Mined Diamonds

How diamonds are grown in nature

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Lab-Grown Diamonds

How diamonds are grown in a laboratory

What is a diamond?

Diamonds are crystals made up of carbon atoms arranged in a particular way. The arrangement of these atoms is what gives diamond its unique physical and optical properties. While graphite is also made up entirely of carbon atoms, it is soft enough to write with; whereas, diamond is so hard it can only be scratched by another diamond. Carbon atoms only arrange themselves into the unique structure needed to create diamonds under very specific conditions.

Diamond structure seen on the left and graphite on the right

How diamonds form in nature

Diamonds are created approx. 100 miles beneath the earth's surface under immense heat and pressure

They then make their way to the surface over millions of years through volcanic activity

How diamonds are formed in a laboratory

High Pressure/ High Temperature

This process replicates the conditions that cause diamond formation in nature

Chemical Vapor Deposition

Hydro-carbon gas is superheated into plasma which releases carbon atoms that rain down onto a slice of diamond. These atoms attach to the existing crystal structure, and this causes the diamond to grow in vertical layers

These processes create different looking diamond rough

However, once cut and polished the result is a beautiful stone that is 100% a diamond