The First Lab-Grown Diamond
A press makes the hardest natural material.
On 16 December 1954 Tracy Hall's team at General Electric squeezes carbon past 10 gigapascals and 2,000 °C and makes diamond on demand for the first time. The first stones were industrial grit; gem-quality crystals followed in 1970, and by 2023 lab-grown diamonds were 17% of the diamond jewellery market.
Open in interactive timeline →Key Numbers
- First Reproducible Synthesis
- 16 Dec 1954
- Pressure
- Above 10 GPa
- First Gem-Quality Crystals
- GE, 1970
- Share of Diamond Jewellery, 2023
- 17%
Verified Facts
- Tracy Hall at General Electric achieved the first commercially successful synthesis of diamond on 16 December 1954. It was announced on 15 February 1955.
- His press wrapped the sample in a hardened steel belt, reaching pressures above 10 GPa (1,500,000 psi) and temperatures above 2,000 °C.
- ASEA in Stockholm made diamond on 16 February 1953 but did not report it at the time, so General Electric's result was the first announced.
- The first gem-quality synthetic diamond crystals came from GE in 1970. By 2023 lab-grown stones made up 17% of the diamond jewellery market.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth:
Reality: They are diamond: carbon in the same crystal structure as a mined stone. Gem labs such as IGI and GIA grade them and note that they are laboratory-grown.
Myth:
Reality: ASEA in Stockholm made diamond on 16 February 1953 but did not report it. General Electric's 1954 synthesis was the first commercially successful one and the first announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the first lab-grown diamond made?
Tracy Hall at General Electric achieved the first commercially successful synthesis on 16 December 1954, announced on 15 February 1955. ASEA in Stockholm had an earlier, unreported success in 1953.
How did General Electric make diamond?
With a press that wrapped the sample in a hardened steel belt, reaching pressures above 10 GPa and temperatures above 2,000 °C.
When did lab-grown diamonds become gems?
GE produced the first gem-quality synthetic diamond crystals in 1970 and reported them in 1971.
How common are lab-grown diamonds today?
By 2023 they made up 17% of the diamond jewellery market.
Sources & Further Reading
Cite This Page
AskHistoryAI. “The First Lab-Grown Diamond.” AskHistoryAI — Interactive Timeline of Everything. Updated 2026-10-08. https://askhistoryai.com/event/sv-lab-diamond/
Every fact on this page is checked against the published fact ledger and methodology; sources are listed above.