There are quite a few misconceptions about Lab grown diamonds and their differences from Natural diamonds. Sanjoya sees Lab Grown as a new market and not as a market that replaces the market for Natural diamonds. It starts with a decent level of knowledge and through this website we try to clarify issues that are unclear and or need additional knowledge. Jewellers and goldsmiths form an initial sounding board and introduction stage for Lab Grown towards end consumers.
Is the quality of Lab Grown diamonds less than that of Natural diamonds?
That is incorrect. Lab diamonds are real diamonds and have the same chemical composition as mined diamonds. Even when the two 'Lab and Natural diamonds' are put side by side in a Laboratory, the stones are very similar in quality and can hardly be distinguished from each other.
With both Natural and Lab diamonds, the quality differs for each mined or Lab produced stone. For Sanjoya, only rough stones of the highest quality are selected. The real difference in quality comes from the processing, read cleaving, cutting and polishing of the rough diamonds. For more information please read ‘Factors that determine the price/quality ratio of Diamond’.
Is Lab Grown available in all types, sizes, shapes and colours?
Theoretically, a Lab grown diamond can be made as large as the production facility allows. The Sanjoya manufacturer only works with the best production stones. Only the finest and highest quality stones are selected for cutting and polishing.
The shape, properties and quality of the rough (Lab grown) diamond and the quality of the cutter together determine the quality and degree of light reflection of the final product. It can be stated that Lab Grown diamonds are available in almost the same variations as Natural diamonds.
With regard to colour, there is still some way to go. Production of standard colours and colourless stones in Lab diamonds is not a problem. With fancy colours (such as .....), the quality level of Natural diamond colours is not yet achieved. Thus, not all top-quality colours are yet available in Lab Grown. Please contact info@sanjoya.eu if you have any questions.
Because the risk of production problems is higher for Lab Grown colours, the cost price of special colours is also higher.
Is certifying a (Lab grown) diamond important and necessary?
For more certainty about colour fastness, clarity, size and shape, it is necessary to purchase a reliable certificate with a purchased diamond. As a service, Sanjoya provides a Sanjoya certificate for free with delivered Lab grown diamonds starting from 0.50 Ct. To keep the administration manageable, Sanjoya supplies D to F colour for the same price and the Clarity grade is VS1 and better.
As the basis for Sanjoya certification of Lab grown stones, the strictest certification standard is used from GIA. Should you or your customer prefer a standard certificate from GIA, AGS, HRD or IGI, this is possible at an additional cost of €100. In case of external certification, we prefer GIA or HRD (Antwerp based) as a quality standard in the market. Please note that external Certification generally leads to a longer delivery time if the stone has not been externally certified before. After having made your preferences at the website you’ll see what the influence is on the delivery time of diamonds.
With proper certification, a unique identifiable number is placed in the diamond's girdle with a laser that matches the number on the issued certificate. In Lab grown diamonds with a size of 0.50 Carat, a unique number is placed free of charge in all Sanjoya Lab stones. There is still enough space on the belt to also have a unique number placed on the diamond by an acknowledged certification agency.
Availability of diamonds also depends on certification requirements. Purchasing a Lab grown diamond without certification is, in our opinion, only wise if it concerns the purchase of relatively smaller diamonds. Think for instance of stones smaller than 0.50 carats. For stones of that size, the cost of certification does not outweigh the cost of those Lab grown stones. The significantly higher purchase price of Natural stones makes certification of smaller diamonds a good consideration.
Is Lab production better for the environment?
It is not yet a foregone conclusion that Lab diamonds are ecologically less damaging to the environment. The discussion has several angles and some of these are discussed in more detail below:
Lab grown production absolutely requires more energy than Natural energy, but there are several ifs and buts to this. For instance, if climate-neutral energy is used for Lab grown production, Lab grown is definitely better for the environment;
Besides the energy source used, other factors play a role. Consider the type of machinery used for production, or the extraction method (transfer of one or more substances from a solid or liquid phase to another liquid phase).
The countries in which Natural stones are mined and/or in which Lab-grown stones are produced also play a role in prettifying the facts. Since some economies are even (largely) dependent on revenue streams from mining or production, there are conflicting interests and conflicting data as research data is being juggled. This is in order to benefit research outcomes in national interest. For instance, a country like Botswana owes a large part of its economic growth and prosperity level to mining Natural diamonds. Needless to say, Botswana has its own interest in the outcome of the ecological debate.
Ideally, a certificate should reflect how and where a stone was produced or mined. Where possible, this information is incorporated into certificates issued by Sanjoya and the certificate provides information on how Eco Friendly a certificate is. Transparency about the entire traceable process from production to final transport is our aim in this regard.
How do you recognize the difference between Lab Grown and Natural diamonds?
Only an expert with very good equipment (both equipment and file knowledge) is able to determine the difference between the two. Differences cannot be determined with the naked eye, even by a specialist. With zirconia stones, however, you can observe the difference with the naked eye.
What is the difference between Lab Grown Diamonds and Zirconia?
Zirconia is also known in the corridors as an imitation diamond. Although the optical properties to the layman approach those of (Lab Grown) Diamond, the composition of raw materials is a completely different one. Even the best cutter will not succeed in achieving the same light reflection in zirconia. The price of zirconia is a fraction of the price of Lab grown and certainly not even close to the price of Natural diamond. Connoisseurs immediately see the difference between zirconia on the one hand and Lab Grown and Natural diamonds on the other.
How do diamonds manufactured according to Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) and High-Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) react on a diamond test?
CVD stones always test positive on a CVD test, with HPHT stones the test may well be negative. This is caused by the slightly different production method.
How does the price level of Lab grown diamonds develop?
The price level of Lab Grown is significantly lower than that of Natural diamonds. Depending on the size, shape, colour and clarity, price differences range between 30 and 70%.
If consumers are considering diamonds as an investment object, we recommend investing in Natural diamonds.
Due to scarcity, Natural diamonds retain their value over time. Due to the massive production of Lab, the price of Lab grown diamonds is in a downward spiral. In time, Lab prices are expected to get even lower due to the large supply. Precisely for this reason, Sanjoya focuses exclusively on larger stones with perfect quality.
Frequently Asked Questions