Education: Introducing Lab Grown Diamonds
Jack Murphy Jewellers are delighted to introduce their specially curated ‘Lab Diamond Collection’ to their sparkling showroom, offering customers more choice. Lab Grown Diamonds are as dazzling and commanding as their natural counterparts, and are excellent value for money.
Our Diamond Specialists have answered your Frequently Asked Questions below.
Lab grown diamonds are man-made diamonds that mirror the characteristics of natural diamonds. They are grown in a laboratory using cutting edge technology that mimics the conditions under which natural diamonds form. As they are formed from the same material (i.e., a carbon seed) and exposed to the same conditions (i.e., extreme heat and pressure), lab grown diamonds have the same appearance and display the same physical, chemical and optical properties of a natural diamond. Whilst natural diamonds take millions (or sometimes billions) of years to form under the Earth’s crust, lab grown diamonds typically take between three and ten weeks to be created in a laboratory. Lab grown diamonds are cut and polished in the same way that natural diamonds are.
Absolutely, lab grown diamonds are real diamonds – just with a different beginning. Lab grown diamonds cannot be distinguished by the naked eye as they are visually and chemically identical to natural diamonds. Therefore, specialist equipment is required to tell them apart.
However, unlike lab grown diamonds, there are only a limited number of natural diamonds in the world which makes them rarer and more valuable.
Lab grown diamonds offer a cost-effective alternative to natural diamonds. Depending on the quality of the lab grown diamond, these can be significantly less expensive than natural diamonds.
Whilst this may be appealing, the value of lab grown diamonds decreases over time as they are man-made and less sought after than rarer, natural diamonds. Therefore, if you are interested in purchasing an investment piece, we would recommend natural diamonds.
Yes! Lab grown diamonds are equally as strong as natural diamonds in terms of durability, quality and appearance.
There is much debate around how sustainable lab grown diamonds are, and whether they really are the most ethical choice.
As lab grown diamonds are man-made in a laboratory, they do require a significant amount of energy to be produced, resulting in the use of high amounts of non-renewable energy. Whilst, natural diamond mining has a clear impact on the environment too.
On the other hand, lab grown diamonds offer greater traceability and more transparency in regards to human rights and working conditions for those in the lab grown industry.
It is also important to note that Jack Murphy Jewellers natural diamonds are certified and follow the Kimberley Process, ensuring their natural diamonds are “conflict free”.
These variables make for great uncertainty and conflicting information, often leading to much confusion as to which is the more ethical choice. Hence, why it is crucial for natural and lab grown diamond producers to work together towards more sustainable practices.
Lab grown diamonds are graded and certified using the same process as natural diamonds. Jack Murphy Jewellers natural and lab grown diamonds are graded either by the International Gemmological Institute (IGI) or the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA).
“The IGI Laboratory Grown Diamond Report provides the same information as the IGI Diamond Report but the colour of the report is yellow. The laboratory grown diamond's girdle is also laser inscribed with the report number as well as the words "lab grown." These steps are taken in the interest of clear delineation for consumers.”(International Gemmological Institute Ltd., 2020)
“The GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report includes the standard GIA colour, clarity and cut grading scales for reference purposes. The reports use descriptive terms to identify colour and clarity. Each report will include a statement that identifies the type of growth process used, CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) or HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature), and will indicate if there is evidence of post-growth treatments to change the colour.”
(Gemmological Institute of America Inc., 2002-2021)
Although lab grown diamonds are man-made, it does not make them flawless. As with natural gemstones, lab diamonds are grown with slight imperfections known as inclusions. When purchasing any diamond, it is important to consider the 4C’s (i.e., carat, colour, clarity and cut) – whether this is natural or lab grown as these factors will influence the price and overall investment you plan to make.
To view our Lab Grown Diamond Collection, please click here.