July 30th, 2009 by Dr Phillips

The whole world is aware of the magnificence of the diamond. The diamond has served as an epitome of elegance to everyone since it displays certain classiness and allure that makes everyone want a diamond. The diamond is extraordinary and for years, has been very pricey. Well, the reason behind its price is the length of time needed for it to be processed. Its appearance displays the best quality and its eternity.

In Mohs scale of mineral hardness, the diamond scores a perfect 10, means it is very resistant to scratches. It is the hardest natural material known. It can even cut through glass. Its existence is also very old. Diamonds are as young as 1 billion years old and can be as old as more than 3 billion years old! This is what makes diamonds very precious, antiquity and quality. It also has various colors to choose from, the most common translucent crystal one, up to violet and pink. A diamond is a very precious gem indeed.

There are also man-made diamonds aside from the expensive natural ones. Due to the rapid growth of human civilization, diamonds are also now possible to be made by man. Laboratories are now able to manufacture diamonds that are not natural diamonds! Scientists use diamond simulants and synthetic diamonds that are lab-produced but are far cheaper than real diamond.

The demand for diamonds has rapidly grown along with the prospering diamond trade. To be able to maintain the balance, several artificial and synthetic materials have been used to mass produce diamonds. There are natural simulants such as beryl, quartz, and topaz that have low refraction indexes but have above average hardness rates. Artificial simulants are the likes of moissanite, white sapphires, and cubic zirconia.

The new Star Hybrid simulated diamond is a good example of synthetic or man made diamonds. It has the same clarity and charm as other diamonds have but has greater hardness compared to moissanite and cubic zirconia. There are also other kinds of simulated diamonds that are for sale, both in real time and online. These are cut by hand into fine pieces and made sure to have the good traits of grandeur that the gem has to have. There has been a bad connotation that man made diamonds are fake. No, it is not true; actually, simulated diamonds are regarded as genuine diamonds, only unnatural.

The usual synthetic diamond uses cubic zirconia or silicon carbide as materials, but there are also companies who have further developed into a more advanced stage of research with the precise details of the diamond. These manufactured gems are less costly compared to the natural ones but still has the never fading characteristics that a diamond must have and its best quality. The new ways of diamond processing has made better results.

The diamond is unmatchable. Its antiquity and charm never fades. The diamond is surely the best gem on Earth. But just in time before resources run out, methods have been developed to make gems like the natural ones.