Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
General
How is a diamond made?
Diamonds are made from carbon using either a High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process.
Are these real diamonds?
D.NEA only sells real carbon diamonds with a hardness of 10. It is not a simulant (Cubic Zirconia, Moissanite, etc.) and has all the same properties as a mined diamond.
What is the difference between synthetic and simulant?
A synthetic diamond possesses all the same properties as a mined diamond. A simulant may look like a diamond, but does not possess all the same properties as a diamond. A synthetic diamond is also commonly known as a lab-grown diamond, lab-created diamond, man-made diamond or cultured diamond.
Why are blue and white more expensive than yellow?
The speed diamond crystals grow depends on helper elements inside the growth unit, that ultimately become part of the diamond and give the diamond its color. Nitrogen makes a diamond yellow and helps it grow the quickest. Boron makes a diamond blue, though it grows much slower than a yellow. The absence of helper elements greatly slows the growth of the white diamonds, making them grow the slowest of the colors. The length of time in the growth units impacts the price.
How do their prices compare to mined diamonds?
In general, fancy blues are about 1/10th the cost of a comparable mined blue, yellows are about 1/4th the cost of a comparable mined yellow and whites are about the same price.
How do you disclose diamonds as lab-grown, not mined?
All of our certified diamonds are laser inscribed and fully disclosed as lab-grown. Furthermore, there are various methods to distinguish the difference between mined and grown diamonds.
- Learn more about certificates and identification.
Availability
Where can I buy a synthetic diamond?
You can buy online, toll-free over the phone at 877.LAB.DIAMOND, mail, fax or in-person.
What sizes are available?
We offer yellow diamonds up to two carats, blue up to 1.25ct and white up to five carats. These are the upper limits; average and in-stock sizes will vary.
What color diamonds are available?
Diamonds can be grown in yellow, blue or white (colorless). Yellows can be further processed to create other colors.
Why are whites so hard to make?
White diamonds, though the most available in mined diamonds, are the most difficult to grow in a lab. The diamond must be grown with little to no nitrogen present in the resulting diamond. By limiting the amount of nitrogen, the carbon crystal growth is greatly slowed down. The longer the diamond in growing, the more prone it is to failure.
Can I request a particular color, size or shape?
You can special order a diamond as long as it is within the range we can consistently produce. We also have a waiting list for any criteria, and we will notify you once something becomes available.
Are pink diamonds and other colors available?
Pink, green, purple and other colors are available on request. These diamonds are grown as yellows, then treated to become other colors.
Can I buy a rough diamond?
We only offer polished diamonds, and do not sell any rough diamonds.
Technical
Where does the diamond color come from?
During growth, other elements assist the growth of the carbon lattice. These elements become trapped in the diamond, giving it color. Yellow diamonds come from nitrogen and blue comes from boron.
Are the colors permanent?
All of our as-grown colors (yellow, blue, white) are stable and permanent and will never fade or change color. Treated colors such as pink and green are permanent and stable under day-to-day wear, though care should be taken when exposed to extreme temperatures such as a jewelers torch.
- Learn more about color and treated colors
Are the colors even? Why do some outsides look lighter?
Sometimes our photos give the appearance that the center of a diamond is more saturated in color than the outer edges. In our camera setup, the camera looks directly into the table facet, seeing the true color of the diamond. Due to their angles, the crown facets can pick up reflections from our lighting setup, making the edges appear lighter in our pictures. The color seen in the center of the diamond is the best representation of what the eye will see in-person and is even throughout the diamond.
What is color zoning?
Color zoning is uneven color distribution in a diamond, showing “zones” with stronger color than other areas. Most all of our diamonds have evenly distributed color. Zoning is most prevalent in the faint colors, such as a canary yellow, or may be noticeable in treated colors, like pink and green.
Do D.NEA diamonds exhibit fluorescence?
In most cases, no. Some yellow diamonds may exhibit weak fluorescence but, in general, neither our blues, whites nor yellows have fluorescence.
How are pink, green and other colors made?
Pink, purple, red, green and other colors are produced on request, though they are not our mainstream product. The color is the result of post-growth treatment; it is an induced color. The only way to create a pink is to grow a diamond with low nitrogen, then subject it to a combination of irradiation and heat treatment (annealing).
How do lab diamonds differ from irradiated mined diamonds?
Colors of D.NEA diamonds, namely, yellow and blue, are the same as corresponding colors of natural diamonds. They have the same nature, the same stability with time and when exposed to high temperatures, as with mined colored diamonds, are guaranteed to never fade or lose its color. Color of each D.NEA diamond is magnificent as-is, and needs no improvement.
Irradiation is used when it is necessary to improve color of unsightly brown or washed-out “cape” diamonds. However, colors of irradiated diamonds may fade or change when being set or when heated above 300 degrees Centigrade.
We do not speculate on which color is better, irradiated or natural–it’s a matter of preference and taste. The main difference that exists between irradiated diamonds and as-grown D.NEA diamonds is stability of color. Colors of our diamonds are stable with time and when exposed to high temperatures.
At D.NEA, we can apply different color treatment methods to our diamonds in order to create additional colors–pink, purple, green, red–and currently do it only upon request, since color treated diamonds are not our mainstream product.
How to distinguish between mined and created diamonds?
Created diamonds are chemically, physically and optically identical to their mined counterparts. They are grown in a machine under very strict conditions, allowing for natural diamond growth. There are various methods available to identify it as lab-created rather than mined, including laser inscription, disclosure, inclusions and various equipment.
Other
Can I make a diamond out of my carbon (e.g. ashes, hair)?
Diamonds are made out of carbon, and so are all forms of life (humans, pets, plants, etc.). The carbon used to grow our diamonds is purified and highly refined, though technically it is possible to grow a diamond from “contributed” carbon. It is not something we actively promote, though can evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
Can I become a retailer?
We do have a wholesale program available for qualified jewelry retailers. Please contact us for details.
Can I become a distributor in my country?
We currently sell to customers throughout the world. If you are a retailer or distributor and are interested in our colored diamonds, please contact us.