Education

What Is A Natural Diamond?

The existence of natural diamonds dates back to the 4th century BC. This carbon devised substance has been the pride of the jewelry industry ever since its inception. Right from engagement rings to fine jewelry, natural diamonds are used in a wide range of jewelry pieces, as they are one of the hardest and purest substances known to mankind. They are formed 85 miles below the earth’s mantle under extreme conditions of high pressure and temperature. Once a diamond is formed underground, it is transported by magma to the earth's surface, where it is mined, refined, and turned into precious jewelry or used for industrial purposes.

What are Lab Grown Diamonds?

Diamonds grown in labs are just like test-tube babies, grown from a single seed of Diamond that is exposed to the same heat and pressure as the earth's crust. These diamond alternatives bloom without charring the environment with harmful mining practices and therefore, are considered the most eco-friendly alternative a mined diamond could ever have. This category has gained worldwide acceptance since it avoids the stigma of blood diamonds. Additionally, they are more uniform and cheaper than earth-mined diamonds which makes them all the more beneficial.

Difference between Lab-Grown and
Earth –Mined Diamonds

• The main difference that sets the two apart is their place and time of origin. Where natural diamonds have existed for a billion years and are formed deep in the earth’s crust under extreme pressure and temperature, lab-grown diamonds came into existence somewhere around the 1950s. These diamonds originated in a lab and are mostly suitable for industrial use.
• One of the factors causing the increase in demand for lab-grown diamonds is their price. The fact that they are more affordable than natural diamonds makes them a more popular option for engagement rings and fine jewelry.
• Natural diamonds do not possess the inclusions found in Lab Diamonds of lower clarity.
• It is almost impossible to differentiate between a lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond until you have professional aid at your disposal. The lab grown diamonds at present have very little or no resale value as compared to the natural mined diamonds.