How laboratory diamonds affect the future

Laboratory stones are one of the most exciting innovations in the world today. They began to grow diamonds more than 60 years ago for industrial purposes. General Electric (USA) was the first to synthesize them in large quantities in 1954. The technology imitated the natural process of stone formation, the so-called HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature - "high pressure and high temperature", 1,300 ° C and a pressure of about 50,000 atmospheres). In parallel, the industry began to test another method: CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition). Today, all laboratories that grow stones use one of these two. Larger stones were obtained by those who use the HPHT technology.

Until recently, grown stones were called synthetic, therefore, they were not seriously compared with precious stones extracted from the earth. In 2018, the US Federal Trade Commission (an independent consumer protection agency) approved new naming rules for the jewelry industry. Gems mined and grown are now considered diamonds. It is now incorrect to call laboratory stones synthetic. They have the same chemical and optical properties. They are diamonds. Modern grown diamonds cannot be distinguished from natural ones without special devices. They are certified by gemological laboratories, issuing a passport - like mined stones.

In the 20th century, the peak of reputation for diamonds was associated with the appearance of the slogan "Diamonds Are Forever" in the 1946 De Beers advertising campaign. So, stones have become a symbol of precious emotions and moments in life. The 19th century became the century of insight. How where and by whom the stones are mined - ethics and ecology of the process now concern buyers no less than beauty. Millennial are even interested in the name of the miner who extracted the stone. If the company cannot name it, they start looking towards the laboratory. Transparency is an aesthetic property of a stone. Sofia Lior Diamonds jewelry company say that transparency of the stone that is important, but of the whole process.

Laboratory diamonds are a threat to natural

Laboratory grown - synthetic - diamonds are becoming more and more similar to natural diamonds in quality, cut and clarity.

Technological advances have expanded their application areas and are increasingly accepted in the industry, but the ultimate goal is to conquer the consumer luxury market.

This depends in part on how consumers determine the value of goods.

The idea of making diamonds in a laboratory is not new.

Scientists have been doing this since the mid-19th century, armed with the knowledge that diamonds are a product made of carbon exposed to high temperatures and pressures.

But making them in the laboratory remained elusive until the 1950s. Since then, three different methods have been developed to produce synthetic diamonds that are increasingly similar to natural ones. This concerns the appearance of the stones, as well as their physical properties, for example, thermal conductivity, electron mobility and hardness, which can be even higher than that of natural diamonds.

Thus, synthetic diamonds are increasingly used in high-tech laser cutting and polishing tools. Applications in electronics are also being developed for different industries, for example in power plants. Analysts estimate that over 95% of all industrial diamonds are synthetic.

The cost is as determined by the owner himself

The price is always determined by how much people are willing to pay for the goods, and the same is true for diamonds. Research by my group over the years has consistently shown that value is multi-pronged in nature. There are three main components that matter: social, personal, and functional value.

Societal value reflects how valuable we perceive something in relation to other people - will it help us look better, will it enhance our image or status? Personal value reflects how it will meet our needs and wants. And functional value reflects how useful the product is. With each purchase, we give different levels of importance to each of these ingredients.

When it comes to understanding the value of natural diamonds versus lab-grown diamonds, the difference is clear. The fact that synthetic diamonds have gained such widespread acceptance in industrial applications (such as precision tools) is largely due to the functional nature of their use. Therefore, when synthetic diamonds meet existing needs at comparatively lower prices, then consumers buy this category of gemstones.

But for consumers - and especially engagement ring buyers - diamonds have a much more significant emotional appeal. The popularity of polished diamonds actually increased in large part as a result of a widespread marketing campaign, which had a monopoly on the global supply of rough and polished diamonds. The company created demand for diamond engagement rings through a massive and incredibly effective campaign that included the slogan “A diamond is forever”.