In general, most people love diamonds, but are deterred by the cost of owning them. The once popular synthetic cubic zirconia (CZ), an inexpensive option, is heavy and lacks the brilliance that makes diamonds so desirable. In large sizes, CZs don’t even look real to the naked eye. How, then, can one purchase the fire and sparkle at a reasonable price? Lab-created gems have come of age. They are no longer poor substitutes for the real thing – they are the real thing. In fact, they go one step farther — these stones are flawless.
Lab produced stones, often called “cultured” diamonds, are the same carbon crystals that can be found in diamond mines. They have identical chemical, optical and physical properties to stones that occurred naturally, and this results in them having the same brilliance, sparkle, fire and scintillation. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades cultured gems by the same standards it uses for the mined ones. In fact, the GIA acknowledges that these ARE genuine diamonds. The only difference is the rating will describe the stones as “laboratory grown.”
High quality colored stones are extremely rare in nature, and thus very expensive. These colors result from certain impurities – nitrogen will create yellow, boron will create blue, and so forth. Besides being flawless, lab-created diamonds can easily be produced in several different colors. Prices for these vibrantly colored stones are fairly comparable to colorless gems.
Like their counterparts, man-made diamonds can be purchased either loose, or already in jewelry settings. However, you are unlikely to find these cultured stones in most jewelry or department stores. They have only recently made an appearance on the market, and represent a very small part of the total diamond inventory out there.
Here are some differences to be aware of regarding man-made diamonds: 1. Most are 1-2 carats in weight. Larger stones are made, but are the exception, rather than the rule. 2. The majority of man-made stones are colored, rather than colorless – precisely the opposite of natural stones. 3. While experts can detect that these gems are man-made, special equipment is required to be sure. This equipment is very expensive. 4. It is far easier to find “matched pairs” of identical man-made stones for use in jewelry than it is when one is using natural gems.
Some people may be concerned that a seller may try to pass off a lab created diamond as “the real thing.” This is unlikely as long as you are purchasing from someone reputable. Producers of lab-grown diamonds are very proud of the gems they are able to create. Also, these are genuine diamonds rather than “cheap” imitations in the first place. The difference in the stones can be detected, and, in addition, jewelers have every incentive to preserve the integrity of the natural diamond market. Thus, a good jeweler will be happy to help you identify the stone you wish to purchase.
Basically, opting for lab-grown diamonds will allow you to purchase more for less. However, this isn’t a “champagne on a beer budget” scenario. You can expect to pay about one third less for cultured stones than for natural stones. Lab-produced stones can be easily found via the internet, and these sites proudly advertise that their offerings are “synthetics.” But, similar to other online purchases, you’ll want to investigate the vendor carefully prior to making your purchase.
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