What are the diamonds of the next generation? Xazina Diamonds, a Delhi-based jewellery company, recently shared lab-grown diamonds on their social media, calling them the “Diamonds of the Next Generation”. Talking to The Morning Standard, the company’s CEO Parth Gupta sheds light on the same. Excerpts:
How are mined diamonds formed?
Diamonds, when dug out of the earth, are in the shape of small pebbles or stones. A packet of these dug out stones is called rough of a diamond. These roughs are then sorted based on what’s fit for industrial use and ornamental use. The rough stone for ornamental use, is analysed in order to yield maximum weight and a diamond with the least inclusions and the best possible clarity. Diamonds roughs are then cut and polished on a wheel manually.
What is the difference between mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds?
The biggest difference is that mined diamonds are formed inside the earth and lab-grown diamonds are created in a lab. Otherwise, lab-grown diamonds have the same physical, chemical and optical properties as a mined diamond. In lab-grown diamonds, the rough is created in a lab. A thin slice of a diamond, called diamond seed, is placed in a sealed chamber and heated up to 800 degree Celsius. The chamber is filled with carbon-rich gases and these gases are ionised into plasma. The ionisation breaks the molecular bonds in the gases and pure carbon adheres to the diamond seed and slowly crystallises, creating a diamond rough. The process used for this is called chemical vapour deposition.
Are lab-grown diamonds authentic?
The authenticity of a diamond is judged on the basis of its certification. A certificate of a diamond is its identity and is obtained from labs like International Gemological Institute (IGI), Gemological Institute of America (GIA) etc. The certificate of a diamond contains complete information about its 4Cs. Lab-grown diamonds are the only man-made diamonds that are certified by these labs due to it being exactly the same as a mined diamond.
What are the benefits, if any, of lab-grown diamonds?
The biggest benefit of a lab-grown diamond is that it costs up to 50 per cent less than a mined diamond. This does not mean that a lab-grown diamond is “cheap”. For a mined diamond, its major cost is due to its rarity and mining. Mining costs millions and has adverse effects on the environment as well as for the people forced to work in harsh conditions. With lab-grown diamonds, we do not have to go through the stage of mining. This takes away the major costs of mining, is eco-friendly and eradicates the possibility of blood diamonds. Moving into an era where, I believe, experiences are valued more, lab-grown diamonds serve a greater purpose. According to me, the choices we make should help us move towards a sustainable future, and I believe this is one of those choices.
How does one measure the value of a diamond?
The value of a diamond is based on the 4 Cs: cut, colour, clarity and carat. Diamonds are graded, certified and priced on these 4 Cs world over.
In a nutshell
Lab-grown diamonds have the same physical, chemical and optical properties as a mined diamond. It takes away the cost of mining, is eco-friendly and eradicates the possibility of blood diamonds.