History about Synthetic Diamonds

Some of the real and original diamonds have a history that is not as well-known and clear, and they only add to the romance and mystique surrounding them. But this is not the case in synthetic diamonds. There is something so exciting about the synthetic diamonds. They have well-documented histories and we know where they came from, and who produced them and when.

The motivation to create man-made synthetic diamonds resulted from the desire of scientists and researchers to improve technology at a much lower cost than the expensive mined real diamonds. The synthetic diamonds are a cheaper and more readily available solution when compared to the real diamonds. They are a boon to both the world of gemstones and the world of technology.

Synthetic diamonds look like real diamonds but do not have all the same properties as real diamonds. It is extremely difficult to differentiate the characteristics such as chemical composition, hardness, weight, brilliance, luster and some of the light handling characteristics of real and synthetic diamonds with the naked eye. Synthetic diamonds have some properties such as durability similar to the real or mined diamonds.

In the past cut glass was probably the first material used to simulate a diamond. It is readily available, easy to cut and polish. The synthetic diamond made of cut glass looks good when seen from a distance, and is extremely low cost.

The use of cut glass has widely been replaced by the most popular diamond alternative, cubic zirconium. Cubic zirconium has been the most widely used material for synthetic diamonds since 1976. Its low cost, durability and light handling characteristics have made it extremely attractive in producing low cost jewelry. The light handling characteristics of synthetic diamond made of cubic zirconium is so close to that of a real diamond. The annual global production of cubic zirconium diamond reached 50 million carats by 1980. Cubic zirconium diamonds weigh about 1.7 times more that of real diamonds, and have the hardness rating of 8.5 to 9 which is bit less than the real diamond.

Henri Moissan is the first one to create a man-made diamond using moissanite or silicon carbide in a laboratory in 1892. Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral that is a little softer than real diamonds but has almost all of the other properties of a mined real diamond. Charles and Colvard introduced gem-quality moissanite jewelry in 1998. Moissanite has almost the same thermal conductivity as a diamond. You need a highly specialized equipment to differentiate a moissanite diamond and a real diamond. JamesAllen.com states that synthetic moissanite diamonds made from silicon carbide gained widespread use beginning in 1999. These fakes are so good that standard thermal conduction testers used by jewelers cannot detect them. They also sell for nearly as much as the real thing. There is a key to identify a moissanite synthetic diamond - You can see double facets or a doubled table reflection, when you look this synthetic diamond through a 10x loupe. The synthetic moissanite diamonds have a greater density, weighing more than a comparable diamond.

The only way you can be sure to differentiate between a genuine diamond and a high quality synthetic diamond on the market is based on the citification and some simple and more conclusive tests.