How Manmade Diamonds Are Made

Being one of the world's most popular precious stones, diamonds were also the first to be successfully synthetically created in a laboratory setting. They are not fake diamonds because they are carbon based, just as natural diamonds are, but are lab-grown in a highly controlled setting, in an accelerated manner.

History

The first manmade diamonds were created in 1892, by French chemist Henri Moissan. He created diamond particles by heating charcoal into a molten mixture, which splintered into tiny crystals as it cooled.

Temperature

In all lab-created diamonds, the carbon is heated into molten liquid using extremely high temperatures. The crystallization process is induced through a very slow cooling process.

Pressure

Along with the extremely high temperatures, the crystal growth is facilitated by high pressure within a controlled setting. This high-temperature high-pressure process is known as HTHP.

Time Frame

Depending on the particular process that a company has developed for creating its diamonds, and the quality of the crystal desired, the growth process can take anywhere from seven days to six months.

Identification

Most lab created or synthetic diamonds have an identifying mark in which the company name and a serial number are inscribed or engraved on the diamond for identification purposes.

References

• Synthetic Diamonds and Manmade Simulants

Resources

• Dendritics Gemscales Museum: Synthetic Diamonds---The Final Report
• Apollo Diamond Inc.: Cultured Diamonds