Lab-grown diamonds have gained significant popularity in recent years, offering a perfect substitute for traditional diamonds. This allows diamond enthusiasts and shoppers to display and wear lab diamond gems, knowing they are making a positive environmental choice and avoiding involvement in a blood trade.
It is true that lab-grown diamonds are optically, physically, and chemically identical to natural diamonds. However, they are graded based on the 4Cs - Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat.
Let us delve deeper into understanding the lab-grown diamond colour.
What is a Lab-Grown Diamond Colour?
Similar to earth-grown diamonds, the colour of a lab-grown diamond is categorised as "Colourless" or "Fancy Coloured Diamonds". Between the colourless and coloured lab-grown diamonds, there are other categories of colour, too. It is important to know that the colour of a synthetic diamond is influenced by the conditions under which it is created and the presence of certain trace elements.
Types of Lab-Grown Diamond Colours
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Colourless Lab-Grown Diamonds: Colourless lab-grown diamonds are completely free of colour and are the most sought-after because of their purity and brilliance. They are also known as transparent lab-grown diamonds.
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Near Colourless Lab-Grown Diamonds: Lab-grown diamonds in this category have slight traces of colour, which are often undetectable to the untrained eye. Without the help of an experienced Gemologist or specialised tools, a jewellery or shopper might find it difficult to spot the traces of colour. Hence, these categories of diamonds are considered to offer exceptional quality.
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Faint to Light-Coloured Lab-Grown Diamonds: A diamond with a faint tint is classified as light-coloured. Diamonds in the category exhibit noticeable colour, ranging from faint yellow or brown to more intense hues. Thus, they are also called lab-grown yellow diamonds due to their warm tone.
- Fancy Coloured Lab-Grown Diamonds: Lab-grown coloured diamonds can also be manufactured in a variety of fancy colours, including blue, pink, yellow, green, and even red. These vibrant colours are achieved by adding specific elements during the growth process. Below are some of the most popular colours for a lab diamond and details of how they are produced:
- Blue: Created by adding boron during the growth process.
- Pink: Often produced through post-production treatments.
- Yellow: The colour yellow results from the presence of nitrogen.
- Green: Typically created by exposure to radiation or specific treatments.
The Lab-Grown Diamond Colour Scale
The types of lab-grown diamonds are further divided into groups based on their colour grading. A synthetic diamond's colour grading system follows the same natural diamond criteria. The colour-grading runs from "D" (Colourless) to "Z" (a yellow or brown tint). Lab-created coloured diamonds are not graded (fancy diamonds).
The colour-grading scale for lab diamonds is as follows:
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Grade D: Grade D is the highest grade on the scale. A "D" grade lab-grown diamond is perfect and pure, with no visible colour even under magnification. These diamonds are extremely rare and expensive.
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Grade E & F: Lab-grown diamonds with an "E" or "F" grade are almost as perfect in terms of shine and purity as the "D" grade lab diamonds. Only a gemologist can spot a difference between these categories.
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Grade G to J: Grade "G," "H," "I," and "J" lab-grown diamonds may seem colourless to the naked eye. However, they have a slight hint of colour. This group of lab diamonds is ideal for those who are looking for high-quality diamond jewels without the premium price of grade "D" lab diamonds.
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Grade K to M: Lab-grown diamonds India that fall under the grading scale between "K" to "M" have a faint yellow colour in them. These lab-created coloured diamonds are pretty but are not of high quality. They are ideal for vintage-inspired jewellery pieces.
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Grade N to R: Lab diamonds between grades "N" to "R" are of low quality at lesser costs. These diamonds have a noticeable light yellow or brown hue.
- Grade S to Z: The lowest quality and costs are of synthetic diamonds on a scale of "S" to "Z". They have an evident shade of yellow or brown in them.
Who Grades the Colour of a Lab-Grown Diamond?
The colour of lab-grown diamonds is graded on a scale formed by the reputed institutes - GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and IGI (International Gemological Institute). Experts grade it using advanced tools. The lab-grown diamond jewellery at Stefee Jewels is GIA-certified.
Why is Grading of a Lab-Grown Diamond Colour Important?
The grading of coloured lab-grown diamonds is essential for the following reasons:
- Colour grading directly impacts a diamond's visual clarity and brilliance. It helps one understand a gemstone's maximum sparkle and purity, enhancing its aesthetic appeal.
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Colour grading is a critical factor in determining the market value of lab diamonds. Higher-grade diamonds are more valuable than lower-graded lab-grown coloured diamonds.
- Colour grading is part of the certification process provided by GIA and IGI. It verifies the diamond's quality and authenticity, giving buyers confidence to purchase.