What is a lab-created diamond?
Lab-grown diamonds have made a strong impact in the jewelry world recently and have become an affordable alternative to natural diamonds due to their similarity and quality. Known as lab-created diamonds or eco-friendly diamonds, these diamonds are made of carbon (just like their natural counterpart) and are physically, chemically, and optically identical to natural diamonds.
At MIMÍKOKÓ, both Alejandro and Alberto are certified gemologists and we have embraced this new market trend to adapt to this new demand.
Why should I choose a lab-created diamond?
1. Sustainable alternative
They are an environmentally responsible alternative, since, being created in a laboratory, they do not have the same impact or pollution as their natural counterpart, being less harmful to the planet than the one extracted from the earth.
2. Value
If you have a tighter budget, lab-created diamonds are an affordable alternative as they can cost up to 40% less than natural diamonds with the same carats, quality, color, and clarity, meaning that for the same price you can get a larger and better diamond. The price is also due to the scarcity and rarity of natural diamonds: having taken millions of years to form inside the Earth's mantle and due to their exploitation and consumption worldwide, their price compared to lab-created ones is much higher.
3. Genuine quality and beauty: natural diamond vs created diamond
Lab-created diamonds are considered real diamonds and are chemically, physically, and visually identical. Even expert gemologists like us cannot distinguish them with the naked eye, as specialized diamond detection equipment is required. Furthermore, their chemical composition is practically identical: both are made of carbon. However, this is where their only small difference lies: while natural diamonds contain a very small amount of nitrogen in their structure (in addition to carbon), lab-created diamonds lack this chemical element.
Both diamonds have a G color, VS2 clarity, and the same carats and cut. When observed in person, it is almost impossible to distinguish them: one is natural and the other is lab-created. Besides the small difference in chemical composition, the other factor that distinguishes them is their origin: lab diamonds are man-made and grown in a laboratory, while natural ones form within the Earth's mantle.
How is a Lab Grown diamond made?
Each diamond begins its life as a small carbon seed. Then it is exposed to extreme heat and pressure and starts a chemical heat deposition process (known as CVD), to mimic the diamond formation process. It then grows inside the laboratory, usually between 6 and 10 weeks, to finally be cut and polished in the same way as natural diamonds.
Do a natural diamond and a created one have the same hardness?
Yes. Both have a hardness of 10 (the highest) on the Mohs scale, which is the scale used in gemology to evaluate and identify the hardness of a gem. Therefore, they are diamonds for life.
Are lab-created diamonds certified?
Yes. The diamond certificate is a document in which the 4 c’s of the diamond (color, clarity, cut, and carats) are specified and evaluated based on the quality of the diamond. Since created diamonds are 100% real diamonds, at MIMÍKOKÓ we are gemologists and all our created diamonds come with a quality certificate after having undergone an exhaustive gemological analysis with specialized technical equipment.
What type of diamonds should I buy?
Science has made it possible today to create diamonds that are just as beautiful and of the same quality for much less money than natural diamonds. They are so similar that no one can distinguish them with the naked eye. The choice between one or the other is purely personal, and what you should ask yourself is which one meets your needs: some prefer natural diamonds because of the complex process they undergo during their formation and because they possess the most precious gemstone, while others opt for created diamonds thanks to human ingenuity and also contribute to the environment.
At MIMÍKOKÓ we have a catalog of jewelry with natural diamonds and another with created diamonds so you can choose the diamond you are looking for.
