Diamonds have for long been treasures of the eyes since ancient times and are associated with love, loyalty and the sparkling quality. Traditionally, it is the mined diamonds that have been privileged with this quality. Nevertheless, the environments of diamond ownership have drastically changed with the appearance of the loose manufactured diamonds. These lab-grown gems have superior appeal that has created the urge of coming up with a new trend among the conscious customers as well as jewellery lovers.
Mined vs Manufactured Diamonds
Mined diamonds are naturally formed diamonds that have undergone the usual high pressure and high temperature required to produce the gemstone in the deep mantle of the earth for millions of years. Their extraction process is not simple and it has different consequences on the environment as well as on the ethics.
Synthetic diamonds or more appropriately called as man-made diamonds are created in highly planned state-of-art production facilities. With help of such technologies as HPHT – High- pressure, High-temperature and CVD – Chemical Vapour Deposition, they mimic the natural process of creation of diamonds, but it takes much less time. The produced diamonds have the same characteristics as mined diamonds in terms of physical, chemical, as well as optical characteristics that lead to similar brilliance, fire, and scintillation.
Science Behind Lab Grown Diamonds
Synthesis of the laboratory diamond begins with a small diamond nucleus. This seed is then put into a chamber to undergo heat and pressure to give the final product that is popularly known as coffee. During a few weeks, new carbon atoms attach themselves to the seed and form a whole diamond level by level. There are two main methods used to grow these diamonds: HPHT and CVD are amongst the most used techniques in the production of CVD materials and structures. Both methods create stones that are logically, physically and visually comparable to the naturally occurring diamonds.
Choosing the Right Loose Manufactured Diamond
The four attributes of the diamonds known as the 4C; Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight are still the foundation for assessing both mined and manufactured diamonds.
- Cut: The ‘cut’ in the case of a diamond describes the ratio of the measurements and the slope of the facets focusing on the light return and diamond’s lustre. An Ideal cut diamond means that the diamond will reflect the most amount of light possible giving the diamond fire or brilliance.
- Colour: The colour distribution of diamonds categorises them from colourless up to faint yellow; they include D, E, F and moving up to Z. There will always be a market for the whites, but value can be found in near whites classified as G, H, I, and J, which look white to the unaided eye.
- Clarity: Clarity concerns features that are internal flaws popularly known as inclusion or external imperfection on the diamond surface commonly known as blemish. FL stands for flawless and IF for internally flawless and those two categories are considered to be rare and expensive. But the Clarity of diamonds that are VSL or SI1, SI2 do not protrude with naked eyes and they are relatively cheaper although they are superior in quality.
- Carat Weight: Carat weight therefore is just the size of the diamond and mostly, the bigger the size the higher the cost of the diamond will be. Manufactured diamonds are preferred to be loose as it offers a buyer a number of options of the exact carat they would wish to use according to their fiscal capacity and or design direction.
Looking for Loose Manufactured Diamonds
Due to the rising popularity of the loose manufactured diamonds, more reputable stores are stocking it. Here are some key considerations when choosing a vendor:The following points could be some of the factors that one needs to consider when selecting the vendor:
- Reputation: Choose only jewellers that have a reputation of social responsibility and a solid understanding of diamonds.
- Certification: The diamonds must be graded and reported on by the GIA or the IGI gemological laboratories or any other credible laboratory. These certificates give an objective opinion on all the four C’s of the diamond.
- Return Policy: Select jewellery from a store that you can return the diamond if you are not satisfied with it by the time you inspect it.
The Manufactured Diamonds
All in all, there are reasons to believe that the future of loose manufactured diamonds is rather promising. Possibilities of technology are increasing their quality and decreasing the price, so such options look even more attractive. It should also be noted that as the market awareness of ethical consumption rises, the popularity of laboratory-grown diamonds is also conditional. Manufactured diamonds are simply gorgeous stones; loose manufactured diamonds are a statement for a better tomorrow in terms of Diamond business.
Remember: There are many benefits from the purchase of loose manufactured diamonds, however, more research and selection of the right seller will return the best and an ethical investment deepawali. Taking great precautions, one is able to choose a wonderful loose manufactured diamond that is as equally bright as it is responsible and beautiful for eternity.