Synthetic diamonds...

[Shyatic]

Hey folks,

I'm not getting engaged any time soon, but I was talking about this with my girlfriend and told her that I'd never buy a diamond -- just too much blood on it to support the idea.

However, I had read about synthetic diamonds that are 'real' in that they have the same properties of a diamond... except they are not extracted from the earth, but rather made in a lab. The jewelers say they are 'too' perfect, so I think that's probably a good thing.

It's not the cost that I'm concerned about, it's where it comes from. Even DeBeers said they don't come from Africa and such, but that was later proven false anyway.

Regardless... I am just curious how one would go about looking into these, the prices comparitively, etc. I want to start doing my homework now so that when Ms Right comes along and I am ready to do that, I can buy a synthetic (albeit real) diamond. If she doesn't want that or doesn't understand why I wouldn't want to buy it... then she's not Ms. Right

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: Scribejust too much blood on it to support the idea.

Explain.

Jeebus give me 30 seconds to edit my post!

 

[Shyatic]

Originally posted by: cherrytwist

Originally posted by: Scribe
Explain.

????

 

[GuitarDaddy]

The diamond trade in Africa has long been rife with corruption, slavery, extremely poor work conditions, and killings

 

[Dr. Detroit]

http://www.dsourceva.com/simulated-diamonds.htm

http://www.simulateddiamonds.net/"><a target=_blank class=ftalternating...>http://www.simulateddiamonds.net/</a></a></a>

HSN
QVC
Shop At Home

The go by the names Diamonique, Absolute, and others

A simple google search on "simulated diamonds will lead you to a brevy of sites selling/making these.

http://www.rostar.com/RostarSD/

EDIT: Forgot about ASHA, I've heard amazing things about their quality, brillaince, fire, clarity, and sparkle.


http://www.betterthandiamond.com/

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Moissanite FTW.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: cherrytwist

Originally posted by: Scribejust too much blood on it to support the idea.

Explain.

Jeebus give me 30 seconds to edit my post!

Wiki ftw.

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
The diamond trade in Africa has long been rife with corruption, slavery, extremely poor work conditions...

Ohhhh...you mean like NIKE?

 

[KarenMarie]

Diamoniques are really nice stones. Sold by QVC. I have one piece of jewelry ... had it for years... that looks believable and is well made. The HSN Absolute is crap by comparison. I saw some of it and would not buy it. Also, you can read the customer reviewson the HSN site. Not many raves on their products. signity is another one that is supposed to be wonderful. My sister owns a lot of it and for the price she paid, it is not nearly as nice as Diamonique.

Another site that looks like they make good stuff is:

http://cubiczircon.com/

I was looking at something there, as a friend of mine has a few things and they are really, really nice.

But the b/f got a bit pissed off that I was looking at fake diamonds, since he spent so many thousands and thousands of dollars to give me real diamond pieces over the years.

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo
Moissanite FTW.

Moissanite is awful. It is soooo fake looking. They have this huge song and dance about meteorites and yada yada yada... and better refraction and whatever. I have seen them. Went to a store and looked at a lot of pieces of jewelry as well as loose stones. They look fake.

It does have higher refraction than diamonds and that makes it look FAKE! The best color it is ever gonna be is I... which is quite yellow. And at the end of the day... they found a way to man make a meteor. A synthetic of a non diamond.

For that price... no way. Fake stones are fake stone.. whether they cost hundreds or thousands... they may be a lot of things... but one thing they all share... is that they are fake. so better with zircon or whatever for a lot less.

 

[Shyatic]

You guys don't get it.. I want a *real* diamond. I just want one that is made synthetically.

Google Apollo Diamonds, and you'll get what I mean.

 

[Mo0o]

As long as you can get your gf to agree to it I'd definitely go synthetic.

 

[Shyatic]

All this moisonniate or whatever stuff.. it's NOT A REAL DIAMOND. I want a *real one*. Just made in a lab... I'm trying to find the resellers and also, what the prices would be like.

 

[Shyatic]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
As long as you can get your gf to agree to it I'd definitely go synthetic.

If she doesn't agree, she won't be getting a ring from me.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
As long as you can get your gf to agree to it I'd definitely go synthetic.

Agreed.

Real Diamonds: Represent the mistreatment of vast numbers of africans by De Beers and the illegal diamond trade.

Lab Made Diamonds: Represent the pinnacle of human achievement. Better than natural perfection created by the hand of man. A thing made from the start to represent human emotion, not just some lump of coal given a name.

 

[alien42]

better than just synthetic

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: Scribe
All this moisonniate or whatever stuff.. it's NOT A REAL DIAMOND. I want a *real one*. Just made in a lab... I'm trying to find the resellers and also, what the prices would be like.

Not much time to nef while at work today, but from the time I spent looking into it a while back, most of the stuff I saw was yellow? That kinda turned me off, but why don't you get some of the canadian stuff?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: Scribe
You guys don't get it.. I want a *real* diamond. I just want one that is made synthetically.

Google Apollo Diamonds, and you'll get what I mean.

No you don't get it, a synthetic man made diamond is a fake. There is no such thing as a "real" synthetic diamond

 

[Shyatic]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: Scribe
All this moisonniate or whatever stuff.. it's NOT A REAL DIAMOND. I want a *real one*. Just made in a lab... I'm trying to find the resellers and also, what the prices would be like.

Not much time to nef while at work today, but from the time I spent looking into it a while back, most of the stuff I saw was yellow? That kinda turned me off, but why don't you get some of the canadian stuff?

Even Canadian mined diamonds come DeBeers. I am not supporting them in any way.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy

Originally posted by: Scribe
You guys don't get it.. I want a *real* diamond. I just want one that is made synthetically.

Google Apollo Diamonds, and you'll get what I mean.

No you don't get it, a synthetic man made diamond is a fake. There is no such thing as a "real" synthetic diamond

Fake as in.. it's not made from carbon?

 

[So]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy

Originally posted by: Scribe
You guys don't get it.. I want a *real* diamond. I just want one that is made synthetically.

Google Apollo Diamonds, and you'll get what I mean.

No you don't get it, a synthetic man made diamond is a fake. There is no such thing as a "real" synthetic diamond

Methinks you're behind the times. Man has made industrial grade synthetic diamonds (not diamond look alikes) since the '50s and since then they've gotten to gemstone quality.

 

[alien42]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy

Originally posted by: Scribe
You guys don't get it.. I want a *real* diamond. I just want one that is made synthetically.

Google Apollo Diamonds, and you'll get what I mean.

No you don't get it, a synthetic man made diamond is a fake. There is no such thing as a "real" synthetic diamond

sure there is...

definition of a diamond:

"An extremely hard, highly refractive crystalline form of carbon that is usually colorless and is used as a gemstone and in abrasives, cutting tools, and other applications."

 

[Shyatic]

There are machines that are used by some labs, that simulate the process of making a diamond. They use carbon, pressure, and heat to get the diamond to 'grow' over the period of a few days. They come out perfect, and jewlers can only say that it's TOO perfect to distinguish them from natrual mined diamonds.

That said... I want a rock that if my signifigant other takes it to a jeweler, that would be his response.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
The diamond trade in Africa has long been rife with corruption, slavery, extremely poor work conditions, and killings

The trading itself doesn't take place in Africa, it's the mining that takes place there.

The trading happens in places like Antwerp (Belgium), London (England), NY (USA), Bombay and Surat (India), Hong Kong.

And then again, Africa isn't the only place that you can find diamonds. You can find them in Russia as well, and I think Canada as well.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
EDIT: Forgot about ASHA, I've heard amazing things about their quality, brillaince, fire, clarity, and sparkle.

http://www.betterthandiamond.com/

I bought a pair of 2ct Asha earring's for my gf. Not her or anyone else that has seen them has said anything other than they are beautiful diamonds. Consequently I haven't told anyone they aren't real either.