There are practically two types of diamonds: natural and lab-grown. Synthetic diamonds have been around for a while, and yes–they are real diamonds. They usually have the same value as natural diamonds.
The only difference, however, is that natural diamonds tend to retain their value while lab-grown ones can depreciate over time. Then again, if you’re looking for a diamond ring to give to your partner and have no intention of selling them in the future, lab diamonds are still as good as natural diamonds.
But, if you want to buy a natural diamond, then it might be a better idea to know how to determine a lab diamond from a natural one.
Lab vs. Natural Diamonds
Lab-grown and natural diamonds are practically the same, both visually and chemically. That means they are made from the same substances, and they sparkle the same way. They even have the same types of clarity, cut, color, and carat.
With that said, it can be almost impossible for a layperson to know the difference between a lab diamond and a natural one. Gemologists often just look at their chemical compounds to see the difference between one and the other.
Both lab and natural diamonds are made from carbon. But, only natural ones have nitrogen.
An At-Home Test
What if you’re not a gemologist and you have no way of knowing which is which? Don’t worry, there is one simple test that you can do at home to determine whether a diamond is from a lab or the earth.
This test is typically done with other at-home tests to know if a diamond is real or fake. However, one of these tests can help with the issue at hand.
What you need to do is buy a loupe, a type of magnifying glass that you can buy from the local jewelry store. It shall allow you to look closely at the stone in question.
The main difference with a lab-grown and natural diamond is that the former has an almost flawless look, while the latter has imperfections. Flaws in a natural diamond happen because of the way they are formed.
Usually, fake diamonds have the same perfect look. But, you can always try the other test on a lab-grown diamond to determine that they are real.
Conclusion
Perhaps the best way to know if a diamond is lab-grown or not is by asking your local jeweler. They should know where it came from, or they would have a resident gemologist that can help you.
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