How Strong are Lab Diamonds?
By now, most consumers, especially those shopping for diamonds have heard or even seen lab diamonds. To be honest, they are a fascinating product and a beautiful option for diamond collectors, whether or not you’re looking for bridal jewelry.
First of all, let’s take a look at what exactly are lab diamonds, and consider their durability. That way you can make an informed decision and buy the right diamond for you. Lab diamonds get a lot of chatter on social media today because consumers can buy much larger and brighter lab diamonds than they could with their budget for natural earth mined diamonds.
Let’s Understand Diamonds
Lab diamonds, as their name implies are actual diamonds—but—and this is important, they were created in a laboratory rather than mined in the earth. But lab diamonds take all their cues from the earth-grown treasures. In other words, a lab diamond (also called grown diamond, or synthetic diamond) is composed of the identical chemical composition as its earth-mined counterparts. That is carbon—and diamonds are the only gemstone created from a single solitary mineral—carbon. That’s it. But that carbon, which was located hundreds of miles below the surface of the earth was found to be in an extraordinary situation of extreme heat and ultra-high pressure. That transformed carbon over thousands of years into the crystal-clear colorless stone we all covet—a magnificent diamond.
Lab Diamonds Compared with Natural Diamonds
So the expert scientists in special laboratories recreated the scenario of diamond’s creation in a controlled environment—exerting extreme pressure and heat on a microscopic diamond “seed” as it’s called. Rather than being formed over billions of years as earth mined diamonds were, the lab diamonds are produced in about a month.
It’s important to understand other traits of lab diamonds to see how they fare against natural stones. We love natural diamonds for their exquisite beauty—no other gemstone can sparkle quite like a diamond—it simply can’t reflect light and cast brilliance all around the room like a diamond can. But other traits are key in making the diamond so desirable.
Besides being natural. (and rare!) and having the ability to sparkle like no other stone, the diamond is extremely durable. It’s the hardest naturally formed substance on earth. A diamond can only be scratched by another diamond. It’s rated #10 (the highest ranking) on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. So, nothing can scratch a diamond except another diamond! It’s that hard. They are a very, very, strong material. And why does that matter? The stronger the material, the harder it is and it will be more difficult it will be to becoming dull or losing its precious scintillation.
Lab Diamonds are Very Strong
Lab grown diamonds are proud to announce that they also are rated #10 on the Mohs scale. That means they are stronger than even sapphire and ruby which are very hard gemstones. As a consumer, we can how strong the gemstone is that we are buying. The stronger the stone, the more it will retain its like-new beauty over time. With lab diamonds, you will be wearing them every day—if they are your bridal jewelry. If they are set in other pieces of jewelry, they should also be very strong—that hardness rating means you’ll enjoy the piece for your entire life as much as the day you first wore it.
One of the big sales tools for lab diamonds is that they are so much more affordable than their natural counterparts. So whatever budget you set aside for your diamond ring, you’ll be shocked and delighted to discover that you’ll be able to buy a much larger, clearer, and higher color stone when it’s a lab diamond—than if you spent it on a natural diamond.
Everyone has their preference, and you will consider all the pros and cons of both natural earth-mined diamonds, and lab-created diamonds. In the end, you’ll make the right choice for yourself and that’s all that matters.
Why Strong Lab Diamonds Matter
Since lab diamonds are beautifully made as an actual diamond –but in the lab rather than in the ground—it will have all the heart-stopping dazzle that natural diamonds convey. It will also have the hardness needed to assure you that your ring will be as gorgeous a decade from now as the day you received it. That’s vital with bridal jewelry. Our wedding rings are a lovely symbol of our love and commitment to one another. They should make us feel proud to wear them year after year. The way that is possible with lab diamonds has to do with their creation. When they were made to duplicate the optical, chemical and physical properties of earth-mined diamonds, they did it spectacularly. Their hardness means that their beauty will last a lifetime, just the way you dreamed.
If you’re considering whether to buy a natural or a lab diamond, remember that they both are made of carbon—they both are extremely strong with a #10 ranking on the Mohs scale, and they’ll both allow you to enjoy their brilliant sparkle for as long as you own them. Strong, brilliant, and affordable, that lab diamond may be just what you are looking for. Enjoy your search—and find the stone of your dreams!
