How to choose between a natural diamond and a synthetic diamond?

For several years, the synthetic diamond has imposed itself on the place of the world jewelry alongside the traditional geological diamond. What are the characteristics that differentiate and bring them together? Explanations by gemologist and diamond grader Christelle Michel.

Summary

• What are the differences between diamonds and synthetic diamonds?
• How do you get a synthetic diamond?
• Is synthetic diamond more ecological than natural diamond?
• How to choose between the two?

Marilyn Monroe once said that diamonds are a woman’s best friend because the precious stone that is considered the queen of precious stones by the whole world, is a symbol of endless love and purity. Unmatched so far.

But now jewelry brands are springing up offering jewelry made from lab-grown diamonds rather than geological stones.

If the preconceptions are going well in the industry, the Diamond grader Christelle Michel wants to deconstruct them. Because the co-creator of the jewelry brand DFly* , specializing in synthetic diamonds, has long considered them to be fakes.

Until the day when she assesses stones according to them as natural, since they have all the characteristics of real diamonds. When it is announced to him that they are synthetics, it is an upheaval. “It was for me a revolutionary scientific prowess”.

What are the differences between diamonds and synthetic diamonds?

According to her, it is impossible to differentiate a geological stone from a synthetic one, whether with the naked eye, with a magnifying glass or with an optical microscope.

It is thanks to laser engraving and the gemological certificates that accompany the diamonds that they are identified. “Scientifically the stone is identical because it has undergone the same carbon crystallization process. They have the same chemical, physical and optical characteristics,” she explains.

Finally, as with natural stones, once cut, laboratory diamonds are evaluated according to the 4 Cs (Carat Color Clarity Cut) including carat, color, clarity and cut.

How do you get a synthetic diamond?

“Each year, 100 to 150 million carats of geological diamonds are taken underground, in mines or by drilling under the sea” establishes Christelle Michel, specifying that diamonds are not rare, only difficult to access. This crystallized pure carbon being the hardest material ever known, scientists have been trying to reproduce it since the 1950s.

Until the prowess of reproducing the natural context of crystallization and this by different methods: at very high temperature, High Pressure/High Temperature, especially used to produce diamonds intended for industry, thanks to hydraulic energy CVD (method chemical vapor deposition), less energy-consuming and used in jewelry, like solar or nuclear energy.

Thanks to this, in one to two months, we obtain synthetic diamonds with unique qualities and defects, as found in nature. “This is an innovation that comes at the right time with the climate crisis,” says the gemologist from DFLy (Paris).

Is synthetic diamond more ecological than natural diamond?

The trend is towards questioning among diamond miners: deeper and deeper mines are very invasive for the planet, such as the drilling method absorbing marine sediments, and the working conditions in some countries which are very questionable. .

“On the synthetic diamond side, the HP/HT method of diamonds intended for industry pollutes, since coal is used”, specifies Christelle Michel. “But the methods used in jewellery allow a lesser impact on the environment”.

How to choose between the two?

“These two categories of diamonds will always coexist. It is a question of making an informed choice, a bet on the future” says the expert, specifying that “if you want to afford a larger stone, which will not blow our budget, we opt for a synthetic diamond.”

Indeed, at equal quality, a laboratory diamond will always be sold 30 to 40% cheaper than a geological diamond.

The rest is up to your sensitivity.