Why are Synthetic Diamonds So Expensive?

This is the question asked by every second person who at least once in life faced a choice between mined or synthetic diamonds. But it's better to specify the term “synthetic diamonds” since some readers may synonimize it with diamond substitute.

Synthetic, man made, lab-grown diamonds are the terms used to identify 100% diamonds which are grown in laboratories instead of being extracted from under the earth mantle. They shouldn't be mixed with cubic zirconia and moissanite, which are not diamond in terms of chemical composition, physical properties and even visual characteristics.

10UMX – The Most Fast-Penetrating Diamond Drill To Extract Diamonds

Diamond is the hardest stone in the world, it ranks number 10 on the Mohs scale which, in fact, is based on contrasting other minerals against diamonds to see how different/close they are. This is also the most hard-to-mine mineral: apart from that it lays deep in the Earth bowels, it is also very hard for extracting – don't forget, this is the hardest stone in the world. As you can see now that there is only one strong and powerful tool that can bring diamonds on the surface – diamond. It sound like a vicious circle but that is the thing.

This is not a novel discovery, but it was in the 20th century, so since that time diamonds are widely applied in industry for making cutting, sawing, drilling tools. So today the tools are not created but rather upgraded to make them work in better way. This is what Boart Longyear Company has recently done.

The mineral exploration drilling company has launched new diamond core bit, the 10 Ultramix (UMX). The 10UMX was specifically designed to quickly penetrate the hardest rock strata. According to Boart Longyear, this is the most efficient bit so far that can perfectly cut in whatever drilling conditions it is used. The technologies applied to produce such a driller are known as 'diamond coring' having a double meaning: aiming to drill diamond with the help of a diamond drill. Specialists at Boart Longyear used the UMX patented formula to make the drill, that is large synthetic diamonds within the matrix. They claim that alongside quick penetration the 10UMX provides longer life of a tool. Weird it may sound but it looks like they use lab-grown eco-friendly diamonds to mine natural ones. We hope that one day synthetic diamonds of gem quality will be highly appreciated by all sort of customers, thus there is no need to extract natural stones any more. But until that time comes a range of companies in Africa are now actively using the super efficient drill.

Real or Fake? - How to Identify REAL Diamond

Diamond is the most thought-after gem: so unique, amazing and long-lasting. To possess it one should pay a good deal of money. But there is always a risk to be cheated for there are enough fraudsters who would like to give fake diamond for real one in order to earn on you.

There are some tips that could be useful for your diamond jewelry shopping. They are easy-to-apply tips and there is no need to purchase special devices or something like that to identify real diamond. They are intent to help you check whether the diamonds offered to you are real or not.

One: This method works only with loose stones. Take a blank sheet of paper and draw a dot there. Place a stone table down on the top of the dot. If you can't see a dot through the stone (because the light inside is dispersed), then this stone is real diamond. In case a dot is visible through the stone, most likely you are holding cubic zirconia but not a real diamond.

Two: Breath on the stone to fog it up. It's like you would breath on the mirror. If the stone becomes clean instantly, this is a real diamond. One of the diamond properties is thermal conductivity, it means diamond disperses heat immediately. If the stone remains foggy for some time, this is cubic zirconia for sure.

Three: Use a loupe. You may ask a jeweler to give it to you for a minute and if the jeweler has nothing to hold back he will let you take it. This loupe may be useful for you to help you inspect the stone for little scratches or scuffs. If there are some, then it is a simulant. Don't forget that diamond is the most solid material in the world and can be scratched only by another diamond.

Four: Read through it. Take a newspaper and try to read it looking through the diamond. If you can do it, then you are dealing with a fake diamond. Real diamond disfigures the image and print so that it is impossible to see anything through the stone.

Five: Observe the setting if the stone is mounted. There are stamps inside the setting used to identify it. Diamond is an expensive gem and diamond jewelry is much more expensive due to the setting material: real gold or platinum of high quality like 18K gold and higher karat.

These are most common and simple ways to identify the stone. But you are also recommended to ask for a certificate. The latter should be issued by reputable gemological laboratories like GIA, EGL or AGSL. Or you can also find some reviews about the retailer you are going to buy diamonds at especially if you buy online. Though most of the diamond retailers are honest, still you will be more prepared with these five tips and have more chances to buy real diamonds.