Lab-grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds
Lab-created diamonds are known for their beauty, brilliance, and guaranteed origin. Learn more about lab-grown diamonds’ impact, benefits, and why this sustainable choice is right for you.

What is a lab-grown diamond?
Lab-grown diamonds are also called man-made diamonds, lab diamonds and lab created diamonds. They are produced in a laboratory setting without the negative environmental or human toll of mining.

Lab-grown diamonds are physically identical to mined diamonds. They both score 10 on the Mohs scale. The only difference between the two is point of origin.

Lab-created diamonds share an identical growing process to mined diamonds. They form first as carbon atoms under high temperature and immense pressure, then bond together to grow a crystalline lattice structure. Once fully formed, they are cut and polished to reveal maximum brilliance. Like mined diamonds, lab diamonds come in a variety of color and clarity grades. Because they don't have the human or environmental costs associated with mined diamonds, lab diamonds offer the best value for anyone interested in real diamonds.

Lab-grown diamonds vs mined diamonds
As of 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) considers both lab-grown and mined diamonds to be real. The only difference between the two is point of origin. Unlike a mined diamond, a lab-grown diamond such as a Caratice created diamond has guaranteed origin.

The naked eye cannot tell the difference between a lab-grown and mined diamond. Most trained gemologists cannot tell the difference between a polished mined diamond and a polished lab-grown diamond without using advanced technology— traditional methods and machinery cannot tell the two apart.

Why choose lab-grown diamonds?
By selecting a lab-grown diamond, you are enjoying the beauty of diamond without the human and environmental toll of mining. You get more carats, more brilliance, more sparkly at a lower price point.

Are lab created diamonds better for the environment?
Not all lab-grown diamonds are created equal. Many lab-grown diamonds are made in foundries which rely on fossil fuels for energy. Their carbon footprint can be as large as a traditional mine. However, Caratice diamonds come from our zero-emission foundry and are sustainably grown.

Are lab-grown diamonds certified?
Lab-grown diamonds can and should be certified. It is inadvisable to purchase any diamond without diamond certification. Diamonds should go through a grading process that considers the 4Cs, no matter their origin.



How lab grown diamonds are created?
Lab-grown diamonds are produced by two methods: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or high pressure, high temperature (HPHT).

HPHT is more costly and less energy efficient. The thermodynamic process involves placing a diamond seed into pure carbon, then exposing it to intense pressure and heat. The carbon attaches to the diamond seed in 14 different directions and forms a rough diamond with a complex cuboctahedron shape.
CVD is a more economical and sustainable process, using vacuum chambers to convert carbon-heavy gasses into plasma with less energy consumption. Kinetics allow the carbon atoms inside the chamber to build on top of the diamond seed in a single vertical direction so the rough diamond grows into a cleaner square shape. Caratice created diamonds are grown using the CVD method.
How Caratice created diamonds are made?
The Caratice created diamonds are lab-grown diamonds created using the CVD method.

A thin sliver of diamond is placed within a plasma reactor. The process then begins when carbon is atomized within the reactor. One by one, the carbon atoms stack on top of the slice until it grows into a pure, jewelry-grade diamond of gem size. The original sliver of diamond can be sliced off and reused as starting material again and again.

Once a Caratice created diamond is fully formed, it is cut and polished to the most exacting standards by master craftspeople in our international workshops.

Caratice created diamonds are sustainably grown diamonds. This means that our foundry produces zero emissions and is able to sustainably grow diamonds.

Choosing just a carat of Caratice created diamonds vs. mined diamonds, you save: 250 tons of earth, 2,011 ounces of air pollution, 143 lbs of carbon dioxide released into the air.