We live in a magnificent time.

Technological advancements have opened up a multitude of opportunities in various fields, with jewelry being one of them.

We now have the opportunity to grow diamonds in a controlled environment, without significant damage to the wider, external environment.

But where does that leave mined diamonds?

Allow us to play devil's advocate in this article and provide you with facts and figures.

All of which is to help add some, if you’ll pardon the pun, clarity to your decision.

What Is A Lab-Grown Diamond?

If you envision a spotless white laboratory where very clever individuals adorned in white lab coats and safety goggles are operating sophisticated machines to produce the aforementioned lab-grown diamonds then you’d be right, quite frankly.

Lab-grown diamonds are grown under extreme pressure, simulating the natural conditions in which diamonds form within the earth.

Yet, despite this human input and manufacturing, lab-grown diamonds possess the same chemical composition, hardness, brilliance, and fire (dispersion) as mined diamonds. In more succinct terms, they are diamonds.

There are two manufacturing processes with lab-grown diamonds. These being HPHT (high pressure high temperature) or CVD (chemical vapor deposition), both of which use an elaborate growing process.

Tiny diamond seeds are nurtured with carbon atoms under laboratory conditions of intense heat and pressure.

Think of it as a stacking process. 

Which Should I Choose?

In most cases, purchasing a diamond is an extremely personal decision.

Consequently, which path you chose to go down is completely up to you. On the one hand, lab-grown diamonds are significantly more affordable than mined diamonds.

Moreover, the environmental impact has been reported as being 7 times less damaging than a mined diamond. 

However, mined diamonds are truly unique and one-of-a-kind. They are grown over millions of years, naturally.

And, some would look at this as a genuineness that lab-grown diamonds cannot achieve.

Additionally, the process of mining diamonds, while environmentally impactful, does employ thousands of individuals across the globe. 

Brands To Trust

If lab-grown diamonds are something you’d like to purchase then we have a few brands we recommend.

Diamond Foundry out of San Francisco, and Swarovski out of Austria are two notable mentions.

Both of these brands refuse to sacrifice quality, and consequently you have the opportunity to purchase a gemstone that is truly remarkable. 

Shopping For Sustainable?

Did you know that Ben Garelick is an accredited retailer in the sales of sustainable diamonds? If you’re interested in purchasing an environmentally friendly gemstone give us a call at (716) 631-1584, or text us at (716) 574-0966, or visit us at our Buffalo, NY location. Our friendly staff are more than willing to help you out during the decision-making process. Conveniently, you can also chat with one of our experts online 24/7.