Diamonds are timeless, which is why they are one of the most popular jewelry items across the globe. Along with their timelessness, another fact associates itself with the diamonds, i. e. they are incredibly expensive. The search for cheaper alternatives has led many customers to lab-created diamonds. Lab-created diamonds are gaining traction in the jewelry market because of their more affordable price.
The chemical composition of both natural and lab-created diamonds is the same, and the only difference is the price. But how can one differentiate between the two? Let us talk about whether a jeweler will be able to tell the difference.
Why Lab-Grown Diamonds?
The primary reason why synthetic diamonds are flooding the market is because of their cheaper pricing. Another benefit of lab-created diamonds is that they are impossible to distinguish from natural diamonds by the naked eye. And since anyone wearing a diamond is less likely to go to a lab and have it checked underneath the microscope to detect whether it is real, lab-created diamonds work well.
The diamonds are about 40% cheaper than their natural counterparts and have thrown a lot of jewelry companies in a fix. Detecting synthetic diamonds in the market becomes important for many jewelers to reduce competition. If you want to know more about the distinguishing methods, JewelryTalk will help you out.
Can a Jeweler Tell?
This is a multi-faceted question, the answer of which is both yes and no. If we are talking about looking at a diamond and telling whether it is synthetic or real, it is impossible for a layman as well as a jeweler. This is difficult because the details are to be found under a microscope and not through the naked eye. The machines for the detection are often in testing labs.
But if we are talking about getting a diamond to a lab and comparing it with the natural counterpart, it is easy for a jeweler to tell the difference. Most of the time, the diamonds will have an engraving saying that it is lab-grown so that the customers and the jeweler have complete transparency about the origin of the diamond.
Are Lab Grown Diamonds Fake?
The only difference between lab-created diamonds and naturally-occurring diamonds is their composition method. Both are created differently, but their chemical composition is the same. If a jeweler tests a synthetic and natural diamond from a diamond tester, the results will be the same. A diamond tester is a tool that determines whether or not the stone is a diamond or not.
Since there is no difference in the thermal conductivity of synthetic and natural diamonds, the results will show that both of them are authentic. The expertise of a jeweler only comes into play if the customer wants to know whether they are wearing a natural or a synthetic diamond. Telling the difference also becomes important because customers want to pay for the right item.
How Do Jewelers Tell the Difference?
Since you have already dealt with the question of whether or not a regular can tell if a diamond is lab-created, we will jump to how the process happens. There are different ways to determine the origin of a diamond, some of which are as follows:
The Surface Fluorescence
Treating diamonds and handling them is a very delicate procedure which is why the testing machines for the authenticity of the diamonds are expensive as well. The equipment offered by the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research features machines that are equipped to tell the difference in a matter of seconds or minutes. One of how this process happens so quickly is because the surface fluorescence of the two diamonds is of different colors.
The surface fluorescence of a lab-grown diamond shows it to be orange. The naturally occurring diamonds have the surface fluorescence of blue color. The surface fluorescence tells the observer that the diamond underwent some lab treatment to change its color to transparent or colorless.
The Formation
The formation of both real and synthetic diamonds happens on the same day, but there are some detectable differences. A naturally occurring diamond is formed under high temperature and pressure conditions. Elaborated diamond is grown in a very controlled environment to achieve a targeted result. The basic concept of the formation remains the same.
To create a diamond, the base is the seed which is a minuscule natural diamond upon which several layers are formed to create a diamond. This carbon bonding is different in a natural environment. In a lab, the chemical bonding happens and produces good results, but it also shows the growth in a decidedly different pattern than that of the natural counterpart. The difference information can be seen through a machine in a lab.
The Inscription
As we did mention before, synthetic diamonds often have an engraving or an inscription. The inscription can be easily checked under a magnifying glass. If a synthetic diamond does have an engraving saying that it is lab-created, the jeweler can let the customer know in the jewelry store itself. The inscription is really small, so having the help of a machine is required even by a jeweler. Along with its synthetic status, the diamond also has a report number that gives more details about the diamond.
The Takeaway
The most important thing one needs to realize before we sign off is that both natural and synthetic diamonds are real. The composition of the diamonds is distinguishable through machines, but it does not mean that the value of synthetic diamonds is not comparable to that of their natural counterparts.
The only reason why natural diamonds have high demand is that they are in a limited quantity, and no new mines have been discovered in the past decade. A jeweler can surely tell if a diamond is created in a lab, but they will have to go to a lab themselves.
