Detecting a Diamond’s Origin: Natural vs Lab-Grow
Now, here’s the plot twist in my lab-grown diamond tale: even though lab-grown and natural diamonds look identical to the naked eye, part of my job is to identify the diamond’s origin. Every diamond that comes through IGI is tested so we can confidently state whether it’s natural or laboratory-grown on the report. In fact, authenticity is so important that IGI created special processes to tell them apart with absolute certainty. Let me pull back the curtain on some of our detective tools and techniques (this is where the cool sci-fi gadgets come in!).
One of our pride and joys at IGI is a machine nicknamed “D-Check.” It’s a fancy photoluminescence scanner we developed that can quickly screen colorless diamonds for their origin. How does it work? We bombard the diamond with short-wave ultraviolet light and observe the fingerprint it leaves. Under the UV, diamonds will fluoresce (glow) and even phosphoresce (continue glowing briefly after the UV light is turned off) in different ways depending on how they were formed. Natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds often have distinct fluorescence patterns.
For example, some lab-grown diamonds might exhibit a telltale strong orange or red phosphorescence that natural ones typically don’t. The D-Check machine captures these glowing secrets and helps us determine the “source of creation”. It’s a bit like shining a blacklight at a crime scene and clues light up! When I first used D-Check, I felt like I was in a CSI episode, waiting for the diamond to spill the beans. These days it’s routine, but it still feels magical to watch a stone glow and know that’s science giving us answers.
For tougher cases, especially fancy colored diamonds, which might have undergone treatments, we dive deeper into the toolbox. IGI recently rolled out an advanced screening method for lab-grown colored diamonds using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy, combined with good old high-powered magnification. FTIR spectroscopy lets us analyze impurities in the diamond (like nitrogen or boron atoms) by looking at how the diamond absorbs infrared light. This matters because lab-grown stones often have different impurity signatures. For example, many lab-grown diamonds are Type IIa (very low nitrogen), a type that’s rarer in nature. Photoluminescence spectroscopy, on the other hand, involves zapping the diamond with lasers and looking at the very fine emission lines it gives off. Kind of like hearing the diamond sing and deciphering the song. Under these methods, we might cool the diamond with liquid nitrogen to get clearer readings (nothing like handling a stone at –196 °C to make you feel like a secret agent). It’s highly technical, but in practice I’m often just looking at a computer screen of squiggly lines that a software translates into a verdict of “Natural” vs “Laboratory-Grown.” When the data isn’t clear-cut, that’s when my team pulls together, sometimes sending the stone to our senior research gemologists for additional tests.
Of course, not every identification requires space-age tech. Sometimes a standard microscope and keen eyes do the trick. Lab-grown diamonds can show growth features that differ from natural ones. Under microscopes, I’ve seen curved growth lines in some HPHT lab diamonds – naturals usually have more angular or irregular growth patterns. CVD diamonds often show layered structure or unique fluorescence under the microscope’s UV light. A fun fact: gemologists have even learned to spot certain lab-grown diamonds with just a loupe by recognizing telltale inclusions or patterns. In our lab, if one of us spots something suspect in a “natural” diamond (say, an unusual inclusion that screams lab-grown), we might playfully say, “This one’s acting lab-grown.” That’s the cue to run more tests. We take pride in the fact that IGI uses the latest technology to ensure each diamond is identified correctly as natural or lab-grown– consumer trust depends on it. And let me tell you, when I conclusively identify a diamond’s lab origin, it feels a bit like unmasking a superhero in civilian clothes. “Aha! You’re laboratory-grown!” I might whisper (when no one’s listening), as the diamond sits placidly under my microscope. It’s a quiet victory for science each time.
Light Humor Side-note: Our UV fluorescence room is a source of endless amusement. We sometimes check our own hands or shirts under the UV light – lint and laundry detergent residues will fluoresce wild colors. There was an infamous incident of a newbie wearing a white shirt that turned bright purple under short-wave UV. Ever since, a few of us have “UV party shirts” we’ll deliberately wear when testing lots of stones, just for laughs. Who said gemology can’t be entertaining?
A Day in the IGI Lab: Gems, Laughs, and Lab Life
Working at IGI is as much about the people and the daily routine as it is about the stones. Let me walk you through a typical day in our lab (with some not-so-typical moments thrown in).
Morning Rituals: My day usually starts around 9 AM with a strong cup of coffee the kind of brew so robust a colleague once joked it could etch a girdle inscription on a diamond. We gather for a brief team meeting amid the hum of grading instruments warming up. This is when our manager might share any special cases coming in (“We have a 5-carat lab-grown coming in today, big one, handle with care!”) or reminders about protocol. IGI prides itself on consistent standards worldwide, so occasionally we have video calls with gemologists in our other locations to calibrate our eyes for color or review any tricky cases together. It’s not unusual to say hello to a teammate in Mumbai or Antwerp first thing in the morning thanks to our global network.
Into the Lab: I take my assigned batch of diamonds for the day: they come in little transparent packets or boxes, each with a temporary ID. Sometimes I know they’re lab-grown upfront (especially if the client submitted them as such for a Lab Grown Diamond Report), other times part of the job is to find out. Each stone goes through the gauntlet: first stop is typically the screening for origin (those UV and spectrometer tests I described). Once I’ve sorted natural vs lab, I switch mental gears and focus on grading the 4 Cs for each lab-grown gem in my batch. It’s a process of rhythm and focus: weigh the diamond, grade its color, examine clarity, evaluate cut. Enter data, double-check, sip coffee, move to the next stone. We work efficiently, but never rushed and accuracy is king. IGI’s grading reports are trusted worldwide, so we double-check anything on the edge. If I’m unsure whether an inclusion warrants an SI1 or SI2 clarity grade, I call over a colleague for a second opinion. These little debates are actually fun; it’s like solving a puzzle with a friend. And when we all agree on a grade, we give a tiny nod of satisfaction.
Our office culture is friendly and surprisingly light-hearted given the high-value items we handle. We’ve all developed a quirky sense of humor. For instance, when someone is poring over a stone intently, another might quip, “Don’t fall in, Alice!” (a reference to Alice peering into the rabbit hole, sometimes looking into a diamond’s depths does feel like that). There’s also the classic prank of sneaking a cubic zirconia or moissanite into a grader’s parcel to see how quickly they spot the fake. (With our training, it usually doesn’t take long, but the double-take reactions are priceless.) Rest assured, we never confuse simulants with real diamonds in serious practice; it’s just a little gemologist humor to keep us sharp.
Lunchtime Laughs: By noon, our eyes need a break. We gather in the break room or go out for lunch. Conversations vary from the latest industry news to totally normal stuff like movies or weekend plans. But gem nerdiness does creep in. It’s not unheard of for us to be comparing who saw the inclusion that looked like a smiley face, or debating which lab-grown method is cooler (team CVD vs team HPHT banter is a thing!). Because IGI also grades natural gems and jewelry, some colleagues share stories beyond lab-grown diamonds like the time someone graded a diamond that later turned out to be from a famous celebrity’s jewelry piece (we didn’t know at the time, confidentiality and all, but after the news broke we pieced it together). That sparked a round of “which celebrity would you want to grade a diamond for?” daydreams over our sandwiches.
Afternoon Adventures: In the afternoon, I might finish up reports and printing certificates. IGI’s lab-grown diamond certificates have a yellow cover instead of the usual white, so when I print a stack, the lab suddenly looks sunnier. I always triple-check that each certificate matches its diamond – it’s a meticulous pairing dance, like matching Cinderella to her glass slipper. We also laser-inscribe each graded diamond’s girdle with the report number and a note that it’s lab-grown. Sometimes I get to handle the laser inscription process. Peering through a scope at the girdle (thin outer edge of the diamond) as the laser etches microscopic letters and numbers is thrilling. When I see the tiny “IGI123456789 Lab Grown” text appear on the diamond’s edge, I feel like we’ve given the stone a permanent signature. It’s a bit of art and science – the laser inscription is so precise and delicate. Fun fact: those inscriptions are only visible under magnification; you’d need a loupe to read them. I’ve had friends ask, “Can you inscribe a secret message or my name on my diamond?” (Technically yes, it’s possible, but we stick to ID numbers and “Lab Grown” for official purposes!).
Quirky Moments: No day is complete without some quirky moment. One day, as I was grading a batch of particularly fluorescent lab-grown diamonds, the whole lab was bathed in a soft blue glow (the stones were very fluorescent under UV). A coworker walking by remarked that it looked like we were hosting a rave. We had a good laugh and even played a bit of music for effect. On another occasion, a tiny 0.05-carat diamond jumped out of my tweezers (it happens to the best of us) and we enacted the “diamond search protocol.” Picture a half dozen gemologists on hands and knees with flashlights, gently sweeping the floor. We found it within minutes and from then on, that stone earned the nickname “Hopper.” These moments of teamwork and shared relief really highlight the camaraderie here.
Wrapping Up: By early evening, I review any remaining paperwork. I might send an email to a client service team about an especially interesting stone (“Stone #XYZ showed unusual fluorescence; confirmed lab-grown, details in report”). IGI values communication, so graders often add notes or talk to client liaisons if something needs explanation. Before leaving, I tidy up my workstation – dozens of little diamond parcels, scopes, master stones put back in place. As I turn off my microscope light, I feel a small sense of pride. It’s been another day ensuring every diamond, natural or lab-grown, is accurately identified and graded so the end customer knows exactly what they’re getting.
Why I Love This Job (And Why IGI is Special)
Working as a lab-grown diamond grader at IGI is rewarding in ways I never imagined when I started. On a technical level, I get to play with some of the coolest technology in gemology from laser spectroscopy to UV fluorescence chambers. It’s a science geek’s dream. I’ve essentially become a diamond detective, which satisfies my inner nerd and makes me excited to come to work every day. On a human level, I know that each stone I grade is going to be part of someone’s story – an engagement ring, a birthday gift, a celebratory treat. Knowing that my thoroughness helps someone trust that their “SI1, G-color, Excellent-cut, 1.2 carat lab-grown diamond” is truly as advertised gives me a sense of purpose. It’s about integrity and trust.
IGI as an organization makes this easy to love. The institute has a reputation for stringent standards, and we maintain those diligently. Which means when I sign off on a report, I stand by it. IGI is also quite forward-thinking. We’ve embraced sustainable practices (we were the first gem lab to go carbon-neutral, aligning with our work on sustainable lab-grown gems) and we educate consumers that a lab-grown diamond is a “real” diamond – just made in a lab instead of underground. In fact, IGI grades lab-grown diamonds with the same care as natural ones, because at the end of the day, carbon is carbon and sparkle is sparkle. We like to say in our office that lab-growns are “born in the lab, but destined for the heart.” Cheesy? Maybe a little. True? Absolutely.
Then there’s the team, my quirky, brilliant, gem-obsessed coworkers who can spot a tiny crystal inclusion faster than you can say “carat weight.” The office culture here mixes precision with playfulness. It’s not every job where your coworkers won’t bat an eye if you describe something as “internally flawless” in casual conversation or crack a joke about a “D color coffee” (meaning clear as water). We take our work seriously, but not ourselves. And that balance keeps me sane when I’m on my 50th diamond of the day and my eyes are getting cross-eyed from the loupe.
In Summary, being a lab-grown diamond grader at IGI means being part of a cutting-edge scientific enterprise and a fun, supportive community all at once. We contribute to an evolving industry. Lab-grown diamonds are still relatively new, and I feel like an explorer charting new territory with each unusual stone or new detection technique. IGI’s role in the industry is huge; we’re ensuring transparency and confidence as diamonds from labs become just as common in jewelry stores as diamonds from mines. As I finish my day, I often reflect on that. By verifying a diamond’s origin and quality, we’re essentially vouching for a little piece of the future of jewelry. And doing that with a smile (and sometimes a chuckle) is what makes this job sparkle for me.
So next time you see the IGI logo on a certificate tucked in a ring box, remember there’s a whole team of folks like me behind it peering through microscopes, sharing inside jokes, and making sure each gem shines honestly and brilliantly. And if that certificate is yellow, don’t worry, it’s not an old parchment or anything, it’s just proudly indicating your diamond was born in a lab, graded by us with love and laser beams.
Thanks for reading my behind-the-scenes story. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go. A new batch of lab-grown diamonds has just arrived on my desk, and they’re practically begging to be graded.
