Natural diamonds or lab-grown diamonds?

What is a diamond?

What makes natural diamonds so special?

Our philosophy at A.P. Shaps

We see jewellery as more than just beautiful objects – they are stories meant to last and be passed down through generations. When you choose a natural diamond from A.P. Shaps, you receive not only brilliance but also history, expertise, and genuine quality. Our jewellery is crafted in our atelier in Stockholm, with care for both material and people.

Why “synthetic diamonds” is the correct term

It’s become increasingly common to refer to man-made diamonds as “lab-grown.” It sounds soft, almost as if the diamonds are gently grown like plants in a greenhouse. But that’s a bit misleading.

The correct technical term is synthetic diamonds. Yes, they are chemically identical to natural diamonds – but they are synthetically produced using advanced technology and industrial processes. There’s nothing “grown” in the traditional sense. The term synthetic is used by gemologists, scientists, and standardization bodies such as GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and ISO.

Using the right terminology is important for transparency and honesty – especially in an industry where emotions, tradition, and value play such a significant role.

To manufacture synthetic diamonds, pure carbon is required – often in the form of graphite, which must be mined from the earth just like many other raw materials.

Some issues associated with graphite mining: Environmental damage: Graphite is often mined in ecologically sensitive areas, particularly in countries like China, India, and Madagascar. This leads to deforestation, soil erosion, and harm to local ecosystems. In these regions, environmental protection is weaker and regulations are less strict, increasing the risk of serious damage.

Health risks: Mining releases dust particles that may contain heavy metals and chemicals, posing significant health hazards to both workers and nearby communities. Protective equipment and workplace safety are often lacking in countries where graphite mining occurs.

Water pollution: Chemicals used in the mining process can leak and contaminate groundwater and waterways – impacting people, agriculture, and biodiversity.

Lack of transparency: Many graphite mines operate under poorly regulated conditions, with limited oversight, where working conditions, wages, and safety standards often fall short.

These are aspects rarely mentioned in the marketing of synthetic diamonds – but they’re important to know if you want to make an informed choice. Just because a diamond wasn’t extracted from the Earth’s crust doesn’t mean it’s free from environmental or ethical challenges.

What separates natural from lab-grown diamonds?

There’s actually one element that reveals whether a diamond is natural or synthetic – nitrogen (N). Nitrogen is a key distinguishing factor.

Natural diamonds contain traces of nitrogen atoms because they formed deep within the Earth’s crust over millions of years, in a natural environment where nitrogen is present.

Synthetic diamonds, particularly those made with CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) technology, contain either no nitrogen at all or significantly lower amounts – as the factory environment is strictly controlled and typically nitrogen-free.

However, not all natural diamonds contain nitrogen. A specific type known as diamond type IIa is completely nitrogen-free and among the purest diamonds in existence. These stones are extremely rare in nature and valued for their exceptional clarity and brilliance. Because of their rarity and quality, they are considered premium and usually come at a higher price than other diamond types. To learn more, feel free to visit GIA’s website about type II diamonds.

Another rare natural variety is diamond type IIb, which contains boron instead of nitrogen and has a distinctive blue or grey hue.

We’ll create a future post dedicated to “diamond type II” – stay tuned!

Why does it matter?

Gemologists use advanced equipment to detect nitrogen and other trace elements in a diamond – which allows them to determine whether a diamond is natural or synthetic, even if they appear identical to the naked eye.

So even though a synthetic diamond has the same chemical structure (pure carbon crystallized as cubic diamond), it often lacks the natural trace elements that indicate its geological origin.