Everyone knows the famous phrase, "A girl's best friend is a diamond." These are not just one-day trinkets but the most durable investment, which, in combination, is also a fashionable decoration. At the cost of him sometimes a fortune, for which to save for a long time, and waiting for a gift from a random wealthy admirer is completely stupid. But there is a great alternative - lab grown diamonds, which does not differ from the natural one in appearance, but costs several times cheaper.
Everyone is interested in the name in the jewelry world of a stone created not by nature but by human hands. "It's a fake diamond", you say, and you're wrong. You need to distinguish between the handicraft production of fakes and a high-tech process that gradually repeats the appearance of a precious gem. For this, expensive equipment and high-quality raw materials are used. As a result, a perfect diamond, which even an experienced specialist cannot distinguish from a real one. In the previous post of our blog, we talked about gold types characteristics, in this article we will give answers about can a lab grown diamond be broken.
Standard features of natural and lab-grown diamonds
The stream production of these stones had a twofold effect on the stone industry. On the one hand, the "twin brother" of a natural diamond solved the problem of the shortage of natural stones. On the other hand, dishonest sellers can pass off "lab-made diamonds" as natural stones and earn a lot of money from them.
We will learn how to distinguish the art of nature from the mastery of the modern diamond industry a little later, but for now, about the general features of lab-made diamonds and natural diamonds.
They are almost identical in:
- Physical properties, atomic structure, chemical composition;
- Transparency, degree of thermal conductivity, purity of the crystal lattice;
- Initial raw material for manufacturing.
If you are presented with a ring with a "diamond" and they will assure you that it is nothing more than "gold diamonds" you will never suspect fraud. Even an experienced jeweler, under a magnifying glass, can sometimes not discern traces of a lab diamond's origin from a pebble, especially if it is white because a transparent artificial diamond without impurities of other colors cannot be distinguished from a real one.
Main characteristics lab grown diamonds:
- Properties of lab diamonds. This stone has absolutely no defects; it is crystal clear, quite hard, has high optical dispersion, and has high thermal conductivity. The latter is quite essential for technical admixture.
- Crystal structure of stone. A diamond can be one big stone. And maybe have a lot of fused crystals. Large rocks are widely used in jewelry and are in great demand. Polycrystalline diamonds, made from many refined grains, are apparent and scattered in sunlight and are used in industry as a cutting tool.
- Diamond hardness. Lab-created diamonds contain the most increased hardness. The word "hardness" refers to resistance to indentation. It depends on the purity, the presence of defects in the crystal lattice, and its orientation. The hardness of nanocrystalline diamonds can be 30-70%.
Can lab-made diamonds be scratched?
If you want to distinguish a scratched lab diamond from other materials using a method, this is an effective business, but it can lead to a sad result.
Let's explain everything with a simple example. Imagine taking sharp glass in one hand and plastic in the other. Run the mirror over the plastic. We all understand that the trace will remain. Why? Yes, because the hardness of glass is much higher than ordinary plastic. Now let's do the opposite experiment. You can scratch glass with plastic to exhaustion, but it will not do you any useful since this material is considerably tiny and confusing.
The same is valid with diamonds. If you have an ordinary high-quality lab diamond in your hand, then no matter how you scratch it, no traces should remain. Since the strength of a diamond is considered the highest of all known types of precious and ornamental stones. But lab diamond will scratch anything.
Now back to your situation. For example, they slipped you crystal or cubic zirconia in jewelry instead of lab-created diamonds. Innovative books say that the hardness of these beauties is in the range of 7.0 to 9.0. The mark will remain if you scratch a mineral with a diamond. You will be upset, and the stone will be corrupted. Therefore, we urge you not to pass the rocks by sorting by "barbaric" methods. It is better to turn to specialists.
How can a diamond be damaged? Lab grown diamond, despite its hardness, is a brittle mineral. But he can't just crack. This requires mechanical action on the stone. If a crack in the rock came to the surface, a chip could form when it hit a hard surface. However, as long as you care for your lab diamond correctly, there is a minimal chance it will suffer any damage.
How to Fix a Broken Lab Grown Diamond?
As the surface of a lab diamond gets dirtier, the stone becomes dull and lifeless. In turn, some of the inclusions previously masked by the brilliance and shimmer of the stone will now become more apparent. This can trick your eyes into believing that there are new imperfections when they have been there all along.
Cleaning the lab grown diamond and removing a large amount of dirt can quickly restore the stone to its original state. You only need a soft brush and a little detergent to get the job done. But you should contact the experts for repairs.
When should I take my engagement ring with lab grown diamonds off?
For many of us, a lab diamond engagement ring is the first real (and probably most expensive) piece of jewelry we will own, let alone wear every day. After the proposal's flames die, you may begin to wonder how to keep your ring safe and sound. It is advisable to remove it when you sleep, exercise and play sports and take a shower and wash your hands.
How should I store my engagement ring with lab grown diamonds?
If you do not wear a wedding ring for some time, it is better to store it in a closed box, trimmed inside with a soft cloth. It is also essential to keep her away from excessive heat. For example, choosing a storage location next to the battery would be an unfortunate decision.
Can you break a lab diamond with a hammer?
Inherently, the stone will calmly survive a fall from a considerable height, and even if you step on it, nothing critical will happen. But if you hit the lab diamond with a hammer with force, it will crack; otherwise, it will crumble into small crumbs. Just do not do this: the experiment will be too expensive.
