Will lab grown diamonds pose a threat to the diamond industry?

Natural diamonds formed over millions of years are undoubtedly a rare and valuable expression, but now that there are diamonds that can be created in a laboratory, can these diamonds still be considered precious? Will lab grown diamonds replace the real diamonds in the minds of consumers? Or are they considered to be similar substitutes?

Imitation diamonds

Imitation diamonds are not a new phenomenon. Over the years there have been many attempts to create more affordable diamond simulants that buyers will accept as a substitute for real diamonds.

In the 1700s, glass was added to lead, aluminium oxide and thallium to make and cut into rhinestones, which became a common feature of antique jewellery. However, the durability of the rhinestone was its greatest drawback, as it was very soft and its faceted edges and surfaces would quickly become rounded and scratched. Later, in the early 1900s, the first crystalline synthetic diamond simulants were made into durable synthetic white sapphires and spinels, but these stones failed because they lacked the 'fire' quality of diamonds. "An optically 'improved' analogue of synthetic rutile was introduced in the latter half of the 1900s, but this was hampered by its inevitable yellow hue.

Cubic zirconia (CZ) is formed from zirconium dioxide and has been produced commercially for the jewellery market since 1976. Although popular in its own right, CZ can easily be identified as a diamond simulant as it is brighter and shinier than a real diamond and has no hue or inclusions. In reality, however, CZ stones are not a substitute for real diamonds, as they simply do not have the same chemical properties or value.

Since 1998, manufacturers have also been using moissanite to create imitation diamonds. Moissanite is made up of silicon carbide, which is harder than CZ, but they often form small inclusions during growth and can have a dazzling fire colour in sunlight, without the clear hue of a diamond.

Lab grown Diamonds

The stones known today as "lab grown diamonds" are actually made of carbon and have exactly the same physical and chemical properties as mined natural diamonds. First developed by General Electric in 1954, they use the High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method to simulate the heat and pressure used to produce natural diamonds in the earth's crust. This process usually produces lab grown diamonds that are pale yellow or brownish-yellow in colour.

Another recent method of creating diamonds that has become popular in the laboratory in recent years is through chemical vapour deposition (CVD), which breaks down carbon-containing gases and accumulates carbon deposits on a flat diamond crystal. Different gases can produce diamonds of different colours. A subsequent heat treatment removes this colouring, leaving the stones colourless and masking any inclusions, making their identification more difficult.

Are lab grown diamonds attractive to consumers?

Most leading lab grown diamond manufacturers take pride in the provenance of their diamonds. They offer sustainable, environmentally friendly, and certified conflict-free diamonds that appeal to a niche market of diamond customers who care about the environmental, political and human costs of diamond mining. Some lab grown diamond producers say: ''We offer beautiful diamonds that symbolise not only love and admiration, but also innovative technology, sustainability and a commitment to our future. ''Besides, the price of lab grown diamonds is the biggest attraction for consumers, so imagine being able to buy a bigger and better diamond for the same price - who wouldn't be happy? As for the concern that a lab grown diamond is not a real diamond, it has been explained many times that they are all made up of the same substance and that a lab grown diamond is a real diamond.

Identifying lab grown diamonds

Verifying the authenticity of a diamond is obviously a concern for diamond dealers and according to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), recent tests have shown that the quality of CVD diamonds has improved significantly. This now means that distinguishing lab grown diamonds from natural diamonds requires the use of advanced spectroscopic techniques.

If a customer requests a certified diamond, an appraisal report produced by a responsible diamond laboratory body will clearly identify the lab grown diamond as laboratory-made, including the GIA, IGI and HRD, as well as the domestic NGTC. consumers can ask for a diamond appraisal certificate at the time of purchase, which ensures that lab grown diamonds do not enter the market undetected.

Consumers subconsciously assign symbolic values to diamonds, which they then project onto themselves and each other. You are special and unique, communicating these ideas to women. The gift of commitment is an expensive diamond because she deserves more than just money. True love = a real diamond says it all. It doesn't matter if it's a lab grown or natural diamond as long as love is represented in it.