How Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Made: The Science Behind the Sparkle

Lab-made diamonds are the talk of the town! Diamonds are now the most popular gift from bridal sets to everyday wear. The most frequent question we get during my jewellery consultations, from DMs, and even from people sitting with us during lunch, is, ‘How do they make diamonds in a laboratory?’ We love this question, and we know that once you understand the science behind it, you will too.

What are lab-grown diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds are exactly what they sound like, real diamonds, just grown in a lab using the same chemistry and physics that nature uses underground. 

Why Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Just Like Mined Diamonds at the Atomic Level

This is the good part. Lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds are the same because they are both made of pure carbon that is formed in a crystal lattice structure. So your lab-grown diamond earrings are just as real as real diamond ones. 

The lattice structure is what makes diamonds the hardest material and gives them their brilliance and ability to scatter light.

The structure of a mined diamond is formed over billions of years of extreme heat and pressure in the Earth's mantle. For a lab-grown diamond, the same conditions are repeated over a few weeks. Even a trained gemologist with a loupe can not tell the difference by eye.

The Two Processes of Laboratory Diamond Creation

CVD and HPHT are the two main methods of diamond creation in a laboratory. Each results in good quality diamonds; however, the process of each differs quite a bit.

CVD: Diamonds from a Gas

CVD or Chemical Vapour Deposition is the more contemporary method, and the preferred method of production of higher quality diamonds.

It starts with something surprisingly small, a tiny slice of an existing diamond, called a seed. This seed is placed inside a sealed chamber, which is then filled with carbon-rich gases. Those gases are superheated until they break down into something called plasma, which is essentially a cloud of pure energy and carbon atoms.

From that plasma, carbon atoms begin to rain down onto the seed, bonding to it one microscopic layer at a time. Slowly, over several weeks, those invisible layers stack up, and a rough diamond takes shape; the same crystal structure, the same atomic arrangement, the same diamond.

HPHT: High Pressure High Temperature

HPHT has been in practice since the 1950's, and imitates the process of diamond formation occurring in the immense pressures and temperatures within the Earth.

In this method, a seed, along with a metal catalyst and carbon (in the form of graphite) is placed into a growth cell and high pressure is applied.

The pressures exerted on the cell reach 5–6 GPa, around 1.5 million times the normal atmospheric pressure, at temperatures over 1,300°C. Under these conditions, the carbon melts and crystallises around the seed, continuing to grow in the diamond structure.

CVD vs HPHT: Which Method Produces Better Diamonds?

Both methods are capable of producing diamonds of excellent quality. Although, in our experience, the diamonds created using the CVD method are generally of better quality due to higher clarity levels.

At Araiya By Aza, we only work with IGI-certified CVD diamonds. Due to the consistency, quality, and highest levels of clarity, CVD diamonds stand head and shoulders above diamonds from other growing methods.

What Happens After the Lab?

Growing a diamond is just the first step. After this process, the diamond starts to become mesmerising, catching the light in ways we wish we could.

Cutting & Polishing: The Same as for Mined Diamonds

The best things rarely announce themselves early. A newly grown diamond looks nothing like what you'd expect, a completely opaque raw crystal, rough and unassuming.

From there, it goes through the same exacting process as any mined diamond. Expert cutters study the crystal and map out every cut to get the most out of it. Then comes the real work: each facet ground by hand and machine, surface by surface, until the stone catches light the way only a finished diamond can.

Meera, a Delhi-based architect, spent time with our stylist and went through some rough CVD diamonds before they were cut. Meera bought one of our most beautiful pieces, a marquise-style engagement ring and said, "Seeing the diamond before and after the cut made me understand why the cut matters more than anything else; it looked like a completely different stone."

How IGI Certifies a Lab-Grown Diamond and What That Certificate Means

Each diamond is cut and polished, and then sent to a grading laboratory to certify the diamond. The most popular choice is the International Gemological Institute (IGI).

Diamonds are evaluated by gemologists and graded on the cut, colour, and clarity, as well as weight. The gemologists also verify that the diamond is lab-grown and note the method of growth, CVD or HPHT. This information is then recorded on a grading certificate that remains with the diamond.

This grading certificate guarantees the diamond’s authenticity and quality, as well as transparency. Each diamond in an Araiya piece is accompanied by one, and thus, you know what you are wearing.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?

The short answer is a definitive yes. The long answer requires measurement, so let’s hear from those who actually measure the diamonds.

What Gemologists, Scientists, and the IGI All Agree Upon

In the eyes of the IGI, GIA, and almost every major gemological body in the world, lab-grown diamonds are unequivocally real diamonds. They are not considered a simulant or an imitation. When it comes to grading, diamonds grown in a lab are real diamonds.

In 2018, the US Federal Trade Commission amended its guidelines, officially removing 'natural' from the definition of diamonds. By doing this, they acknowledged that lab-grown diamonds fulfil all of the requirements.

Can You See The Difference Between a Lab-Created and Mined Diamond?

Not with the naked eye, not with a loupe, and not even with the majority of gemological instruments. The only definitive way to see if a diamond is lab-created or natural is with expensive spectroscopic equipment that no one brings to a wedding or a dinner party.

In the end, a diamond is a diamond. So, in someone's wedding, or in your everyday life, people are going to notice the diamond's sparkle and not the fact that it is lab-created.

Why They're The Smarter Choice

They Shine the Same but are More Environmentally Friendly.

Creating diamonds is expensive. It requires moving billions of tonnes of earth, consumes almost all of the water and energy, and diamond mining has caused many ethical and environmental problems due to the damaged land.

Laboratory-created diamonds completely sidestep all of these issues. There is no mining, and the carbon footprint is drastically lower. Renewable energy sources for additional facilities continue to bridge the gap.

What you still get: A stone with Mohs hardness of 10 (maxed out). The same refractive index as a mined diamond. The same optical fire. The same ability to catch the light and refract it across the room.

Why Araiya By Aza Only Works with IGI-Certified CVD Diamonds.

We made an intentional decision while designing Araiya's collection. The IGI-certified CVD diamonds are the most ethically advanced in the lab-grown diamond sector. Every diamond is traceable and graded. Every diamond has a story. Our collections range from everyday stackable rings to statement chokers and bracelets.

In addition to all of the traced and graded diamonds, we believe jewellery should be backed with conviction. When an Araiya piece is purchased, the buyer knows how, where, and what it was graded to. With our jewellery, we believe that clarity is as important as the cut.

We answered your Frequently Asked Questions

What are the methods for producing lab-grown diamonds?
Through CVD (Carbon is deposited in layers in a chamber) or HPHT (high pressure and high temperature). Both methods yield the same results and are considered true diamonds.

What are the differences between CVD and HPHT?
CVD is for a more colour and clarity graded diamond. On the other hand, HPHT is for large diamonds with colour variations. Both methods yield real and beautiful diamonds.

Are they actually real diamonds?
Absolutely. They are truly composed of carbon and are the same structure as mined diamonds, just produced in a lab.

How long does it take?
About 3–6 weeks. Nature takes billions of years, so honestly, not bad.

Are they as hard and durable?
Perfect 10 on the Mohs scale, same as any mined diamond. These aren't fragile.

How do I know it's certified?
Every Araiya diamond comes with an IGI certificate. Cut, colour, clarity, carat, all graded and documented.

Can anyone tell the difference?
Not with the naked eye. Not even with most professional tools. You'd need specialised lab equipment. Nobody has that at a wedding.

Wait, isn't "synthetic diamond" the same thing?
Same stone, dated word. The industry moved on from "synthetic" because it sounds fake, it isn't. IGI and GIA both call them real diamonds.