# Lab-created diamond vs. mined diamond -- what are the differences?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 14, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722 "2010-09-14T14:13:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/1 "2010-09-14T14:13:12Z")
What does a jeweler look at to determine if he’s holding a lab-created diamond or a naturally-occurring, mined diamond?
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/2 "2010-09-14T14:27:40Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> What does a jeweler look at to determine if he’s holding a lab-created diamond or a naturally-occurring, mined diamond?
AMNAJ, but my understanding is that even the highest quality natural diamond has some included carbon, which is visible under a microscope. Man-made diamonds are so pure that they have no detectable inclusions.
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### Author:  [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/3 "2010-09-14T14:34:20Z")
Not easily.
From [this](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/diamonds-on-demand.html) article:
> [@](#):
>
> Gemologists plying everyday tools can seldom distinguish between natural and lab-grown diamonds. (Fake diamonds such as cubic zirconia are easy to spot.) De Beers sells two machines that detect either chemical or structural characteristics that sometimes vary between the two types of stones, but neither machine can tell the difference all the time. Another way to identify a lab-produced diamond is to cool the stone in liquid nitrogen and then fire a laser at it and examine how the light passes through the stone. But equipment is expensive and the process can take hours.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/4 "2010-09-14T14:44:15Z")
I think I recall that one side or the other was marking their diamonds to show that they were mined/manufactured.
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### Author:  [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/5 "2010-09-14T16:14:19Z")
Lab created ones are usually more pure I beleive
And mined ones I thought all hid microscopic laser engravements
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/6 "2010-09-14T16:46:10Z")
The only differences are that manufactured ones are better (larger, less defects, etc.), and that DeBeers engraves identifying marks into all the ones they mine. Contrary to what DeBeers marketing might have you believe, a synthetic stone won’t cause your woman to fall out of love with you in two months, cheat on you with your best friend, divorce you, and steal your dog.
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### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/7 "2010-09-14T16:52:19Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#):
>
> Lab created ones are usually more pure I beleive
>
> And mined ones I thought all hid microscopic laser engravements
If you were trying to pass off artificial diamonds as natural ones, couldn’t you jsut add the appropriate contaminants to make them appear natural?
Likewise with the engraving?
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/8 "2010-09-14T16:54:13Z")
Most jewelers can’t even tell a diamond apart from a Moissanite (which is a lab-created Silicon Carbide crystal, and not a diamond at all), much less a mined diamond vs. a lab-created diamond.
The major difference between a mined diamond and a lab created diamond, is that one was likely extracted from the earth using slave labor or something an awful lot like it; the other wasn’t.
Most lab-created diamonds available for sale in the jewlery business are actually “fancy” colored diamonds, I’m not exactly sure why but it seems to be the case that a lab-created clear diamond is rather unusual.
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### Author:  [@curious11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious11)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/9 "2010-09-14T17:03:10Z")
Wired magazine did a great story on a Florida Diamond Mine in a warehouse…
> **[The New Diamond Age](https://www.wired.com/2003/09/diamond/)**
>
> Armed with inexpensive, mass-produced gems, two startups are launching an assault on the De Beers cartel. Next up: the computing industry. Aron Weingarten brings the yellow diamond up to the stainless steel jeweler’s loupe he holds against his eye....
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### Author:  [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/10 "2010-09-14T17:27:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> The only differences are that manufactured ones are better (larger, less defects, etc.), and that DeBeers engraves identifying marks into all the ones they mine. Contrary to what DeBeers marketing might have you believe, a synthetic stone won’t cause your woman to fall out of love with you in two months, cheat on you with your best friend, divorce you, and steal your dog.
You haven’t met my wife.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/11 "2010-09-14T17:38:43Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#):
>
> > [@Chronos](#):
> >
> > The only differences are that manufactured ones are better (larger, less defects, etc.), and that DeBeers engraves identifying marks into all the ones they mine. Contrary to what DeBeers marketing might have you believe, a synthetic stone won’t cause your woman to fall out of love with you in two months, cheat on you with your best friend, divorce you, and steal your dog.
>
> You haven’t met my wife.
Or they haven’t yet told you.
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### Author:  [@Level3Navigator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Level3Navigator)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/12 "2010-09-14T19:08:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> A synthetic stone won’t cause your woman to fall out of love with you in two months, cheat on you with your best friend, divorce you, and steal your dog.
No, that’s caused by listening to country music.
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### Author:  [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/13 "2010-09-14T20:50:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> The only differences are that manufactured ones are better (larger, less defects, etc.), and that DeBeers engraves identifying marks into all the ones they mine. Contrary to what DeBeers marketing might have you believe, a synthetic stone won’t cause your woman to fall out of love with you in two months, cheat on you with your best friend, divorce you, and steal your dog.
That’s good. I’d really miss my dog.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/14 "2010-09-14T21:20:35Z")
> [@Level3Navigator](#):
>
> > [@Chronos](#):
> >
> > A synthetic stone won’t cause your woman to fall out of love with you in two months, cheat on you with your best friend, divorce you, and steal your dog.
>
> No, that’s caused by listening to country music.
Unless you play it backward.
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/15 "2010-09-14T22:32:22Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> Most lab-created diamonds available for sale in the jewlery business are actually “fancy” colored diamonds, I’m not exactly sure why but it seems to be the case that a lab-created clear diamond is rather unusual.
Lab-created diamonds are indistinguishable from mined, naturally occuring diamonds for all intents and purposes.
So far, and I emphasise _so far_, the processes used tend to create wonderfully clean, clear, free of inclusions specimens. They usualy have a yellow tint though They haven’t learned how to make a rather white synthetic diamond. It’s only a matter of time.
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### Author:  [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/16 "2010-09-14T23:30:20Z")
Clear white diamonds can be made by chemical vapor deposition. This is a distinct process from the catalyzed process that makes the yellow diamonds. The yellow diamonds have a very specific chemical signature from the catalyst. I’d be very surprised if there weren’t a fairly cheap test for those diamonds, as the spectral signature of the catalyst ought to be fairly unique.
CVD diamonds on the other hand can be whatever you want, you just need to change the feed gas composition. I am not aware of any company selling CVD diamonds commercially. I thought there was a place called Apollo Diamonds, but that was some time ago.
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### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/17 "2010-09-14T23:37:46Z")
[The DiamondView tester from De Beers uses UV fluorescence to detect trace impurities of nitrogen, nickel or other metals in HPHT or CVD diamonds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond).
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/18 "2010-09-14T23:48:52Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#):
>
> Clear white diamonds can be made by chemical vapor deposition. This is a distinct process from the catalyzed process that makes the yellow diamonds.
I think you’re correct, but their only problem is they can’t even make a half-carat diamond currently.
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### Author:  [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/19 "2010-09-15T02:03:00Z")
Can’t or won’t? I don’t really see any limitation beyond time. Maybe it isn’t economical to occupy a machine for one rock for so long. I don’t know how fast the process is. Building a crystal one atom at a time does have limitations.
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### Author:  [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lab-created-diamond-vs-mined-diamond-what-are-the-differences/553722/20 "2010-09-15T02:36:21Z")
The marketing people really need to get on to synthetic diamonds.
The number of women I’ve heard say they would only want “real” diamonds, without knowing any details of how either are produced.
If they were called “pure” or “custom” diamonds; different story.
Not that this would allow us guys to save any cash…ludicrous expense is the whole point of such gifts. But at least the money may go towards crafting something intricate and/or customised and not on diamond mines and de beers.
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