Synthetic vs real diamonds by Diana Jarrett, gemologist

What’s the Difference between Natural and Synthetic Diamonds?

With so many diamond options today, consumers may feel more confused than elated about their choices. For example, there are what most people call ‘real’ diamonds. Those are natural earth-mined diamonds—recovered from the ground. But there are also treated diamonds, lasered diamonds, filled diamonds and more. Plus, there are diamond simulants of all kinds, including Cubic Zirconia (CZ), glass, and the very popular Moissanite.

What’s real and what’s a lab-grown diamond?

So, what exactly are synthetic diamonds? This special variety of diamonds is emerging as a consumer favorite today—because they real diamonds although grown in a laboratory.

They go by a variety of names like lab-grown, synthetic, cultured, and cultivated diamonds. But they all mean the same thing. These lovely diamonds have the exact same composition as earth mined diamonds—which is carbon. Their physical, optical, and chemical characteristics are also equal to earth mined diamonds—the only difference is how they were formed.

Diamonds harvested from the earth transformed its carbon over billions of years far below the earth’s surface (about 125 miles beneath the earth to be exact), under conditions of extreme heat and intense pressure.

Are lab diamonds real diamonds?

Here’s an important fact; lab created—or synthetic (also called cultured) diamonds are identical to earth mined---with the exception of their sped-up creation process. They are distinguished from earth mined diamonds in that regard but they are ‘real’ diamonds in the sense of their identical chemical composition, optical performance and physical traits as earth mined diamonds.

Today’s technology allows scientists to create diamonds under controlled conditions in a laboratory—starting with miniscule diamond ‘seeds’ subjected to intense pressure and high heat. The result? Stunningly gorgeous ‘real’ diamonds, not-earth-mined, but rather synthetic or cultivated to differentiate them from naturally formed crystals. Their beauty is equal to high quality naturally formed diamonds, and they provide an exquisite alternative to pricier earth mined natural stones without sacrificing the brilliance that make diamonds so desirable.

How is a natural diamond formed?

Some people like to say that the same carbon in your No.2 lead pencil is what eventually became a diamond. That is true to some extent. Natural carbon deposits found miles below the earth’s surface under perfect conditions transformed into transparent diamonds. In fact, it took billions of years to arrive at its final crystal state but that same method is duplicated with diamonds in a lab.

What are simulated diamonds?

While synthetic diamonds mimic their earth grown counterpart, other products on the market are made to look like a diamond—but are composed of entirely different materials and can never be called a diamond of any kind.

Cubic zirconium, called CZ is a popular man-made diamond simulant. Moissanite is a created stone but very different in composition from a lab diamond. A trained eye can detect Moissanite with a jeweler’s loupe. Then there’s YAG, a stone created in the 1950s. It fell out of favor over the years because it lacks the fire of a real diamond. These are but a few of the stones called simulated or artificial diamonds. They’re not made from carbon like cultured diamonds, plus their key physical, optical and chemical properties will never match the beauty of either a cultivated or natural diamond.  Diamond simulants are an inexpensive option for fashion jewelry but they can never achieve the status of cultivated diamonds, because those are real diamonds.

Can you tell the difference between synthetic diamonds and natural diamonds?

To the uninformed, synthetic diamonds may not seem to be real diamonds. But in truth, synthetic diamonds are real created diamonds, they are just not earth mined stones. Advancements in the quality of lab stones have made detection of earth mined diamonds difficult to detect from those created in a lab. But jewelry pros want consumers to understand the stones they offer. So, both lab grown and earth mined diamonds can be tested to verify their origin.

If you wonder about any ‘advantages’ of lab grown diamonds, well yes, you could say there are several important ones. Stones created in a lab are often of higher clarity, color, and quality than many of their earth mined counterparts. That’s always a good thing. Secondly, the price for a lab created stone is more affordable than the same quality and size natural diamond. Who doesn’t want that?

Side by side comparison of synthetic and natural diamonds

Let’s contrast both types of diamonds to completely understand these stones. This is a fascinating topic, and the more you know, the greater your appreciation will be for your Heart in Diamond jewelry.

Origin

• Synthetic diamonds were first produced in 1953.
• Natural diamonds are billions of years old—nearly as old as the earth itself.

Color

• Both natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds are available in a wide array of tints.
• Synthetic diamonds undergo irradiation to produce vivid colors like red, green, champagne, pink, purple, brown, blue and more.
• Natural diamonds are found in an infinite array of tints from subtle to vibrant.

Hardness & Formation

• Naturally formed diamonds are considered the hardest (10 on the Mohs scale) of the natural elements.
• Synthetic diamonds also rank a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale
• Diamonds found in nature may exhibit several crystalline shapes—but they have an octahedral crystal habit.
• Lab diamond’s crystal structure is always the same—they form in a square tablet shape.

Physical appearance:

• Today’s synthetic diamonds are seemingly flawless, with only minor imperfections visible under a microscope.
• Under 10x magnification, cultivated diamonds display a unique identification inscription on the girdle so jewelers can easily identify it.
• Trace elements may be present in cultivated diamonds, including boron or metals.
• Both natural and synthetic diamonds may react by fluorescing under UV lighting, but laboratory experts recognize the difference in each stone.

Cost:

• Heart in Diamond remembrance stones enjoy the look of expensive natural diamonds but generally cost about 1/3 of the price of similar size and quality natural diamonds. They offer a cost-effective solution to pricey natural diamonds, and an eco-friendly option too.

Keep Memories Alive with Heart In Diamond

Heart In Diamonds offers gorgeous lab grown remembrance diamonds destined to become priceless commemorations of someone special. We hold our loved one’s memories in our heart after they pass on. We may also want to honor a cherished pet or living person with something beautiful to touch and to stay connected to. Heart in Diamond fills that vital role by helping us keep those we cherish always close by.

It starts with carbon from either hair or the cremated ashes of a loved one.  Since hair can be used, a living loved one, even a pet (or yourself!) can be transformed into a stunning jewel. The smallest bit of carbon from hair, cremains or ashes is all that’s needed to start the process of creating a memorial diamond.

      Cremation diamonds play a vital role in cherishing loved ones

Heart In Diamond, a respected leader in memorial diamond jewelry creates stunning synthetic diamonds lovingly crafted from the cremains or hair of a loved one. But this expert technology is also successful in using hair from either a living or deceased loved one. As pioneers in this important field, Heart In Diamond offers an affordable and eco-friendly solution for those searching for a gorgeous remembrance diamond. Our customers can create one-of-a-kind, personalized jewelry with breathtaking synthetic diamonds made from carbon harvested from themselves, a loved one, even a pet whether living or passed on.

Years from now, you’ll be glad you chose a lovely and lasting tribute that you can enjoy and others will admire. ▼

DIANA JARRETT GG, RMV, Member AIJV

Award-winning author and journalist to the diamond and jewelry trade, Diana Jarrett is also a graduate gemology and registered master jewelry appraiser. An early admirer of jewelry, she was creating and selling original jewelry and cabbing (cabochon) gemstones in her early teens. Working at Sotheby’s Beverly Hills for their high-end jewelry sales gave her critical insight into who collects and why.

Trade publications, consumer outlets, gemological research laboratories, plus diamond and jewelry retailers are some of the clients for whom Diana write.  She revised and updated Cameos Old & New, Volume 4, a favorite gem carving tome collected by the trade and the public. Her gemstone blog www.Color-n-Ice.com  reveals what captures her attention at any given moment.