Diamonds — gemstones formed naturally from extreme temperatures and pressure beneath the Earth ’ s crust — are undoubtedly the toughest natural gemstone on earth . Rough diamonds are delivered to the Earth ’ s surface through volcanic activity . Natural diamonds are sourced from all around the world , including Canada .
Natural diamonds differ from labproduced diamonds in several key ways . First of all , where the two chiefly diverge is in how they ’ re created : one of them being a unique product of nature , while the other being a product reproduced by man .
Most naturally occurring diamonds on the market today were formed far beneath Earth ’ s crust after billions of years of intense heat and pressure caused their atomic contents to rearrange . In areas of the world where the conditions and temperatures are ideal to make diamonds , volcanic eruptions have sent the gems closer to the surface . These massive , deepreaching craters can then be mined for diamonds and other precious gems .
Lab-grown diamonds , on the other hand , are diamonds grown in a lab . To grow a diamond , you begin with a really slim slice of a diamond , where the structure for the diamond is already formed . This material , often called the diamond “ seed ,” is placed in a vacuum where molecules attach to the diamond seed . Once the diamond is grown in this chamber , it can be cut and polished , just like a natural diamond .
Both natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds have their advantages based on what is most important to you . If you are looking for a rare , unique gem coming from far beneath the crust of the Earth , you are probably seeking a natural diamond . If you ’ re looking for a gem produced with cutting edge technology at a more affordable price , you may consider a lab-grown diamond .
The main reason why natural diamonds are so highly prized is due to their rarity . There ’ s truly a finite number of diamonds under the surface of our planet , therefore the natural circumstances under which each is formed are unique . The characteristics the gemstone is graded on are similarly unique .
Because lab-grown diamonds are grown , not built , they are going to also experience the inclusions or “ birthmarks ” that affect sparkle and the gemstone ’ s clarity grade . The more inclusions in a gem , the cloudier it is and , therefore , the lower its grade for clarity . Like with natural diamonds , clarity grades for lab-grown diamonds range from Flawless ( FL ) to Included ( I3 ).
If you ’ re looking to wear a diamond that is physically , chemically , and optically the same as its natural counterpart created by cutting edge technology then a lab-grown diamond may be for you . Many of our customers also love that a lab-grown diamond is affordable .
A high-quality lab-grown diamond is graded on a scale identical to a natural one when it involves color . There ’ s no visual difference between a lab-grown and a natural diamond , and most couples hunt down gems of both varieties graded between G and J , which are near colorless . Diamonds graded from D to F , or true colorless diamonds , are exceedingly rare and , thus , exceedingly expensive .
Even with lab-grown counterparts growing in popularity , natural diamonds are still highly desirable and here ’ s why . Because their journey is so difficult , many natural diamonds that are found do not attain gem quality .
THIS RARITY IS WHY NATURAL DIAMONDS OF GEM QUALITY HAVE SIGNIFICANT INHERENT VALUE , WHICH ONLY INCREASES AS THE NUMBER OF DIAMONDS NATURALLY AVAILABLE GETS LOWER AND LOWER .
On the other hand , it is also important to consider the measures taken in the industry to reduce the footprint of natural diamonds . Diamond mining leaves an extremely small footprint relative to other types of mining because of how the diamonds get to the surface of the Earth , hardly disrupting any beauty of our planet . If you ’ re looking for a gem that is unique , sustainable , and naturallyformed , then a natural diamond may be the diamond for you .
PERRYWINKLE ’ S : YOUR DIAMOND EXPERTS
If you ’ ve got questions about diamonds , come see your family at Perrywinkle ’ s . We certainly have the answers you seek .
Our team can also help you apply the four Cs when deciding upon your next diamond purchase . The four Cs represent cut , clarity , color , and carat . Each of these characteristics is extremely important when selecting a diamond , whether it ’ s lab-grown or natural .
After decades of experience , we are here to make your diamond-buying experience seamless and memorable for all the right reasons . Drop in and see us today to get started .
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