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Diamond vs Diamond

Are synthetic diamonds a better bargain with mined diamonds getting pricy and scarce by the day?

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The day doesn’t seem far when red-carpet celebrities will flaunt diamonds manufactured in local factories rather than a mine field. But, what is causing this shift in the market? The reason why cultured diamonds have shown real promise is primarily because mined diamonds are now scarce and getting more expensive by the day.

Logistically, synthetic and mined diamonds are chemically identical, as recognised by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). So, not even a jeweller can tell the difference under the naked eye unless it is put under the scanner of high-tech equipment.

“In India people want mined diamonds as they want to own a slice of history that goes in its making. The problem is that transparency is lacking here. Many a times, synthetic diamonds are passed off as natural diamonds because even the most experienced eyes can give it a miss,” says Prasanna Joshi, GM, Lagu Bandhu Motivale.

Synthetic diamonds are a great bargain if you’re looking for something that is easy on the pocket, explains Annaamalai KP, proprietor of Annam Impex.

He says, “Launching a synthetic diamond factory is cost-effective, because making man-made diamonds is up to 30-50% cheaper than mined ones. We, at Tiruchirapalli, have been manufacturing synthetic diamonds for past 100 years for industrial use. We import rough-cut diamonds produced in the Chinese, Russian or American factories and polish them. Now with the improvement in technology they are being increasingly used in jewellery.”

 Also there are other perks that one can enjoy with man-made diamonds. Annaamalai says, “Cultured diamonds often have fewer flaws than mined diamonds as they are grown from perfect slivers of other diamonds. They have unlimited potential as they can be customised to your needs. Finding a larger diamond will prove a challenge as most synthetic diamonds weigh less than one carat.”

Jewellery is often also bought for emotional or astrological reasons. And with synthetic diamonds it’s now possible to capture the memory of your loved one forever in a diamond. Memorial diamonds created from the carbon found in cremation ashes or a lock of hair can preserve your love for eternity. They come at a premium though and are custom made by select international brands.

Marilyn Monroe sang in her sultry voice, ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend…’ in the 1949 classic, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. With synthetic diamonds, it seems like we might be singing this song, often enough.

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