MINED VS. LAB GROWN DIAMONDS
Bodega sells both Mined and Lab Grown diamonds- but which is for you? Lets explore the differences to help you make an informed decision.
HOW ARE NATURAL DIAMONDS FORMED?
Mined (natural) Diamonds are created naturally under circumstances of tremendous pressure and temperature in the earth's mantle.
Limited areas below the earth's surface, at a depth of 100 miles or more, where temperatures are at least 1,093 degrees celcius and pressures are at or over 725,000 pounds per square inch are where these circumstances can be found.
This is the crucial temperature and pressure required for the production and stability of natural diamonds. Diamonds are then created when the carbon atoms combine under the harsh conditions. The same process is used to make coloured diamonds.
Volcanic eruptions bring diamonds created and stored in these specific zones of the deep earth to the surface. Pieces of the upper mantle are torn out during these eruptions and brought to the surface, where they are mined.
A natural diamond will take between 1.1 and 3.3 billion years to form.
HOW ARE LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS CREATED?
Diamonds created in a lab are just as real as those found in a mine. Except for the fact that they are developed in a lab, lab-grown diamonds are completely interchangeable with earth-mined diamonds. They display the same fire, scintillation, and glitter as mined diamonds and share the same chemical, physical, and optical characteristics. When compared to similarly rare, earth-mined diamonds of the same quality, lab-grown diamonds are incredibly affordable.
LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS VS DIAMOND SIMULANTS
Even though "fake" diamonds (such moissanite and cubic zirconia) resemble real diamonds, they are not genuine carbon crystals.
Your imitation diamond will be considerably less valuable than a lab-grown diamond.
Thermal conductivity, facet doubling, UV fluorescence, and the fog test are among the tests used to establish whether a gem is actually a diamond (natural or lab-grown).
CAN A JEWELLER TELL IF MY DIAMOND IS LAB GROWN?
A Type 11a diamond tester, a tool that assesses whether the diamond is an 11a gem, can be used by a jeweller. As less than 2% of diamonds are 11a stones, your diamond is probably lab-grown if the tester indicates that it is an 11a stone. The gem must be transported to a specialised gem lab for examination in order to be absolutely certain.
SO WHICH DIAMOND DO I BUY?
It's a matter of preference. Get a natural diamond if you want a stone that was created deep inside the Earth millions of years ago and brought to the surface by a volcano. Get a lab-grown diamond if you want a diamond that is guaranteed to be conflict-free and that may have a lower cost and less negative impact on the environment.