Synthetic & natural diamonds: the difference

Diamonds give our jewellery a special touch. That is why many people choose a gemstone in their ring, bracelet or earrings. But did you already know that there are different types of diamonds? We make a distinction between natural and synthetic varieties.

What are natural diamonds?

As the name suggests, these diamonds are formed in a natural way. They originate deep in the earth. Under the influence of enormous pressure and heat, carbon molecules crystallize into graphite, and then into diamonds. This process takes 1 to 3 billion years. Natural diamonds are quite rare. They are mainly mined in Russia, Botswana, Congo, Angola, South Africa and Australia.

What are synthetic diamonds?

Synthetic diamonds are made artificially. There are different production techniques:

• High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT), which mimics the formation of a natural diamond over a period of 10 to 12 weeks.
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), in which a thin layer of material is applied to a substrate via a evaporation process.

Although we sometimes find these 'lab grown diamonds' on jewellery, they are mainly used for industrial applications.

What is the difference?

At first sight, there is little difference between natural and synthetic diamonds. Yet they are not entirely identical. Because lab diamonds have a lower density. Moreover, the largest variants are only three carats. That is a big difference with the largest natural diamond; the Big Star of Africa of 530.2 carats. Finally, some synthetic stones have a yellow or brown tint due to the production process.

What kind of diamonds do I find at Wim Meeussen?

We only sell jewellery with natural brilliant/diamonds. Why? Because they have something romantic about them. You wear a rare natural product that took millions of years to come into being. That gives real diamonds a special meaning.

Is there any chance that these are blood diamonds?

Blood diamonds or conflict diamonds are mined in inhumane conditions, often by children. To counteract this, the Kimberley Process was established in 2003. This international cooperation prevents conflict diamonds from entering the international trade. So you can buy diamond jewellery from us with peace of mind.