So, you like diamonds but sadly don’t have the cash to pay for the really big juicy sparklers. Is there an answer?
Well, yes there is – at least if you’re not a purist!
What Is A Diamond?
As most people know, diamonds are a form of natural carbon that is turned into a ‘diamond’ by geological forces that involve huge pressures and temperatures.
Oddly, they are not quite as rare as you may imagine or as your local jeweler will try to tell you they are – usually immediately prior to presenting you with a breathtaking price tag!
In reality, big business interests around the globe control their mining and distribution and only release relatively modest numbers onto the market at any one time so as to keep their price high.
Diamonds vary in many respects, including their size, purity and color. The largest and purist diamonds are in fact rare and do command vast prices. You can often see prime examples in museums, royal collections and on the fingers of some of the world’s wealthiest people.
Ethical Concerns
There are though a few problems with natural diamonds (though not everyone necessarily feels equally strongly about these issues):
- The mining techniques utilized to extract them can be environmentally controversial and result in huge land scars etc;
- Some people object to the ‘market manipulation’ that is the background to the global industry;
- Some people believe that the workers that extract the diamonds are appallingly paid and treated and are, in effect, badly exploited.
As a result of this, some prominent figures that could afford natural diamonds, make a public stance of only wearing simulated diamonds to distance themselves from these problems and raise awareness of these issues.
What Is A Synthetic Diamond?
This is a story that goes back a LONG time!
For centuries people that didn’t quite have the money for ‘the real thing’ used cheaper substitutes, although originally this was only to do with money and was not at all linked to ethical concerns.
People have always used things that looked like diamonds that were, in fact, something else entirely.
Classic examples were used in costume jewelry. This continues even today and these “false diamonds” may be:
- Made of glass;
- Actually a transparent paste composition;
- Another far cheaper gemstone such as White Topaz or White Sapphire
- Russian diamonds (usually a form of very good quality Zirconium);
- Moissanite (a synthetic mineral).
These traditional substitutes have been around a long time and can fool the casual observer – particularly at a distance.
Of course, these are NOT synthetic diamonds. They are look-alikes or simulations if you prefer.
Yet as science has progressed, real synthetic diamonds are becoming available.
Real Synthetic Diamonds
For nearly 200 years, scientists have tried to reproduce the environmental conditions that would allow them to grow and form real diamonds. It may surprise you to know that in fact, they succeeded several decades ago!
The story of the search for the methods to produce synthetic diamonds is a fascinating one including industrial espionage! In reality, there are today two main methods used to artificially produce ‘real’ diamonds.
- High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT);
- Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).
A discussion of the exact science involved in the two methods is beyond the scope of this article but they do result in the creation of genuine though not natural diamonds!
In fact, the use of synthetic diamonds in gemstones is still relatively a new domain but it is becoming more common and will probably drive prices down over time.
In general, gemstones made by these processes should be considerably cheaper than 100% natural diamonds and they may be hard to distinguish from natural diamonds by anyone other than an expert.
Any reputable jeweler should disclose whether or not the diamonds are natural, synthetic or simulations. As the price can vary hugely between the three categories – make sure you ask!
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