Synthetic diamond or synthetic diamond: the complete guide

Synthetic Diamond or Synthetic Diamond: The Complete Guide

The diamond, an exceptional gemstone, embodies the miracle of nature and what it can offer that is most perfect and accomplished. A symbol of love, eternity and rarity, this spectacularly shimmering treasure is a dream, for many, most often inaccessible. In recent years, a beautiful alternative to natural diamonds has emerged. This is the famous synthetic diamond or synthetic diamond. More affordable and almost indistinguishable, this newcomer with unique qualities has shaken up the world of fine jewelry.

What is a synthetic diamond?

A synthetic diamond is not a fake gem or an imitation. It is a diamond of extreme purity and of identical quality to stones from the mines. It is, in fact, a revolutionary scientific feat. Human genius has succeeded in reproducing in the laboratory what nature takes millions of years to create in the bowels of the earth.

In fact, synthetic diamonds have the same physical, chemical, optical and aesthetic properties as their natural counterparts. In addition, they have fewer defects and deformations in their crystal structure and do not contain dirt or impurities. This often gives them a higher purity than that of mined stones.

However, this is not their only advantage: synthetic diamonds are more eco-responsible. Their impact on the environment is minimal compared to mining, which requires the destruction and movement of 250 to 350 tons of minerals for 1 carat extracted. This causes gigantic holes to be created in the landscape.

This type of diamond also has ethical value. Unlike mining diamond, it is disconnected from armed conflicts in Africa, issues of child exploitation, forced labor and human rights violation. It also excludes risks related to mining accidents.

The other argument that tips the scales in favor of synthetic diamonds is their economics. Indeed, they sell at reasonable prices compared to their natural counterparts.

How to recognize a synthetic diamond?

Most specialists cannot tell the difference between a synthetic diamond and a diamond from a mine. They are perfectly identical to the naked eye, with a magnifying glass, or even under a microscope. Only specialized and hyper-sophisticated equipment, which only gemological laboratories are equipped with, can detect the tiny difference.

Today, synthetic diamonds available for purchase must be accompanied by a gem certification identifying them as having been manufactured in a laboratory. To recognize a real natural or synthetic diamond from a fake diamond, some tips are useful. Like the sandpaper test which consists of rubbing sandpaper against the stone to be tested. If the latter is damaged, it is not a diamond.

How is a synthetic diamond made?

A natural diamond results from the crystallization of pure carbon subjected to extreme temperature and pressure conditions, giving it unique qualities of hardness and brilliance. Since the 1950s, laboratories began their experiments to develop precise technologies to replicate this geological process.The goal is to obtain in a few weeks exceptional stones absolutely identical to those which grow for millions of years underground Today, there are two main methods for cultivating a synthetic diamond:

  • The High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method: it reproduces the natural conditions necessary for the creation of a diamond under the earth's crust. This process consists of placing a microscopic fragment of natural diamond in a machine at more than 1500°C which exerts very high pressures resulting in the aggregation of carbon atoms and the formation of a diamond in a few weeks. .
  • The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method: it uses the principles of the creation of diamonds in the universe. Diamonds are grown at much lower pressures by forming successive layers on a base surface from a surrounding carbon plasma cloud.
  • How to choose a good quality synthetic diamond?

    As with traditional diamonds, the quality of a synthetic diamond is assessed according to four criteria recognized throughout the world, namely the 4Cs:

  • Carat (Weight): This is the most important factor when evaluating the price of a synthetic diamond. The larger a diamond, the higher its price per carat, exponentially.
  • Color: A diamond is not necessarily white. It often contains a slight yellowish coloration. This type of coloring has an international scale that goes from D to Z to be evaluated, from exceptional white to light yellow or brown. Knowing that the whiter a diamond, the rarer it is.
  • Purity: It is evaluated during an examination under a magnification times 10. Its value is defined by the number of impurities and inclusions contained in the diamond. The less it has, the rarer and more valuable it is.
  • Cut: A quality diamond requires perfect proportions and symmetry on which brilliance, fire and sparkle will depend.
  • How much does a synthetic diamond cost?

    Synthetic diamonds stand out with affordable prices that defy all competition. They are up to 30-50% cheaper than their natural counterparts. The bigger the stone, the bigger the price difference in general. This difference is explained by the fact that it is less expensive to create a diamond in a laboratory than to extract it from the bottom of the earth, as well as by the disintermediated marketing channel.

    Conclusion

    Inspired by the mysteries of nature and sublimated by the progress of science, the synthetic diamond is the diamond of the future. More ethical, more ecological, more accessible and of irreproachable quality, the synthetic diamond reconciles the beautiful and the good. It also materializes the utopian idea of ​​a new era of humanitarian and eco-responsible luxury.

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