Lab grown diamonds are generally produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or high pressure high temperature (HPHT) methods.
CVD uses ultra-pure carbon-rich gases in a controlled environment. It produces Type IIa diamonds, which are quite rare in nature and account for less than two percent of all mined diamonds.
Type IIa diamonds have no, or almost no, impurities; they are the purest, highest-quality diamonds.
HPHT, used since the 1950s, puts a pure, solid carbon source under high pressure and high temperature. In the presence of a catalyst, the pressurized and heated carbon crystallizes into diamond. HPHT is sometimes used to improve the color of mined or lab-grown diamonds.
Are synthetic diamonds real?
Although grown by scientists instead of created in the earth's crust, lab diamonds are absolutely real diamonds; They display the same chemical and optical properties as natural diamonds. Even expert gemologists can't tell the difference, but just for fun we're offering you the chance to guess.
What does CVD stands for in diamond?
Chemical Vapor Deposition
Synthetic diamond is also widely known as HPHT diamond or CVD diamond, after the two common production methods (referring to the high-pressure high-temperature and chemical vapor deposition crystal formation methods, respectively).
How are lab diamonds made?
These man-made diamonds consist of actual carbon atoms arranged in the characteristic diamond crystal structure. Since they are made of the same material as natural diamonds, they exhibit the same optical and chemical properties. Our lab grown diamonds are now readily available in a variety of colorless ranges.