Our collection of lab created diamonds are available up to IF in clarity, D in color, Ideal in cut, with large carat weights in all shapes, including round, rose, emerald, cushion, oval, oval rose, heart, princess, trillion, and radiant. Limited quantities of fancy colors are available in yellow, blue, pink, and green, as well as fancy shapes such as triangles and hexagons.
LAB CREATED DIAMOND Benefits
Real
Lab diamonds are chemically, optically, and physically identical to earth-mined diamonds.
Value
Grown diamonds are priced up to 40% less, and free of any environmental or humanitarian concerns.
Love
Every purchase at MiaDonna funds our foundation to help restore diamond mining communities.
Learn More About Lab Grown Diamonds
What Are Lab-Grown Diamonds?
Grown diamonds are chemically, optically, and physically identical to earth-mined diamonds. They are more ethical, beautiful, and affordable than any diamond we will ever get out of the earth. We're replicating the earth's natural process by crystallizing carbon in a modern-day lab environment into brilliant diamonds. They are priced up to 40% less and are free of any environmental or humanitarian concerns.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real?
Yes! It's a fact that lab diamonds are real diamonds, identical in every way (but the price!) to earth-mined diamonds. Not to be confused with cubic zirconia, moissanite, or a "look-a-like" diamond, grown diamonds are 100% pure crystallized carbon. Think of it as making ice in your modern-day freezer versus getting it from a glacier. Both are frozen H2O regardless of the origin.
We are crystalizing carbon into stunning rough diamonds that are then cut, polished, and graded just like earth-mined diamonds. Lab created diamonds carry the same optical, physical, and chemical properties. They have the same refractive index, dispersion, and hardness, and are graded to the same standards as mined diamonds by leading independent gemological institutes including the IGI, GIA, and GCAL.
| Properties | Grown | Mined |
|---|---|---|
| Conflict-Free | Yes | No |
| Hardness (MOHS) | 10 | 10 |
| SP3 Carbon Bonds | 100% | 100% |
| Price | $$$ | $$$$ |
| Resale Value | $$$ | $$$$ |
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How Much Do Lab Grown Diamonds Cost?
On average, MiaDonna’s created diamonds are priced 20-40% less than an equivalent quality earth-mined diamond. However, just like with mined diamonds, prices will vary based on the diamond’s 4Cs – cut, clarity, color, and carat.
The difference in price is because our supply chain is so much shorter. Earth-mined diamonds can travel to five countries and touch 20 hands before it reaches the end consumer. MiaDonna’s lab-created diamonds, however, go from our labs, to our casting house, to you.
To give you an example of pricing, a 1.0ct Round Cut Laboratory Grown Diamond, H/VS1 is approximately $1,800 versus an equivalent mined diamond priced at approximately $4,800 or higher. By choosing Lab-Grown Diamonds, you can get engaged, pay for your wedding, and go on a honeymoon without starting your life together in debt. That’s the way it should be!
How Are Lab Diamonds Made?
Grown diamonds are made one of two ways - either through High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT), or through Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). The majority of MiaDonna’s diamonds are grown using CVD which has been the most successful method in producing higher quality diamonds.
High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT)
HPHT recreates the natural growing environment found within the earth. There are a few different types of HPHT technologies used. But the process best suited for producing gem-quality Lab Grown Diamonds to be set in finished jewelry are created using a BARS press.
The BARS press was invented by Russian scientists and uses a combination of inner and outer anvils to apply hydraulic pressure to the growth cell within the unit. The growth cell itself contains all the elements necessary to grow a diamond, including a tiny diamond seed, highly refined graphite, and a catalyst consisting of a mixture of metals and powders.
Consistent temperatures reaching 1,300 degrees Celsius and over 50,000 atmospheres of pressure are applied to the growth cell. Over a few days, the elements within the growth cell melt and then reform during cooling to create finished, rough, Lab Grown Diamonds ready to be extracted for cutting and polishing.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
Scientists start the process of growing a MiaDonna diamond by cutting a small piece of carbon, known as a seed. It is placed in a low-pressure microwave chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber.
Gasses combine with electrical energy, which ignites a plasma ball. From there, a cloud forms in the chamber and carbon molecules rain on the seed. Within six to 12 weeks, a sizable rough diamond is formed. It is then cut, polished, and graded by the same world-renowned labs that certify earth-mined diamonds.
Why is Miadonna the Best
Choice for Lab-Grown Diamonds?
We are the pioneers of the lab created diamond retail industry and have been selling lab diamonds directly to consumers since 2007. Our created diamonds are superior to not only earth-mined diamonds, but also other grown diamonds on the market today.
Superior to Other Lab Created Diamonds
We are now seeing many created diamonds hitting the market that don’t measure up. We grow our diamonds in the world’s most technologically advanced laboratories that have a long-running and deep-rooted history with us. This means we can offer you the best selection of the finest diamonds at the most competitive prices.
Superior to Earth-Mined Diamonds
Every one of MiaDonna’s Lab Grown Diamonds are Type IIA diamonds. This is the purest form of diamond, making them harder and more brilliant than regular Type Ia diamonds, which make up 98% of diamonds mined from the earth.
Superior in Ethics
As the first grown diamond company in America to be a Certified B Corporation, we have proven our commitment to not only meet but exceed the highest standards in social and environmental performance.
Every lab created diamond from MiaDonna is guaranteed conflict-free and sourced from highly sophisticated labs where they are created and cut in a controlled environment. But we go one step further with our Lab Grown Diamonds. Profits from every purchase at MiaDonna fund our foundation, The Greener Diamond, which empowers diamond mining communities to live a life outside of poverty and diamond mining.
Not all lab grown diamonds are created equal!
MiaDonna Grown
1.02ct, SI2, H
Competitor Grown
1.02ct, SI2, H
FAQ
What are the quality grades of lab diamonds?
Do all Lab Grown Diamonds look alike?
No. A lot of people think we can program the process to create a specific diamond grade and carat size that are the same each time. But we can’t. We are simply putting the right conditions together, but then nature takes it from there. Just like with earth-mined diamonds, there will be variances in color, clarity, and carat size.
Can you tell the difference between an earth-mined diamond and a lab created diamond?
MiaDonna laboratory-made diamonds are indistinguishable from earth-mined diamonds, even under a microscope, according to the Gemological Institute of America.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds graded and certified?
All MiaDonna lab created diamonds over 0.5ct are graded the same way earth-mined diamonds are, and come with a grading certificate from either the International Gemological Institute (IGI) or Gem Certification & Assurance Lab (GCAL).
What are the environmental benefits of lab diamonds?
Unlike earth-mined diamonds, our grown diamonds are created without negatively harming native communities, societies, or the planet. According to the 2014 Frost & Sullivan report, "lab grown diamonds are seven times less impactful to the environment than mined diamonds, use significantly less resources, and emit a fraction of the air pollution."
Are Lab Grown Diamonds fake?
There are many ways to tell the difference between a fake diamond and the real thing. Turns out, the definition of a real diamond is not linked to origin (earth vs. lab), but rather by its characteristics. Lab created diamonds have been created replicating the earth's natural process, and will pass a diamond tester because of their identical characteristics.
Do lab created diamonds test positive on a diamond tester?
Yes, these are real diamonds, which are pure crystallized carbon. Lab created diamonds will pass all tests used to confirm a pure carbon diamond.
What are the humanitarian benefits of Lab Grown Diamonds?
We cannot speak to other companies’ lab created diamonds. However, our lab diamonds are created in highly controlled and technologically advanced environments, where worker safety and welfare is a priority, by employees being paid a fair and competitive wage.
By not mining diamonds, we are preserving indigenous communities and the earth while protecting workers from unsafe and threatening conditions. MiaDonna goes one step further by using our profits to positively impact the lives and land that have been negatively affected by the diamond mining industry.
What is the resale value of a Lab Grown Diamond?
Buying an engagement ring or diamond, regardless of origin, with the intent to sell it in the future, is not a good investment. Many traditional jewelers tell consumers that lab created diamonds have little to no resale value, but this could not be further from the truth.
Most earth-mined diamonds have resale value, and most lab created diamonds will have a similar resale value as well. Regardless of origin, either grown or mined, all diamonds are priced using an internationally accepted pricing system. This system is known as the Rapaport Price List. Resale values are based on a percentage of the Rapaport Price List.
What is a type 2a diamond?
Most people only think of the 4 Cs when judging the beauty of earth-mined and Lab-Grown Diamonds. However, there are also types of diamonds: Type la, llb, and Type IIa, llb. In the past, we haven't talked too much about the different types of lab diamonds because the superior Type lla has been unattainable to the majority of the population...until now!
Type IA
98% of diamonds mined from the earth will be a Type la diamond. These are very common diamonds that you will find at your local jewelry store.
Type IIA
Only 2% of diamonds mined will be a Type IIa diamond, making them very rare. They are special because they contain the purest form of carbon, with either very little or no nitrogen atoms in the crystal structure. This makes Type IIa diamonds harder and brighter than common Type la diamonds. White diamonds are exceptionally colorless and colored diamonds are often found with a brown, purple, blue, or pink tone.
Previously, Type IIa diamonds were only owned by royalty and the super-wealthy due to their incredible beauty and high caliber. For example, The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond and The Hope Diamond are both Type IIa diamonds. All of MiaDonna’s Lab Grown Diamonds are the superior Type IIa, giving you even more value for your money.
What is chemical vapor deposition?
Chemical Vapor Deposition, or CVD, is a process used to create gem-grade diamonds, as well as optics and semiconductors. The CVD process uses ultra-pure carbon-rich gasses in a controlled chamber.
Carbon-based gasses such as methane are heated until they break apart, allowing the carbon atoms within the gas to separate. These tiny carbon atoms fall onto a diamond substrate and build up layers, resulting in a rough diamond crystal. This process takes between six to ten weeks and yields gem-grade Type IIa Lab-Grown Diamonds.
In recent years, CVD research has gained popularity and now modified versions of CVD are being used to create lab diamonds. These processes differ in the means by which chemical reactions are initiated. Some of these variations include:
- Low-Pressure CVD (LPCVD)
- Ultra-High Vacuum CVD (UHVCVD)
- Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD)
- Microwave Plasma Vapor Deposition (MPCVD)
What is high-pressure high-temperature (hpht)?
High-Pressure High-Temperature, or HPHT, recreates a diamond's natural growing environment found deep within the earth. The machines used have the ability to build up the pressure of almost 60,000 atmospheres and temperature of 2,500 degrees Celsius.
The growth cell contains all the elements needed to create Lab-Grown Diamonds, including a seed, highly refined graphite, and a catalyst mixture consisting of metals and powders. The cell is placed in the center of the HPHT chamber. Consistent temperatures reaching 1,300 degrees Celsius and more than 50,000 atmospheres of pressure are applied. The catalysts inside the cell are the first to react to the added heat and pressure and change from solid to molten form.
The molten catalyst solution causes the graphite within the cell to dissolve. Once all the required conditions are met, the cooling process begins. This process takes place over several days and allows the carbon atoms to build upon the seed. The cell is removed from the HPHT machine once the growth cycle is complete. The new rough diamond is extracted and cleaned in preparation for final cutting and polishing.
The entire HPHT growing process requires an incredibly controlled environment to produce gem-quality Lab-Grown Diamonds. Any shift or change during growth can cause lab diamonds to stop growing or can create inclusions that result in unusable diamonds. Every diamond must complete the entire growth cycle before the machine can be opened. It is only after the HPHT chamber is opened that we can see the finished rough diamond and its color, clarity, and size.
Within the HPHT process, there are three primary tools used to supply the pressure and temperature necessary to produce lab-created diamonds. These are:
- BARS Press: The BARS press is the most effective tool used for producing gem-quality Lab-Grown Diamonds. It uses a combination of inner and outer anvils to apply hydraulic pressure to the growth cell.
- Belt Press: The belt press is the founding technology behind growing diamonds. It can be large and produce several diamonds in only one cycle by using two large anvils that press together to create the necessary pressure. It is capable of producing gem-quality diamonds but is most commonly used to produce diamonds and diamond powder for industrial purposes.
- Cubic Press: A cubic press can be large in size and uses six separate anvils to create the necessary pressure for diamond crystal growth. In addition to Lab-Grown Diamonds, it is also used to create diamond powder for industrial purposes.
Are lab diamonds the same as cubic zirconia?
Lab created diamonds are 100% pure, crystallized carbon, which makes them optically, chemically, and physically identical in every way to an earth-mined diamond.
Cubic zirconia (CZ) is made of synthetic zirconium dioxide in its crystalline form and is commonly used as a low-cost alternative to a mined diamond. It has absolutely no presence of carbon diamond bonds in its creation. It is simply a crystal cut in a way to mimic the look of a diamond. The lack of crystallized carbon is why CZ differs chemically, physically, and optically from earth-mined and Lab-Grown Diamonds.
What diamond colors are available?
MiaDonna grown diamonds are available in a variety of trendy colors:
White
The most common diamonds are white diamonds and are graded on the lack of color present. White lab created diamonds are 20%-40% less expensive than their earth-mined equivalents.
Yellow
Both mined and lab diamonds get their yellow color from nitrogen. Once light enters the diamond, the nitrogen will reflect back yellow light. Yellow lab created diamonds cost up to 75% less than their earth-mined equivalents.
Blue
Coming in colors ranging from fancy light blue to fancy intense blue, both mined and lab grown blue diamonds get their color from boron. Blue Lab Grown Diamonds cost up to 90% less than their earth-mined equivalents.
PINK LAB GROWN DIAMONDS
Earth-mined pink diamonds are the most rare color available and also the most expensive. Pink lab created diamonds cost up to 95% less than their earth-mined equivalents.