Lab-Grown Diamonds

Exclusively available at Ballantyne Jewelers

What is a lab-grown diamond?

Simply put, lab-grown diamonds are diamonds. The unique thing about these diamonds is that they are created in a laboratory instead of being mined.

While mined diamonds take millions of years to be created, scientists can create diamonds in a lab in a fraction of that time. In fact, it just takes about two months for them to grow, which is quite an impressive feat. 

The fact that science has come so far that we are able to grow diamonds in a lab is amazing! The process of growing diamonds is complex, but essentially, it involves carbon, huge amounts of pressure, and extremely high temperatures. 

There are two different methods to grow diamonds:High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT)andChemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). While they have their differences, both emulate the natural process of growing diamonds in a controlled environment using cutting-edge equipment.

In both processes, tiny carbon particles called "diamond seeds" are placed inside sealed chambers where they are pressurized and heated until they break down and crystallize into fully formed diamonds.While that process might seem unusual, that’s exactly the same thing that happens in nature. The only difference is the natural process takes millions and billions of years, while we can do the same thing in a lab in a matter of months.

How are lab-grown diamonds graded?

Lab-grown diamonds are graded exactly the same way as mined diamonds. To grade them, professionals analyze their cut, clarity, carat, and color. If you would like to learn more about how diamond grading works, explore our Diamond Education Guide.