Your Complete Guide to Lab-Grown Diamonds – The Bookshelf

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but they’re not exactly friendly for your wallet. If you’re currently shopping for an engagement ring, you’ve probably heard of lab grown diamonds UK and noticed that they’re considerably less expensive. You might be hesitant to purchase a lab-grown diamond, thinking that its low price tag is due to inferior quality. But that’s actually not the case. Lab-grown diamonds are identical to natural diamonds and come in different colors, carat weights, and shapes. They’re an excellent option if you want a bigger ring for a lower price tag.

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What Is A Lab Grown Diamond?

Lab diamonds, also known as synthetic diamonds, have the same chemical and physical composition as their natural counterparts, and visually they’re identical. The only real difference between lab diamonds and natural diamonds is the process used to make them.

Natural diamonds form in the earth’s mantle when the right amount of heat and pressure are combined and bond carbon atoms together. These gemstones are limited in quantity and their stunning beauty and durability have made them some of the most precious stones in the world.

Lab-grown diamonds, as the name implies, are man-made in a laboratory using an advanced technological process that mimics the natural way diamonds are formed. With advances in the technology used to create diamonds, it is now virtually impossible to distinguish lab-grown diamonds from mined diamonds. It’s a sustainable way that people can continue to enjoy this beautiful stone.

Why Do People Choose Lab-Grown Diamonds?

Lab-created diamonds are becoming more popular, but you may wonder why people would choose a stone created in a lab instead of a natural one. There are lots of reasons why people gravitate towards lab-grown diamonds. Here are a few:

• Lab-grown diamonds are more affordable than natural diamonds. Some people don’t want to spend an extravagant amount on a diamond, while others prefer a diamond much larger than they can afford. A lab-grown diamond can be up to 50% cheaper than a natural diamond of the same size. For many, the price tag is the number one reason they choose a lab-grown diamond. With lab-grown diamonds, you can get a larger, higher-quality diamond for less.
• Lab-grown diamonds are the real thing. There are many affordable gemstones that people choose for their engagement rings or other jewelry. Some are quite similar to diamonds, but you’ll always be able to tell the difference. If you don’t mind having something other than a diamond, or you prefer a particular stone for a more unique look, a diamond alternative might be right for you. But with lab-grown diamonds, you get a genuine diamond for a lower price. No one will ever know if it’s natural or a lab diamond since they’re identical.
• Lab-grown diamonds are both sustainable and ethical. Diamond mining has a history of being unethical and harmful to the environment. From poor working conditions and the use of child labor to diamond mine earnings being used to fund wars in Africa, diamond mining is fraught with humanitarian and ethical issues. Mining also has a huge impact on the environment since it requires tens of thousands of pounds of dirt to be moved to find just one diamond. This affects animal and plant habitats and does serious damage to established ecosystems. When buying a mined diamond, it’s very difficult to be sure that it has been ethically sourced. This problem is nonexistent with lab diamonds. You know exactly where a lab-grown diamond comes from, and that its creation has only a small impact on the environment. Lab-grown diamonds are also sustainable since they can be continually produced, while Earth’s natural diamond supply is limited.
• Diamonds made in a lab are of higher quality. Diamonds made in a lab have fewer defects compared to natural diamonds, resulting in a higher quality. They also tend to have a higher purity rating, meaning you get a clearer, brighter rock.

With all of these advantages, it’s clear why lab-grown diamonds are a popular choice. Whether you’re environmentally conscious or you’re on a tight budget, lab-grown diamonds are an excellent choice. While they don’t have the investment value of a natural diamond, which can be resold and even increase in value over the years, lab-grown diamonds share the same composition and beauty as natural diamonds.

Choosing the perfect diamond, especially for an engagement ring, is exciting, but it doesn’t mean you have to throw your budget out the window. With lab-grown diamonds, you can have the best of everything; a real diamond ring in the size you prefer at a reasonable price. Lab diamonds are made using a similar process to that found in nature. Many people decide to buy a lab-grown diamond instead of a natural one for ethical, environmental, or financial reasons. If you’re in the market for a diamond, do your research and see if a lab-grown diamond is a good choice for you.

Lab grown diamonds have been increasing in popularity, and many diamond companies have begun to start producing and selling their own. Now that you have options, consider some of these points when deciding where to purchase your grown diamonds from.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of 925 Jewelry. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

The company you purchase your engagement ring, loose stone or lab grown diamond jewelry from is important! You should do plenty of research into the company’s background and refutability, their business practices, their lab diamond growers, the shopping experience and customer reviews. The process of picking out a lab grown diamond or engagement ring is different for each individual; some people know exactly what they’re looking for and some need more information to better understand their personal style and preferences.

When it comes to shopping online, one of the biggest pros is that you can purchase on your own time while comparing options between retailers in a no pressure situation. Online companies offer competitive return policies and most diamonds purchased online are cheaper than those in brick and mortar and allow for comparison pricing. There is also often a much wider inventory selection available, as online can be virtually listed versus having everything physically in person. Most online companies offer a live chat option for instant communication, which is an easy way to get in touch with a salesperson without the hassle of leaving your house. When online shopping, make sure you pay closer attention to policies regarding returns, repairs, and warranties. Find a company who will be your advocate to find the highest quality lab-grown diamond at the best price! The great option about shopping at MiaDonna is that you can either shop online at your own leisure, any time of any day, or you can visit us at our retail store located in Portland, Oregon either by appointment, or just walk in.

The 4 Cs when shopping for diamonds are: carat, cut, clarity and color. These determine the look of each individual diamond, and are important factors to understand when shopping for your perfect lab grown diamond.

Carat represents the carat weight of the stone; the measurement used to describe the size of a diamond or gemstone based on weight. Most first-time buyers focus heavily on carat weight. They want the biggest diamond they can get and most often over 1.0ct. However, if you're on a budget, going just under a carat would be cost effective and you would most likely not physically see a big difference. For example, the visual difference of a 0.89ct compared to a 1.0ct will be incredibly minimal, but the price (which is based in part on carat weight) will have a significant difference; sometimes over a thousand dollars!

Cut is the most important aspect to keep in mind when selecting your lab grown diamond as it has the greatest influence on the appearance and price. A diamond’s cut determines how it interacts with light, creating effects like brightness, fire, and scintillation. At MiaDonna, we use the most standardized scale when pricing our lab grown diamonds. This ranges from Ideal, a desirable and rare cut that reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond to Fair (Poor), diamonds with a cut of fair or poor are typically cut deep and narrow or shallow and wide causing them to lose most of the light out the sides and bottom. MiaDonna does not carry diamonds with cut grades of fair or poor.

Clarity is the purity or quality of a diamond; how many inclusions or blemishes it has or how flawless it is. The better the clarity of a diamond is, the greater the brilliance and it also increases the value or price of the diamond. Diamond clarity is measured on a scale from Flawless (FL) or Internally Flawless (IF) to Included (I1, I2, and I3).

Color actually refers to the whiteness, or lack of color present in the diamond itself. Most diamonds used in jewelry and engagement rings are nearly colorless, with tints of yellow or brown. The diamond color scale ranges from D, E, F (colorless), G, H, I, J (near colorless), K, L, M (faint color), N-R (very light) to S-Z (light color). If you are a purist, look for a diamond graded colorless in the range of D-F to ensure your diamond has no discernible color. If you are budget conscious, you can get a fantastic diamond value by choosing a G-J color diamond. Most often you will notice little or no color with the naked eye.