Argyle Pink Diamonds Vs. Lab-grown: 5 Things You Should Know

Are you having a hard time choosing between Argyle pink diamonds and lab-grown pink diamonds? For the past years, there were many debates on whether lab-grown diamonds can be a substitute for natural pink diamonds. It became an even more popular topic when the Argyle Mine closed in November 2020.

When this major pink diamond mine closed, a lot of investors took the opportunity to buy as many Argyle pink diamonds as possible. It’s because although there are still other pink diamond mines in other countries, they can’t provide the same quality and size as the Argyle mine has offered.

But whether you’re planning to invest or gift the diamonds, it’s best if you can choose which type of pink diamond you prefer. In addition, you should also consider other factors such as financial and overall look.

If you’re not a diamond expert, you won’t see any difference between Argyle pink diamonds and lab-grown pink diamonds. So to help you decide, here are five things you should know!

1. Different location

Although the Argyle pink diamonds are the most popular, there are other countries where you can get pink diamonds such as Canada, India, and Russia. However, the Argyle Mine has been supplying the world with around 90% of pink diamonds. So when they stopped mining, finding the finest pink diamonds became harder than before.

On the other hand, lab-grown pink diamonds can be created in laboratories around the world. So access to this kind of diamond is easier than the natural ones.

Fortunately, if you’re looking for a simple pink diamond, then you can choose between the two. Meanwhile, if you’re planning to invest, then you should do more research if there are high-quality pink diamonds near you.

2. Producing pink diamonds

Just like any other naturally-made diamonds, Argyle pink diamonds are formed on the deepest surface of the earth. Furthermore, they’ve encountered extreme heat and pressure, and other chemicals which made them look what they are today.

Meanwhile, if you’re scared that you might end up buying lab-grown pink diamonds that are fake, well, you shouldn’t be. Lab-grown diamonds are real. In fact, they’re created from a tiny piece of natural diamond.

There are two ways to create lab-grown diamonds— Chemical Vapour Deposition and High Pressure, High Temperature. However, CVD is used to create pink diamonds.

CVD is the process that uses a natural diamond seed. The seed is sealed in a chamber and is exposed to gentle pressure and different chemicals. These chemicals are also the same as what natural pink diamonds encounter as they’re formed.

3. Environmental effects

You can’t deny the fact that both methods can affect the environment. However, one’s effect is lesser than the other.

Although creating lab-grown pink diamonds still requires chemicals and energy, it doesn’t leave as much carbon footprint as when mining natural pink diamonds. A lot of huge equipment are used when mining diamonds, and the holes are created by continuously digging the earth’s surface.

So it’s your choice whether you’re fine with the mine diamonds or you prefer the lab-grown. If you’re fine with both types of pink diamonds, then it’s easier to choose and buy whatever’s available in the market.

4. Certification process

Both the lab-grown pink diamonds and natural pink diamonds are graded and certified using the 4Cs— Colour, Cut, Clarity, and Carat.

• Colour- the darker the colour of the diamond is, the lesser its value.
• Cut- analyses how clean the finish of a diamond is.
• Clarity- the fewer the blemishes, the better.
• Carat- the weight of the pink diamond.

So whether you’re planning to buy the lab-grown or natural pink diamonds, you don’t need to worry about the certification and grade as they’ve undergone the same evaluation. In addition, as long as the certificate is from the GIA, then you can guarantee they’re real diamonds.

5. Maintenance procedure

There are a lot of statements and arguments about the sustainability of lab-grown and natural pink diamonds. Some say that they’re the same as they both rank 10 on the Mohs Scale. However, others claim that natural is still better than lab-grown and vice versa.

Can it still be claimed that a “diamond is forever”? The truth is that lab-grown and natural pink diamonds can lose their colour if not maintained properly. However, since the colour of the lab-grown pink diamonds is usually bright, then there’s a chance that they won’t easily fade.

But just to make sure, practise proper pink diamond storage and maintenance so that you don’t need to feel nervous if your diamond will last long.

We hope this article gave you enough information to get your pink diamond shopping easier. But after what you’ve read, which do you prefer, the natural or lab-grown pink diamonds? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Aliana Baraquio is currently writing for Musson Jewellers Australia, a rare and enduring jewellery design business that has been providing the finest jewellery for over 40 years in Sydney. Her free time is composed of her phone and new comics to read on.