Manufacturing Lab-Grown Diamonds

The process of manufacturing lab-grown diamonds involves several steps, including:

Seed selection: The process begins with selecting a high-quality diamond seed, which will be used as a base to grow the new diamond.
Diamond growth: The selected diamond seed is then placed in a chamber with a special gas mixture that contains carbon. The chamber is heated to very high temperatures or put under high pressure to create an environment that is similar to the conditions deep inside the Earth where diamonds are formed naturally.
Carbon deposition: As the gas mixture comes into contact with the diamond seed, it starts to deposit carbon atoms onto the surface of the seed. This process continues layer by layer until a new diamond is formed.
Cooling and cleaning: Once the diamond has reached the desired size, it is slowly cooled down to room temperature. The newly formed diamond is then removed from the chamber and cleaned.
Cutting and polishing: The rough diamond is then cut and polished into the desired shape, which can include round, princess, pear, oval, and many others.
Quality control: The finished diamond is then inspected and graded based on its size, color, clarity, and other factors. This grading system is similar to the one used for natural diamonds.

At GemTrove Melbourne, two main methods are used to manufacture lab-grown diamonds: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). The CVD process involves using a plasma ball to deposit carbon atoms onto the diamond seed, while the HPHT process uses a high-pressure press to create the necessary conditions for diamond growth.

Overall, the process of manufacturing lab-grown diamonds is a complex and precise one that requires specialized equipment and expertise. However, it is a more sustainable and ethical alternative to mining natural diamonds from the Earth.