Soviet scientists acquired this mineral in 1968. It is named in honor of his “parent”, the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences (LPI). The aim was to create a mineral that can be used in laser systems. In terms of chemical composition, cubic zirconia differs from diamond, it is zirconia. A diamond is made up of carbon. Abroad, it has the names jevolite or zirconite.
Are Artificial Diamonds A Threat Or An Alternative?
China is a major manufacturer and supplier of synthetic diamond powder (grains up to 800 microns in size). The lion’s share of the powder about 80% is used in China alone. The price of such a powder is 20 cents per unit (and previously it was $ 20!). It is mainly used for diamond blades in the manufacture of tools. Larger synthetic diamonds do not yet have industrial production, as their production is more complex, and Chinese scientists are still developing technologies for the simultaneous cultivation of a large number of such crystals and therefore cheaply included.
Threats To Natural Diamonds Are Not Synthetic.
This statement is due to the following reasons:
Artificial minerals can be more expensive than natural minerals or cost a little less. When there is a leap in the technology of their production and the price of synthetic drops ten times, then another question may arise synthetic will be used as analogues in the world of jewelry and how much there will be demand. Now why lab grown diamonds are better? Here we come up with the explanation.
A market for lab grown diamond has not yet been created for jewelry purposes. There are, of course, lovers of all technological and preferred materials made by human hands rather than nature, but there are quite a few. Basically, people are only willing to pay for natural gems just because they have uniqueness and natural beauty, which is simply impossible to synthesize with any modern device.
For technical purposes in tools, medicine, hi-tech technology, diamond powder and crystals have long been used and natural diamonds are no longer profitable enough to be used in this market. All cultured diamonds, which are usually used for jewelry, are promoted under their own brand and consumers do not try to mislead. Swarovski crystals can be as expensive as natural cut diamond because much of it is cut.
Artificial Yellow Diamonds
There are also cultured diamonds of high quality jewelry. They have a rich yellow color and are four times cheaper than natural because they “grow” in 4 days, not thousands and millions of years. For example, the American company Gemesis specializes in growing diamonds for jewelry. This high-tech process is dedicated to video.
How to Distinguish Cubic Zircon from Diamond
The stones most similar to diamond are cubic zircons. Diamond and cubic zircons are used for jewelry, so in practice the question may arise as to what their differences are. Scammers pretending cubic zircons for precious stones use the external similarity of minerals, which are completely different in chemical and physical composition. Depending on the heat treatment, it is possible to grow transparent or black cubic zircons. Colored cubic zircons resemble chrysolites, white and pink chalcedony, red ruby, and alexandrite with inversion depending on lighting.