Whether you’re just starting the search for an engagement ring or you’re trying to find the perfect matching band, there are tons of options out there in regards to where you can buy diamond jewelry. However, if you’re looking to purchase a lab-grown diamond ring, there are still limited retailers who offer this mined diamond alternative — regardless of how popular they have become. In today’s post we’re going to review exactly what a lab-grown diamond is, the differences between mined and lab-grown diamonds, and some of the reasons you might want to opt for man made.
What Is A Lab-Grown Diamond?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about what exactly a lab-grown diamond is and how it’s made. A lot of people associate man made diamonds with CZs or Moissanite. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Cubic Zirconia and Moissanite are made of entirely different elements: zirconium dioxide and silicon carbide. Lab-grown diamonds, just like their mined counterparts, are made from pure carbon.
People also tend to have the idea that lab-grown diamonds are grown “perfectly”. AKA they have no flaws and inclusions. This is another misconception. Since the growing process simply replicates what happens in the ground to a mined diamond, the same varying flaws and inclusions occur. Lab-grown diamonds are graded using the same characteristics: cut, color, clarity, and carat.
The last misconception is that lab-grown diamonds somehow come out of the lab as perfectly cut and polished. The reality is that these diamonds look the same as mined diamonds do when they come out of the earth. Both lab and mined diamonds are cut and polished, then graded at the same certification centers.
Lab vs Mined
This part is fairly easy and straightforward. The only difference between a man made diamond and a mined diamond is its origin.
The Benefits of Lab-Grown Diamonds
Although the only technical difference is where they are formed, there are a few benefits to lab-grown diamonds that help them shine a bit brighter.
For starters, they’re the only way you can be 100% sure that your diamond was ethically sourced. Although some companies claim that their mined diamonds come from an ethical origin, think about how long and complex the supply chain is for a mined diamond. Now imagine trying to keep track of said “conflict free” diamonds. Next to impossible. Not to mention, you don’t have to blow up the earth or the seabed to get your diamond, leaving a permanent scar on our earth.
Lab-grown diamonds are also 20-40% less expensive. This makes it easy to upgrade the size or quality of your ring or put some money away for future expenses.
So, should you buy a lab-grown diamond? All in all, the engagement ring shopping experience is extremely personal and important. Although there are many pros to buying a man made diamond, it’s important to go with what you or your significant other truly feel is the best option. Bookmark this page for reference and make the decision you feel is right.
