What is Lab Grown Diamond?
Lab-grown diamonds are still only known to a few people in Japan. In fact, over the past few years, diamonds have been chosen as a new option for natural diamonds overseas, mainly in Europe and America. We will introduce about lab-grown diamonds, how they differ from natural diamonds, and why they are attracting attention.
About lab-grown diamonds
A lab-grown diamond is a diamond produced in a laboratory. However, they have exactly the same chemical composition and properties as natural diamonds, and their beautiful brilliance remains the same, just because the production process is different. Another name is synthetic diamond.
Lab-grown diamonds are certified by the Federal Trade Commission as genuine diamonds. With this certification, lab-grown diamonds began to become popular.
The market for lab-grown diamonds is rapidly expanding in the United States and Europe. According to the results of a survey by Tenoris, an American research company, it was found that lab-grown diamonds will account for approximately 20% of the sales value share of loose diamonds in the United States in 2022.
See: When Will Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Surpass Naturals?
Difference between lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds
The major difference between lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds is the process of their formation. Lab-grown diamonds are produced in a laboratory, while natural diamonds are produced by the forces of nature.
Both diamonds have exactly the same chemical composition and properties. Therefore, even a professional appraiser cannot identify it with the naked eye. Using a specialized machine, you can tell whether it is a lab-grown diamond or a natural diamond.
Why lab-grown diamonds are attracting attention
There are four reasons why lab-grown diamonds are attracting attention:
- Less burden on the environment
- ethical
- Contains almost no impurities
- price
I will explain the reasons for each.
1. Less burden on the environment
Lab-grown diamonds have become increasingly popular in recent years as interest in SDGs increases due to their low environmental impact.
Lab-grown diamonds are environmentally friendly because they do not require mining the earth, and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the electricity consumed during the production process is said to be small compared to the carbon dioxide emitted when natural diamonds are mined. I am.
2. ethical
Ethical literally means "ethical." It means being considerate of people, society, and the global environment.
Because lab-grown diamonds are manufactured in laboratories, they are free from child labor, harsh working conditions, and the ``conflict diamonds'' that have been made into movies. The ethical aspect of solving such social problems is one of the reasons why lab-grown diamonds are attracting attention.
3. Contains almost no impurities
Because lab-grown diamonds are grown in a controlled environment in a laboratory, they can be produced with almost no impurities such as nitrogen.
Diamonds that contain almost no impurities are classified as Type 2, and it is said that only 2% of natural diamonds exist in the world. All colorless lab-grown diamonds are classified as Type 2 and can emit a rare sparkle with high transparency.
4.Price
Lab-grown diamonds are attracting a lot of attention because they offer the same quality as natural diamonds at a lower price.
A big appeal of lab-grown diamonds is that they can be purchased for about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of natural diamonds. If you're on a budget, choosing lab-grown diamonds will give you a higher quality, larger diamond.
Awareness of lab-grown diamonds
The popularity of lab-grown diamonds has rapidly increased in recent years, especially in the United States and Europe, and it is reported that approximately 8 out of 10 people in the United States are aware of lab-grown diamonds.
On the other hand, according to a survey conducted by KYRAH in October 2023 among 125 people in Japan, only 16 (12.8%) of them knew about lab-grown diamonds.
Although awareness is still low compared to Europe and America, Over the past few years, awareness of diamonds has been expanding in Japan, especially in the metropolitan area, and we expect that they will continue to become more popular as a new option for natural diamonds.