Assorted Types Of Lab Created Diamonds
The term lab created diamonds has only one definition but it can have many different meanings to different people. Simply put, a lab-created diamond is exactly what it sounds like, a diamond made by man in a laboratory instead of miles under the earth by nature. These imitations can range from cut glass to the highly popular cubic zirconium and moissanite. All types of lab created diamonds offer consumers a less expensive alternative to natural diamonds, most without losing anything but the status associated with owning an actual diamond. This article will outline the different types of lab created diamonds in order to help our readers choose the right synthetic stones for whatever situation.
Cut Glass
Most people have heard of and seen cut glass costume jewelry. This obviously phony diamond alternative is amazing cheap and worth every penny. Cut glass isn’t seen as often today as it once was but is occasionally offered in costume jewelry settings. The rings, bracelets and earrings made with cut glass are normally very large and extremely tacky. However certain popular costume jewelry designers from the 20s and 30s produced some interesting pieces that are of value to collectors of costume jewelry. The use of cut glass has widely been replaced by the most popular diamond alternative, cubic zirconium.
Cubic Zirconium
Cubic zirconium is most likely the first name people think when the topic of lab-created diamonds is mentioned. By far the most popular imitation diamond substance, some CZs are indistinguishable to most ordinary people. Jewelers and experts in the gem industry can usually tell the difference between a real diamond and a cubic zirconium. If you hear the term Russian Diamond mentioned, don’t be fooled. Russian diamonds are just high quality CZs that even professionals have a hard time detecting without the use of special equipment. Cubic zirconium and moissanites are often paired together as the same type of lab created diamond, but in fact they are different.
Moissanite
Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral that has similar properties to genuine diamonds but are slightly softer, having only a rating of 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale. In nature moissanite is called silicon carbide and is extremely rare. Around the middle 1990s, someone discovered how to recreate the moissanite mineral quickly in a laboratory setting. A gem cutter observed the material and realized that cut properly could be used to produce beautiful diamond-like jewelry, at a much lower cost to the consumer. Since that time, Moissanite has become the preferred alternative to genuine diamonds. Despite the fact that moissanite are more expensive than cubic zirconium, about 200 dollars a carat, they are nearly undetectable as fakes expect with the use of highly specialized equipment.
Tags: diamonds, moissanite, cub glass, lab created diamonds, cubic zirconium
Synthetic Diamonds Might Fool The Average Individual
Diamonds are treasured jewels because they are very rare. These sparkling jewels are used for special gifts because they are the hardest natural materials so they will last forever. These beautiful gems also sparkle more than any other jewel. Many people regard diamonds as a sign of affection because they are so valuable. As a gift, these jewels are more than a beautiful gem; these are investments that will probably increase in value through the years. Recently, manufacturers have devised a way to make synthetic diamonds that are often made into pieces of jewelry. To the naked eye, synthetic diamonds might appear to be the real thing. Most ordinary individuals could be fooled into thinking that synthetic diamonds are natural diamonds.
Even skilled jewelers will have to examine synthetic diamonds to determine their authenticity. Real diamonds appear naturally in certain parts of the world, and these jewels are extracted from nature before they are cut by experts. Synthetic diamonds are made through a process by manufacturers in factories. A synthetic diamond is made of carbon crystal like the natural diamonds. Synthetic diamonds are often used for special products including electronic devices. Synthetic diamonds are also used in medical technology. The use of these manufactured diamonds has helped to reduce costs in some other manufacturing tasks.
Synthetic Diamonds Are Hard And Pure
Synthetic diamonds have many of the same properties that make natural diamonds valuable. These synthetic diamonds are very hard substances which make them valuable for use in electronics and medicine. These diamonds are manufactured so they are pure unlike the many of the diamonds that are extracted from diamond mines. There are several successful companies that manufacture these artificial diamonds using two different methods. These companies produce billions of dollars of these diamonds that are so valuable to other manufacturers.
Some of these diamonds are used in jewelry, but they do not have the same value as the natural diamonds. The manufactured diamonds can be produced in some of the same colors that appear in natural diamonds. Many people have purchased the synthetic gems made into rings, bracelets and other jewelry because these are less expensive than the same pieces made with natural diamonds. Recently, one company made these synthetic jewels from the ashes of recently deceased people for relatives who want to keep the remains of their beloved people close at hand. These companies process the remains of an individual into a beautiful ring or necklace that the buyer can wear constantly.
Tags: synthetic diamonds, diamonds, man made, man made diamonds, fake
Red Diamonds: Very Rare And Very Beautiful
Red diamonds are considered as one of the rarest stones in the world. Because of its extreme rarity, this type of diamond is one of the most sought after by precious stone collectors all over the world. A lot of wealthy gemstone collectors will fight tooth and nail just to add the rare red diamonds in their collection that the prices of these stones have gone very high in the past few years. For the past 20 years or so, there were very few red diamonds that went on sale all over the world and all of these stone fetched very high prices. In fact, most of these big red stones were sold at around $1 million dollars per piece.
The Moussaieff Red Diamond
The Moussaieff red diamond is considered as one of the largest fancy red diamonds in world. This piece of precious stone was first discovered by a Brazilian farmer sometime in the middle of the 1990s and was first purchased by the William Goldberg Diamond Corporation. When it was first cut, this diamond was named as the Red Shield but when this piece of precocious stone was later own bought by Moussaieff Jewelers Ltd, the company gave named it the Moussaieff Red.
This 5.11 carat diamond was said to be internally flawless, making it one of the most expensive red diamonds of all times. How much did Moussaieff Jewelers Ltd paid for this diamond? The famous Moussaieff Red diamond was rumored to have been sold at about $8 million in the 1990s. Experts believe that the value of this diamond has tremendously increased since then that this piece of precious stone could easily fetch in a price more than $10 million dollars.
The De Young Red
The De Young Red is a 5.03 carat red diamond and is considered as the third largest in the world. This diamond is not really pure red. This stone has a slightly brown hue which makes it look like a fine garnet that ruby-like. Since this diamond has very unique color, this was once sold at an estate sale as a red garnet. Luckily, this fine piece of precious stone was later on recovered and identified to be a very rare red diamond. At present, the De Young Red is under the custody of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC and often figured in exhibits in that museum. If you are interested to see The De Young Red, just visit the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.
Tags: de young reg, diamonds, red, de young, red diamonds
How To Tell The Difference Between Real And Fake Diamonds
Knowing how to tell the difference between real and fake diamonds can you save you a lot of money in the long run. There are many ways, available to ordinary people, which will detect a fake diamond from a real one. Some of these tests require everyday items, or special equipment while others can be done with nothing but your own senses. Certain tests shouldn’t be done at all since they are unreliable at best and possibly damaging at worst. This article will go over several ways to accurately determine real diamonds from fake diamonds as well as some assessments that aren’t worth your time.
Self-Sufficient Testing
There are a couple of tests you can perform that don’t require anything but eyes and a mouth. First thing you can try is looking closely at the setting the stone is placed in. High quality settings are rarely, if ever, used for fake diamonds whereas no one would set a genuine diamond in a plated metal setting. Another test for diamond authenticity is called the “fog” test. Don’t worry, you don’t need a real fog machine, just your own breath. Gently blow upon the surface of the stone and if the breath shows for a few seconds after, you have a fake. Genuine diamonds clear up breath almost immediately. Be careful though as any oil or dirt on the surface of a real diamond can affect the outcome negatively. Now if you don’t feel you can trust your own eyes it is possible to conduct further tests with some easily attainable equipment.
Some Equipment Required
If you are interested in tests that give a little more concrete proof, consider performing the black line test, also known as the transparency test. Draw a black line across a piece of paper and place the diamond on top of the line. If the line is visible through the stone, you know you have a fake diamond. Occasionally fake diamonds with exceptionally fine cuts won’t show lines so it’s always best to use this method paired with another more accurate method. One such test can be done with a small gram scale. Cubic zirconium is the most common material used for fake diamonds and it happens to weigh about 55% more than natural diamonds. By weighing a stone, you should be able to tell the difference between the real and fake diamonds with a good measure of accuracy. Any of the above methods will lead you in the right direction without damaging your diamonds like some tests can.
Tests To Avoid
Certain commonplace testing methods should be avoided due to inconsistent or harmful results. The old standby “scratch test” is one such examination. Running your diamonds along a piece of glass in order to test the hardness of the material may be helpful in separating the real from the fake diamonds since true diamonds are hard enough to scratch glass while most imitation stones are not. The reason I urge against this test is that it can damage your stone, even if it’s real, and ruin a perfectly pretty piece of jewelry. Another frequently suggested test is the light test. When a stone is held under a black light, owners look to see if a blue light shines through. The presence of the blue light is said to prove that a diamond is real, however very high quality diamonds do not reflect blue light through them so this test would show them to be fake. This inconsistency seems to me to make the test virtually useless.
Tags: manmade diamonds, fake, diamonds, real diamonds, fake diamonds
Diamonds And Pearls: Something Very Rare And Special the Bride
When preparing for the things that you are going to wear for you wedding, do not forget to get some diamonds and pearls. Diamonds and pearls are gems that are traditionally used during weddings because they symbolize stability and faithfulness. Diamonds in particular symbolizes eternity. Being the hardest piece of stone in the planet, a diamond is said to last forever.
According to some mystical belief, the presence of diamonds during a wedding ceremony will bring about good luck to the union and the marriage is said to endure forever. Technically, that is just a mystical belief but the thing is that diamonds do add a lot of glitters and glamour to the bride during the wedding ceremony. Besides, wearing diamonds during you wedding will definitely make you feel extra special.
On the other hand, the pearl is the only precious gem that is produced by a living creature. Legends have it that the pearl brings about enchantment, good luck and prosperity in a marriage when worn during the wedding ceremony. Whether this tale is true or not, it does not really matter. Weddings are meant to be like a fairytale so wear those pearls and feel enchanted.
Choosing The Right Diamonds And Pearls For Your Wedding
Choose diamonds and pearls that go well with the design of your wedding gown. If you wedding gown happens to be one of those elaborate, try to get some diamonds and pearls that will blend into the overall design of your dress. You can try on the dress together with your diamonds and pearls to make sure that everything matches.
On the other hand, if you happen to be one of those people who believe that it is bad luck to try on your wedding dress and accessories before the wedding, you may ask a friend or a family member to try on the accessories so that you can see how these accessories look.
How Much Will the Diamonds and Pearls Cost You?
The price of the diamonds and pearls depend on its size and quality. If you are willing to spend a lot of money for your wedding accessories, you can get those top quality diamonds and pearls. You don’t really have to worry about wasting your money on diamonds and pearls. Always remember that the value of diamonds and pearls appreciate every year so these beauties can be a good investment for you.
Tags: bride, wedding, rare, pearls, diamonds