If this article caught your eye, it’s likely because you’re in search of a more affordable alternative to natural mined diamond jewelry. Whether you’re contemplating a once-in-a-lifetime investment such as an engagement ring or exploring cost-effective options like a mined diamond tennis bracelet, understanding the alternatives that lab diamonds and white sapphires offer is always beneficial.
Lab-Created Diamonds
What are they?
Lab-created diamonds are essentially diamonds manufactured in a laboratory setting through scientific methods. Rather than forming under the earth’s mantle over millions of years, these synthetic diamonds grow in just a few weeks.
How are they made?
For centuries, natural diamonds have been one of the most coveted gemstones. Thanks to advancements in science, it’s now possible to create diamonds that rival natural ones in beauty but without the geological wait. One popular method for making lab diamonds is Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). In this process, a mix of hydrocarbon gases is converted into plasma within a growth chamber containing 15 to 30 diamond seeds. The chamber is placed into a microwave reactor where temperatures soar to between 900 and 1200 degrees, forming a superheated plasma ball. Carbon atoms adhere one at a time to these diamond seeds, mimicking the crystal structure of natural diamonds over three to four weeks. Once formed, jewelers cut and polish these lab-created gems just like their natural counterparts.
Another technique for lab diamond creation is the High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) method. This replicates underground diamond-forming conditions using a belt press. Employing pressures starting at 50,000 atm and temperatures exceeding 12,000 degrees Celsius, carbon at the top of a cylindrical capsule melts, eventually crystallizing as a diamond upon a seed at the bottom.
White Sapphires
Most people envision a deep blue gemstone when thinking of sapphires. However, sapphires span a spectrum of colors, with rubies being the red variant of the corundum mineral producing sapphires. For those seeking a colorless alternative to mined diamonds, white sapphires present a viable option.
What are they?
White sapphires come from the corundum mineral and take millions of years to form naturally. While natural white sapphires are rare, lab-created versions are more commonly found in jewelry.
How are they created?
Sapphires were among the first gems to be synthesized in a lab. They are created through either melting or hydrothermal synthesis. The melting process, known as flame fusion, heats and melts aluminum oxide (the main mineral in corundum) with a flame, forming a teardrop-shaped boule. When color is desired, additional minerals are incorporated.
In hydrothermal synthesis, pressure, and high temperatures mimic natural conditions to grow sapphire crystals around a tiny seed crystal placed in a chamber, resulting in lab-created sapphires.
Comparing Lab Diamonds and White Sapphires
As discussed, both lab diamonds and lab-created white sapphires can be produced through distinct methods. Lab diamonds are made from carbon, while white sapphires start with the mineral corundum. Thus, a lab diamond is fundamentally a diamond, whereas a white sapphire, natural or lab-created, is not.
- Appearance: To most observers, a white sapphire closely resembles a lab-created or natural diamond, with both being colorless and exhibiting impressive sparkle. However, white sapphires generally have a duller appearance due to light refraction differences.
- Durability: Diamonds outperform sapphires in hardness. Lab diamonds match natural diamonds in hardness, rated at 10 on the Mohs scale. Sapphires, a bit softer at a rating of 9, are still very hard but more prone to wear.
- Grading: The grading of sapphires and diamonds for clarity differs, although lab diamonds are assessed in the same way as natural diamonds. Sapphires feature more inclusions and lack a ‘flawless’ grade.
- Value: Lab-created white sapphires are significantly cheaper than natural diamonds. Remember, lab diamonds also tend to be less valuable than similarly sized and quality natural diamonds.
- Popularity: Over time, both lab diamonds and white sapphires have gained popularity as more affordable and often more ethical alternatives to mined diamonds.
While both lab diamonds and white sapphires offer aesthetic beauty and affordability, many prefer lab diamonds for their enhanced durability and superior sparkle. Your choice will ultimately depend on your priorities, as a white sapphire might allow you to afford a larger stone despite some loss in sparkle.
FAQs
Is white sapphire harder than lab diamond?
No, a diamond, whether lab-created or natural, is considerably harder than a white sapphire. Diamonds top the hardness scale as the hardest known mineral, while white sapphires rank as the third hardest.
Does lab diamond sparkle more than white sapphire?
Yes. Lab diamonds exhibit the same sparkle as natural mined diamonds. However, white sapphires refract light differently, resulting in a comparatively duller appearance.
Which is more durable, lab diamond or white sapphire?
Lab diamonds have the same durability as natural diamonds. Despite resembling diamonds, white sapphires are not diamonds and are rated a 9 on the Mohs scale compared to the diamond’s perfect 10.
Are lab diamonds real?
Yes, lab diamonds are indeed “real” diamonds. The key difference lies in their creation process compared to mined diamonds.
