There are two main lab-grown diamond production methods: the high pressure/high temperature process (HPHT) and chemical vapor depo

​Lab-grown diamonds are made primarily using two methods: high pressure/high temperature process (HPHT); and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Both methods are used by scientists and jewelers to create diamonds in a lab instead of mining them. This would be a notable advance because it would permit a more controlled and efficient means of producing diamonds.

How HPHT Makes Diamonds

What makes the HPHT process so fascinating is that it uses heat and pressure to grow a diamond in a laboratory. It’s kind of like baking a cake. To bake a cake, a baker uses heat (the heat causes the cake to rise) to help the cake to rise and puff up (this idea will play an important role in our analogies). Likewise, in the HPHT process they take a small piece of diamond called a "seed" and place it inside a device specifically designed for this. After that, they put some special gases in the machine and heat it to super high temperatures, which can be hotter than boiling water. At the same time, they are squeezing the diamond seed hard. After several weeks, or even months, the heat and pressure combine to form a new diamond around the seed. And that, my friends, is how HPHT lab-grown diamonds are created.

A Modern Way to Make Diamonds

Lab-created diamonds are still a young approach, at least compared to traditional methods which have been around for centuries. Having to dig extremely deep into the ground to find natural diamonds. It was an arduous, time-consuming process. Miners had to search long and hard, for days sometimes, just to unearth a few diamonds. Now we can grow a diamond in a lab, very quickly and very easily. This simply means that we are able to enjoy the beauty of diamonds without the decades-long mining process.

Pros and Cons of HPHT and CVD

There are pros and cons to both the HPHT and CVD methods. In contrast, one advantage to the HPHT method is that HPHT-processed better diamonds can create larger diamonds than CVD-processed diamonds. This is wonderful news for consumers seeking big, brilliant diamonds for their jewelry. HPHT is also a much faster way to create a diamond than CVD. On the other hand, this technique is highly energy and money consuming, making it comparatively expensive.

Conversely, the CVD approach also has its benefits. It uses significantly lower energy and cost compared to the HPHT method so it might be more economical for some. However, one downside is that the CVD process typically isn't able to grow diamonds as large as those created with HPHT. This means that if a person prefers a big diamond, he/she might prefer the HPHT method.

How HPHT Diamonds Are Made

HPHT Diamond Making ProcessIt all starts with a little diamond seed. Then this Seed is then put down inside a specific machine where gases are present. These Diamond Powder are not just regular air; they are special gases that require them to be heated up to very high temperatures- upto 1,600 degree Celsius. That's really hot. The device also exerts immense pressure — about 70,000 times that which we experience at the Earth’s surface. It may take a few weeks to a few months before the entire diamond has crystallized under this severity of heat pressure.

How CVD Diamonds Are Made

With the CVD method, it also starts with a tiny diamond seed. It is put in a vacuum chamber with all air removed. They are then injected into the chamber in small amounts with other gases such as methane and hydrogen. These gases are heated to high temperatures, normally in the range of 700-1,300 degrees Celsius. And when the gases get hot enough, instead of continuing to break apart, they crystallize and surround the seed with a diamond. This process generally takes a few weeks to a few months to create the final diamond, just like the HPHT method.

Which Method is Best for Diamond Production?

There’s not really a “best” option when it comes to deciding which method is preferred in making lab-grown diamonds. It deals primarily with what is it that the jeweler or the manufacturer wants to accomplish. They would most likely go with HPHT if they were trying to produce a huge diamond with the purpose of creating an eye-catching piece of jewelry. Alternatively, if they wish to get a smaller diamond or have a limited budget, they may choose diamond CVD. It also depends on how much energy and cash the manufacturer is prepared to spend to make the diamonds.

In general, the lab-grown diamond industry is gaining more and more acceptance from consumers. Making diamonds in a lab is not only faster and easier, but also more beneficial for the environment. Read: What Is the Secret to Hengfeng Success? They create both HPHT and CVD lab-grown diamonds. Hengfeng firmly believes that diamonds belong in the lab, and they produce some of the highest quality, eco-friendlier diamonds for your purchase. This means people can enjoy beautiful diamonds while also helping protect our planet.