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"Synthetic" diamonds are better in all objective criteria that "natural" diamonds. Before they were a thing they would even be considered top quality diamonds.

by 77pt77 7y ago

"Synthetic" diamonds are better in all objective criteria that "natural" diamonds. Before they were a thing they would even be considered top quality diamonds. Once they were mass produced the criteria changed and now the "natural" with higher degree of impurities (a previously undesirable trait) are considered better. It's not about the rock. The rock is a placeholder. It's about how much you spent on the rock (commitment) and the fact that it's not available to everyone (social proof).

pzone 7y ago
It is extremely difficult to create large, colorless, flawless synthetic diamonds. Currently synthetics are primarily used for industrial applications like drill bits.
- 77pt77 7y ago
  "synthetic" diamonds with far fewer impurities are far cheaper than "natural" diamonds of the same size. The goalpost will always move because the things used to justify it are excuses and not real reasons.
  - petre 7y ago
    Even De Beers announced they would start selling synthetics.
    - nyolfen 7y ago
      de beers is doing it as a pr move, selling them as 'budget' diamonds as an attempt to devalue them
      - petre 7y ago
        Nice try. Manufacturing them also has non negligible costs. I'd only buy synthetics anyway. Not very keen on 18th century slavery, which is pretty close to what happens in diamond mines. In addition to that synthetics are more pure, so better quality if the cut and polishing is done right.
        pmart123 7y ago
        The above comment is correct. De Beers bought Lightbox to position synthetic diamonds as for “everyday jewelry” rather than special occasion jewelry such as engagement rings. So it essentially is to help protect diamond price levels and the allure or scarcity.
        nyolfen 7y ago
        i think you misread my comment
BlueTemplar 7y ago
Yeah, one of my physics teachers did a job for a diamond company where the goal was to ADD impurities to a diamond, because diamonds with (the right?) impurities are colored, more rare (?), and fetch a higher price.

by 77pt77 7y ago

pzone 7y ago

It is extremely difficult to create large, colorless, flawless synthetic diamonds. Currently synthetics are primarily used for industrial applications like drill bits.

77pt77 7y ago
"synthetic" diamonds with far fewer impurities are far cheaper than "natural" diamonds of the same size. The goalpost will always move because the things used to justify it are excuses and not real reasons.
- petre 7y ago
  Even De Beers announced they would start selling synthetics.
  - nyolfen 7y ago
    de beers is doing it as a pr move, selling them as 'budget' diamonds as an attempt to devalue them
    - petre 7y ago
      Nice try. Manufacturing them also has non negligible costs. I'd only buy synthetics anyway. Not very keen on 18th century slavery, which is pretty close to what happens in diamond mines. In addition to that synthetics are more pure, so better quality if the cut and polishing is done right.
      - pmart123 7y ago
        The above comment is correct. De Beers bought Lightbox to position synthetic diamonds as for “everyday jewelry” rather than special occasion jewelry such as engagement rings. So it essentially is to help protect diamond price levels and the allure or scarcity.
      - nyolfen 7y ago
        i think you misread my comment

BlueTemplar 7y ago

Yeah, one of my physics teachers did a job for a diamond company where the goal was to ADD impurities to a diamond, because diamonds with (the right?) impurities are colored, more rare (?), and fetch a higher price.