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Both men and women admire designer and fashion jewelry. While taste in specific settings differs widely, most people have an appreciation for the look and aesthetics of diamonds. It wasn’t all that long ago that diamonds were worn primarily by the wealthy. This is no longer the case. With the introduction of man-made diamonds into the jewelry market, a beautiful single – or multiple – diamond setting is now within the budget of many more people.

Man-made, also known as cultured, diamonds are created through a process involving the combination of pressure and heat, which greatly benefits the environment while producing beautiful diamonds in far less time than mining for them. One of the most impressive qualities of these gems is that, once complete, they contain the same physical, chemical, and optical qualities as those mined from the earth itself. The naked eye cannot detect the difference, and in fact, even the jeweler’s loupe so often seen in movies cannot discern man-made stones from those formed naturally in the earth.

Whether you are interested in a custom designed pendant or bracelet, an engagement ring or wedding band, you can now find any of these pieces with beautiful stones in several colors. Thanks to new production techniques, these diamonds are also available in emerald greens, sapphire blues, pinks and yellows – at about two thirds the price of mined colored diamonds. Consumers have greater options when choosing a setting or collection of stones for a gift set, while still including the clear stone that is more commonly found in mines around the world.

These manufactured gems are, like natural diamonds, easily incorporated into a custom setting, creating a family heirloom with much less cost. Earrings that grab attention with their sparkle are easily created to suit your personal style. Individualized signet rings look even more impressive with an inset cultured diamond, or perhaps with a collection of colored stones surrounding it. Using the imagination of the customer and the skill of a craftsperson, these man-made diamonds can be made into unique engagement rings and wedding bands as well as bracelets, earrings and pendants that will last for generations.

Whether you want a traditional setting for your engagement ring and band or a more unique piece of jewelry designed specifically with you in mind, man-made diamonds raise the bar in their elegance and brilliance. They are definitely a choice worth considering for those desiring to expand their own collections or for those who want to give the perfect gift to that special someone.

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An increasing number of people are choosing to purchase jewelry with man made diamonds instead of mined stones. This phenomenon is largely due to the concern over the environmental impact diamond mining has in some parts of the world.

It is a pleasure to regard the sparkle, fire and brilliance of a well cut diamond. For many years, this stone has symbolized love and commitment between partners. It is unfortunate that the diamond mining process does not reflect this beauty — in fact, it is quite the opposite. As much as a ton or rock and earth must be removed to get a single one-carat gem. A tragic, ugly scar on a once beautiful landscape is the sad reality of diamond mining.

Unfortunately, open pit mining is much more than merely unpleasant to look at. It destroys the local ecosystem and causes a great deal of serious pollution, affecting local flora and fauna as well as humans. Cyanide and mercury are used to free diamonds from their rock casings, and these chemicals are released in large quantities into local rivers and streams. Fortunately, man-made diamonds are an environmentally friendly option now available to those who would like to have their diamonds without guilt over the environment.

Created stones are produced in the controlled environment of a lab. A diamond seed is placed in a carbon environment, heated and pressurized, and allowed to grow “molecule by molecule” just as it would deep down in the Earth’s crust. The only resource used in lab creation is a small amount of electricity. No harmful products like cyanide or mercury are involved, no tearing apart the earth is required, and no local residents have to suffer, as occurs in some of the diamond mines. Up to four percent of the total mined supply of these gems is composed of conflict or “blood” diamonds, which are sold to fund acts of war and terrorism.

Diamond mining in countries like Canada still impacts the environment to some degree, but war and terrorism is not an issue. Also, Canadians have created much higher standards to protect the environment. Canadian mines are strictly regulated and carefully monitored. Most Canadian stones can be identified via a microscopic polar bear or maple leaf inscribed on the gem. While this certainly helps identify natural stones that are more eco-friendly, man made gems still have the most minimal effect on the environment.

Lab grown gems are genuine in every sense: they feature the same brilliance and sparkle of mined gems and are also identical physically, chemically and optically. They are even recognized and graded as diamonds by leading gemological laboratories. Furthermore, while colored “fancy” diamonds are rare in nature and extremely expensive, lab created gems in vibrant shades like pink, green, blue, yellow, and red cost about one-third less than their mined counterparts.

Lab grown diamonds that are gem quality are such a recent development that most jewelry stores don’t yet carry them. Fortunately, these beautiful stones can be purchased online through reputable companies. Whether you are purchasing for yourself or for your socially or environmentally conscious loved one, man-made gems are the perfect choice.

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In general, most people love diamonds, but are deterred by the cost of owning them. The once popular synthetic cubic zirconia (CZ), an inexpensive option, is heavy and lacks the brilliance that makes diamonds so desirable. In large sizes, CZs don’t even look real to the naked eye. How, then, can one purchase the fire and sparkle at a reasonable price? Lab-created gems have come of age. They are no longer poor substitutes for the real thing – they are the real thing. In fact, they go one step farther — these stones are flawless.

Lab produced stones, often called “cultured” diamonds, are the same carbon crystals that can be found in diamond mines. They have identical chemical, optical and physical properties to stones that occurred naturally, and this results in them having the same brilliance, sparkle, fire and scintillation. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades cultured gems by the same standards it uses for the mined ones. In fact, the GIA acknowledges that these ARE genuine diamonds. The only difference is the rating will describe the stones as “laboratory grown.”

In nature, certain impurities will result in colored diamonds – nitrogen will create yellow, boron will create blue, and so forth. Because high quality colored stones are rare in nature, they are usually very expensive. In addition to being flawless, lab-created diamonds can easily be colored. The costs for these highly coveted colored stones is pretty comparable to the cost for colorless stones.

Similar to their natural counterparts, cultured diamonds can be purchased either loose, or already in jewelry settings. Most jewelry and department stores don’t carry them, however. These stones have only just been introduced to the market, and still comprise only a small portion of the total diamond inventory out there.

Regarding lab produced diamonds, here are some differences you should know about: 1. Typically, cultured stones are 1-2 carats in weight. While larger stones are made, they are less available. 2. Most man-made stones are colored, rather than colorless. This is exactly the opposite of natural diamonds. 3. Only experts can utilize very expensive special equipment in order to detect cultured gems to differentiate them from natural ones. 4. Finding “matched pairs” of natural stones for use in jewelry has historically been difficult, and thus, expensive. It is far easier to find matching identical stones in cultured gems.

So, should you be concerned that someone will try to pass off a man-made diamond to you as the “real thing?” This is probably not all that likely if you are purchasing from someone reputable. First of all, the manufacturers of the lab-grown diamonds are very proud of the gems they are able to produce. Secondly, these are actually diamonds rather than “cheap” imitations. Thirdly, the difference in the stones is detectable. And lastly, jewelers have every incentive to preserve the integrity of the natural diamond market, so a jeweler will readily help you identify what you are getting.

While lab-created gems are available less expensively than natural stones, they are not priced anywhere near as low as cheap CZ. Expect to pay about one third less for lab produced diamonds than for natural ones. Cultured diamonds are readily available through websites that openly and proudly announce that their stones are lab-grown. However, just like any other online purchase, carefully check out the vendor prior to your purchase to make sure they are reputable.

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Understanding the difference between a man-made, or cultured, diamond and a natural stone from a mine is wise when you are considering a jewelry purchase.

In the past, man-made diamonds were considered to be of inferior quality. Synthetic stones, often known as cubic zirconia, were frequently maligned by the jewelry industry. However, the latest technology allows scientists to produce gem-quality synthetics in laboratories across the country. Instead of taking millions of years, a lab produced gem may be created in a matter of days. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the leading research and grading body in gemology, legitimizes some of these lab grown stones as real diamonds.

There are two basic ways that man-made gems are created. HPHT (high pressure high temperature) is a process that has been used for several decades. While this method does simulate the natural way that mother earth makes these precious stones, and physically, visually, and chemically they are almost exactly the same as those found in the earth, these synthetic stones can be identified by a trained gemologist using standard gem-testing equipment.

The newer process, called CVD (chemical vapor deposition), grows gems at low pressure and relatively low temperatures. It produces crystals that are not only suitable for faceting for jewelry purposes: they are also “purer” than those grown the HPHT way, and are more difficult to detect.

Saving money is one of the reasons frequently cited for purchasing man made stones. However, the amount saved will vary based on the type of stone selected. “Fancy,” or color, diamonds are very rare in nature, but relatively common among lab produced gems. While this availability lowers the price in comparison to natural stones, high quality lab created stones are still considerably more expensive than cubic zirconia.

A growing number of environmentalists and advocates of social responsibility are openly declaring a preference for lab produced stones, similar to how some segments of the population prefer faux fur to hides of animals. In many cases, it is difficult to know the exact sourcing of a natural stone. This is problematic because gems mined in war zones to raise money for civil wars and terrorism, commonly referred to as “blood diamonds,” comprise up to ten percent of the total supply. In addition, mining processes are often damaging to the environment. Purchasing lab created stones removes the environmental concerns as well as the war and terrorism concerns, and saves on cost at the same time.

If a stone’s authenticity is uncertain, there are a few things that can help ascertain whether a gem is mined or lab produced. A lower price than similar stones is a good sign that the stone is lab created. Also, the vast majority of natural colored diamonds are not as brightly or vividly colored as those that are synthetically produced. Furthermore, most natural stones contain small mineral deposits called inclusions. These show up as dark spots under a jeweler’s loupe. While flawless natural stones do exist, they are very expensive due to their rarity. While a lack of inclusions may be an indication of a lab-produced gem, is not a way to conclusively prove the stone’s origin.

Jewelers who advertise “cultured” gems likely offer man-made stones. Similar to cultured pearls, this is a code word which means man has interfered with the natural process. Any reputable jeweler will be happy to inform customers as to which pieces contain lab created gems.

No matter if it is due to the reduced cost, social and environmental concerns, or simply the pleasure of having a vividly colored stone that would otherwise be very difficult to obtain, there are a lot of excellent reasons why an increasing number of individuals are buying and enjoying man-made diamond jewelry.

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