Synthetic Diamonds: True History

Synthetic diamond is a authentically looking diamond, produced technologically. Because of non-geological origin synthetic diamonds don't share some of natural diamonds' properties but it's extremely hard to tell one from another. Man-made diamonds are not considered synthetic because they have the same properties as real or mined diamonds.

Probably, the first material, which was used to simulate a diamond, was a cut glass. It has a number of advantages, such as availability, pliability, and good looks. Now though the customer easily sees the difference between real diamonds and diamonds made of cut glass. Therefore and also because of cubic zirconium - popular diamond alternative - demand for cut glass is shrinking.

1976 has become an important date because cubic zirconium has been used widely for synthetic diamonds production since then. Its durability, low cost and light handling characteristics have made it very attractive in producing low cost jewelry. Cubic zirconium light handling characteristics is so close to similar of a diamond that only a professional eye can tell the difference between the two. The global annual production had reached 50 million carats by 1980. Cubic zirconium weighs about 1.7 times more that a diamond. The hardness rating of cubic zirconium is between 8.5 and 9 whereas diamonds have a hardness rating of 10.

Silicon carbide or moissanite was named after Henri Moissan after he discovered the new mineral in fragments of a meteor found near Diablo Canyon in Arizona 1893. Henri Moissan is also credited as the first person to have created a man-made diamond in a libratory in 1892. Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral that is slightly softer than diamonds with a hardness rating of 9.25 but has almost all of the other properties of a mined diamond. Charles and Colvard introduced gem-quality moissanite jewelry in 1998. The thermal conductivity test use to distinguish diamond from other artificial stones was rendered useless because moissanite has almost the same thermal conductivity as a diamond. It requires highly specialized equipment to determine if a gemstone is moissanite or a diamond.

With the high quality of synthetic diamond on the market the only way you can be sure that you have a genuine diamond is to have it certified and if you are purchasing a new diamond insist on a certification before purchasing. It will tell you the stone's carat weight, its color and clarity, and its flaws. If the seller is unwilling to supply a certification with the diamond then he may not be telling the truth and you should find someone who will. After all when you want to sell the diamond the new owner will want a certification from you. Here are a few suggestions for testing to see if you are looking at a genuine diamond or a synthetic before you invest in a more conclusive test.

One way to understand whether your diamond is genuine or not is using your it to cut glass to prove that it is hard enough to do so. But you should understand that this type of could ruin a perfectly pretty piece of jewelry. Another frequently used to test diamonds is called the light test. Shine a black light through the gemstone in question. If a blue light shines though it the diamond is probably real.

Carefully remove any oil and dirt fromthe diamond surface and then gently blow upon the the stone and if your breath shows for a few seconds after, you have a fake. Real diamonds clear up breath almost immediately.