A lab grown diamond might seem like the perfect alternative to mined diamonds, but if you don’t know what to look for, you could end up with a fake that looks absolutely identical to the real thing. With so many companies now offering lab grown diamonds on the market, it can be difficult to find quality jewelry that won’t leave you with buyer’s remorse once you find out it’s not authentic. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a quality lab grown diamond and how to spot the fakes.
What are lab grown diamonds made of?
Since lab grown diamonds are real diamonds, they are made of carbon and most also contain impurities. While these impurities may not be readily visible, they can be detected by specialized equipment. Some common impurities include hydrogen, nitrogen and boron. Hydrogen is usually used in research labs because it makes it easier to study other materials, but it’s not naturally found in lab grown diamonds. Nitrogen is used for industrial applications and occurs when manufacturing is done with high temperatures. Boron is added to diamonds that are grown using CVD (chemical vapor deposition) since it helps promote crystal growth. The exact amounts of each impurity vary depending on how they were produced or where they come from—they can even change over time as natural weathering processes occur!
Check the Clarity Grade
The first step in choosing lab grown diamond jewelry is checking out clarity grade. Only you can decide if you’re happy with these definitions or if you’d like to be pickier, but it’s important that lab-grown diamonds are transparent and easy to clean. For everyday wear, opt for an IF or VVS stone; they’re easy on your eyes and tough on stains. If money isn’t a problem, go ahead and splurge on an IF-VVS diamond because they’ll sparkle just as brightly as any mined stone.
Assess Carat Weight and Shape
When choosing between two similar lab-grown diamonds, pay close attention to carat weight and shape. Generally speaking, larger stones are more valuable than smaller ones, though there are exceptions. Also, diamond shapes have different price ranges depending on which cuts they belong to—like princess cut or emerald cut—which also affects value. If you’re looking for as much bang for your buck as possible, opt for 1 carat or less stones that fall into more budget-friendly cuts. Do some research into other customers’ experiences with that lab’s products; if you can’t find any negative reviews or feedback, then it’s probably safe to say that their stones are quality products.
The importance of Cut and Polish
When shopping for lab grown diamond earrings, don’t be deceived by false claims. Lab grown diamond sellers will say anything to get you in their store and are especially fond of using words like real, genuine, and natural. Their strategy is simple: they want you to think that lab grown diamonds are real diamonds that were manufactured in a lab. This couldn’t be further from the truth! A lab-grown diamond is never natural; it was always designed and manufactured with human hands and machines. That being said, quality-checked stones (like ours) can often look just as good or better than a mined stone!
Beware of False Claims!
You may be tempted to buy lab-grown diamonds as an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to mined diamonds. But you should beware of false claims. Lab-grown diamonds aren’t cheaper than mined stones, so don’t be fooled by price alone. Some retailers claim that lab-grown stones are more durable than their mined counterparts, but there’s no proof of that just yet. If you choose a lab grown diamond, make sure you buy from an established retailer who can offer a warranty on their product. Most importantly, ask about where your diamond was grown and how it was made; most genuine lab grown diamonds come from Japan or Russia, not India. After all, your purchase shouldn’t put any additional environmental strain on our planet.
