Slate & Tell’s Lab Grown Diamond (also known as lab-created diamond, man-made diamond, engineered diamond, and cultured diamond) are created in all colors and clarity similar to mined diamonds. These eco-friendly diamonds are durable and perfect for everyday wear, harboring little, to no inclusion to the naked eye. Lab Created Diamonds also rank 10 on the Mohs scale, making them a superior center stone option for all jewelry lovers. Our Lab Grown Diamonds are cut with precision to display brilliance from all sides.
Natural Diamonds form under extreme conditions deep below the earth’s crust in a high-pressure and high-temperature environment. After thousands of years of traditional mining practices, a sustainable method of growing diamonds in a lab became possible in the 1950s. Fast-forward to the modern-day, the improvements in laboratories have made synthetic diamonds more affordable and available. They maintain the same chemical, physical, and optical compounds as Natural Diamonds. This includes the same hardness, cut, color, clarity, and carat weight that we all swoon over today.
The 4 C’s of a Lab-Grown Diamond
Now whether your diamond of choice is natural or man-made it will always be graded with the same 4 C’s. Just like Mined Diamonds, Lab Diamonds also vary in quality to accommodate budgets and desired appearance. It’s important to understand the 4 C’s when shopping for your Lab Diamond engagement ring and fine jewelry. Our jewelry experts at Slate & Tell will break it down for you to help make your shopping experience a pleasant one.
1. Cut: A Lab Diamond’s cut determines the quality of light refraction within the stone. Out of all 4 C’s your diamond cut is the most important factor when choosing your stone. An excellent cut stone will enhance the overall appearance of your stone, making inclusions less visible to the naked eye. A diamond’s cut is the precise pattern you are using to create the facets in your stone that reflect and refract light, giving your gem the fire and brilliance we all love.
2. Color: A Lab Grown Diamond’s color is graded in a laboratory setting to avoid any negative impact from surrounding backgrounds. Diamonds are known for their bright white appearance, but they do vary in color and quality. When grading the color of your stone we are looking for the color within your stone, not the flashes of color that dance around in the sunlight. Today there are three different color grades for Lab Grown Diamond:
- Colorless (D-E-F)
- Near Colorless (GHI)
- Faint Color (J-K)
The less color your Lab Diamond carries the more valuable and rare it is, making it a top choice for your diamond engagement ring. Our Lab Grown Diamonds at Slate & Tell are near colorless and display an excellent cut providing optimal sparkle.
3. Clarity: When determining a stone’s clarity, we are looking for any inclusions and imperfections that can poorly affect a stone’s light passages. Lab Diamonds can have inclusions and imperfections that are so small it doesn’t affect clarity grading. Because lab-made diamonds are created in a controlled environment we can lessen inclusions and enhance their clarity. The lower the number of blemishes within your stone, the better the clarity grade will be. Most Lab Grown Diamonds at Slate & Tell are SI1-SI2 clarity and are highly prized in beauty and rarity.
4. Carat Weight: The physical weight of any Lab Diamond is measured using carats. At our Slate & Tell workshop, we use precise digital scales to measure carat weight. Each Lab Diamond, gemstone, and moissanite we work with is measured using these scales. Carat weight is not comparable between a diamond and moissanite, making millimeters (mm) the measurement unit of choice for moissanite. Carats are commonly used to visually compare diamond size and are a better way to gauge which carat size will appear best on a hand when set within an engagement ring.
Four Reasons to Choose a Lab-Grown Diamond
Diamond engagement rings have always been a traditional exchange of commitment between a couple during their wedding vows, making us eager to create elegant engagement rings handcrafted with eco-friendly gemstones. Slate & Tell Lab-Grown Diamonds have many eye-catching benefits including the following:
1. High Quality – A lab diamond is graded with the same 4 C’s as a natural diamond. Grading like this will give you the highest quality lab diamond based on budget and desired appearance. Natural diamonds have a higher chance of displaying impurities and blemishes within their stone. Our lab diamonds display an excellent cut and clarity allowing for optimal light refraction and providing you with swoon-worthy sparkle from all angles.
2. They’re Real – Yes, they’re real diamonds! lab-grown diamonds are created with the same chemical, physical, and optical compounds as natural diamonds, making their resemblance striking. With our lab-grown diamonds being environmentally friendly it makes them even more appealing to the consumer as they’re getting a real lab-grown diamond for a fraction of the price.
3. Affordable – Our lab diamonds are very affordable as they cost at least 30-40% less than a natural diamond. When gaining such huge savings you can use your spare cash towards a romantic honeymoon, extra wedding expenses, or splurge a little more on a larger carat size for less. Choosing a lab diamond engagement ring will allow more wiggle room for fun and experiences within your wedding planning budget.
4. Eco-Friendly – The whole purpose of lab-created diamonds is to provide our consumers with an eco-friendly diamond alternative option. When choosing a lab-grown gem you’re choosing your planet as no new earth mining takes place to access a high-quality lab-created diamond. We also have access to recycled natural and lab-grown diamond options, always keeping your environment in mind.
Lately, diamond alternative engagement rings have been on the rise and our team at Slate & Tell is proud to bring you a fine selection of lab-grown diamond engagement rings handcrafted with precious metals and gemstones. With many diamond alternative options on the market, our lab-grown is one of our top choices when it comes to creating fine jewelry that will last you a lifetime. Our shoppers gain relief when moving forward with their purchase knowing that we offer a free lifetime warranty on your precious lab-diamond jewelry.
Continue shopping our collection of Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Rings here.
