Synthetic Vs. Natural

Most common respond on hearing about any synthetic thing is “Oh, it must be something worse than natural”. Usually synthetic things are stereotyped as products of lower quality, it is completely wrong statement if it is supported by any facts.

We are surrounded by a lot of things a great part of which are synthetic. When you change motor oil in your car you hardly think about what this oil is made of. In fact it is synthetic. However before only mineral oil was used. Why do you think people had to create synthetic motor oil? The thing is that engine operating conditions are unstable: when engine works it is getting hot, when it stops it cools down, and even while engine is working its conditions are changeable: they are determined by engine speed, temperature, friction speed, etc. Thus, the ideal motor oil is the one which properties and characteristics remain unchanged whatever the conditions are. Since mineral oil could not satisfy these demands the scientists worked out synthetic base material for motor oil which is more efficient and better in comparison with mineral (natural) motor oil. This is only a single example of a synthetic thing that is better than natural or at least a good substituent of it.

Speaking about synthetic diamonds they do have the right to compete for customer's attention. First, a synthetic diamond does possess the same properties of a natural diamond due to its identical chemical characteristics. The diamond crystal structure corresponds to a face-centered cubic lattice with highly symmetrical arrangement of carbon atoms. Chemistry of diamond determines its unique uncommon features and synthetic diamond can boast to have all of them. It is a great substituent for natural stones. However there are some features of synthetic diamonds that predominate over natural ones:

- origin — synthetic diamonds are grown in the laboratories, so they are usually called lab-grown, cultured or man made diamonds. As they do not imply mining they are eco-friendly (no harm to environment) and conflict-free diamonds (no smuggling, human right abuse and child labor);

- price — created diamonds are less expensive;

- color — lab grown diamonds can be of fancy colors too like natural diamonds, but unlike natural that are very rare, synthetic diamond of any color can be grown to your order.