How do lab-grown diamonds compare with mined diamonds?

The beauty of a diamond jewel is beyond doubt. Its light and sparkle amaze and fascinate us, which is why we choose to either give it to someone we love or buy it. Today we know that, in addition to diamonds mined underground, there are also lab-grown diamonds. Recognizing the difference is impossible without the right skills and technological tools.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has stated that lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical, optical, and physical properties and the same crystalline structure as natural diamonds. Like natural diamonds, they are made of tightly bonded carbon atoms. They respond to light in the same way and are as hard as natural diamonds. The main differences between lab-created and natural diamonds lie in their origin. 

In other words, lab-grown diamonds are like ice in a refrigerator, while natural diamonds are like ice in a glacier. They are both ice, even though their formation histories and ages are very different.

It is essential to remember

A lab-grown diamond is a diamond in every way; it is not an imitation. Its chemical, physical, and optical properties are identical to those of a mined diamond. Minerals that can be confused with diamonds include quartz, topaz, zircon, colorless beryl, white sapphire, and spinel. Synthetic products that imitate diamonds include cubic zirconia (not to be confused with zircon), YAG, moissanite, fabulite, and lead glass.

Lab-grown and mined diamonds: 

• They have the same chemical composition (C).
• They have the same crystalline structure (Cubic), the same refractive index (2.42), the same dispersion (0.0044) and the same density (3.52).
• They measure 10 in hardness (Mohs scale).
• They are classified in the same way, based on the 4 Cs: Clarity, Cut, Color and Carat.
• They come with a certificate and an inscription to identify the diamond.