The gemstone industry has been using synthetic alternatives of many precious and semi-precious natural gemstones on a large scale. Even though artificial rubies, emeralds and sapphires have been in use in many places, including jewelry making, the use of synthetic diamonds had not been popular until recently. Let us delve into the process of how each of these diamond types comes into being.
The Long Journey Of Natural Diamonds
Natural diamonds are formed miles below the surface of the earth over a period of billions of years. The formation of these diamonds typically happens under extreme pressure and extreme heat. The diamonds thus formed reach near the earth’s surface through volcanic eruptions. The ores of these stones are then mined from the depths of the earth’s surface using complex machinery and manpower. The negative impact of intense mining practices on the environment is manifold. Equally worth mentioning is the tough work environment the mining employees are exposed to on a regular basis.
The dug-up ores go through elaborate processes like breaking and sorting before the diamonds can be separated from them. The stones are then manually sorted into thousands of categories based on their specific characteristics. The natural stones then undergo the final cutting and polishing before they become the beautifully brilliant diamonds that adorn our jewelry.
The Simple Lab Grown Diamonds Production
Synthetic/manmade/lab-made/lab created diamonds are stones grown in a laboratory under specific conditions favorable for the growth of diamonds. These labs grown diamonds have the same physical structure, chemical composition and other characteristics as that of natural mined diamonds. Unlike natural diamonds that take billions of years to form, manmade diamonds take very less time to be made in laboratory conditions.
While the process of cutting and polishing in diamond manufacturing is somewhat similar for both man-made and natural diamonds, mining is completely eliminated in the making of man-made diamonds, along with the detrimental effects of the same on the environment. The manpower required to produce lab grown diamonds is very less compared to that of natural mined diamonds. Additionally, those employed in man-made diamond manufacturing work in ideal environments. All of this contributes to man-made diamonds being touted as ethically sourced products.
The newfound popularity of man-made diamonds is mainly due to their ease of availability and affordability owing to their efficient manufacturing process. The ethical nature of the production of man-made diamonds is an attraction for those who care more about the ethical sourcing of their precious stones than their rarity.