Lab grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as mined diamonds, sometimes called natural diamonds. Instead of taking billions of years to grow in the ground, lab grown diamonds are produced in mere months.

Scientists are able to replicate the conditions needed to cause a diamond to crystallize by two main processes. The HPHT process uses high pressure and high temperatures to force a diamond to crystallize. The CVD process involved filling a gas chamber up with gas and heat. The gas turns into a plasma, causing a diamond to crystallize. We know this as the chemical vapor deposition.

Aside from origin, the biggest differences between lab grown diamonds and their mined counterparts are their price and value. Lab grown diamonds come at a 20-40% discount from natural diamonds of the same quality.

Buying an 8 carat diamond ring is an investment, but investment values are much different. At this time, most lab grown diamonds are not eligible for professional resale and diamond ring upgrades.

The size of an 8 carat diamond ring will depend on the diamond shape you've chosen. Not all 8 carat diamonds will appear the same size. Many people confuse carat weight with carat size.

Some diamond shapes are cut more shallow, so the rest of their carat weight is distributed in length. Round diamonds have a deep pavilion, so most of their carat weight is in the bottom of the diamond. You can't see that if you're looking straight down at your center stone.

That's why a radiant cut diamond, marquise shape, emerald cut diamonds, and other elongated shapes will appear larger than round brilliant cuts of the same carat weight.

The recommended clarity grades for an 8 carat diamond ring is going to be VS2 and above. An 8 carat diamond is a higher carat weight, so any obvious inclusions or natural imperfections will be visible with the naked eye.

You don't necessarily need a flawless diamond. An 8 carat diamond already puts your cost way up and you may not find a noticeable difference between that and a VS1 diamond engagement rings.

A diamond ring with VS1 or VS2 clarity may have slight imperfections under 10x magnification. However, don't fret too much about this because people aren't likely to see your diamond ring that closely.

You're already at an advantage by choosing a lab grown 8 carat diamond ring instead of a mined one. Lab grown diamonds are less likely to have obvious imperfections because of their limited contact with other impurities and minerals. Lab diamonds still can have inclusions, but they're limited to their shapes.

For an 8 carat diamond ring, we recommend sticking to colorless diamond grades (D-F). The color grade of your diamond ring is purely visual, so you can choose whichever color grade you want.

Many people are looking for a bright white colorless diamond. Sticking to color grades of DEF will ensure that. That being said, not everyone is sensitive to color. Not everyone wants the bright white diamond ring.

If you find you can't tell the difference between 8 carat diamond ring with E color grades vs one with an H color grade-then by all means, get the one that suits you.

Now if you're someone who wants the bright white look, but can't stretch your budget to get a colorless grade, you could opt for a different ring setting. Most people choose white gold as their ring metal. But choosing yellow gold or rose gold can make your diamond appear whiter, if it look that way to you.

Choosing brilliant diamonds like radiant cut diamonds, princess cut diamonds, round diamonds, oval cut diamonds, and marquise cuts reflect light well. This can detract from yellow tint in a diamond ring.

There's many factors that contribute to the final price of an 8 carat diamond ring. An 8 carat diamond alone can cost between $20,000 to over $100,000 depending on diamond grades.

Round brilliant cuts have perfect proportions and symmetry. This is also one of the reasons why they're more expensive than other diamond shapes of similar quality. It's not always the case, but it does happen.

The color grades and clarity grades chosen for your 8 carat diamond can make the price of your diamond ring go up and down. It's important to choose a balance of grades, rather than putting all of your eggs in one basket.

Even if we all chose the same general grades for our 8 carat diamond engagement rings, the ring setting we've chosen has a big impact on the cost of an 8 carat diamond ring. Simple solitaire settings with no additional diamonds are the best way to go if you're trying to keep your price to a minimum. And it keeps your 8 carat diamond the star of the show, so win-win.

But if all that flash and sparkle is your thing, then pile on the bling. We've got plenty of engagement rings with accent diamonds and lots of sparkle to suit your tastes. Just remember the cost will jump up.

Fortunately, even the accent stones at Clean Origin are lab grown. Many retailers that carry lab grown diamond center stones don't carry lab grown diamonds in their settings. We do.

The first part of taking care of your 8 carat diamond is to choose a suitable setting. The visual size of your diamond may change based on shape, but 8 carats is a big diamond no matter what shape you choose.

Round diamonds and other shapes with rounded edges make better options to reduce the chance of chipping. But if you prefer pointed shapes like marquise cuts, pear cuts, or princess cut diamonds, just make sure the pointed edges are protected by prongs or the setting itself.

It's not advised to wear a diamond ring of this size and value everyday. Not only does it wear the natural metals down faster, but there are certain places and situations where it might not be appropriate to wear for safety.

The ring setting will probably need maintenance at some point, so make sure to check your prongs regularly. If you find them constantly catching on fabrics, be careful not to tug on it. The worst thing you could do is pull prongs loose and loosen your 8 carat diamond.

You should keep your ring in a jewelry box and do not store it laying flat. A simple ring box is a perfect place. It is advised to keep your ring in a lockable box, be it a jewelry box or a safe.