Diamonds are one of the most popularly worn stones.They are significantly desired gemstones today, owing to their rarity and brilliance. The quality which makes them so popular is their ability to reflect light in a way which gives them a brilliant shine, making it stand out. It’s no wonder that this stone is always in demand, especially when it comes to engagement rings.
A diamond is basically a solid form of carbon which has a crystal like structure. It is one of the hardest substances known to mankind and therefore apart from being used as jewelry, it is also used in industries for cutting and polishing purposes.
However, when it comes to gemstones, diamonds form an integral part of fine jewelry. The market today is flooded with anassortment of diamond gemstones, not just the raw natural ones but also the factory made ones and the simulant diamonds.Yes, thanks to our ever advancing technology, diamonds can now be made in factories. Stones which resemble diamonds very closely are called simulant diamonds. Simulant diamonds are cubic zirconia and moissanite stones which look very similar to natural diamonds but differ in their constituents and properties and are therefore not actual diamonds. All of these categories of diamonds are available for purchase at the Hatton Garden Jewellers. They havesome of the best shops for flawless fine jewelry with a wide expertise and cater to mosttastes and needs. But before you set out to buy one for yourself, let’s educate ourselves about each type of diamond and their subtle differences so you can make the best purchase for yourself.
Naturally occurring diamonds or raw diamonds are the ones obtained from within the earth. They are created by the forces of nature acting on the carbon content in the earth’s deepest layer under the soil over millions and millions of years.When the carbon containing minerals, which are present 250 kilometers below the soil in the earth’s mantle, are subjected to high pressure and temperature, they undergo solidification and are converted into diamonds. These diamonds eventually find their way to the soil surface through volcanic eruptions and can be found as deposits in igneous rocks. Sometimes raw diamonds may have a slightly yellowish or bluish tinge to it. This is caused due to the gaseous impurities like nitrogen or boron trapped within the structure.Scientists believe that this entire process of formation of natural diamonds takes place over one to three billion years.
On the other hand, factory made diamonds are man-made diamonds created in a laboratory. These labs have a highly controlled environment which is similar to the conditions found in the Earth’s mantle i.e. high temperature and high pressure. This method is known as the High Temperature High Pressure method. The other method of growing diamonds in a laboratory is known as the chemical vapour deposition method. In this method, a vacuum chamber containing a mixture of gases is subjected to moderate temperatures and low pressures. A seeding agent, which is a thin layer of diamond, is then introduced into the chamber which attaches to the gas molecules and starts crystallizing to form diamonds. These man-made or factory made diamonds have the same crystal structure, chemical composition, physical and optical characteristics as that of the diamonds found naturally. They are similar to the raw diamonds in scintillation, sparkle and fire.
Essentially, raw diamonds and factory made diamonds are not different from each other apart from their origin. Raw diamonds are obtained by mining whereas the synthetic diamonds are grown in a lab. Raw diamonds take a long time to form under the earth’s crust while the lab grown diamonds are prepared in a machine in a matter of a few weeks. Since both these types of diamonds possess the same properties, they appear similar to the untrained eye. In fact, it is very difficult for most gemologists to tell the difference between the two.Only a skilled gemologist can help you identify the minute differences in the reflection and refraction of light of the raw and synthetic diamonds, that too with the help of a powerful microscope. All diamonds, irrespective of their place of origin have some sort of inclusions or impurities within their structure which can only be seen under a powerful microscope. The amounts of these inclusions affect the clarity of the diamonds. The lab grown diamonds tend to have metallic inclusions since they are grown in a molten state which will be absent in a naturally occurring diamond. The raw diamonds tend to have inclusions such as crystals, pinpoints and feathers. Also, the trapped gasses in a raw diamond tend to give it a slight yellow or bluish tinge, the saturation of which depends on the density of the gases.
Naturally occurring diamonds and the factory made ones are chemically similar, thus making the lab grown diamonds virtually a real diamond. And therefore a majority of people do not prefer to call them synthetic diamonds. Instead, they refer to the factory made diamonds as cultured diamonds.Lab grown diamonds cost twenty to forty percent less than the raw diamonds and usually lack most of the imperfections associated with the naturally occurring diamonds. Also, lab grown diamonds have a lesser resale value as compared to a naturally occurring one.
The diamonds that you buy from the market do not look like that when they are mined or grown in labs. A lot of effort goes into processing the diamond to make it look like the way it does. The rough form of the diamond is cut in a certain way to get the maximum value and then polished and made ready for sale.The final product as jewellery is made alluring because of the cuts and polish added.
Now that you know the differences between the two types of diamonds, you can make an informed purchase. Planning to buy a diamond for your loved one?? Then buy it from the best Hatton Garden Jewellers. They willgive you the best experience while making a diamond purchase. No two diamonds are alike and so you should have a look at a few of thembefore you choose the one that appeals to you the most.
