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Precious Stone Education and Explanations
Natural Diamonds
A natural diamond forms deep within the Earth, about 160 kilometers below the surface, where extreme heat and pressure are present. The carbon atoms in diamonds are bonded uniformly in all directions, giving them their remarkable hardness. The primary advantage of natural diamonds lies in their rarity and unique origin. Formed over billions of years deep within the Earth, each natural diamond carries a distinct history, making it a symbol of timelessness and exclusivity.
Lab-Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds are just as real as those mined from the earth, but they offer a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. Because they’re created in controlled environments, they are often more affordable. In every aspect—chemical, physical, and optical—lab-grown diamonds are identical to mined diamonds, exhibiting the same brilliance, fire, and scintillation.
There are two processes in which lab diamonds can be grown: High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT), and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).
The HPHT method is the first technique developed for creating lab-grown diamonds. In this process, diamonds are produced in a lab by mimicking the high-pressure, high-temperature conditions that naturally occur deep within the Earth.
To grow an HPHT diamond, a tiny diamond seed is placed in carbon, the fundamental element of diamonds. This seed is subjected to intense heat and pressure, simulating the natural conditions under which diamonds form deep within the Earth. The seed is exposed to temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and pressures around 1.5 million PSI (pounds per square inch). Under these conditions, the carbon melts and crystallizes around the seed, eventually forming a diamond as it cools.
The CVD method, developed in the 1980s, is a more recent technique compared to the HPHT method. This process mimics the natural formation of diamonds in interstellar gas clouds and requires less pressure and smaller equipment than HPHT.
In the CVD method, a diamond seed is placed in a vacuum chamber, which is then filled with carbon-rich gases. The chamber is heated to nearly 1500 degrees Fahrenheit, turning the gas into plasma. This plasma breaks down, releasing carbon atoms that gradually layer onto the diamond seed, causing it to grow into a diamond.
Grading a natural & lab-grown diamond through the 4 c’s
Clarity
Clarity grades assess the number, size, relief, and position of inclusions and blemishes.
Colour
The less colour, the higher the grade.
Cut
Cut (proportions, symmetry, and polish) is a measure of how a dimond’s facets interact with light.
carat weight
moissanites
Moissanites are composed of silicon carbide. W hile the untrained eye may visually perceive a moissanite as similar to a diamond, it has a higher refractive index — meaning it produces more rainbow ‘fire’ than a diamond when light hits the stone’s surface.
clarity
Clarity grades assess the number, size, relief, and position of inclusions and blemishes.
colour
The less colour, the higher the grade.
carat weight
Gemstones
A gem, or gemstone, is a type of material that is capable of being cut and polishedfor use in jewellery or other ornamental applications. Gems are most commonly made of minerals. Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solids, of definite chemical composition
clarity
Clarity grades assess the number, size, relief, and position of inclusions and blemishes.
gem colour grade
Gem color by referring to three properties: hue, tone, and saturation.
The basic hues are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and purple.
A gem’s tone refers to a gem’s relative lightness or darkness.
A gem’s saturation refers to the intensity of its hue. Colours can be strong or soft.
carat weight
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