Why lab-grown diamonds are better than mined diamonds
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มี.ค. 2021
- Lab-grown diamonds or synthetic diamonds are purer, cheaper and more sustainable than natural diamonds, so why are we still mining them? New technologies are opening the door to new hi-tech applications and a more sustainable production process.
We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Our new channel Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world - and challenges our ideas about what dealing with climate change means. We look at the big and the small: What can we do and how the system needs to change. Every Friday we'll take a truly global look at how to get us out of this mess.
#PlanetA #SyntheticDiamonds #LabGrownDiamonds
READ MORE:
Diamond as an electronic material: www.sciencedirect.com/science...
Human rights abuses in Zimbabwe: www.hrw.org/report/2009/06/26...
Human rights violations in connection to diamond mining:
www.hrw.org/report/2018/02/08...
The story of Farai Muguwu: www.frontlinedefenders.org/en...
Author/Video Editor: Christian Caurla
Supervising Editor: Kiyo Dörrer
SPECIAL THANKS
Special thanks to Juliane Kippenberg and Human Rights Watch for their support in researching this video. Check out their website to know more about their work to protect human rights in diamond mines: www.hrw.org/report/2018/02/08...
Special thanks to diamond analyst Paul Zimnisky for his interview and support. You can read his reports on the diamond industry here: www.paulzimnisky.com/
Paul Zimnisky Diamond Analytics (PZDA) offers independent global diamond industry analysis and consulting, specializing in diamond supply/demand research and analysis.
It's crazy how we figured out how to grow real diamonds that are cheaper and better quality, but people are still like, "No thanks the suffering is what makes it special."
Humanity at it best
Wow! Well put. I've also said that people are paying a premium for abuse.
People don't know nothing every lab diamond starts with a mined diamond ( but its bad buy a lab people are stupid) 😂😂😂
i get what youre trying to say, but its the rarity of mined diamonds that give it its value. you dont want to make a big purchase for it to drop to zero value the moment you purchase. lab grown diamonds do not retain value because they are all essentially carbon copies of each other. you want to purchase something that will retain its value in the case that you want to sell it.
@@ArtemysNyxMined diamonds don't retain value either. All diamond jewelry is an absolute scam.
As a Zimbabwean, I agree 100% with this video. We need more lab grown diamonds to stop coruption in Africa
Zimbabwe's problems are with Socialism not with Diamonds. There are plenty of other countries in the world that do not have the same issues with Diamonds in the modern era.
@@cleffy6978 no their problem is western sanctions that have been on them for 40s years now. Socialism would actually empower the Zimbabwean working class as they would be organized labor with political power. Why not read about Socialism
look at your neigbhours botswana and namibia, they did amazing with diamonds , sorry your govt is corrupt
@@harrymac5229 lol both of those countries aren't sanctioned. Both have corrupt governments as any citizen from those countries can tell you. Western sanctions affects 1/4 of all humans on this planet.
the resources are good. the government is evil. lab grown diamonds won´t change zimbabawe governments abusing of people and poverty
I don't know why, but as an engineer, I think lab-grown Diamonds are much more beautiful.
yep lab grown diamonds are created by us, and they did not cause suffering to others
No way! Natural diamonds are the best
@@lanacastillo49 yes they might be more pretty to you, but not to slaves who have are forced to work in a mine, or all the lives lost because of diamonds, and all the wars fueled by diamond mining. so you think a piece of shining rock is worth death of others
I agree with you. My husband is an engineer too. And my engagement ring is a lab created & I love it 🥰
agreed, because you pretty sure it is not mined by a force Labour in Africa or been through some bloody situations.
I'm a scientist so lab grown diamonds are more amazing and meaningful to me because they are made possible by innovative scientists and engineers. Lab diamonds are also used in many scientific applications such as advanced microscopes because natural ones just aren't pure enough in quality. I asked for and received a beautiful lab diamond engagement ring. I love everything about it!
So cool!
Amazing.
i love going to look at jewelry & seeing it say LAB GROWN & having the employees act like it’s a bad thing. i prefer them to natural diamonds for all of the reasons mentioned in this video. at the end of the day it’s just a shiny rock no ones gonna put under a microscope after you buy it 😁
the only way to find out if it's natural if it's has impurities in it lol
i want to be rich just so that i can go to stores and ask exclusively for lab-grown diamonds.
Why would you prefer any kind of diamond over zirconium?
@@carval51 You could add impurities in the lab tho.
@@ahtoshkaa zirconium is shit imo lol. Either (Lab) diamonds or moissanite the rest scratches too easily if you wear it everyday
It’s a no brainer that lab diamonds are superior in each and every single way to mined diamonds. Lab diamonds are identical in chemistry and physics, and are much more humane and environmentally friendly.
yeah if you just want a generic cookie-cutter diamond... to say a lab diamond is superior and it's a no-brainer is actually really dismissive. 20% of diamonds are mined by ASM miners who live in areas where the only surrounding work is mining. big companies have stolen natural resources and they make up the other 80%. if we stop buying natural diamonds there are people that will suffer because they will continue to mine and make no money. we have to support ASM miners and make sure that the ethics around diamonds and where we source them is known. also, there are lots of incredible diamonds with color and beautiful characteristics that lab-grown could never reproduce. not to mention the value of lab is not the same, it's not an investment and you may never be able to resell it. It's just good to weigh the pros and cons before dismissing natural diamonds. if you want a lab-grown diamond go for it but it's not the only answer to feeling good about where you are spending your money. we still don't know the long-term impact lab has on the environment... just had to say these things. i hope that helps. :)
@@a.m.thorne8611 and also lab diamonds have exactly same features as a real diamond even on microscopic level it's cheaper and less environmental damage and having the clean concience of knowing it doesn't come from slaves :)
it is not a monopoly so it is the true value instead of feeding the fat DeBeer owners and the war.
@@a.m.thorne8611 DeBeer makes way more and the ASM miners can do better stuff that actually improves humanity instead of feeding into a monopoly. What you said is basically like if we stop buying timeshare those timeshare salesman will be unemployed, or if we stop gambling the casino workers will be unemployed.
The deal with de beers and Debswana is 50/50 currently. Trust me I am not a fan of the Diamond industry but I will say don’t you think it’s fair that ASM miners have a shot? For way too long ASM miners have made nothing while big companies have profited. Honestly many miners live far from anything and mining is a way to make a living. There are active initiatives that are bringing the stories of people and the impact we have on these communities. Many initiatives use the premium to help develop schools in mining communities so their children have more options. I think we can have our on opinion about this topic. I just don’t want to forget about the marginalized population of people who are counting on support from the industry.
This is why I was so glad my fiancé picked out a lab grown sapphire ring made by a small artist rather than a pricey shiny rock, we can put a down payment on a house with all the money we’ve saved
Lab sapphires have been around for decades.
@@user-mv9tt4st9k so have lab grown diamonds. I learned about them in the 90s, and it wasn't news then
ehhhh... i totally agree on the down payment on the house and saving money and all... but dont speak as if you would rather have a lab sapphire as supposed to a natural diamond if money wasnt an issue.
Amen.
@@Arthur_StJohn I really, really didn't want a natural diamond. I don't like the stress (what if I lose my ring?) or the emotional context around wanting a ring that's as expensive as possible (it feels like a down payment on ME), and I don't think they're actually the prettiest stones out there. I'm obsessed with my moissanite engagement ring! It's unbelievably sparkly and has a lovely, fashionable subtle green color. And we will also be putting the saved money towards our first home. I love that my fiance knows my tastes, ethics and priorities well enough to have chosen it for me.
6:09 talks about diamond's crystal structure but shows graphite's crystal. I understand it is easier to show but the chemistry teacher in me is suffering
Yeah, and gives people a poor understanding of why it's so hard. Graphite is soft and shears in planes for a reason, and it's that structure. Diamond's unit cell is much stabler (Best I can describe it is like a weird tripod type thing) and makes far more sense. Stuff like that graphite structure thing is exactly how people develop misconceptions about physical/chemical properties
thanks so much for sharing!
Graphene
@@Hardbrand Graphene is just a single layer from graphite's crystal.
Diamonds break if put pressure in the right spot along the grain.
I’ve always maintained this theory about Lab diamonds v. Mined Diamonds. Restricted supply, high pumped up demand by greedy companies = happy consumers. Loved the plastic models at the end. 😀
Even without the restricted supply, people tend to value natural stones just because they are tougher to get, even though they tend to have more flaws than an artificially created stone. It's pretty strange. For that matter, is the difference between a diamond and cubic zirconia really vast enough to justify the disparity in cost? when those first came out, even experts were unable to spot the difference between the two. Yet cubic zirconia are worth just a fraction of what a diamond costs.
It was once supply restricted, but after China bacame rich, the supply became actually not enough
@@johnbiscuit8272 bruh
@@bronzeplayergaming2244 wut... I saw it in another video.... Not gonna say its 100% true, but for sure China has alot of rich people buying diamond... There is a stereotype within the Chinese community on rich Chinese.
The person will go into a store, points out a few item and tell the shop to pack up everything else.
@@simonphoenix3789 - Do you mean SiC aka Moissanite. Lab made Cubic Zirconia is easy to differentiate because it has no thermal conductivity and a specific gravity of 6.
Lovely vid! Diamonds remind us that - all too often - finding a technological solution is only the beginning of the battle.
I ended up choosing a lab grown true hearts diamond from James Allen. I am waiting for De Beers market to dismantle. Irony behind it there is Lightbox now also selling fine jewelry lab created. Sooner or later everyone will be educated about it.
@syanin dita There will always be two sides to every market. Those who heavily invested in natural diamonds have the mentality that their natural diamond is rare but due to De Beers creating a monopoly out of it during WWI, " A Diamond is a Woman's Best Friend," it created a market for it. They claim it being rare but it is not, just overly priced. As soon as you buy a a diamond, it depreciates by half. Synthetics have little to no resell value but who buys a diamond as investment? 😅
@syanin dita It is what it is, hope you find a partner who has same values as you.
@syanin dita Jewelry is not a good investment due to high markups.
Thank you for including the voice of the Zimbabwean man. I hate that destruction too.
I LOVE lab-grown diamonds! It is magical that man can create a diamond, a ruby, a sapphire! It's the stuff of fairytales!
Except all of the magic of nature is gone when lab grown
@@bperez8656 we don't need magic that involves bloodshed and companies restricting supply to create artificial demand for an otherwise not a very rare piece of shony rock
Hell yeah, there's all sorts of new possibilities with lab grown diamonds. Colored diamonds are incredibly rare, but we could easily introduce elements like chromium to synthesize some amazing colored diamonds, and we could easily make larger gems with lab grown diamonds.
My best friend has a purple diamond with white diamond surrounding. It cost four years of my mortgage payments. Don't get it!
Colour is already being introduced into synthetic diamonds. As they're considerably cheaper than mined, people are also buying larger stones.
@@grazutissmith9647 Lab grown or mined? Specify your mortgage payment value. Not enough info
@@comradeofthebalance3147 Hi no definately mine the centre purple diamond was just under three carats it was said by the appraiser to be of perfect text book quality. And the surrounding white diamonds were round white diamonds that were E colour an IF clarity they came to just under two carats. On the shoulders there was one pink diamond which were about 30 points each and considered the second brightest pink available. The ring was 18 rose gold.font know the exact dollar amount but she said there was barely any change from 80,000$. Her husband is a well known hedge fund manager in Australia!
@@grazutissmith9647 I see. The price of diamond is more due to people buying rather than the price affecting people buying. So such stagnant price just means supply and demand is in equal. The applications of diamonds will be explored more and lab grown would be dominant version over mined anyways
Fun fact: a key client of security companies like G4S is diamond companies. They guard concrete slabs in Africa, covering known diamond deposits, to limit supply. Buying diamonds kind of makes you a meat puppet, unfortunately.
proof
DeBeers has always sucked
The concrete will hopefully be worth more than the diamonds they protect in the near future. We can only hope.
@@stewartc4558 common knowledge if you control or monopolize the market you control the price because you determine supply
@@jawalo2kthelast140 I would venture theyre already more valuabe as it already serves a bigger purpose.
Told my Boyfriend that I want a lab grown diamond or Moissanite . I don’t want to own something that needed people’s blood to be shed or the destruction of Earth .
But history shows that as the reason why it's exotic.
The Canadian diamonds are much more ethical if we insist on having natural diamonds, but yeah they're no real reason for a natural one
Better throw out everything you own then lmao. Synthetic diamonds still need tons of power to grow. Sorry, some things you actually just can't escape.
@@Just.Kidding _cough renewable energy cough_
Make sure he pays for it using cash that people blood and tear over lol.
I had no idea diamonds could actually be useful! I always assumed their sole purpose was jewellery and so valued because of their toughness, shine, and rarity. Imagine the good we could put them to if we used them more in computers and less on our hands. Hopefully being able to make our own will help our technology as well as our environment.
All cutting tools in civil constrution uses tiny synthetic diamonds. Where there is road works with cutting, you can find plenty,
There are other concerns with using Diamonds outside of jewelry. With any heavy substance, there are issues if it's inhaled or ingested. This can happen when used in industrial applications so it's important to wear a respirator. The effect this has on the body can be seen in warzones. The use of depleted uranium and tungsten ammo creates clouds of the stuff. Returning civilians and soldiers who inhale it develop cancers and internal injuries unrelated to radiation.
I can tell u didn't do any science subject in school
I have been using diamond bits for 30 years!
when I was in middle school, my physic teaher said diamond is C6. I asked, “Then can we make our own diamond?”. She said, “Yes, of course!’. She explained the process with so much fire in her eyes. I’m glad cus I stumbled upon this video…
Really good for glass cutters, saw blades. For bling, cubic zirconia looks the same to me.
right!
Cubic zirconia has a lower refractive index and lower dispersion than diamond. So they don’t look exactly the same.
One problem with cubic zirconia, they do become porous after a while. Had a 1ct cubic zirconia pendant, wore it continuously until it became so cloudy it looked terrible! I love the fire and sparkle of a white diamond so unable to change or substitute that! Diamonds aren't porous!
@@evelynharber6077 I think a good replacement is mosanite, almost as hard as diamonds and way way cheaper
@@miimirmz People constantly break tempered gorilla glass on their phones, what makes you think that a ring with a moisanite crystal, which is even harder than that, would last anyone longer than a day or two before they shattered it into a million pieces? Diamons are fragile... Moisanite is 6x more fragile than diamond...
Edit: I just googled it and people actually already make moisanite rings and neck pieces out of moisanite. Guess what the first complaint about them is?
Nothing in human kind has been better marketed than Diamonds. Tying "love" and "weddings/engagement" to a precious stone was an incredible marketing move. Adding to everything added to this video, people prefer "natural" diamonds for some absurd reason, when its scientifically proven that lab-created diamonds superior in everyway. Its like using the same material that Nike used to make a Air Force 1 shoe, and getting it directly from the supplier yourself to make the shoe, yet people will still prefer buying it from a Nike store for legitimacy, disregarding that materials are the exact same thing and at a more expensive cost.
Have you heard of this new tulip bulb called crypto or NFTs? Best marketing ever.
So you never bought any genuine Nikes for yourself? Bet you’re lying
I understand. You must’ve bought a lab grown diamond. Just know a manufacturer can poop the same diamond out whenever they feel like it. This is why lab grown vs natural resale values have such a large variance. Call it what you want but natural will always be superior for that reason.
@@Victor35b that's true, only reason natural diamonds are superior is because the concept of market value aka it's an investment. Otherwise, none the better.
@@bamboozled8955 you obviously dont own diamonds natural diamonds are far more expensive than your typical lab created diamond . the price to make these lab grown diamonds are 40 to 70 percent cheaper than a natural diamond . CVD is junk
This is why I didn't want diamond rings from my ex'es. They were shocked. I said I didn't want them to pay thousands to support an industry that brings so much pain and suffering to miners just to make me happy. I'd be happier with a plain ring.
Either way you weren’t happy 😆
Incredible video. I can't believe this doesn't have over a million views!!! This was very interesting and informative. 💖
Many thanks!
Because lab grown diamond are less expensive than natural made .ALL of the diamond dealers and collectors are not interested in man made diamond .
A Year later and it does.
Diamonds are a scam. Every diamond loses over half the asking price the instant you pay for it. Try selling one that you have bought and see what price you get for it.
Exactly, which is why any arguments made saying they can be used for emergency funds are always dumb ones.
thats only true if you but it from a retail store because they mark it up double but Actually diamond margins now are much lower from many online companies... Diamond Values have gone up since 2020
@@Panzer_Z if you buy a diamond from a mainstreet store your paying for their rent,wages,insurance etc, they have to cover costs of expensive retail just like shirt sellers mark up their products alot to cover costs.
My grandma got her 3 carats at 19,000 usd. We just sold it for 23,500 usd. Lol you guys just dunno how to buy a diamond
Ps. It was 1990 when she bought it
@@Friedchicke selling it usually when buyers actually lose more money.. jewellers often offer well below what its worth to buy back .. what was the exact details ill give a value
I love that you can get a diamond lab grown from hair or fur. One day I hope to own a diamond grown from my dog’s shed fur that I’ve collected so I will always be able to keep him with me, even when he’s not any longer.
I’m even more proud of my lab made stone now!
Imagine diamond screens! They’ll not scratch and break as easily. I hope to see that happen 🤩
@@Demopans5990 diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth
@@immanuelhall4577 sudden impact is a weakness of diamonds and can result in them breaking
The hardest the object the brittle they're
@@accelerator5524 thats why synthetic sapphires are used for these sorts of things hard and no cleavage angle... expensive watches for example use it .
@@immanuelhall4577 hardness is the resistance to scratch, diamond will not scratch but yes they will shatter
The video mentions ‘high conductivity’ without specifying that ‘thermal’ conductivity is meant. Also it does not mention the more common process of HTHP carbon to diamond conversion. But yes, looking forward to buying a certified artificial diamond gemstone... free of blood.
IMO, CVD diamonds have more potential over the long run, they're a lot cheaper than HTHP
The sad part is that "value" is intrinsically tied to suffering in the case of the diamond. But I guess that's appropriate for a wedding ring.
Well said! Most underrated comment in the section.
😂
I see what you did there lol
Hahaha
lol
I prefer mossanite, but lab diamonds are the way to go. Anyway it’s only the owner that would know if it was lab grown, or natural and if they are happy what difference does it make.
As a Gen Y'er, I have little use for diamonds in my life. Whatever floats their boats. Would love to see De Beers and others companies using slave labor or causing tribal disputes ended.
any evidence of de beers using slave labor please provide it !
@@hamishjames2341 no one has to prove anything to you. Do your research!
@@flyingrover9022 you cant prove a negative, if you accuse a company which is slanderous by the way you have to back it up
love the gag at the end
It's like when people say smartwatches are more efficient than mechanical watches, but we all know why mechanical watches are expensive
Exactly
my fiance got a lab grown 1ct oval solitaire for me... we have the certificate of authenticity and it's flawless... i wanted lab grown too because i'm a very conscious person of what mining entails... plus its FLAWLESS... sparkles amazing... what more is there to say... please always go lab grown
Flaws are what makes things unique, not cookie cutter. Just saying...
Really nice video! Had no idea diamonds could be made in a lab.
The process is really cool, it is somewhat similar to how they make carbon nanotubes.
Nice video! Very informative, great storytelling and amazing edit. Keep it up! 👏
"We don´t have that kind of budget" LOL
Fascinating video, i knew diamond mining did a lot of damage, but i had no idea how severe not just the direct but also the indirect damage goes.
I gave my wife a choice, and she picked lab. I love sharing with others and letting people know it’s a superior alternative to natural. Lab all the way 👍🏻
Just a correction to the very end, lab grow diamonds and natural diamonds are indistinguishable *even under a microscope*
Lab grown diamonds usually have to be lazer engraved on the side to be able to differentiate between the two, because they are indistinguishable even to professionals
No they are distinguishable... Ironically by being too perfect and without any imperfections. That's according to some professionals. Since they are grown in perfect lab conditions there aren't any imperfections unlike naturally grown ones.
From what I can find in the internet, once they are cut its pretty dependant on the engraving. Because even lab grown diamonds get inclusions, though they do tend to have less and have better clarity bc there's a lack of contaminants
@@Victoria-dh9vb deep down yes the engravings to be perfectly sure since it could be a very perfect natural diamond but I'm guessing most jewelers will have the hunch they're synthetic
Lab diamonds grow layered in a different way. And you need this special machine to see this...Other than that...they ARE DIAMONDS! Not as initially precious as we once thought...but I guess they never really were....Thanks Debeers!!
They are easily distinguished with a fluoroscope. Man made diamond are fluorescent a few seconds after light is off. Most natural diamonds do not. What difference does that make? Absolutely none! You still have a beautiful stone more affordable and environmentally friendly.
"Scarcity" was also artaficaly created by the company he mentioned by purchasing all available diamonds and keeping them locked up in mind blowing quantities.
wouldn't it be an irony if they ended up with scads worth nothing. Go labs go.
Purchased wedding band in lab grow was about 1/3 of the cost and looks amazing.
thanks for the info!!!
8:11 "which one of these do you think is a natural diamond?"
Me, as 3D texture artist: "What? That looks like glass or something, that's a pretty low IOR there!"
-"Actually, none of them, these are all made of plastic, we don't have that kind of budget!"
Me: Aha xD
When man cuts it,
he reveals its pure beauty. So it's man who is responsible for bringing out its full beauty..therefore..why not be its full creator..
Just imagine that in the future, the city of high tech industries will be called: Diamond valley.
I remember a sci fi novel I read a while back, where a company developed a scoutship made up entirely of synthetic diamonds to explore outside of the solar system instead of developing a combination of differents alloys and precious metals that would just be decommissioned after 15 years
@@kyleterry5190 Seems pretty unrealistic. Get hit by anything too hard and the ship shatters. Diamond is far too brittle for such applications
I have a beautiful lab grown diamond, 3 stone, 2.25 tcw on order. Should come to me next week, and I am so excited. It is spectacular!
Well-made video. Loved the diamond graphics, way of narrating, entertaining and informative! Enjoyed watching it, thanks!
I personally love blue diamonds but they are super rare but lab grow ones are easy enough to make they just have to add the right irritated for the chemical reaction.
Thank you for making this video I hope it reaches many people to understand that we need to know the slide effect of consumer goods for gems as well as applying that principles to other goods we may want to purchase. I for one was and still is against mined diamonds and hope we stop seeing blood tainted goods.
When I was shopping for my fiance's engagement ring, she wanted a large diamond at greater that 1.5 carats which was being priced at $9,000 from Robin's brothers and my budget was around $5-6k so it was a big NO. They also offered lab grown for less but the sales rep scoffed at the idea of spending less so that my wife would have something fake.
This is where I did a ton of research, listened to podcasts, and came to the conclusion that lab grown and mined diamonds have no chemical differences but very clear price differences. In the end I was able to get a 1.6 carat at $4,200 with near perfect qualities and bought a band separate for $275. She gets compliments on it almost every day and I even saved my brother a ton of money when his gf wanted a diamond greater than 2 carats.
If you are skeptical, go to a jewelers shop and ask them to bring out three lab grown and three mined diamonds without telling you, then try to pick out which one is which. We got it all wrong. I would go lab grown again in a heartbeat.
Quite the demanding ladies you have in your family. Hopefully she accepts something less than a Lamborghini as her car, lol.
This is a great documentary! Subscribed!
Thank you :)
Bought a mined one years ago for my engagement. We didn't know. Then doing research for insurance I learned all of this. All I can say is Never. Again. Ever. Lab-grown or nothing. You can get something you know didn't cause harm to anything or anything and is a fraction of the price. I'm saddened by my naivety but whats done is done. Can only learn from my mistake. NEVER AGAIN.
the majority of natural diamonds do alot of benefit for communities, if you are not a paid bot i suggest you research about namibia and botswana etc. even when blood diamonds was a thing its not anymore, human rights organiztions were not suggesting a total ban or boycott of diamonds as it would do more harm than good. this is disinformation
It also depends in which mine the diamond is unearthed. There are ethical mined diamonds.
They have this service of making ashes of your loved one into a gemstone. That’s infinitely better than a mined gemstone
Imagine wearing gemstones like thanos does and then when you eventually have all 6 gemstones, you can wear it at a marvel comic con to brag to people about it
That sounds so cool…how do I find out more?
@@mrparkerdan it seems i cant found the exact video i watched here in TH-cam. Maybe they delete it but i found many video mentioned a company called Eterneva and i think it’s the same one.
@@Funkoh "This is Dad, this is Mom, this was my first wife, and this was my adoptive daughter" *points at each gem in the gauntlet*
The ashes to stones is a scam, the amount of heat it takes to make the stone, the ashes are completely destroyed during the process and no longer a part of the stone
First, my creds: Former engg resrch tech (c. 1968), Gen. Electric Specialty Matls Dept., Warren MI and Worthington OH. Correcting "only diamonds can cut diamonds" 6:09 statement and "diamonds are hardest" material. Actually, some Borazon (cubic boron nitride) samples were found to be at least as hard as diamond, based on my work and work of others. Further, a few yards from where I was making Borazon, another tech was making gemstone diamonds (c. 1968), but his press kept blowing up and was too expensive for commercial use. Glad to see modern diamond gemstones, but I'd really LOVE to see a Borazon gemstone! BEAUTIFUL brownish or blackish crystal at micro level, probably would be stunning as gemstone.
*"Diamonds are not rare, Every other girl have one."*
_Me, who have never seen a girl of any age with diamond..._
True bc most can't afford them now my wife's ring is real not gonna have no fake crap
He’s talking mostly about western world. It’s like gold in India. Everyone has a bit.
@@RojaJaneman I live in the western world (Europe Germany) and I don't know anyone ho has a diamond. Perhaps an American thing
@@sandralison7584
could b. De Beers ran that marketing campaign in the USA. It became a rite of passage.
In Poland everyone has amber instead
Honestly I prefer lab grown gems simply because I think it is awesome that humans can make them. Actually I am looking at a site that sells some lab grown sapphires right now to make my girlfriends next birthday present and the price difference is enough to save me about a months wages(I don't know the exact value of a low end gem quality natural pink saphire of the same size but it certainly isn't $10).
Edit I just looked up the price of a natural sapphire of the size and color, and it would be at least $8000 which would actually be closer to between 6 and 9 months of my after tax income(j checked and the price for the synthetics I am looking at is normal for the process used to make them).
get a pink one. She will love it.
Love this finally a real educational video on lab grown diamonds! Watch and learn people!
What is the location of that biggest mine that closed down you mentioned in the video?
The diamond being better than silicon can be part of the question and also comparisons with tungsten and germanium are worthwhile because it depends on the junctions (such as CMOS, etc.) you are after. Flexible can be better in some applications, as can atomically thin 2D film transistors.The high temperature instability is not always important _(although of course sometimes it is, and the video has a good point)._ Sometimes instability _(because of the valence band of say Germanium)_ matters not so much when it comes to video processing because a few dropped frames don't matter in a video call compared to say audio muxed with it. In fact, sometimes deliberately induced "error" can help with tolerance prediction. There are other examples (like pH meters) in which carbon is used as a known quantity "will do" replacement for tungsten. Diamond can have some applications more suitable than others, such as UV light causing some suboptimal conditions for the diamond versions of things. Questioning if diamond "always" better than silicon results in the answer being "on many occassions" rather than "any day". 3:35 Cool dude in the video btw.
My comment has no hate in it and I do no harm. I am not appalled or afraid, boasting or envying or complaining... Just saying. Psalms23: Giving thanks and praise to the Lord and peace and love. Also, I'd say Matthew6.
I have a 2 carat lab grown diamond ring and a 4 tcw earrings to match which are constantly praised by people who sees them. "Wow diamonds!"💎✨😍...and I say, "Yes, diamonds!" 🥰 Nobody can really tell a natural mined vs a lab grown diamond because they have the same luster and clarity. Why spend millions, when you can spend thousands or hundreds on that tiny dazzling rock?! 🤷♀️ Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! By patronizing lab grown diamonds, we're saving Mother Earth and the poor people in the blood diamond business. Let's go for a conflict-free luxury...every girl/woman deserves a diamond! 💎
If we could find a way to grow synthetic precious metals that would be awesome
@John Barber I mean we can turn lead into gold but it's highly radioactive and cost alot
@@gazzmaz8830 was just gonna say that, besides it's just such small amount for the cost that it's not worth It that way either, thing is, gemstones occur within the earth, precious metals occur when stars explode, it's easier to recreate the conditions of earth's processes than those of a star explosion
You can with nuclear fusion but you litteraly need CERN equipment and you can only make a couple of atoms per cycle
That would completely screw up the spot price of gold and silver and could cause hyperinflation. Unlike precious gems metals have real monetary value .
@@jnumismatics4197 you know precious gems have always had monetary value too right? maybe they weren't officially money like gold and silver but people still used them as if they were, look at the black prince's ruby/spinel history for example, accounts of wealthy people adding gems or other objects of value as part of a payment through history are not uncommon
Extremely interesting video! Thank you so much
How can you tell the difference between lab grown vs natural, exept the paper work that comes with it, do the lab grown have some type of lazer print on them ?
The fact we can make them in a lab is just proof they should be so gosh damn much cheaper
This man has personal interest in the artifical diamond business, as he is a producer. Take that into consideration. Genuine and higher quality diamonds of a larger karrot size, about .5 karrot and up will hold their value. (Relatively depending on the price you payed for it)
Also, at the end of the video it was obvious none of the diamonds were genuine. If you have experience working with and inspecting diamonds it's obvious. But to the untrained eye it is admittedly difficult.
It doesn't hold his value if I can buy a cheaper alternative that is exactly the same
@@tesmat1243 The problem is they are not exactly the same.
@@swordofwords4516 they can add impurities in the lab grown to make them look just like natural ones
@@tesmat1243 that's untrue. The impurities will look different.
@@swordofwords4516 exactly
That diamond stop motion is so cute.
Eye opening. I am grateful to have seen this!
Thank you!
I once wore a 7 karat Bella Luce ring ($80 on sale) and people would ask, "Is that real?!" And I'd say, "Yes! It's a genuine cubic zirconia!" Ha ha ha...It was a stunning ring; too bad I beat it to hell. I'm really hard on rings so I've stopped wearing them. End the suffering, buy lab created gems!
Then why is there need to cut down whole forests for pleasure of 1% of rich on earth can't they invest in these type of lab instead of Cutting down whole forests where Tribals live.
Tradition and lies by the diamond companies saying lab ones are inferior to earth made ones
That process was called "sputtering" when I worked in the compact power supply industry. It's how you make integrated circuits, apply anti-scratch coatings to glasses, and radar absorption layers to stealth aircraft.
Super interesting
I have a question.
Can synthetic diamonds be made in different colours?
I have looked in shops online, but can only ever see Yellow and White.
I learned something. If the point was to make me aware, then it worked. But then again, I was never into the diamond hype, so I had somewhat of a headstart on this.
6:10. That looks like graphite, diamond's a tetrahedral structure.
amazing video with amazing facts and realities...
I like seeing more youtube channels citing scientific literature. Always good to see ScienceDirect and other publication repositories in the video description.
Thank you John! Be sure to subscribe to our channel - we publish new, well researched videos every Friday.
Almost all my jewelry is with lab created diamonds, and after watching this I'm more than proud of it.
do you know where it was made?
Because you have not enough money to buy natural ones..
@@ericopera Funny how people needs to prove how much money they have by buying something entirely just for other people to look at
@@KF-zb6gi It is not so simply, behind this are more
@@KF-zb6gi And also,to weare a tourbillon on the arm and to watch this sofisticated mechanimus surrounded by diamonds has a price for to give a exemple
I saw a video about superdiamonds back in 2011, and I really liked that prospect. Now seeing how the tech progressed I'm hopeful.
Also I just want the myth of "diamonds needing to be expensive because reasons" to go away. They're common and the only thing giving them the air of quality is the myth. Well, and the craftsmanship that goes into making sure they're polished to perfection. But still, the myth multiplies their perceived value several times.
Very informative video. Thank you DW.
I have for years bought lab grown sapphire for jewelry and they are cheap to buy and of stunning beauty. Diamonds are soon to follow. I saw a perfect 1 carat that was truly flawless. As it’s production becomes cheaper, new technical marvels will become common.
Problem is… the really rich value diamonds by the amount of blood spilled to obtain it
Well, maybe we could use the blood from slaughterhouses to make the lab diamonds, that way they'll be even happier with diamonds that are literally made of blood 😅
I just hope someday most gems would be lab-grown, preferably using recycled materials.
Many of the popular gems such as emerald for example, already have synthetic versions on the market for many many decades. Lab grown gems existed for a long time now, look into it if you prefer them over natural ones.
Aaaaaaaaaaand I just found another new channel to binge. Thanks TH-cam. And great video!
Welcome!
I can't wait for a diamond screen smartphone that is unbreakable.
I laughed soooooo hard when asked at the end which one was real… cause i guessed right.. and NONE were…. “They didn’t have that kinda budget”
Many of us in my country have supported lab diamonds for years now. In many cases, the only difference is the precious metal used for the setting. In my case I have both gold and silver settings. My designer lab diamonds are so brilliant. I have finally been able to buy a tennis bracelet and a bangle. I kept with the smaller lab diamonds because they are taken as natural diamonds, meaning I have never been challenged, are they real? It's always how beautiful my piece is.
I suggest to any would be diamond thieves, be careful what you want and take. They aren't always what you're expecting. If a person doesn't put up a fight, then 10 to 1 they are Lab Diamonds. I defy anyone to tell the difference.
Fantastic video
That was good, thanks
If only lab grown diamond are alot cheaper. Last time i checked it was only roughly 80% of the price of normal diamond not cheap enough.
Soon, I remember when a digital watch could set you back thousands of dollars...now you can get them out of a candy machine for a dime
Any diamond 💎💎💎💎 will never be cheap due to marketing eg love, weddings etc
Scientist speculate that it rains diamonds in Neptune, so if they can find a way to get those and bring them back to earth that would be cool. I think they'll run into issues with the weight tho since the diamond's elemental structure is so compact... but could the screens made of diamonds could potentially be lighter than those made of silicon? But will it be brittle?
Never gonna happen
Definitely more effective to make them in the lab. For the story though, it's pretty cool
Fetching them would be so much more expensive than they are worth.
such an amazing video
I will continue waiting for my Intel or Ryzen made of diamond. We just imagine the velocities, the benefits, and the potential of this diamond-made technology. ¡¡ It is so exciting !!
I've always liked diamonds because it's clear and so so shiny, but never really cared for the fact that it's supposed to be "rare". Honestly would enjoy a $3 moonstone just the same. They're pretty things not worth a whole month's salary for.
I don't get why my wedding ring needs "precision" and "incredible hardness"
i'm not using my wedding ring to CNC hardened steel or anything.... for all I care it could be resin cast/plastic/metal anything really.
I'd probably DIY a wedding ring for my wife if I ever get one and marry someone
There is actually a very sound reason: the harder the stone the better, because if they're not after a bit they get worn around the edges and scratched. That is the reason some extremely beautiful gemstones (like titanium oxide) are practically never used, even though their optical properties are superior to even diamond
"we dont have that kind of budget" lol that hit me in the soul
I love diamond rings! About 12" diameter, and 3/16" wide, spinning at about 6000 rpm on a tile saw with a water jet squirting on both sides.
A hidden camera TV show bought jewelry at jewelry stores, then later tried to sell the same jewelry back to the same store. The jewelry stores said the jewelry was trash. Don't buy jewelry.
aside from the human and enviromental horrors and not only diamonds, as a jeweler i can attest that lab grown gems are by far the highest quality, with natural ones there's a whole spectrum, generally the clearest, translucent ones, are the most expensive and the more opaque or clouded are the cheapest, of course the cheapest being much more common, with lab grown, as it's a controlled process and enviroment one can produce practically perfect stones (also imperfect ones if need be) of higher quality than the highest quality natural ones if measured in such scales, so they're objectively better in this sense too, in case someone had their doubts
synthetic sapphires and emeralds are also perfect quality ... why dont you as a jewellery sell only worthless stuff ?
@@hamishjames2341 so you think if the gemstone doesn't come from the earth then it's worthless? even if it's the same thing? the cut or carving, mounting on precious metals, artistic value and design of the piece are also worthless to you? you seem to have a kind of stupid mindset, you can buy the natural stones if that's the deal for you, just know the lab grown ones objectively rank higher on each scale than most natural ones
@@leroidethunes3913 it’s worth what it costs to create it cut it etc. look at synthetic sapphire for example 100 per carat basically the cost of cutting it. When it first came out it was more now it’s worthless. So yea synthetic gems are not worthless but they are not rare and by definition a gem has to be rare to be a gemstone.
@@leroidethunes3913 the usd is just paper I can make a counterfeit same with a Picasso.. so nothing is really worth anything if you can’t eat it or drink it but that’s not the way the world works and we need stores of value not like fiat currency
@@harrymac5229 i agree that nothing has intrinsic value, i would argue not even food or drinks, it's all attributed value based on sometimes fairly random standards, in jewelry and art people pay for what they fall in love with, sometimes it's even glorified low quality garbage that don't requiere any artistic ability (like a Polloc painting) that costs a couple hundred thousands, does this have any value? not to me, perhaps in the money laundring art market of nowadays, but in jewelry i look for the properties and quality of the materials, i couldn't care less where they come from, the objective is to create a beautiful piece that can last for many generations, if the technology available allows me to get my hands on lab made gems with the same composition and properties then i don't see why i wouldn't do It, people only consider natural stones to be more precious when they set them apart from the synthetic ones but in truth such separation is but an illusion, they're the same only created in different places, also natural gemstones prices are falling by the day to keep up with the competition of lab made and in some decades they won't be that expensive anymore, i don't know about you but to me that's a good thing, more people will be able to afford them, precious stones are not precious only for their price but for how beautiful they look and the properties they posses so even if they ended up being dirt cheap, that doesn't take away any of that
thank you
Love the ending.
This worries me because I cut opal from ethiopia. I know my source tho and I know exactly who mines it. I send my money directly to an African family who sends me my rough. I send them roughly $3000 usd per kilo of opal rough. I feel like I'm helping a family in ethiopia. Probably several!
That Ethiopian opal is too unstable for me.
You can only cut a diamond with a diamond
Me with my iron pickaxe :ok 😁
This needs to be made more public!!
Important to point out that diamond's strength is really dependent on the 3d structure. The diagram in the video does account for some of this but looks similar to graphite/graphene which doesn't account for the whole story with a diamond! Of course graphene is also a wonder material!