How to tell if the Diamond was created in a lab?
From elegant solitaire pendants that adorn your neck like the stars in the night sky to the diamond rings that sparkle on your fingers, diamonds are everywhere! As the world heads towards more ethical choices, lab-grown diamonds are slowly becoming ALL THE RAGE! We are totally here for these sustainable goals, but a girl must know her diamonds! The short answer is that the only distinction between the two types of diamonds is their production process. To the naked eye, it is almost impossible to tell the difference. They have the same chemical composition, refractive index, and hardness scale. Nevertheless, you can use specialized equipment to create distinctions between the diamonds.
How are lab-grown diamonds made?
Mined diamonds form after being subject to high pressures and temperatures for millions of years. Lab-grown diamonds, however, can be made within a few weeks. There are two distinct processes of diamond creation: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). In the process of CVD, a diamond seed is exposed to low temperatures and high pressure before a diamond is created. Whereas in HPHT, the conditions of a mined diamond are simulated to form a diamond. You may wonder why these aspects are relevant to distinguishing a lab diamond from a mined one. We’re here to tell you that this is one of the most important factors in determining the difference!
The Magnet Test
Surprisingly, diamonds that are created using the HPHT method often have traces of Iron and Nickel in them. They are left in a cluster of tiny pin-prick inclusions which can be strong enough to draw a magnet toward them. However, you will require a special type of magnet for this test. A Neodymium magnet has the ideal size and strength for attracting a diamond. To test the magnetic ability of the diamond you can directly touch the magnet to the surface of the diamond and pull it away gently. If the diamond follows the magnet, it is likely a lab-grown diamond. However, the magnetism of the diamond is relative to the position of the inclusions so you may have to touch the magnet to several surfaces around the diamond.
There are other methods of checking whether a diamond is lab-grown or not, but they are highly technical procedures that would require the help of a jeweler or a lab. We have listed some of them for you below:
Type IIa Diamond Tester
By using a Type IIa Diamond Tester to check whether a diamond is of the type IIa variety, one can find the difference between the two diamonds. A type IIa Diamond is a gemological variant of a diamond that relates to the carbon purity of a diamond. Most mined diamonds are not type IIa Diamonds because they are not created in a controlled environment and have low purity. However, a man-made diamond does fall in the category of type IIa because of its regulated creation.
Checking Fluorescence
Well-established labs have access to expensive machinery that is specifically designed to distinguish between lab-grown diamonds and natural ones. A popular machine that is used is Diamond View which was created by GIA (Gemological Institute of America). First, the lab bombards the diamond with small light waves that cause the diamond to fluoresce (glow). Man-made diamonds tend to fluoresce more brightly than mined ones and that is one method of telling the difference. Secondly, they observe the color of the diamond when hit by the light waves. A natural diamond tends to look blue but a lab-grown diamond made using CVD shines bright orange and a lab-created diamond made using HPHT looks almost turquoise in color.
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, so you should ALWAYS be aware of what you’re wearing. Use these simple tips to distinguish lab-grown and mined diamonds. But remember, lab-grown jewellery like what we offer is the way to feel empowered and feminine. Our daring pieces embody what it means to be a woman and will attract many admirers. Shop at Dream Diamonds to capture the essence of beauty, luxury, and grace.