What Is A CVD Diamond?



The CVD diamonds are laboratory-grown diamonds that have been created to chemically, optically, and physically replicate natural diamonds. These similarities make it hard for one to tell the two diamonds apart without the help of a professional and equipment. The CVD diamond is a beautiful, exquisite, less expensive, and durable diamond that has risen in popularity over the years.

What Are CVD Diamonds?

CVD is among the two processes of making lab-grown diamonds. It stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition and involves breaking down natural gas such as methane to carbon that forms new diamonds. The second process of making lab-grown diamonds is the High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT).

Unique Features of CVD Diamond

CVD diamonds are similar to natural diamonds optically, physically, and chemically. Therefore, they are subject to inclusions, and it is rare to find a flawless diamond, just like natural diamonds. Moreover, certified laboratories use the 4Cs of quality to define their value. They note the diamond’s origin on its girdle and the certificate upon certification. Lastly, the CVD diamonds are durable, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs Scale.

History of CVD Diamonds

The history of lab-grown diamonds dates to 1953, when the first patent was issued. A year later, General Electric created the first lab-grown diamond. However, it was extensively criticized, leading to the delay in verifying reports. De Beers company bought the HPHT technology and created the first CVD diamond in the 1980s.

The Process Of Making CVD Diamonds

  • Place a thin diamond seed in a sealed chamber.
  • Flood the sealed chamber with carbon-rich gas and heat to around 800°C. It ionizes the gas to produce carbon.
  • The carbon molecules formed will bond with the initially selected diamond seed.
  • Continue with the process until the desired diamond is formed. The process could take up to 8 weeks.
  • Many CVD diamonds are subjected to HPHT to improve color.

Identifying CVD Diamond

You can identify CVD diamonds using a couple of instruments. Professional jewelers own at least one of these;

  • With a microscope, you could observe the inscription on the girdle of the diamond.
  • With a microscope, you could observe the birthmarks visible in the stone.
  • Under UV light (shortwave and long-wave) they often show unusual colors.   

Grading of CVD Diamonds

Like natural diamonds, the CVD diamonds are graded by certified labs such as IGI and GIA, using the 4Cs of quality to determine value. The certified labs encode a unique code on the stone’s girdle using a laser imprint upon certification. This unique code is only visible under magnification. Not only will you find this code on the stone but also on the digital/paper certificate. 

Pros and Cons of CVD Diamonds

Pros

Since they are made in the laboratory, they are available in different colors, sizes, and shapes. They also have high brilliance, scintillation, and fire. Unlike natural diamonds, they are free from conflict and can be eco-friendly since they are not mined. They also take less time to grow, about 6-8 weeks, while mining natural diamonds takes months. Lastly, they are less expensive than natural diamonds; hence, they are an excellent diamond to buy on a budget.

Cons

Despite all the pros, they also have cons. For example, many jewelry brands do not sell them. Additionally, they are often grown in areas that still rely on coal for electricity generation and growing diamonds requires large amounts of electricity.

Buying CVD Diamonds

Do not miss out on these conflict-free, highly brilliant, fiery diamonds. We at Plateau Jewelers will be happy to help you find the right CVD diamonds for your jewelry. Please reach out to us today.

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