Are created diamonds going to beat the real deal?
Gaming“Diamonds are forever” and “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” are old sayings that grew out of one of the most popular gemstones in the world: the diamond.
Diamonds don’t last forever. Diamonds degrade to graphite, because graphite has a lower energy configuration under typical conditions. They are (the material of wedding rings) and graphite (the material of pencils) are crystalline forms of pure carbon.
This would all change in 1867 when massive deposits were discovered in South Africa. World diamond production increased more than tenfold in the following decade.
But since the 1970s, a new competitor has been threatening the natural diamond’s place in the gemstone pecking order: adult diamonds.
To grow diamonds, manufacturers use one of two approaches: 1) They simulate the crushing of the earth by applying high temperatures and pressure to carbon, creating a diamond seed. 2) They use an approach similar to 3D printing, placing layers of carbon inside a vacuum chamber.
Scientists have grown diamonds in laboratories since the 1950s for industrial uses, but in the 1970s and 1980s, these man-made gems have increased so much in quality that even expert gemologists can’t tell the difference between human-made diamonds. and those extracted from mines. by humans
Manufactured diamonds are typically 30% cheaper than naturally mined diamonds and are more environmentally friendly than mined diamonds. Mined diamonds can create serious environmental damage, including leaching chemicals into water sources and destroying the habitats of threatened animal species. However, with lab-produced diamonds, there is no air or water pollution, nor are substantial hazardous chemicals used during the process.
Of course, mining companies claim that cultured diamonds are not authentic, and while cultured diamonds are cheaper than their natural counterparts, there are drawbacks to buying a cultured diamond instead of a natural diamond. For one thing, adults are still much more expensive than other proven ones like cubic zirconia. On the other hand, buyers may not be able to resell manufactured products, as there is currently no secondary market for them.
Just as no two pairs are alike, no two diamonds are alike. This is true for both lab-grown diamonds and organic diamonds. When considering the differences and similarities between lab-created diamonds and “wild-grown diamonds,” you won’t find many that are visible to the naked eye, unless you’re a gemologist.
Still, manufactured diamonds are almost indistinguishable and cheaper than naturally mined ones. And for some, that’s good enough.
So can manufactured ones meet consumers’ jewelry needs as well as mined ones? Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide.