At Marlow’s, we’re recognised as the UK’s Diamond experts. For over three generations, we’ve been sourcing some of the most treasured diamonds for our clients. Whether they’ve been gifted as loose diamonds or set within one of our stunning diamond engagement rings and proposed with, the way we source diamonds is evolving.
Investing in lab-made diamond engagement rings poses many benefits compared to real diamonds, as well as offering a responsible sourcing method. Let us explain the importance of growing diamonds in the 21st century, and how something that sparkles so similar to a real diamond is actually so different!
We’re about to get technical so stay with us!
Lab-grown, cultured, engineered, and man-made diamonds are all ways to describe diamonds created under high-pressure high temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) in labs found mainly in the USA and China.
The process of creating a diamond out of a diamond seed takes around a week. And these engineered diamonds have the same beauty and characteristics of natural earth-mined diamonds - that take millions of years to form.
Lab diamonds aren’t to be confused with cubic zirconia or moissanite. In comparison, they do not display “real” diamond characteristics, such as the weight and the white sparkle that is reflected.
Lab diamonds, on the other hand, are an exact replication of natural diamonds and are being manufactured and then resold by most “online” diamond suppliers. These suppliers act as “brokers” between the trade and you the customer, without having to invest in the diamonds themselves.
At Marlow’s, we believe in stockholding and investing in what we sell. This is why we now stock a limited range of stunning lab-grown diamonds at our stores, starting from a £500 half-carat diamond to a £15000 3 carat lab-diamond with top specifications. Each diamond comes with IGI reports and is tested (laser inscribed) for your peace of mind. Along with expert knowledge and customer care, we offer reasonable man-made diamond rings in the UK.
Generally, most websites will deem these diamonds as being ethical, environmentally friendly, and identical to natural diamonds! This isn’t completely true.
The man-made diamonds still have to be cut and polished by a human, and we can’t just discard the human element in all of this. So, while we advocate lab-grown diamonds, we’ll always pride ourselves on the workforce involved in cutting our stunning range of diamonds.
Also, all-natural earth mined diamonds have to be ethically sourced by statute under observance of the Kimberley Process; therefore all-natural diamonds are also classed as responsibly sourced diamonds - at least at Marlow’s Diamonds they are.
Currently, the GIA lab (the institute who grade diamonds) is debating issuing reports for this substitute to earth-mined diamonds. The IGI, HRD and GCAL already issue reports for lab-grown diamonds. We restrict our supply to IGI certified lab-grown diamonds as we have more confidence with their reports.
Since the industry leader De Beers took a serious interest in lab-grown diamonds as an alternative, demand for these more ethical stones has continued to increase.
At Marlow’s Diamonds, we’re here to help and are currently offering a bespoke supply service on all qualities, shapes and sizes of ethically produced lab-grown diamonds. Prices for lab-grown diamond rings could be half as cheap as natural earth-mined diamonds which is another main reason for the buzz around lab-engineered diamonds.
For example, when you search for a 1ct G VS1 natural diamond on our live diamond search, prices are approximately £5200 for a top-quality triple excellent stone, the same lab-grown diamond tends to cost around £2500.
In addition to white diamonds from D-L colours and VVS to SI clarities in all shapes and sizes, we also have some pink lab-grown diamonds in stock. For more information and advice, you can contact an experienced member of staff for assistance at any of our stores via WhatsApp, email or phone. Alternatively, you can call our lab-grown diamond experts in London on 0207 4051 477 for useful guidance and advice on how to purchase a lab-grown diamond.
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Excavation |
Tons of soil dispersed while mining for diamonds |
No soil movement when grown in a lab |
Carbon Emissions |
Very High level of air pollution |
Very low level of air pollution |
Water Usage |
1000s of litres of water used for every sqmt mined |
Minimal use of water |
Process of Making |
Millions of years lying deep (mostly) underground |
It takes 5-7 days to grow an average size lab-grown diamond |
Human Risk |
Very high level of risk while mining, around 10000 die every year |
Low level of risk, zero deaths recorded so far |
Comparison |
Naturally formed ice over ice-capped mountains over centuries. |
Ice formed in a freezer. |
Value (Click Here) | Historically, values stable over 30 plus years | Relatively new, historical values unknown but as technology improves, possible downturn |
Some of the most common Lab-grown diamonds Q&A's
Consider ice for a moment. It can form over a pond or in your freezer. But no matter where the water freezes, it is always ice and contains the same chemical properties. The difference is the origin.
Like freezer-formed ice and naturally-occurring ice, lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and physical properties as mined diamonds. The only difference is the actual place that the diamonds are formed.
Lab-grown diamonds are man-made diamonds that are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds. Both have the same chemical composition and atomic structure, producing the very same durability, fire, and sparkle. Laboratory grown diamonds are a true testament to the use of technology and human achievement.
Lab-grown diamonds are made using a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process or a High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method that causes carbon atoms to crystallize into the structure that renders them harder than any other form of carbon and harder than any other material. Both diamond growth methods require advanced technology, and both produce rough diamonds that are then cleaned, cut, and polished in the very same way naturally occurring, mined diamond rough is processed.
Our lab-grown diamond process involves a combination of both CVD and HPHT.
Diamond growth can be initiated only when a pre-existing diamond seed or a sliver of the diamond substrate is present for the carbon atoms to attach to and “learn” the diamond’s strong tetrahedral crystal lattice. The “seed” essentially serves as a blueprint for the crystallization process as carbon atoms stack one-by-one on the carefully selected seed.
Lab-grown diamonds are graded to the same carat, clarity, color, and cut specifications as mined diamonds and the same type of Diamond Grading can accompany them Reports written by leading independent gemological institutes and certified appraisers.
“Lab-Grown” most accurately describes the man-made diamond production process in which the crystal structure is grown from the seed diamond. Lab-grown diamonds are the result of an extemporaneous crystallization process rather than a synthesis of diamond compounds. Lab-grown diamonds are unequivocally diamonds with the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as earth mined diamonds - but less physical workforce was involved, and you’ll find a much smaller price tag.
Once the lab-grown diamond rough is large enough to be extracted from the machine, the stone is identified as lab-grown. The rough then go through the same analysis and review as nature made rough. It is analyzed by highly skilled cutters to plan for the best facets and cuts to yield the stones with the best proportions and symmetry.
The lab-grown rough is cut in a responsible, controlled facility. The stones are then polished and inspected. Each stone is packaged carefully with full disclosure of its origin as a lab-grown diamond.
Tight processing controls, full disclosure in each step of a traceable chain of custody, as well as dedication to transparency, ensures each lab-grown diamond is of known origin.
Traditionally Mined Diamonds 
Technological lab grown Diamonds 
