What You Need to Know About Lab-Grown Diamonds

Rough CVD Diamond

What is CVD Diamond & How is it Produced?

The production process of diamonds produced by the CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method usually starts by using seed diamonds produced in a laboratory environment. The diamond seed is placed in a vacuum chamber whose temperature is brought to 900-1300°C. Hydrogen gas and methane gas are supplied to this environment; Hydrogen prevents the formation of non-diamond carbon compounds, while methane is used as a carbon source. Afterwards, these gases are decomposed under low pressure with a microwave plasma energy source, and the decomposed carbon atoms penetrate into the diamond seed. If nitrogen is added to this environment, yellow CVD diamonds are formed, and if boron is added, blue CVD diamonds are formed. At the end of a controlled process that takes weeks, the resulting diamond takes the shape shown above, then it is cut into the desired shape like natural diamonds; It is certified by international organizations (IGI, GIA, etc.) according to its color, clarity, cut and symmetry features.

Can CVD Diamonds and Real Diamonds Be Distinguished with the Naked Eye?

"No"! CVD diamonds are not “fake” like moissanite stones. Except for subtle differences in carbon and their response to UV light, natural diamonds and CVD diamonds are chemically identical. While natural diamonds form in nature over billions of years, CVD diamonds are produced in a laboratory environment within 1-4 weeks by imitating the formation process of natural diamonds.

Sustainable and Ethical Production

During the above-mentioned process, 7 times less water is consumed compared to the extraction of natural diamonds, and since it does not require mining activity, it does not cause destruction of nature. There are no unethical practices such as forced labor or child labor in the production process. In this scientific age, it is the right and responsibility of every conscious individual to choose CVD diamonds by being sensitive to nature and the world.

How Can CVD Diamonds Be Distinguished from Natural Diamonds?

In the words used by GIA, natural diamond is the ice in Antarctica, and CVD diamond is the ice in the refrigerator. Diamonds certified by international certification bodies have laser marking on how this diamond was produced.

LG stands for laboratory-grown diamond. A 10x lens and good light are required to read this article.

Apart from the first answer we gave above, colorless CVD diamonds emit blue, reddish orange and reddish purple colors when excited with UV light, while natural diamonds generally emit blue. The reason for this situation is due to the presence of nitrogen and boron in the vacuum environment, even though it is produced in a controlled manner. However, this is a physical feature that cannot be noticed by the user or an outside observer.

K color CVD Diamond's reaction to UV light.

F color CVD Diamond's reaction to UV light.