In recent years, lab grown diamonds have become more and more popular. This is because they are real diamonds with identical characteristics to natural diamonds, but at a significantly reduced cost. To understand where this phenomenon came from, we need to look back at a little history.

 

The first lab grown diamonds where created in December 1954 by General Electric. While it is somewhat disputed as to whether Herbert Strong or Howard Tracy Hall was the first to actually create such diamonds, (with most tellings seeming to favor Hall), two main methods have been developed for the production of synthetic diamonds.

 

 

In nature, diamonds are formed under exceedingly high pressure and high temperatures. Given that, the HPHT method attempts to mimic nature as closely as possible. This was the first and is the oldest lab technique used to create diamonds. With pressure of around 870,000 to 1.5 million pounds per square inch and heat generally over 1400 °C (around 2552 degrees Fahrenheit) applied to carbon material, this is a very expensive and energy intensive method of production.

 

The HPHT method can be subdivided into three production process, the belt press, the cubic press, and the split-sphere press techniques. The latter two are technologically more advanced and efficient than the initial belt press approach.

 

The second and more recent approach does not require high pressure, and only requires heat of around 800-900 °C (around 1472-1652 degrees Fahrenheit). This is because the process involves filling a vacuum chamber with gas containing carbon, which crystalizes on a synthetic diamond seed. While this is still hot, it is much less costly than using HPTP. It is interesting to note that the CVD method allows the diamond one growth direction (upward cube face), HTPT has fourteen (cuboctahedron) and natural diamonds have eight (octahedron). Understanding these growth patterns allows one to differentiate between the different types of diamonds.

 

HTHP vs CVD diamond, which one is better? Initially, the HTHP production method led to more yellowish and brownish diamond coloring, whereas the CVD method was able to produce colorless stones. However today, both methods are able to produce colorless and flawless diamonds, although an advantage in using CVD is the cost of production.

 

There are other technologies that are used to create synthetic diamonds such as explosive formation (detonation nanodiamonds - DND or ultra dispersed diamond - UDD) and sonication of graphite solution. While the nanodiamonds and nanoparticles produced via these methods have applications in the jewelry trade (whether as resin in a piece of jewelry or as a cleaning agent for example), they are more often used for industrial, commercial, and medical purposes.

 

Given that all the above production methods are done in a controlled environment, you can be sure you are getting a tailor made diamond to meet your specifications.

 

If you would like to know more about lab grown diamonds, or are looking for the best lab created diamond rings for someone special, please feel free to contact us at hello@thebetterdiamonds.com or click here.