The main question we are asked is, "Are lab-grown diamonds real?" The answer is very simple: yes. Diamonds grown in our lab have the same physical, chemical and optical characteristics as natural diamonds and have the same sparkle, shimmer and luster. The only thing that distinguishes a lab-grown diamond from a natural diamond is its origin. A lab diamond is "grown" inside a laboratory using advanced technology that replicates the formation process of natural diamonds. As a result, a diamond is obtained that does not differ in its chemical, physical and optical properties from a diamond grown under the Earth's surface.

Before we talk about how diamonds are grown, it's important to understand how natural diamonds are formed. The processes are very similar - only one occurs naturally and the other occurs in a laboratory. Geologists believe that diamonds formed deep within the Earth's interior 1 to 3 billion years ago. The process began with carbon dioxide, which is about 160 kilometers from the Earth's surface.
The carbon dioxide is exposed to heat in excess of 1,200 degrees Celsius and subjected to extreme pressure of approximately 727,000 pounds per square inch. The diamonds are then transported from deep within the Earth's core to the surface via deep volcanic explosions. Our lab utilizes a similar technology to nature's - high pressure and high temperature (HPHT). The processes in the lab create an environment of extremely high pressure and temperature that promotes diamond growth. HPHT diamond growth begins with a small diamond seed that is placed in carbon. Using one of the manufacturing processes described above, the seed is exposed to temperatures of about 1,500 degrees Celsius at pressures up to 1.5 million pounds per square inch. The pure carbon melts and diamond begins to form around the seed. It is then carefully cooled to produce pure carbon diamond.