How Strong are Lab-Grown Diamonds Compared to Natural Diamonds?

One of the world’s most valuable stones is the diamond. They’re also tough to come by. So, it’s no wonder many people want to know if there is any difference between lab-grown and mined diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds or synthetic diamonds are growing in popularity.

Lab-grown diamonds are a mix of both art and science. People are opting for them because they are much cheaper. The popularity of lab-grown diamonds is expected to grow even more as the technology becomes more advanced in the years to come.

But how strong and durable are these diamonds compared to traditionally mined diamonds? This blog will explore this question and why lab-grown diamonds are diamonds’ future.

What Is A Lab-grown Diamond?

Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring minerals on earth. But that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to grow. Scientists have been able to grow diamonds in a lab for years.

While making a flawless diamond from scratch is impossible, growing them from coal or graphite is much more accessible. Lab-grown diamonds are made by growing a diamond from a seed. The seed is made from carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. It can be developed into a diamond in a laboratory.

But the question people often think is, are lab-grown diamonds real? The answer to your question is yes. Natural diamonds and lab-created diamonds are identical. The only difference is that they can’t be found in a mine and must be grown in a lab. They are natural diamonds and are precisely the same material as mined diamonds.

A laboratory is used to grow the diamond. The process involves placing the seed in an oven at very high temperatures called “carriers.” These carriers are tiny balls of plastic. It gets hot and melts around 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit (700 Celsius). The melted plastic cools down into a small carbon ball containing the diamond.

These carriers are then placed in another oven with liquid nitrogen. It is a substance that exists in temperatures below -320 degrees Fahrenheit. It is used to freeze the outside of the carrier to stay solid while inside. The liquid nitrogen does its work on creating a new form of carbon-containing diamond inside it.

Lab-Grown Diamonds are Strong as a Natural One

There are two ways to measure the strength of a diamond: its hardness and toughness. The hardness of a diamond is calculated on the Mohs scale. It ranks minerals according to their ability to scratch other minerals.

The strength of a diamond is also determined by its pressure, temperature, and chemical composition. These factors work together to yield the maximum hardness of a diamond. Let’s check out what the Mohs scale is.

1.Mohs Scale

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is an ordinal scale used to rank the hardness of materials based on how easily another can scratch one mineral. It ranges from 1 to 10, with talc being the softest and diamond the hardest.

The number given to a specific mineral represents its ability to scratch another mineral in the same group. A higher number denotes a stiffer substance.

Diamonds are usually graded on a scale of 1 to 10, with ten being the hardest. The grading system is based on how much pressure is needed to break a diamond into small pieces. A harder diamond can withstand more significant pressures than one that is softer.

Lab-grown diamonds are solid and just as hard as natural diamonds. Both types of diamonds score a perfect ten on the Mohs hardness scale.

However, lab-grown diamonds are not as rare as natural diamonds. It makes them a more affordable option. And since they are grown in a controlled environment, they do not have impurities or flaws that can affect their strength.

2.Diamond Types also Impact the Hardness and Toughness

Some diamonds are more robust than others regarding pressure. It is because different types of diamonds have different compositions and densities.

For example, a perfect round brilliant cut diamond has more internal flaws than an emerald cut stone — even though they are both considered flawless. The ideal round, sharp-cut stone has more imperfections than an emerald-cut stone as it has more internal flaws within its structure.

It also depends on the type of stone being compared. For example, if you were comparing two diamonds with identical clarity grades, one natural and the other grown. It would be fair to say that the lab-grown diamond has more value than the mined one. 

3.Physical Properties

The physical properties of lab-grown and mined diamonds are indistinguishable. Both are made up of the same material, carbon. But they have different chemical compositions and therefore differ in durability.

There are subtle differences between lab-created diamonds versus mined ones. The most obvious difference is that a lab-grown diamond will be much more colorful because it has been created using different colors.

Final Thoughts

Diamonds are probably one of the most commonly known gemstones. It’s not surprising that consumers understand what – and what not – they’re buying. Lab-grown diamonds are pretty similar to those that are mined on the earth.

They’re made from the same elements in a different environment. They’re created through an expensive, lengthy process that involves fusing tiny carbon rods. While lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical composition, they’re slightly different in one important way. For one thing, lab-grown diamonds are often more transparent than a diamond naturally created.

Lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds are both solid and hard. They both get a perfect score of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It makes them both ideal for jewelry and other applications where durability is essential.

There are some slight differences between the two types of diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are typically less expensive than natural diamonds. They also tend to be slightly less brilliant than natural diamonds. However, these differences are often not detectable to the naked eye.

Overall, lab-grown and natural diamonds are excellent choices for those looking for a durable and beautiful product.