Diamonds have been around for thousands of years, dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. But until about 20 years ago, it was nearly impossible to get your hands on a lab-grown diamond.

5 Most Popular Diamond Companies
Unlike their mined counterparts, lab-grown diamonds cost roughly one-fifth to one-tenth of a mined diamond. With prices for lab grown diamond Pendants hovering around $500 per carat, a .25ct Lab Grown Diamond Bracelet could sell for as little as $125. Because gemstones can be produced in limited qualities and quantities by manufacturers, it can make them much more valuable than naturally occurring gems. Unlike many precious minerals that occur in abundance around the world—like copper and silver—the supply is very limited and demand continues to increase from consumers seeking out lab grown alternatives.

When shopping for diamonds, make sure you check for color and clarity. The Gemological Institute of America has a grading system that defines 10 grades based on cut, color, and clarity. Knowing what to look for will make it easy to spot a fake or lab grown diamond bracelets. However, once you have your new gemstone in hand, there are other ways to test its authenticity. Diamonds contain specific minerals that can be detected using spectroscopy; an instrument which analyzes a substance by separating it into different frequencies with light and then measuring the intensity of each frequency. This way, you can find tell-tale signs like nitrogen levels and carbon isotopes present in all diamonds to determine if they’re real or fake!

Lab Grown Diamond Cost
Lab-grown diamonds, also known as synthetic diamonds, are created in a lab, not mined from the earth. Because they’re manufactured rather than naturally occurring, they can be made to whatever specifications you choose. This means you don’t have to worry about whether or not a specific cut will look good on your fingers: if you like it, make it!

The Future of Lab Grown Diamonds
With more than a dozen businesses selling lab-grown diamonds, and new ones popping up every year, what does that mean for consumers? Are lab grown diamond rings as desirable as their mined counterparts? Where can you find them—and how much do they cost? And are there limitations to know about before you purchase a lab-grown diamond jewelry piece or other product. Here’s a quick run down of what you need to know about lab-grown diamonds now—and in the future.