# Make-your-own diamond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105 "2003-02-10T15:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/1 "2003-02-10T15:06:25Z")
I have a question that’s been bugging me for a long time. I know (or at least I think I know) that diamond is basically carbon that’s been compressed over a long (very long) period of time. My question is: is there a way to speed up this process (e.g. by creating immense heat or some other thing - I’m just saying something here)? In other words, could you make diamonds in a factory? If so, would it be cost-effective (i.e. would the diamond not cost more to make than it would be worth)? This might just be a dumb question: IANAS, and I don’t know the conditions it takes to make a diamond, but still: could it be done? ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/2 "2003-02-10T15:36:44Z")
It’s done on a pretty large scale already. Those “industrial diamonds” are mostly used for drilling, grinding, cutting and stuff. Even [De Beers](http://www.e6.com/e6/page.jsp?pageid=100&lang=en) is making them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/3 "2003-02-10T15:37:32Z")
[Here](http://www.eweek.org/site/News/Eweek/AIChE3.shtml) is an article on the creation of artifical diamonds. > [@](#): > > …spent more than 30 years creating artificial diamond crystals through a low- pressure process known as chemical vapor deposition or CVD. Utilizing CVD has made it easier and cheaper to put the crystal’s unique properties-which include hardness, low compressibility, heat conductivity, great strength, chemical inertness, and excellent electrical insulation-to work… ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/4 "2003-02-10T15:39:32Z")
Another [link](http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa071801a.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/5 "2003-02-10T15:44:26Z")
Thanks. I’ve been wondering for months now, but somehow I never found the answer. So here’s the follow up question: doesn’t this affect the value of diamonds? If someone suddenly found a way of making gold and started doing so on a large scale, this would seriously affect gold prices, right? So how about the diamond market? ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/6 "2003-02-10T15:49:23Z")
From my second cite: > [@](#): > > The resulting diamonds are usually a few millimeters in size and too flawed for use as gemstones […] So I don’t think this hurts the jewellers all that much. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/7 "2003-02-10T15:54:39Z")
Even if they could make ‘perfect’ fake diamonds, I’m sure the real thing would still be more valuable. Kind of like how a pair of underwear with a Nike swoosh or Tommy Hillfiger logo somehow sells from 20 dollars more than a perfectly functional pair, sans logo. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/8 "2003-02-10T16:49:14Z")
There was even a service that sprung up for making your own diamonds out of a loved ones ashes. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2209799.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2209799.stm) > [@](#): > > \*\*A US firm says it will turn your cremated ashes into a diamond for the loved ones you leave behind to cherish. > > LifeGem Memorials of Chicago charges $4,000 to $22,000 for a synthetic diamond that a family member can wear when you are gone, made from the carbon you leave behind. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/9 "2003-02-10T17:09:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Short Guy \* > \*\*Thanks. I’ve been wondering for months now, but somehow I never found the answer. > > So here’s the follow up question: doesn’t this affect the value of diamonds? If someone suddenly found a way of making gold and started doing so on a large scale, this would seriously affect gold prices, right? So how about the diamond market? \*\* Nope, as long as De Beers (see link above) cartel maintains monopoly control over the diamond market, diamond prices will NEVER drop. I think they said a couple of years ago they would no longer control diamond prices, but I haven’t seen anything indicating that they have. critter42 ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/10 "2003-02-10T17:17:04Z")
Actually DeBeers and other people in the diamond trade are very worried about manufactured diamonds. They can make very good stones with machines now, but they still cost too much. In time some experts believe we will be able to make perfect diamonds using industrial machines. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/11 "2003-02-10T19:52:54Z")
I saw an episode of VOVA where the artificial diamonds they make in the former Soviet Union are gem quality; however, the way such diamonds can be tested is simple…they flouresce under UV, natural diamonds don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/12 "2003-02-10T19:54:06Z")
Make that NOVA, on PBS. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/13 "2003-02-10T20:29:18Z")
Does this process scale easily? Can they make something bigger than the Hope diamond? ---
**Author:** ![RussellM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@RussellM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RussellM)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/14 "2003-02-11T08:58:56Z")
> [@](#): > > A US firm says it will turn your cremated ashes into a diamond for the loved ones you leave behind to cherish. > > LifeGem Memorials of Chicago charges $4,000 to $22,000 for a synthetic diamond that a family member can wear when you are gone, made from the carbon you leave behind. As I recall, there was a potential problem reported with this process. The diamonds they produced were ‘perfect’, in that they showed no sign of the ashes from which they were constructed. Cynics might suggest that they could easily give you any old diamond and take your $22,000 Russell ---
**Author:** ![diffdam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@diffdam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diffdam)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-own-diamond/154105/15 "2003-02-11T13:22:05Z")
Diamond prices are controlled by a cartel, mostly involving De Beers & the Russians.The price is enormously inflated by controlling stock releases. Good quality diamond can be easily produced in thin films at the moment, but if anyone bothered to produce thick layers for gems the price would tank & make it not worthwhile - unless they joined the cartel!