Diamonds indicate the wealth of the owner. Earlier, the extraction of precious stones was not easy, and deposits of natural gems were rare. Hence the high price of diamonds. Modern analogues of jewelry, artificial diamonds, are quite affordable. Outwardly, the stones practically do not differ from natural ones.
In 1880, Russian scientists Lachinov and Erofeev discovered a diamond in a piece of meteorite iron. The French researcher Henri Moissant learned about the find of his colleagues. He put forward the idea of producing precious stones using an electric furnace. For the discovery, the scientist received the Nobel Prize, and the mineral he received was named moissanite.
Varieties
In laboratory conditions, diamond was first synthesized in 1950 in Sweden. In 1976 in the Soviet Union they received analogs of diamond, cubic zirconia.
There are two groups of artificial crystals. These are "substitutes" and instances with a natural structure. Each variety has its own characteristics:
- Multicolored cubic zirconias are distinguished by their brilliance and play of glare. Colorless specimens are recognized as the most valuable. Usually synthetic stones are heavier than natural ones. True, such jewelry is prone to clouding, and also scratches.
- Moissanites are recognized as the most valuable synthetic diamonds. Smooth and durable stones are distinguished from natural gems by their excessively bright luster.
The imitation of a luxurious stone used for decoration is called rhinestones. They are obtained from acrylic or glass. The most famous manufacturer is the Austrian company "Swarovski".
Production technologies
Several techniques for growing artificial diamonds have been developed. The main task of scientists is to achieve the natural strength of minerals.
According to the first system, conditions are created in the laboratory that are as close as possible to natural ones. There is a compartment inside the high pressure press. Graphite is placed in it, which is converted into diamond. The capsule is supplied with electricity.
First, it is cooled, then compressed with a press and an impulse is applied. After thawing the ice, the resulting diamond is removed from the capsule. Porous and cloudy crystals are used in industry.
Synthesis in a methane environment is based on the growth of an additional mass of a natural crystal. The "seed" mineral is heated to 1111 degrees. Carbon atoms are added to the red-hot mineral.
The explosion method is used to obtain diamond dust. Graphite is placed on a specially heated surface. The detonation wave turns the material into dust.
The catalyst method is used for industrial needs. The catalysts are palladium, rhodium, platinum and iron. Metals allow you to get by with less pressure and temperature. Crystals are formed by a catalyst film and red-hot graphite.
Scope of use
The cost of an artificial diamond depends on the complexity of production, and on the appearance, and on the size. Trends in the jewelry market are also important. So, the price of moissanite sometimes exceeds the natural value due to the cutting and technology. Cubic zirconia is much cheaper.
Much depends on the color of the crystal. The transparency of the stone is not an easy task. Therefore, a copy of pure water is much more valuable than a red or yellow analogue.
Synthetic stones are used for the production of media grade jewelry. Usually these are cubic zirconias set in silver, platinum or gold. Wearing them is allowed at any time of the day, while it is customary to wear real stones only with evening dresses. So, earrings with small crystals set in gold or silver will look simple and elegant.
Shimmering stones in a ring or bracelet are more suitable for going out into the world, but a white gold ring decorated with a modest cubic zirconia is quite appropriate for a working look.
Care, features
Artificial gems require special care:
- Such jewelry is stored in stone boxes to prevent the loss of luster.
- Rings and bracelets are removed from hands before working with chemicals.
- Be sure to wipe synthetic diamonds regularly with a soft cloth.
Despite the availability and beauty, artificial counterparts have disadvantages. The main disadvantage is the yellow haze of any instance. It is visible through a microscope. Thanks to her, jewelers distinguish natural crystals from those grown by people.
The second drawback is the lower hardness than natural gems. Therefore, synthesized specimens can scratch and fade over time.
Moissanite does not have these problems, but the excessive brightness of the crystal often repels connoisseurs of noble luxury from it.
