Lab Diamonds

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Lab-grown

General Electric
 developed the first lab-grown diamond in 1955. DeBeers purchased the
 technology, which then vanished for many years. While the GE/DeBeers diamond
 was created using the HPHT method, it paved the way for further technological
 advancements that led to the development of CVD diamonds. As a result, CVD
 diamonds had become a reality by the 1980s.

Even though lab-grown
 diamonds have been available for a long time, CVD is a relatively recent
 method. Before introducing this procedure, labs depended on the
 High-Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) method. Given the extreme conditions needed in the HPHT process, CVD offers a much more efficient way of growing diamonds—about 1500°C and approximately 1.5 million pounds of pressure per
 square inch.

The Process

The CVD process is set
 in motion by putting a thin seed diamond inside a sealed chamber and exposing
 it to high temperatures—usually up to 800°C—in chemical vapor deposition. The
 chamber is then filled with a carbon-rich gas combination, typically hydrogen and methane. Ionization breaks away the molecular bonds in the gasses, allowing
 pure carbon to adhere to the diamond seed. As the carbon accumulates, it
 creates atomic bonds with the seed diamond, forming a new, bigger diamond that
 looks just like a natural diamond.&nbsp;Learn more about this process in&nbsp;<a href="https://brilliantearth.sjv.io/oebzDE" class="external" rel="nofollow">this article</a> with visual illustrations at Brilliant Earth.<img loading="lazy" class="img-responsive" src="https://backend.petragems.com/public/api/Images/Picture22.webp" alt="growth process lab diamonds" width="300px"> Watch the <a href="https://player.vimeo.com/video/266559133" rel="nofollow">explainer&nbsp;video</a>.&nbsp;

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

CVD diamonds may be
 labeled "synthetic," but you should not let yourself be fooled by the
 name. These diamonds are similar to mined diamonds in every aspect, from their
 internal atomic structure to how they dazzle on your finger. In addition, they
 have the same appearance as "natural" diamonds, such that even an
 experienced jeweler may be unable to tell the difference.

This perspective is
 not one that only diamond makers put forward, as is usually stated. For
 example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determined in 2018 that synthetic
 and natural diamonds are identical for all intents and purposes: 100
 percent diamond!

Now that you know the
 mechanism involved in CVD diamonds you may think that a lab-grown CVD diamond
 would automatically be flawless—after all, it is made under regulated
 circumstances, right? However, even though the average CVD diamond is likely to
 be of a greater grade than the typical mined diamond, CVDs still have a wide
 range of quality. It is so because the mechanisms that make natural diamonds are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.petragems.com/education/labgrown-vs-natural-diamonds/">virtually the same in the lab</a>.
 Also, as with natural diamonds, a certain level of chance is always involved.

As a result, after CVD
 diamonds complete their growth, they undergo the same certification process as
 mined diamonds. Qualified&nbsp;<a href="https://www.petragems.com/education/diamond-certification/">diamond certification</a>&nbsp;labs
 measure and assess the diamonds' color,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.petragems.com/education/diamond-cut/">cut</a>, clarity, and carat (the 4 Cs), and each diamond is
 given an overall grade.<a href="https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/all-diamonds/?Cut=TrueHearts?a_aid=5c83f22427304/" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" class="img-responsive" src="https://backend.petragems.com/public/api/Images/img-1687674586.webp" alt="James Allen Diamonds" width="361" title="James Allen" height="202"></a>

CVD: As Close to Mined Diamonds As It Gets

The procedure of
 manufacturing high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) diamonds, invented in the
 1950s to make the diamond business more profitable, is now detrimental to the
 industry. HPHT diamonds are less costly than natural diamonds and have a much
 better <a href="https://www.petragems.com/education/diamond-color/">color</a>&nbsp;after
 this treatment.

Companies buy less
 attractive diamonds for a lower price, put them through the HPHT process, and
 then sell the resultant (and better-looking) stones for much more.
 Manufacturers can use the HPHT technique to transform faulty or discolored
 diamonds into more attractive colorless, pink, blue, or canary yellow diamonds.

The process

HPHT diamonds are
 treated to extremely high temperatures and pressure within special machinery in
 a lab to mimic the process that occurs deep under the Earth's crust.
 Temperatures can reach 2,600 degrees Celsius to simulate the naturally existing
 heat in the soil required to form a genuine diamond. The high expense of the
 energy and machinery necessary to complete such a process culminates in a
 highly desirable and profitable product: a colorless diamond.

In HPHT growth, a
 carbon source, such as graphite or diamond powder, is combined with additional
 chemicals in the reactor chamber to aid diamond development atop a diamond
 seed. A molten metal catalyst—typically a combination of Fe, Ni, Co, or
 other elements—allows for lower-temperature development. This significantly
 minimizes the technological complexity of diamond growth and the costs incurred
 under HPHT conditions. HPHT grows at pressures of 5–6 GPa and temperatures of
 1300–1600°C, approximately similar to the pressure imposed by a commercial jet
 airliner balanced on the tip of a person's finger.

HPHT growth works like CVD diamond growth, creating a temperature differential
 between the carbon supply and the diamond growth seed. This allows the carbon
 atoms to spread through the molten flux and form a synthetic diamond crystal on
 the seed in the somewhat cooler region of the chamber. Color-causing impurities
 like nitrogen (yellow) or boron (blue) were common in the development environment, so most early gem-quality HPHT synthetics were <a href="https://www.petragems.com/fancy-color-diamonds/">fancy-colored</a>. However, recent advancements in growth techniques have allowed for
 more precise control of impurity content, resulting in colorless crystals.<a href="https://www.petragems.com/education/lab-grown-diamonds/" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" class="img-responsive" src="https://backend.petragems.com/public/api/Images/img-1687408857.webp" alt="lab grown diamonds benefits" width="482" title="benefits of lab-grown diamonds" height="269"></a> Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluenile.com/education/diamonds/lab-grown-diamonds?a_aid=5c83f22427304" class="external" rel="nofollow">Blue Nile</a>.

High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT)

Now that the steps
 involved in producing CVD and HPHT diamonds have been adequately explained, it
 is essential to understand their differences.

Morphology

The morphology of a
 lab-produced diamond is the most distinguishing feature between the two
 methods; in other words, how a diamond develops carries significance. The CVD
 diamond develops in a single direction, whereas the HPHT diamond grows in
 fourteen. Earth-mined diamonds may be distinguished from lab-created diamonds
 primarily by their growth patterns.

Inclusions

Black graphitic
 inclusions are common in CVD diamonds, while black flux inclusions are standard
 in HPHT diamonds. Although the inclusion material differs between the two
 methods, it makes no difference in diamond selection. In both circumstances,
 you are looking for a diamond that seems flawless to the naked eye. Given the inclusions, the idea that lab diamonds are more flawless than natural ones holds no ground and should be dispelled.

Quality

HPHT has long been
 linked with yellowish-colored diamonds; in many cases, it still is. This
 technology has been around for a while, and there is still a lot of outdated
 gear that produces low-quality goods. The CVD process was the first to make
 low-cost colorless diamonds. Both procedures may now create flawless diamonds
 with no difference in the final result except for the morphology.

Which of the two is
 better then, you may ask? Admittedly, you cannot identify the
 difference without using sophisticated optical tools. Therefore, the majority
 of these distinctions will be irrelevant to you. However, a lab-grown diamond
 is still a significant investment, so you should always seek a good certificate
 before purchasing. We recommend purchasing a diamond with a
 certificate from any prestigious laboratory, notably the Gemological Institute
 of America (GIA) or the International Gemological Institute (<a href="https://www.petragems.com/education/igi-vs-gia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IGI</a>).

Differences Between CVD & HPHT

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High-Pressure, High-Temperature (HPHT) represent two distinct techniques for producing lab-grown diamonds. Although both met

Is CVD Better Than HPHT [Lab Diamonds]?