What You Should Know About Colored Lab Diamonds

If you’re thinking of buying a colored lab diamond, there are a few things that you should know. Read on to learn about Moissanites, irradiation, annealing, and the color of the mounting. These factors can make the difference between a good diamond and a bad one.

Irradiation

The Irradiation process has been used to produce colored diamonds. The irradiation process uses extreme heat to create diamonds with different colors. However, they are still natural diamonds and their refractive index remains the same. Despite this, they can be spotted with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer or a Raman spectroscope when cooled to liquid nitrogen.

Colored diamonds produced from this process exhibit a characteristic absorption spectrum. They contain a fine line in the far red at 741 nm. This line is known as the GR1 line and is generally considered a strong indication that the diamond has undergone some treatment process. This line is usually lost during the subsequent annealing process, but several new lines are created, the most persistent being located at 595 nm.

When exposed to short-wave UV radiation, a two-carat diamond grown by chemical vapor deposition undergoes an impressive transformation. The diamond changes from near colorless to slightly blue in just a few minutes. However, there are still some flaws with this method, and we should remember that the process is not foolproof.

During the Irradiation process, diamonds are heated to a temperature of around 900 degrees Celsius. The high heat caused by the radiation will produce diamonds with different colors. Some diamonds will produce green diamonds, while others will show blue green. These colored diamonds may also be annealed.

The color of a diamond is affected by its size and weight. A diamond that is too thick will not fully undergo the treatment process. It is easier to treat a diamond that is less than half a carat. It is also easier to fully treat stones with a lighter tone. For example, a one-carat yellow intended to be pink may end up looking peachy.

Annealing

Annealing colored lab diamonds produces diamonds of different colors. During the treatment process, diamonds undergo high temperature and pressure, causing some to lose their original color and others to develop a darker color. The diamonds are also subjected to irradiation, which makes them a little bit bluer or greener. While the process doesn’t completely eliminate coloration, it can significantly change the composition of the diamond, resulting in a commercially viable diamond.

While diamonds of this type are not colorless, they can be used for jewelry and wedding rings. Colored lab diamonds are generally less expensive than those made from natural diamonds. However, there are some things to look out for when selecting one for yourself. First, check the clarity of the diamond. The next step is to check the diamond’s color. It should be D or better.

While natural diamonds can be found in the earth, lab diamonds are formed in a controlled environment in high pressure and high temperatures. These diamonds are similar to natural diamonds in their chemical composition, optical properties, and physical properties. In addition, there are some differences between the two types of stones. For example, the clarity of the diamond is a measure of the lack of inclusions. Lastly, the carat size is the measurement of the diamond’s size and weight.

Different annealing techniques are used. One technique is HPHT or High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). HPHT annealing occurs at temperatures of 1800-2500degC, while LPHT uses lower pressures, between 1400 and 2200degC. The high pressure is used to avoid graphitization, which occurs naturally in diamonds. LPHT results in a more stable diamond, but can cause luminescence.

Color of the mounting

The color of the mounting for colored lab diamonds can make or break the overall appearance of the stone. When set in a ring, a lab diamond may be D or F, but the color can become more noticeable or less noticeable depending on the mounting. In these cases, white or yellow gold metal can help the diamond stand out more. Rose gold has a similar effect.

Colorless colored diamonds in the G, H, and I grades are near colorless, and will look near colorless when mounted. In contrast, diamonds in the K and L grades have some slight yellow or blue color, but this is not noticeable when viewed face up. While most people won’t notice any difference between color grades and white diamonds when mounted, some people may notice a difference when the colored lab diamond is in a yellow gold setting.

Colored lab diamonds come in a variety of hues, including pink, white, and yellow. Pink diamonds are often treated with an orange modifier to produce a pink hue, while yellow and blue lab diamonds can be grown with minimal additives. While the color of colored lab diamonds is not as consistent as mined diamonds, it is more affordable than mined diamonds.

Colored lab diamonds are sometimes mounted in yellow gold rings to give them a more natural look. Yellow gold mountings will also make diamonds appear less yellow than white-metal settings. The American Gem Society (AGS) has established a color grading scale that can be used to differentiate the color of diamonds. The color scale ranges from zero (colorless) to 10 (light yellow or brown). The AAGS Color Grade is typically used by labs.

Impurities

The color saturation of lab-grown diamonds depends on the concentration of impurities and defect centers in the diamond crystal lattice. The amount of nitrogen and boron in a diamond directly affects the color saturation. These two elements contribute to a wide range of colored diamonds, and the concentration of each is determined using instrumental methods.

The majority of mined diamonds have nitrogen impurities in their crystal structure, which contribute to their brown or yellow undertones. Type IIa lab diamonds, on the other hand, contain zero nitrogen. These diamonds get their undertones from voids in the crystal structure that develop during CVD growth. Most HPHT diamonds are colorless, but some have undertones of gray or blue.

The blue color in lab diamonds is caused by boron trapped in the crystal structure. This is a rare color and only one in every 200,000 diamonds has a hint of it. This color is often very pale. A blue diamond is extremely rare. If one is lucky enough to find a blue diamond, it would be a stunning piece of jewelry.

Although it is impossible to know exactly which color a colored lab diamond has without looking at it, the best way to determine the exact color of a diamond is to check it out in person. Using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, a technician can see if traces of metal are present in the stone. This metal is likely a result of the molten metal solution the diamond was grown in. Similarly, a cathodoluminescence spectrometer can reveal different growth sectors in the diamond. Unlike mined diamonds, HPHT diamonds exhibit both octahedral and cubic growth sectors.

Because a laboratory grown diamond is man-made, the process is closely controlled. However, it does contain impurities. These impurities are small and rarely visible to the naked eye. The cut quality of a colored lab diamond is similar to that of a natural diamond. A proportional cut is recommended in order to maximize brilliance and fire.

What You Should Know About Colored Lab Diamonds