We are all familiar with the common expression that says that diamonds are girls’ best friends, and many would agree with it because they are rare and eternal. And, of course, their value is high. Because of their rarity, high price, and since it takes billions of years for them to be made, scientists tried to make them in the laboratory so more people can be able to buy them.
Luckily, they succeeded in their intentions, which is why we today can choose between lab-grown and mined diamonds. It is not an easy choice, especially for people who are not sure about the similarities and differences between these two types, which is why we will explain them further in the text below, and we hope to make your choice much easier.
Important differences between mined and lab-grown diamonds
Although it is impossible to see the difference between these two types at first glance, as they look absolutely identical to a bare eye, there are certain differences. Knowing and understanding them can make making a decision on which of them to buy much easier, which is why we will explain them further in the text below.
The process of creation
The first difference between mined and lab-grown diamonds we will describe further is the process of their creation, and, as we have already mentioned, it cannot be seen by the bare eye. While the creation process of natural diamonds lasts billions of years, lab-grown ones are created much faster, as to make a perfect one in the lab, scientists only need a week or two, which is a huge difference.
The mined diamonds are made beneath Earth’s surface, thanks to the pressure and heat, which is why carbon is rearranged, and the final result is a perfect stone, which needs to be mined. On the other side, we have diamonds grown in the lab, also of carbon, but in a far shorter amount of time thanks to the chemical process that allows scientists to create a stone out of the seed placed in the vacuum. After a week or two, the seed becomes large enough and ready for further processing.
The end price
When it comes to the price, it is far more profitable to choose the lab-grown option, as these diamonds can be up to half the price of the natural ones. There are good reasons for that, as natural ones are much rarer, and mining them requires powerful machines, and it is always a risk, as no one can exactly know what they will get once the mining process is over.
After that, it is necessary to polish and shape them in order to get the perfect stone, which is also an expensive process. Speaking about those made in the laboratory, the process of their creation is also complicated and requires certain machines, but far less time and money are needed, which is why the final price is much lower.
Option to resell it
Although lab-grown and mined diamonds look exactly the same at first glance, and the first ones are a much cheaper option, you need to know that there is a huge difference in their value if you want to resell them.
Namely, if you decide to resell the natural diamond, it is most likely that you will get about 50% of its real price, while those made in the laboratory lose their value the moment you buy it, and it is almost impossible to resell them. It does not mean they are not valuable anymore, but people tend to buy mined ones, especially when it comes to already worn ones. However, if you decide to keep it, you will have a perfect piece of jewelry that many will admire for far less money.
Similarities
Just like it is important to understand the differences, it is also important to know the similarities, as they can also be helpful in making the final decision. There are a few important similarities, and we will try to explain them further, so you can easily make up your mind and choose the right diamond.
They look the same
As we have already mentioned, no matter which of these two options you choose, they look exactly the same, and it is impossible to notice any difference, especially with the bare eye. Both of them can be found in different colors, shapes, and sizes, and they will look absolutely stunning, whichever type of jewelry you buy.
Both of them will last exactly the same time
Many people think that whatever is made in the laboratory is not durable as the natural one is, but it is not the case with diamonds. As both of them are made of carbon, which is known as one of the most durable materials in nature, and diamond knives are even used to cut strong materials such as glass, there is no need to worry about their durability. Regarding that, no matter which of them you like the most and decide to buy, both of them probably will last forever.
Evaluated by the same standards
Speaking about the evaluation standards, the same ones are used for evaluating the clarity of diamonds, whether they are lab-grown or mined. That means no matter which option of these two you choose, you can check its clarity on the same list, which is one of the reasons why they look the same.
To summarize
Sometimes the final decision on which diamond to buy can be pretty challenging, so we hope that knowing the differences and similarities can make it much easier for you. If your only consideration is their look, since it is the same, probably the best idea is to pick the man made diamonds, as their price is far lower than the price of mined ones, and you will get exactly the same piece of jewelry. Besides that, they will surely last almost forever, and people will be stunned by their looks as they will not be able to notice any difference.
