| Diamonds symbolize love and eternity. A diamond is forever, so pronounced an advertising slogan of De Beers, the world’s largest diamond producer. However, not all owners of this precious stone keep their diamonds for their lifetime. Many have been sold through auctions fetching hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollar. ... Read More |
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Man-made Diamonds Challenge Natural Diamonds
It used to be that people know only of natural diamonds that are colorless. These white precious stones are the original diamonds that jewelry lovers adore and long to own for personal use or investment purposes. However through the years and with the advancement of technology, inventive scientists and jewelers have come up with man-made diamonds that upon first glance, look very much the same as the real stone.Loose Diamonds Auctions And Auction Houses
Consumers now have a choice between the natural loose diamonds and those that are man-made. With almost the same characteristics, they have the opportunity these days to choose the precious stone of their dreams that they can very well afford.
Natural diamonds occurrence
In comparing these diamonds that are formed in its natural process and those made by man, it is important to learn first how natural diamonds occur and how are they extracted from deep down the earth’s surface. Diamonds are formed underneath the earth about 120 to 200 kilometers deep. Geologists claim that the first diamonds were discovered somewhere around 2.5 billion years ago. Science has it that the diamonds come from carbon as an outcome of the melting of pre-existing rocks in the upper mantle of the earth. Carbon atoms abound in the mantle and what forces them to go deeper is the change in temperature. It is deep down there where the temperature is lower that they melt and eventually become new rocks. These rocks then are able to build diamond crystals with the right pressure and chemistry.
It’s not all the time, though, that these carbon atoms will become diamonds. In fact, it is possible that the diamond crystals formed may melt partially or totally dissolve if there’s constant change in temperature. And even if these diamond crystals are formed, it will still take thousands of years before they reach the area near the earth’s surface.
Diamond deposits are known a blue ground, kimberlite pipes or primary mines. Those found at river beds are called alluvial deposits. It’s worth noting that not all diamonds that are mined are made into jewelry. The truth is that only one fourth of them is used into jewelry making. Additionally, did you know that a one carat diamond is produced from 100 tons of mud?
Man-made diamonds
Many of you may be unaware that diamonds can now be grown in laboratories and they’re the real gem-quality stones. They are not just the diamond lookalike of cubic zirconia and moissante. These man-made diamonds are created in laboratories such as those in Sarasota, Florida and Boston in the United States.
They are referred to as both “cultured” and “synthetic” diamonds. Diamond growers prefer to use the term cultured in reference to the pearl market which is more familiar to many people. However, the GIA opts to use the word “synthetics” in referring to these man-made stones saying that cultured is more apt for organic materials.
History has it that the first synthetic diamonds date back to the early 1950s. They were produced by researchers at the Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden but they did not publicize their work. General Electric followed suit.
Unlike the natural occurring diamonds that takes millions of years to form, these lab-grown diamonds can be made in just a matter of days. Scientists do this by recreating the same conditions that occur hundreds of miles below the earth’s surface. They use some two dozen high-pressure, high-temperature crystal growth chambers, each of which is the size of a washing machine.
In every chamber, a small silver of natural diamond is bathed in a molten solution composed of graphite and a metal-based catalyst at around 1,500 degrees Celsius and 58,000 atm of pressure. Gradually, carbon then builds up on the diamond seed crystal.
And after only three or three and a half days, a three-carat rough diamond is made which an ordinary person cannot distinguish from the real stone. These man-made diamonds are acknowledged by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the primary diamond research and grading organization.
Around the world, Florida-based Gemesis, Sumitomo Electric, De Beers, Apollo and Diamond Innovations formerly known as General Electric (GE) are among the leaders in growing diamonds in the lab. These firms have been producing synthetic diamonds for both jewelry and industrial applications for many years now. Each year, they produce more than 100 tons of synthetic diamonds worldwide. For industrial purposes, tiny synthetic diamonds are used in saw blades for cutting marble and asphalt as well as in drill bits for oil and gas drilling. In addition, they are also used in cosmetics as exfoliant.
But if you think that these man-made diamonds are cheaper and readily available, don’t get too excited yet. Although these lab-grown stones are becoming popular, they still make up a small part of the diamond market. Many jewelry stores may not even have them yet and may not have even seen them personally.
Their differences
Man-made and natural diamonds may share the chemical, physical and optical qualities of mined diamonds but they still have some differences. Most of these lab-grown stones are only one carat or even smaller. Rarely could you get a diamond that is up to two carats.
Most natural diamonds are colorless showing very little colors. On the other hand, colored diamonds are common among the synthetics. Where man-made or synthetic diamonds are concerned, consumers won’t be able to obtain a GIA grading. The most GIA can offer is an identification report that reveals the stone’s synthetic and specifies its carat weight, measurements and transparency.
Natural diamonds, however, come with a certificate that stipulates the stone’s four C’s – cut, clarity, carat weight and color. The larger diamonds, which make up a small portion of the market, are normally graded. The grading report will prove useful especially if the owner wishes to resell the stone later on.
Another difference that man-made diamonds have is that only a jeweler can determine their different growth patterns and the absence of inclusions or flaws. These inclusions are traces of minerals enclosed in a natural diamond while it is formed underneath the earth. Now, it’s your choice whether to get the natural or synthetic diamond. But whatever you pick, make sure that you take good care of it to make it last forever.
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