Design a lab grown diamond engagement ring

Lab grown diamonds are just that: diamonds that have been grown in a lab. Just like the naturally occurring diamonds we find in the earth, lab grown diamonds are crystals made from carbon and bear an identical crystal and molecular structure to their mined counterparts. Physically, they are no different than mined diamonds and should not be confused with a ‘diamond simulant’ such as moissanite or cubic zirconia.

To make these dazzling gemstones, a diamond ‘seed’ (a very small segment of a diamond) is used to grow a full sized diamond. Laboratories either set the seed in carbon and expose it to high pressure and temperatures or it’s put in a chamber of superheated gas which causes the diamond to replicate and grow. These processes are known as HPHT (High pressure high temperature) and CVD (Chemical vapour deposition). Because of this manufacturing process, a lab grown diamond is also sometimes referred to as a cultured diamond, engineered diamond, man-made diamond or synthetic diamond.

Both HPHT diamonds and CVD diamonds are high quality and these two processes produce gemstones that are sure to last a lifetime. At Taylor & Hart we offer lab grown diamonds that have been made using both techniques, but we like our customers to know that any CVD diamonds we procure will have also undergone an HPHT treatment to ensure they have the best clarity and colour possible.

Lab grown diamonds are great because they don’t disturb the earth through mining. It’s also easy to get full transparency on the supply chain of these diamonds and to know who exactly has produced them. We at Taylor & Hart will always ensure our lab grown diamonds come with complete quality and grading certification and certified provenance reports to make sure you’re getting the diamond you paid for.

And while there’s still so much work to be done surrounding the ecological and social impact of diamond mining, when properly monitored and audited the diamond industry can be a valuable economy for many workers and communities around the world. The diamond mining industry supports many communities who depend on the trade to earn a living. It’s all about balancing out the pros and cons of each method. You can read more about our ethical sourcing practices for natural diamonds here.

As the industry works to reform damaging mining practices across the globe, there’s no denying that the ecological cost of diamond mining has been historically high. But new responsible mining initiatives have us feeling positive about the future of our industry and we encourage everyone to read about the steps being taken in this direction before making a decision about which type of diamond they’d like to buy.

Because although growing diamonds in a lab might seem like it would have a much smaller impact on the environment, sadly this isn’t always the case. This method of production still requires an immense amount of energy and emissions to produce a small yield of diamonds.

Faced with the industry-wide challenge of finding the most energy efficient way to produce quality diamonds at scale, over the next two years we’ll be transitioning towards exclusively offering lab grown diamonds produced with mostly if not only renewable energy.