| There are many reasons that the world has been | | | | adding traces of the same elements that add the |
| looking for and creating alternatives to natural | | | | color to natural diamonds. |
| diamonds. Many people find the purchase of the | | | | Lab created diamonds are virtually impossible to |
| so-called conflict or "blood diamonds" from Africa | | | | tell from natural diamonds. Their visual, physical, |
| to be morally wrong. In addition, diamonds are | | | | and chemical characteristics are almost identical. |
| used in a variety of industrial processes, and | | | | Synthetic diamonds sold in jewelry stores should |
| rather than deplete supplies and spend more | | | | be identified as being laboratory grown. However, |
| money on natural industrial grade gems, these | | | | man-made diamonds are not that common and |
| industries are more often turning to lab created | | | | make up a tiny part of the diamond market. Lab |
| versions. There are benefits with these in costs | | | | created gems are most commonly made for use |
| savings as well as consistency in samples supplied. | | | | in industry. |
| A lab created stone is the real thing - a gem | | | | It should be noted that genuine synthetic stones |
| developed in a laboratory by man rather than by | | | | created in a lab are real diamonds. But simulated |
| nature. They are chemically the same as natural | | | | stones like cubic zirconia and moissanite are not |
| stones and require cutting and polishing as you | | | | diamonds and contain no carbon crystals at all. |
| would a natural diamond. These synthetic | | | | The best way to quickly tell the difference |
| diamonds are created using small carbon seeds of | | | | between natural or lab created diamonds and |
| natural diamonds, which are then put through a | | | | simulated stones is to weigh them. The weight of |
| process of extreme heat and pressure. This | | | | the simulated version can be almost twice as |
| process can even create the many different | | | | much as that of real diamonds. |
| colored diamonds that are found in nature by | | | | |