Few would argue that the ice in their freezer is any different than ice in Antarctica. Chemically, optically and physically, the ice is identical. The only difference between the two ice samples is that one was made by a machine and the other by nature.
Just as the natural process of freezing water into ice can be mimicked by a machine, so too can the natural process of creating diamonds.
Diamonds have been grown in labs for commercial applications since the 1950s. For more than a decade, scientists have been developing the technology to produce genuine diamonds that are identical to those found in nature, which formed because of high temperatures and pressure applied to carbon over billions of years. It has only been in the past few years, though, that the retail market has started selling gem-quality diamonds.
To the unaided eye, lab-grown diamonds look like mined diamonds. With the aid of sophisticated equipment, jewelers and gemologists can identify a diamond as having been man-made, and then only because of the lack of blemishes relative to mined diamonds. Of course, since they are not mined, the Earth is not stripped, habitats not destroyed and communities not displaced. Lab-grown diamonds are the only diamonds guaranteed to be “conflict-free” and mainly impact the Earth through the energy used to power the machines. Many argue that lab-grown diamonds are the most sustainable alternative.
At this point, there are only a handful of labs in the world developing the process and availability is limited. A half-carat lab-grown diamond is on the large size of what is currently being produced. With regard to colored diamonds, it is only the yellow and orange that are being grown with any significant size above three quarters carat. Other colors such as champagne, pink and blue are limited to about a half carat.
Tell us what you think about lab-grown diamonds. Do you think the magical mystery of a diamond is enhanced or compromised by it being formed by machine? Does knowledge that a lab-grown diamond is “conflict-free” make it more appealing?
paigiegirl
said on March 17, 2009
said on March 17, 2009
said on March 17, 2009
Regarding this identification of created diamonds, De Beers has spent about $20 million on research to develope machinery to detect very small anomolies in the carbon structure of diamond, no doubt brought on because natural diamonds have sat in the earth for millions of years. This seems to have cause migration of nitrogen atoms in the natural and this machine "sees" that. Jewelers and gemologists cannot identify with certainty an eye clean created diamond....sorry.
said on March 17, 2009
said on March 18, 2009
said on March 18, 2009
said on March 18, 2009
Nancy Myers
said on March 18, 2009
Meghan Haupt
said on March 18, 2009
said on March 19, 2009
Lab created diamonds are not perfect, far from it. This is another misconception of crystal growth. Yes, man controls the conditions but nature still puts the atoms together...and most times, not very well! Overall, the output of diamond crystal growers is not as "clean" as natural. Look at ice cubes in the refrigerator...not very perfect.