08/28/2026
PSA FROM Tony Grasso Jewelers
Being the consummate educator as well as a gemologist, I've been doing a lot of research on lab grown diamonds. After having conversations with my diamond dealers and my setter, it has come to everyone's attention that there is a conflict going on regarding the quality of these creations. The market is being flooded with stones made in China that are an extremely inferior grade, but are yet being touted as "lab grown diamonds". These stones are by no means a good value.
Here are some things you need to know:
To create lab-grown diamonds, a small diamond "seed" is placed in a chamber filled with pure carbon and subjected to extremely high temperatures and pressure, essentially mimicking the conditions deep within the Earth's crust where natural diamonds form; this process is most commonly done using either the High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method or Chemical V***r Deposition (CVD), where carbon atoms deposit onto the seed crystal to gradually grow a larger diamond over time; once grown, the rough diamond is then cut and polished to achieve its final shape and brilliance.
Key points about lab-grown diamond creation:
Seed crystal:
A tiny piece of natural diamond acts as a starting point for the growth process.
HPHT method:
This method uses a high-pressure chamber to apply immense pressure and heat to the carbon, causing it to crystallize into a diamond around the seed.
CVD method:
In this process, a carbon-rich gas is introduced into a chamber where carbon atoms deposit onto the seed crystal layer by layer, growing the diamond.
Growth time:
Depending on the desired size, growing a lab-grown diamond can take several weeks or even months.
Cutting and polishing:
After growth, the rough diamond is cut and polished using traditional diamond cutting techniques to enhance its brilliance.