonds GIA certified?

Lab diamonds are graded on the same scale of Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat weight as natural diamonds. This is the same as mined diamonds. The GIA does certify lab-grown diamonds, however, since they have just started, they aren’t that many of them.  More common are IGI and GCAL certificates for lab diamonds, as they also give specific grades for Color and Clarity and are much easier to find.

Are Lab Grown Diamonds More Ethical and Sustainable?

Are Lab Grown Diamonds more ethical?  Some think Lab Grown Diamonds are more ethical because there is no mining involved.  However, The Kimberley Process put in place in 2003, has successfully prevented the flow of conflict diamonds. Since Lab-Grown stones are not mined, they’re considered sustainable. Fulton says, “Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds that have been grown in a lab—essentially, the millions-years long process of heat and pressure involved in creating a natural diamond underground is mimicked in a lab.” 

On average, for every one carat that is mined from the ground, up to 250 tons of earth are removed, 127 gallons of freshwater are used, billions of gallons of water are contaminated with acid mine runoff, 143 pounds of air pollution are emitted, and countless gallons of fossil fuels are consumed." These mining practices can have so many negative results, from flooding to drought and deforestation. 

 In general, I really wouldn't consider diamonds as an investment any more than purchasing a new Mercedes as an investment. Most likely you are never going to try to resell your diamond. It's much more likely that you'll wind up handing it down to your heirs. If your emphasis is not focused primarily on the resale value of the diamond, a Lab Grown Diamond is a great alternative to purchasing a more expensive Mined Diamond. To put it simply, you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck.