15 Sep Are Man made Diamonds Real?
Answer is an emphatic YES. ….but as that would make a very short blog ill try to expand a bit.
First off I doubt man-made is the only descriptor you’ve heard around diamonds. Real Diamonds, Natural diamonds, fake diamonds, synthetic diamonds, artificial diamonds and any other adjectives you can think of.
Heres a break down-
Real diamonds
The cubic crystalline form of carbon. Whether it was dug out of the ground or grown in a lab doesn’t matter.
Natural diamond
Real diamond that is naturally occurring. Nearly completely formed of carbon( miniscule amounts of other elements give diamonds their colour)
Artificial Diamonds
Exactly as it sounds( also called lab grown , man-made, cultured, synthetic or cultivated) This is real diamond that has been artificially created , i.e. man made. The two most commmon methods being HPHT ( high presure high temperature) or CVD (chemical vapor deposition)
Fake Diamond
Also known as diamond simulants. Generally another crystalline substance which seeks to mimic the look and feel of diamond. Can be naturally occuring or man made. Cubic Zirconia, Zircon, Moissanite and glass crystal are probably the most common.
Enhanced diamond
Just to add to the headache.. These are real , Natural Diamonds that have been artificially treated to improve their appearance. There are many different methods of ‘enhancement, some long lasting, some short lived and fragile.. There are also as many opinions, and it is deserving of its own blog post but for me i’d say why bother buying a nutural diamond and changing it artificially when you can get a man-made diamond?
How do I know?
If is natural or artificial. It is not something your local jeweller is going to be able to do. This is where a respected certification body comes in, such as GIA. IGI or HRD as they will indicate on the diamonds cert its origins. Also the companies making diamonds are not trying to fool people and will often have their logo or ‘labgrown’ laser inscribed on the diamond.
Which should I buy? Artificial or Natural diamonds?
This is an entirely personal question and i cant answer it for you. There is no physical difference between the two in what’s available. The only visible difference will be the weight of your wallet after as man-made averages about 33% cheaper. Some people romanticise the age, the history, and the individuality of the natural dug out the ground diamond.