Diamonds are among one the precious gemstones found on the earth. These gemstones are formed under very high pressure and temperature.
The diamond extraction process is crucial as they need to be mined from the earth’s surface. Thus, as an alternative, scientists have found methods to create diamonds in the lab itself, providing almost the same conditions for its formation.
Key Takeaways
- Simulated diamonds mimic the appearance of natural diamonds but are made from materials like cubic zirconia or moissanite.
- Lab-created diamonds are actual diamonds grown in controlled environments using advanced technologies.
- Both options provide more affordable alternatives to mined diamonds, but lab-created diamonds have identical chemical and physical properties.
Simulated Diamond vs Lab-created Diamond
Simulated diamonds are formed from non-carbon materials and have lesser hardness and refractivity than natural or lab-created diamonds. Diamonds made in a laboratory rather than mined from the earth are chemically and physically identical to real diamonds.
Simulated Diamond is the diamonds that are said to be fake. The appearance of these diamonds can be distinguished just by looking at them. The refractive index of the diamonds is double, which makes them emit a rainbow color.
The stones that are used as simulant diamonds are cubic zirconia and moissanite.
Lab-created Diamond is diamonds that are artificially prepared in laboratories. The conditions of the preparation of such diamonds involve all the natural environment that has been artificially created in the laboratories themselves.
Despite even being created in the laboratories, these diamonds have the same physical, optical, and chemical properties.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Simulated Diamond | Lab-created Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Shiny and emits out VIBGYOR | Same as the natural obtained diamond |
| Cost | Cheap | Expensive |
| Physical and Chemical Properties | Different from natural diamonds | Same as natural diamond |
| Refractive Index | Double Refractive Index | Single Refractive Index |
| Advantages | Durable, ethical, and cost effective | Durable, ethical, cost-effective, and all the physical, chemical, and optical properties are the same as natural diamonds |
| Uses | Jewelry purpose | Industrial uses and jewelry making |
| Method of Distinguish | Naked eyes | Through special laboratory equipment only |
What is Simulated Diamonds?
Simulated diamonds are not real diamonds and are also prepared in labs artificially. The stones that are prepared as the simulated diamonds are – cubic zirconia (CZ) and moissanite.
These diamonds have appeared more or like real diamonds, but their properties of these are entirely different from theirs.
The simulated diamonds’ physical and chemical properties differ from the naturally obtained diamonds. The simulated diamonds’ optical properties or refractive index is double of the real diamonds.
Due to this property, only the diamonds emit the VIBGYOR pattern.
The main uses of these diamonds are to make jewelry that costs cheap and is affordable for everyone. These simulated diamonds are distinguishable through the naked eye.
The hardness possessed by the zirconia gemstone is about 8.5 on the Mohs scale, while moissanite diamonds have an approximate value of about 9.25 on the Mohs scale.
What is Lab-created Diamonds?
Lab-created diamonds are also artificially prepared, and the conditions are extremely harsh. The diamonds are created by providing all the necessary natural conditions that are necessary for preparing the diamonds.
The extremely high pressure and temperature are created in the laboratories themselves to manufacture the diamonds.
The manufactured diamonds possessed all properties similar to that of real diamonds.
The chemical and physical properties of lab-created diamonds are entirely the same as that of a real diamond they are the hardest material and have the same chemical structure, formula, etc.
While the optical property, like the refractive index, is single.
These diamonds are so much elegantly and efficiently prepared in the laboratories that they are highly difficult for a person to distinguish between the real one and a lab-prepared one.
These are distinguished only after testing via specialized equipment in the laboratory only.
These diamonds are the best options for buying an engagement ring as they are cheaper than real diamonds, so the individual can get the same size, cut, shape, and design on a pocket-friendly budget.
They are also used for many industrial purposes.
Main Differences Between Simulated Diamonds and Lab-created Diamonds
- The appearance of the simulated diamonds seems to be shinier and more appealing as they are fake and emit out the VIBGYOR pattern of light while comparatively, on the other hand, the appearance of the lab-created diamonds seems to be more of like naturally curated diamonds.
- The cost of the simulated diamonds is way cheaper while comparatively, on the other hand, the cost of the lab-created diamonds is expensive but less expensive than the real diamonds.
- The physical and chemical properties possessed by the simulated diamonds are entirely different from that of real diamonds, while comparatively, on the other hand, the physical and chemical properties of the lab-created diamonds are completely the same as that of the real ones.
- The refractive index of the simulated diamonds is double, while comparatively, on the other hand, the refractive index of the lab-created diamonds is single.
- The advantages of simulated diamonds are that they are durable, cost-effective, and ethical to use, while comparatively, the advantages of lab-created diamonds are that they are also cost-effective, durable, ethical to use, and possess all the properties of real diamonds.
- The uses of simulated diamonds are more in jewelry making while comparatively, on the other hand, the uses of the lab-created diamonds are in industrial purposes along with jewelry making.
References
- https://opencommons.uconn.edu/srhonors_theses/34/
- https://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.61.3877
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1024831908377
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
