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Diamond Cartel Upset by Lab-Grown Diamonds That Fool Experts

smithsonianmag.com — Lab-grown diamonds are now practically indistinguishable from mined diamonds. Scientists and engineers see a world of possibilities; jewelers are less enthusiastic. African warlords have used diamond caches to buy arms and fund rebel movements for decades. Now, with lab-grown diamonds, no one is harmed in the process.

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  • mark076h, on 06/17/2008, -1/+90if you are interested in these Lab-Grown daimonds , it was the cover story for Wired several years ago, you can read the article here very interesting stuff http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/diamond.h ...
    • flogistan, on 06/17/2008, -1/+12I remember that. I seem to remember a few stories around that time. They appeared to claim that they were indistinguishable. I've yet to see an effect on the price of diamonds.
    • obliviousfool, on 06/18/2008, -1/+8Thanks for the link. The first thing that popped into my head when I read this article was its similarity to another article. Only I couldn't remember where I came across the original one. That's the one.
    • kungfoolou, on 06/18/2008, -0/+10That article was one that helped convince me of the evils of diamonds, and since then, it's been good to see others jump on this bandwagon. All aboard, there's more room for conscious thought.
    • adidar832, on 06/18/2008, -0/+13If you want to read more about the diamond cartel, and how diamonds became so "rare", check out this article from The Atlantic.

      http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond
      • obliviousfool, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1Wow. There's also an interesting bit on page six about Israeli banks almost going under despite having vaults full of diamonds. That gives you some idea about the relative worth of diamonds as assessed by people in the know.
    • jakatak, on 06/18/2008, -1/+4I have bought these diamonds before. They are amazing. I got my wife earings. Each was 3 carrots in weight. She was blown away. It cost me $250 for the set.

      I got her a 2 carrot marquise diamond and that cost $100. These diamonds are better looking than any dug up and cut diamond. They are flawless.
    • DeskFlyer, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3That article was fantastic.
  • EclipseGSX, on 06/18/2008, -1/+248"Natural diamonds aren't particularly rare. In 2006, more than 75,000 pounds were produced worldwide. A diamond is a precious commodity because everyone thinks it's a precious commodity, the geological equivalent of a bouquet of red roses, elegant and alluring, a symbol of romance, but ultimately pretty ordinary."

    If only I could convince my girlfriend as such... I would rather gouge my own eyes out with a wooden spoon than waste $10K on some overvalued rock so that she can impress her equally materialistic friends. Of course, I could never say it that overtly. Luckily she's not a Digg user.
    • gypsi, on 06/18/2008, -1/+129guess who created the "diamond engagement ring" tradition? the diamond industry.
      • diggingaround, on 06/18/2008, -0/+20ooo... wait, wait, wait... now they are coming with new wave of brainwashing... diamond ring fir HIM! yes... they are pushing now wedding rings with diamonds for him to.. and some version of engagement ring for guys.

        Worthless greedy diamond dealing bastards don't have any morals whatsoever.
        • BobsYourUncle, on 06/18/2008, -1/+16You can say no. I did.
        • s14sh3r, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9"You can say no. I did"

          Says the now single BobsYourUncle ;)
        • CedEx, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5Ever hear of the right-handed diamond ring?

          It's marketed to those successful women who don't want to wait for a man to get them a diamond ring.

          Apparently a right hand diamond ring is suppose to symbolize, sucess, independance, style and a whole bunch of other junk. You guys can look it up yourselves if you like.

          I swear they will start marketing diamond toe rings when they can't sell enough right hand rings anymore.
        • CherryTop, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2"...successful women who don't want to wait for a man to get them a diamond ring..."

          LMAO! In other words, a consolation prize for the single, workaholic woman who'll never get married because she's a ball-busting, nut crunching bitch.

          I'm gonna get ***** killed for that, but it's true.

          I know my boyfriend is saving for a ring, but I've told him not to go crazy. He's not rich, we live a modest life, but he's a good provider and he works hard to make sure we have everything we really need (and some occasional 'wants' now and then too.) He's done enough. I wouldn't ask -- let alone accept -- a $4,000 ring. With the money we save, we get to travel a bit, so something cool and vintage from a market someplace special would be nice to me.

          (Don't fight, boys, I'm already taken.)

          $10K for a ring? Yikes. I'm too practical. I'd rather save it for a down payment on a house.
      • Ebulating, on 06/18/2008, -0/+17They also created the "Diamonds are Forever" adds to prevent used diamond sales. Because when you think about it, diamonds don't really wear out and shouldn't really lose any of there value over time. I know I'll have met my dream girl when she tells me she dosn't want a diamond ring because of their artificially inflated price due to the De Boers monopoly.
        • kingmanic, on 06/18/2008, -4/+4They do wear out and they lose 80% of the value the instant you exchange money for it. Have you looked at the used diamond market lately? Diamonds chip, diamonds burn, diamonds fall out of their settings and get lost.

        • boobsbr, on 06/18/2008, -0/+4diamonds get worn out, there are various degrees of hardness, the top one is when a diamond can only be scratched by another.

          they lose their value instantly when you buy them just like cars. you may not have taken them out of the dealership but they're already only about 80% of the original value (at least in Brazil).
        • Ebulating, on 06/18/2008, -0/+4Well I learned something today. I just assumed Diamonds were invulnerable due to their hardness. This just makes diamonds and even stupider thing to buy.
      • nintyFREAK, on 06/19/2008, -2/+0Guess who pays for the "Got Milk?" advertisements. Dairy farmers.
    • DreKor, on 06/18/2008, -2/+87guess who needs a new girlfriend...
      • rblancarte, on 06/18/2008, -1/+11Most digg users?

        Of course, then you need to yank the word NEW out of the sentence.
    • sinurgy, on 06/18/2008, -0/+109Make her watch Blood Diamond (you can use Leonardo Dicaprio as bait), if it has no effect on her whatsoever, get a new girlfriend...seriously!
      • CedEx, on 06/18/2008, -0/+17We saw this movie, and afterwards I told my girlfriend that if I ever had to buy a diamond, I'm buying the bloodiest, most death filled diamond I could find. The more babies and kittens that died in the production of this diamond, the better.

        She said she'll settle for a manufactured diamond, and use the money saved for a home theatre and a big kitchen to make snacks.
    • 955701, on 06/18/2008, -0/+98She probably doesn't care as much as you fear for your life. I married my wife a year and a half ago. I gave her an engagement ring with a heart shaped sapphire on it. She loved it, and she's not the sort that would lie about it. Used the other $8900 to remodel the house instead. She loved that too.

      If you give her a ring you can live with and she balks at marrying you because of it, I'd say you saved yourself more than just a few grand. You avoided several years of misery with the wrong person.
      • endlessoul, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Amen to that, brother.

        If you do something that you see no problem in doing, such as a ring for your lady that you won't be making payments for 5 years for and she has a problem with it, get rid of her.

        Do what you feel is right. If she doesn't see it the same way, it wasn't meant to be.

        Years of misery is damn right.
      • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2I'm giving my girl a titanium and sapphire engagement ring. Let's see what happens...
      • locojones, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Kudos to you for giving her a gemstone that is actually rare!
    • WesSabi, on 06/18/2008, -1/+87Calling your girlfriend out as materialistic is pretty funny considering your nick and avatar.
      • hollywoodphony, on 06/18/2008, -0/+25Zing!
      • creepermclurker, on 06/18/2008, -3/+12heh heh heh
      • username484767, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1/clap
      • jkarhu24, on 06/19/2008, -1/+1Cars drive. Diamonds sit around and do nothing like the little, over-valued pebbles they are.
      • Testiculese, on 06/19/2008, -2/+1How is an Eclipse considered materialistic? It's a decent-performance average person's sport car. It's not a Ferrari, Porsche, Benz, or any other true 'materialistic' car.
    • DeFex, on 06/18/2008, -0/+15get a new one. if she wants that now you will be slaving for the rest of your life.
    • RudeTurnip, on 06/18/2008, -0/+31It sounds like you have bigger problems, seriously. BTW, try to resell a diamond ring...if a dealer will even buy it from you in the first place, you won't get any meaningful amount of money.
      Just remember, if you reproduce with her, she *will* impart that materialism onto the sprog, and you'll be complicit to the party.
    • WRXFiles, on 06/18/2008, -0/+47"Of course, I could never say it that overtly"

      Say It.

      If you do not, you are being untrue to yourself, and therefore, also to her. Is that any way to build a foundation to last the rest of your life? Regardless of how good the sex is now, that will pass and you are left sharing a life with another human being who you either share values with, or you do not. Better to know now, than to reluctantly acknowledge the fact 20 years from now...
      • orlyfactor, on 06/18/2008, -0/+17Dugg for truth! Honesty is a rarer commodity than diamonds in relationships.
    • forcedfx, on 06/18/2008, -5/+2310 grand goes a long way toward a new house or your future child's college fund. But my point is moot since 99% of women are selfish and greedy.
      • Ebulating, on 06/18/2008, -3/+7And financially stupid!
      • publiclurker, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2I always knew I was lucky enough to get the top 1%. we spend the money from a large ring/wedding for a nice down payment on a house.
      • mystcnurse, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1what about 99% of PEOPLE are selfish and greedy? And maybe like sort of attracts like? I knew about the diamond issues way before that movie came out, and could never bring myself to wear a rock on my hand to prove to someone (who, I'm not sure) how much I am valued by the person I sleep with, at the expense of some body across the world's dignity and quality of life. But movie or no movies, the girls are still showing off their rocks.
    • Locnar, on 06/18/2008, -3/+1410K??For a ring?? Damn she best look like Pam Anderson and cook like Rachael Ray!!! :)
      • bemenaker, on 06/18/2008, -0/+21OMG have you seen pam anderson lately? I sure as hell wouldn't pay 10grand for that.
      • orlyfactor, on 06/18/2008, -8/+110k is not that much these days to be spent on an engagement ring. Unfortunate, but true.
        • hexydes, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Wow. I'm glad I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy.
        • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Hm. I guess I'm a cheapskate, paying $500 for a stone with, you know, color and beauty.

          Seriously, if you think $10k is not a lot of money to drop on something you're not getting any use out of (other than to make your fiancée's friends jealous), there's something very seriously wrong with your priorities.
      • BlacklabelSAR, on 06/18/2008, -0/+10And people say that prostitution is illegal, when it's an institution.
      • bruce86, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Pray for dear god that she doesn't look like rachael ray, and cook like pam anderson.

        BTW Pam anderson has hepatitis, a STD. I don't understand why anyone would think she is hot anymore
      • Testiculese, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1Pam has been nasty since day one, what the hell...
    • billbugger, on 06/18/2008, -10/+5She's fake. move out of your parents basement.
      • Locnar, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1Ok in your case just replace Pam Anderson with Brad Pitt! is that better now?
    • dianebl, on 06/18/2008, -2/+1410,000 on a ring? Are you nuts? Even a near perfect diamond ring shouldn't cost that much, unless you are going for a rock the size of a marble.

      But seriously, is that what she expects or is that when you think you should get? If she expects it, she's a greedy bitch. If you just think it is what you should get, congratulations as you are a marketer's dream.

      If you want to get her a ring, look into semi-precious stones or a smaller diamond. I bet she isn't interested in a 10k ring either.
      • ganus, on 06/18/2008, -1/+2Just don't tell her how much it cost. $10k is a ton of money for a ring or you are getting ripped off. Like dianebl said, unless you are buying a 3 carat diamond with some kind of crazy designer platinum band $10k is a bit much.
      • Peachesjk, on 06/19/2008, -1/+2My ring cost about 10k and the center stone is only a little more than 1 carat, but it is platinum and has side stones. We have good jobs, are good with money, and own a house. If you can afford it you should get what you want, but it is a stupid thing to go into debt for.
      • locojones, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Jesus, you guys need to get out of the house and do your diamond research a bit. An approximately 1 ct. stone, with an excellent or ideal cute, VVS1/2 clarity, and in the near colorless grade will easily run you 7-10k for just the stone alone. If you think you're going to get a 10,000 dollar 3 ct. ring that doesn't have inclusions visible to the naked eye or noticable color then you're naive or just plain crazy.

        This is just one of the many advantages of a lab-created stone. For a fraction of the price you can go bigger and better than any comparable 'natural' stone.
    • AsylumAleikum, on 06/18/2008, -2/+9Hookers are a better value, just ask Elliot Spitzer.
    • SethEllis, on 06/18/2008, -1/+7Who said you need to spend 10k? I spent about $1600 on my fiance's ring (.5 carat), and she wouldn't trade it for the world.
    • DoubtingThomas, on 06/18/2008, -1/+22My girlfriend is the complete opposite. She told me NEVER to buy her a real diamond and that she would prefer cubic zirconium or something similar when and if the time comes.
      • RonBurgundy76, on 06/18/2008, -0/+26The time is coming... that was your hint.
      • ZeNiTH456, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3I wish mine would say the same..
      • moonglaive, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1moissanite = awesome cause it originally came from a space rock! or I told my boyfriend I'd love to have an apollo diamond since they're using the money they make on their gemstones to fund their diamond semiconductor research. I'd like to be part of that!
    • WELLDOITLIVE, on 06/18/2008, -0/+18Luckily my girlfriend is one of the smart ones. She sees no need to spend a ton of money on a ridiculous diamond ring, I could get a ring for $100 she'd be happy with.

      She says she would rather have brand new front loading washer and driers with the matching drawers, can't forget the drawers.
      • orlyfactor, on 06/18/2008, -4/+21Is your girlfriend 45?
        • WELLDOITLIVE, on 06/18/2008, -0/+11Nope, 23. She's just not a dumb broad, and she's pretty fed up with our crappy washer and drier.
      • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5Dugg up for the practical girl.

        Seriously, guys. You get a lot less headaches with practical girls. And they tend to niggle you into things you *should* be doing, like watching your weight and keeping your contact lenses up to date.

        It's awesomeness. Like a PDA with *****. (Amy, I apologize for that off-the-cuff statement, though I will accept if you have the uncontrollable, but inexplicable urge to pinch me next time you see me).
    • mlavergn, on 06/18/2008, -13/+0Which is why I bought my wife a pink diamond for her engagement ring. There are about 1000 carats of pinks mined each year. Pinks account for about 0.5 pounds out of the 75,000 pounds mined each year. Compared to white diamonds, pinks are the proverbial needle in the haystack.
      • MASTERPL, on 06/18/2008, -0/+12Did you really need 4 sentences to say "I am a moron with too much money" ?
    • picsectionpleez, on 06/18/2008, -6/+1Punt. Everyone knows Diggers don't have girlfriends. Pics or it didn't happen.
    • apetrie, on 06/18/2008, -0/+12No wonder my bf thinks he is so lucky, I'd give him hell if he wasted money on a ring like that for me! I joke all the time that if he wants to waste his money I could use an "engagement laptop", but I'd actually rather see that money saved or go towards something we really need like a home. Same with a wedding, I'd rather have a great party and private ceremony than some big formal waste of funds. Flashy, wasteful women (and men) are so useless and silly.
    • sodade, on 06/18/2008, -1/+10My wife and I have matching titanium bands. I think they cost $200 or so. I could have easily afforded some stupid rock, but I was smart enough to marry a non-princess. Instead of dropping 10s of thousands on ring, wedding, etc, we put our money into our house. Women are programmed to be materialistic princesses - take the time to find one who escaped the programming.
      • bruce86, on 06/19/2008, -0/+3More like society programs women to be materialistic. Females as a gender aren't inherently materialistic .
    • kaelyiesta, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Exactly right. Thats why I dugg this article for the "diamond cartel" comment alone.
    • username484767, on 06/18/2008, -7/+1you sir, are a pussy
    • juniperlimb, on 06/18/2008, -1/+3I had to create an account here just to reply
      I'm wearing a diamond hybrid set in a platinum band. You can see it here:
      http://injennifershead.com/?p=60
      It was not any 10K. It wasn't a tenth of that. If your girlfriend won't accept that, you need a new girlfriend.
    • prisoner24601, on 06/18/2008, -0/+4In all seriousness, I have a hard time imagining that any woman would have a problem with telling her: "Honey, I want you to know I sepecifially chose this diamond because it IS a manufactured one specifically because I'm aware of how much damage the natural diamon industry has done to Africa and I don't want us to ba a part of that."

      Now because I love you so much, I've decided to wrap this engagement ring in:
      1. A Lexus (if you're super-rich.)
      2. A Jet-ski (if you're a little less rich.)
      3. An Xbox 360 (if you are poor struggling young kids living on love and cup-o-noodles and she's a gamer)
      4. A reciept for a huge donation in your name to an Africa relief fund
      5. Two plane tickets to Paris for a pre-honeymoon

      ...or *whatever* she would really find heartwarming. I shudder to think what it must be like for men who have married a woman who specifically needs to know the ring itself is worth $x,xxx and can't grasp both the practical implications that there are far more enjoyable ways of using money that bling that *literally* cannot be distinguished and also the moral implications that the industry makes wholesale misery in Africa.

      I think men need to bring up the issue, reassure her of her value by actually spending the same amount, but on something else she'd love, and giving her a reason to be proud she's part of the solution and not part of the problem.
      • diggingaround, on 06/19/2008, -1/+1How 'bout just no 5?

        WHY does it have to be a diamond?

        Why?
    • RobotCitizen, on 06/19/2008, -0/+4We blame the vanity of women for this African misery, but ultimately, it is the fault of pussy-whipped men who cave in to this morally irresponsible conceit.

      Buy a conflict-free hidef home theater system instead!
      • dgendreau, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Manufactured by Chinese sweatshop labor! :)
    • mystcnurse, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1I didn't make my husband buy me a diamond. Never even wanted one.
      • diggingaround, on 06/19/2008, -1/+3... but I bet ya when you told your girlfriends that you have got engaged, the first word from their mouth was "....eeeee let me see the RING...."
    • gooniette, on 06/20/2008, -0/+0Adorning oneself with jewelry has been happening for a couple thousand years. I don't think it's the diamond industry's fault that both women and men like pretty things.

      Oh, and there are "good" natural diamonds out there that weren't harvested by the blood of Africans.
  • ankeshk, on 06/18/2008, -1/+73What happened to the pearl industry is about to happen to the diamond industry.

    1. Certified real pearls cost exorbitant prices even though they are indistinguishable from lab-grown cultural pearls. Instead of the diamond prices coming down, certification will become stronger. And real diamonds - especially those that are big in carat size - will actually cost even more than now!

    2. Most small-to-medium business owners in the pearl industry could not compete with the lab grown pearls. But the bigger pearl traders thrived. The same thing will happen to the diamond trade. Top 20-50 diamond traders will thrive and actually buy into the diamond labs.

    Can you say oligarchy?
    • DreKor, on 06/18/2008, -1/+44By top 20-50% you mean De Beers?
      • ankeshk, on 06/18/2008, -1/+2I didn't mean 20-50%. I meant 20-50 companies.

        Go to Antwerpen (Belgium) and you'll find hundreds of diamond traders. They have a whole diamond district over there! Go to Mumbai (India) or Israel and you'll find a few hundred traders there too.

        By some estimate, DeBeers accounts for 40% of the diamonds sold. Not 100%.
        • PhilLesh69, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Yes, but it is all controlled by De Beers. Those traders all go to the De Beers headquarters in London once or twice a year and are given an allotment of diamonds.

          Most of the diamonds end up in a vault in their basement, because there are just way too many diamonds recovered every year, and they intentionally restrict the supply in order to keep prices up.

          If all the diamonds recovered each year entered the market, they would be as cheap as a dump truck full of blue stone.
    • KipEvil, on 06/18/2008, -2/+32oligarchie. Damn guess not.
    • punkcat, on 06/18/2008, -2/+24u realize this is old news? and De Beers is practically the only Diamond trader in the world, jewelers would die for a top 50 to choose from. the company can set the prices of Diamonds anywhere they want.

      the creation of fake diamonds have been going on for ages, its well past the point of a individual to be able to tell real vs fake without expensive equipment.

      PS. i have yet to hear about war torn pearl countries.
      • ankeshk, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3De Beers is not the only diamond trader in the world. Its the biggest. But it still only accounts for 40% of the diamond trade.
    • trentrezn0r, on 06/18/2008, -1/+5Yes I can.
    • davewelsh79, on 06/18/2008, -0/+8There is only De Beers now anyway.
    • RussellDovey, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9Fair enough, De Beers can keep their genuine diamonds; I'll be happy with my unscratchable fake-diamond sunglasses.
    • XZanatos, on 06/19/2008, -0/+4Diamonds, unlike pearls, have hundreds of non-jewelery uses. They will be a billion dollar "industrial" breakthrough and as such they will be available from many sources. With diamonds falling out of the trees due to their numerous household uses I doubt DeBeers will be able to convince people to keep buying the expensive kinds.
  • webkami, on 06/18/2008, -2/+49At last diamonds that are a boy's best friend.
    • CedEx, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2That's because they can grow diamonds for laser applications! WHOO HOO!!!!
  • Mast3rDigg3r, on 06/18/2008, -32/+7snake kills himself
    • Teck64, on 06/18/2008, -3/+5you bastard!!!!!!!!
    • kansai22, on 06/18/2008, -6/+3Blocked and hope you get banned.
      • Mast3rDigg3r, on 06/18/2008, -6/+1oh yeah? well I hope you get banned!
    • dhVyse, on 06/18/2008, -2/+3What an *****. The definition of an *****. Blocked.
    • lolinyerface, on 06/18/2008, -3/+1No he doesn't, Voldemort kills him!
      Oh wait, you mean SNAKE. Didn't you see him off himself in a trailer for the game a YEAR AGO?!
    • davewelsh79, on 06/18/2008, -3/+1I was shocked--I tell you SHOCKED--to find that Raiden was one of the Patriots!
  • 955701, on 06/18/2008, -15/+6Plagerized. I saw this article a few years ago. Ulrich Boser knows how to read, congratulations.
    • Nemesisesq, on 06/18/2008, -1/+2totally plagerized I was reading this article in con law 3 years ago.
    • davidrools, on 06/18/2008, -1/+2*plagiarized
    • rmxz, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3The 5 year old article you're probably thinking of is from Joshua Davis at Wired

      http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/diamond.h ...

      IMHO the plagiarism complaint looks fair -- the stories have the same flow, including the secretive trip to the company; the hints at death threats; the shocked reaction of a diamond dealer, etc. And the wired guy even went to fancier diamond dealers in Belgium.

      Seems there's been a little progress in the industry, tho - sounds like the clear diamonds are coming along nicely; and seems they're growing a bit faster too.
  • mrdeathgod, on 06/18/2008, -3/+137Waaaah! Our dated business model can't keep up with the steady, inexorable progress of scientific research! Waaaah!
  • NCg8r, on 06/18/2008, -2/+53Now they will tell you it's the FLAWS that make the diamond "unique" and prove that you love her enough to buy her a REAL diamond... not some hunk of carbon that a scientist could have done disgusting things with in the privacy of his Blasphemy Lab...
    • DeFex, on 06/18/2008, -1/+25wouldn't be hard to put some flaws in. just move the diamond lab to china.
      • kanabiis, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9What kind of insensitive materialistic woman would want a 7 year old impoverished child working for peanuts creating their flawed fake 2 carat bling?

        ;)
        • bemenaker, on 06/18/2008, -0/+18Yeah, they'd rather have an impoverished 7 year old slaving in a dangerous dirty mine at gun point, digging it out of the ground.
        • bjornski, on 06/18/2008, -3/+7A "free market" Republican.
        • BlacklabelSAR, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Too funny!
        • ganus, on 06/18/2008, -0/+6The same kind that would want a 7 year old impoverished child working for peanuts making their designer purses and clothing. All costs are ultimately labor costs.
      • bullhead2007, on 06/18/2008, -2/+4I don't know. They'd probably try to make diamonds out of lead instead of carbon..
  • wynja, on 06/18/2008, -2/+60I bought a nice man made diamond for my girlfriend for Christmas. The jeweler was fooled by it, and when I told him how much I'd paid for it. He asked me where he could buy some :)
    • Icetype, on 06/18/2008, -1/+21so... where did you buy it?
      • wynja, on 06/18/2008, -1/+12Diamond Nexus
        • Hamletlere, on 06/18/2008, -1/+3Their website makes it sound like they are not actually diamonds, but cut glass. For the price they are charging ($1000 for a 1k ring?), I'd really prefer to have lab-created diamonds (chemically indistinguishable).
        • Butterfly9, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2i just got one form there a 0.21 carrat. I'm checking to how they are, should be here in a few days.
        • roystgnr, on 06/18/2008, -0/+4"The elements in Diamond Nexus Labs' gem material in order of atomic weights are: C (6), O (8), S (16), Fe (26), Co (27), Ni (28), Y (39), Zr (40), and Hf (72)."

          Since this list didn't stop at C, it's not diamond. My guess would be it's mostly ZrO2, since the "skull crucible" technique they describe was developed for cubic zirconia. Nothing wrong with selling zirconia jewelry, but trying to make it sound like you're selling artificial diamonds when you're not is just dishonest.

          The remaining problem with lab-created diamonds is that it's still kind of expensive to keep them impurity free, so they often just manage the impurities to produce a yellow, pink, or blue diamond, which among natural diamonds are more rare and more expensive.

          I think Gemesis and Chatham are the big manufacturers of real diamonds; they've each got a bunch of resellers, though.
      • wynja, on 06/18/2008, -4/+2Diamond Nexus
    • kanabiis, on 06/18/2008, -1/+7http://www.moissaniteco.com/

      Or any other of the thousands of moissanite dealers on the internet.

      Funny thing is, they are still kinda pricey for a fake rock.
      • sremick, on 06/18/2008, -0/+13Moissanite isn't man-made diamond. It's a substance made to look similar to diamond.

        Actual man-made diamond is something else entirely.
        • ApokalypseNow, on 06/18/2008, -0/+6True - oddly enough though, moissanite has better fire, luster, and brilliance than diamond (if I remember right - I know it has better than twice the fire of diamonds at least).
    • EvilJelloMan, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Agreed! I'm at that thinking-about-proposing stage, and the ring would pretty much solely be for everyone BUT the two of us. Neither of us values the tradition very much, but it would be nice to have something reasonably inexpensive to stop people from constantly asking her "what is he too cheap to buy you a ring?"

      Where did you buy it?
      • kanabiis, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5You want my advice, craigslist, pawn shop.

        Remember, you can always change the setting so the ring is unimportant, you just want the rock.

        Thats what my wife and I did, we hit pawn shops all over town till we found the exact diamond she wanted. Payed easily 20-30% of its worth from a jewelery store. It was in a diamond necklace, so we
        just purchased the setting she wanted from a jewelery store and they pulled the diamond from its old home and placed it in the new setting.

        Pawn shops pay pennies for gold/silver/diamonds so you can haggle quite a bit about price. Do your research prior to shopping for the diamonds, visit some jewelery stores and get to know the difference between the different grades of diamonds and learn to spot what inclusions look like and how different color grades look so you can accurately judge the diamond the pawn shop is trying to hawk. Ask to use their monocular to view the diamond closer, if they say they dont have one, or refuse move on to another pawn shop. We took our time and were able to settle on a diamond that ended up appraising a substantial amount more then we paid, and she was extremely happy and my pocket book was too.

        She has found quite a few good deals on craigslist lately as well.
    • dingleberry, on 06/18/2008, -3/+4Your jeweler sucks then. Mine took one look with his little eye piece and said "You know this is fake right?" I said yes, but it sparkles and I saved a ton of money on my ca... erm ring.
      • noisician, on 06/18/2008, -1/+4a man made diamond isn't fake.

        of course there are also other diamond substitutes, or fakes.
        but that's not what this article is about.
        • Hamletlere, on 06/18/2008, -1/+3No, but the parent post was talking about a "simulated diamond", not a man made diamond.
      • kingmanic, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Thats the rub dingleberry, the newer artificial diamonds are almost indistinguishable. Like the Article says it takes low temp laser analysis to see it's slightly more perfect then a real diamond ought to be. They can include imperfections and inclusions so the only real diff is distinguishable by spectral analysis. No jeweler on earth could tell.
        • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Actually, Apollo's consumer diamonds (as stated in the article) include an etched logo that a jeweler can see through a loupe.

          Me? I'd like to get something ironic inscribed. Like, "No South Africans were harmed in the making of this Diamond", "Made in Taiwan", or "If you can read this, you're too close"
  • IHaveIssues, on 06/18/2008, -13/+5 [mr.burns] Egg-cellent... [/mr.burns]
  • greensky, on 06/18/2008, -0/+31Are there any places selling cheap manufactured diamonds to the public yet?
    • kanabiis, on 06/18/2008, -11/+2Just google Moissanite

      thousands.
      • sremick, on 06/18/2008, -0/+7Like I said above (in case some other reader doesn't dig down to see it):

        Moissanite isn't man-made diamond. It's a substance made to look similar to diamond.

        Actual man-made diamond is something else entirely.
        • kanabiis, on 06/18/2008, -4/+1Synthetic diamond or synthetic diamond looking material, its still fake....

          but I do understand the distinction, point taken. =)
        • zeitgueist, on 06/18/2008, -0/+6@ Kanabiis

          If it's exactly the same structure, material, and contains less flaws than one produced over billions of years, how is it fake? It's real, but the process is simulated/controlled.
        • greensky, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1@zeitgueist

          I think there is a SMALL distinction. It's possible the manufactured diamonds might not be as durable, or perhaps the buyer doesn't have the romantic notion of knowing the earth produced their diamond over millions of years.

          As long as the buyer knows the source though, I think it's up to them to decide and I'm on your side on this one.
      • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Moissanite is not synthetic diamond.

        It's a silicon carbide ceramic that often forms naturally, is often found in meteorites, and has even been found as one of the many sorts of inclusions in diamond. Large (that is, non-microscopic) crystals are always synthesized.

        Moissanite can look prettier than diamond, depending on how familiar the jeweler is with the material. At certain angles, it produces a double image, and the stone can be cut to take advantage of this and produce better light scattering - essentially making a stone that appears to have a glow and rainbow shine.

        Though, in the hands of an inexperienced jeweler, they can look like glass, or even as bad as a cloudy gray lump of quartz. It helps if you're allowed to pick a pre-cut stone before choosing your ring - and you DEFINITELY don't want to buy one online, sight unseen.
    • juniperlimb, on 06/18/2008, -1/+3check out a diamond hybrid. Here is a link
      http://www.diamondhybrid.com/
      I own one, but have no financial interest in the company
      • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3A better term for these is 'paste' diamonds. The CVT method produces much nicer looking rocks.
    • mrjhmm, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1Very inexpensive cultured diamonds here:

      http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com/jewelry/index.php? ...
  • Aerandir, on 06/18/2008, -1/+18Diamonds are useless now days. Industrial processes like cutting other materials or medical procedures are things from the past. Lasers and composite (cheap) materials are doing the job faster, better and creates more profit.

    I still dont understand why people like Diamonds so much.
    • PhilliesBlunt, on 06/18/2008, -1/+12Cuz they sparkle?
    • DeFex, on 06/18/2008, -1/+18diamond would make the best heat conductor of all. i cant wait to have a diamond heatsink in my pc for $50
    • woodyear99, on 06/18/2008, -1/+4You clearly don't have a girlfriend infatuated by diamonds :p trust me most women love diamonds, the bigger the better......
    • zeitgueist, on 06/18/2008, -0/+6Excellent marketing.


      Seriously, it's like the best run campaign ever.
    • Dagny2003, on 06/18/2008, -1/+4Not so fast...I work in the natural stone industry and if you want to cut or quarry granite, quartzsite, etc., diamonds are a must.
    • BlacklabelSAR, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5Women want diamonds because other women have them. Women are petty and competitive. How do you think those Girls Gone Wild vids get made. Girls want to out do each other. Don't look for the logic, this is total lizard brain stuff.
      Same reason men can't help but look at a nice set of *****.
    • bullhead2007, on 06/18/2008, -1/+6Women like diamonds for the same reason they like those ugly Louis Vutton purses, and 500 pairs of shoes. They obsess over status symbols.
      • Flashman, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Not like men, who never obsess over status symbols like cars or penis size.

        We're so rational.
        • bullhead2007, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1The only reason rational guys care about cars is because girls do. There are of course guys that just love machines, which is rational because they actually serve a purpose.

          The irrational ones have a self esteem issue or lack of confidence. Same with the penis size thing.
    • NecroSexy, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Diamonds might prove useful for quantum computing: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080605-quan ... .
    • Donwangugi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5DId you read the article? There are lots of useful applications for diamonds. Like replacing Silicon, or using them in space. Even with bio hazardous materials.
    • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Because in very high hardness cutting applications, Tungsten carbide isn't enough. Also, when mining anything with a high heat conductivity, lasers woudn't do a damned thing, and anything other than synthetic diamond would wear out in minutes.
  • Tssst, on 06/18/2008, -0/+65Lab grown diamonds are better than natural ones in many aspects. They dont't have microbubbles or other such flaws, and thus sparkle a lot better. Can be produced at a much cheaper cost, and their size can be chosen by the manufacturer rather than sifting through thousand to find the right size.

    Also, and this is the most important part: They reduce the greed for monopoly which causes mass genocides and perpetual warfare and deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents.
    • WesSabi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+8They can also be colored. My wife's engagement ring is a yellow Gemesis diamond which everyone thinks is worth 10x more than what I paid for it.
  • scottiesan, on 06/18/2008, -5/+12My next diamond will be a Lab-Grown to perfection 100% synthetic 1 Karat and loving it!
  • mulling, on 06/18/2008, -2/+87Never, ever drop a bunch of money on a real diamond. If she loves you, she won't care. If she's a gold-digger and goes to get it appraised, finds out it's not a real diamond and leaves you, then trust me: you didn't want her anyway.
    • mulling, on 06/18/2008, -1/+12Watch the gold-diggers bury me for this comment...
      • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1Apparently, only 2 diggers are digging for gold.
    • Ahnteis, on 06/18/2008, -0/+28>>finds out it's not a real diamond

      Um... they ARE real diamonds. They aren't naturally formed, but they are very, very real.
  • koft, on 06/18/2008, -0/+52This is a good thing. Diamonds are common as ***** and their prices should reflect that.
  • prompel, on 06/18/2008, -3/+34Good! Diamonds are ridiculously overpriced. Let the diamond cartels go the way of the dinosaurs. Only problem is, what will the women wear as jewellery then? A vial of oil?
    • HomersHead, on 06/18/2008, -0/+8Gold and platinum are still pretty valuable, at least until we figure out how to cheaply transmute atomic elements.
      • noisician, on 06/18/2008, -0/+7why does jewelry need to be valuable?
        diamonds will continue to function perfectly normally as jewelry.
        • HomersHead, on 06/18/2008, -3/+1Because then it would be "costume jewelry" instead of "fine jewelry".
        • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3'fine jewelry' is pretentious.

          All jewelry is costume.
    • BlacklabelSAR, on 06/18/2008, -2/+6Or maybe women could just have some self-esteem.
    • hoovcluck, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2They sort of do, aren't most perfumes petroleum based?
  • idavidtang, on 06/18/2008, -2/+25I predict a spike in diamond growing scientist kidnappings.
  • inyearstocome, on 06/18/2008, -3/+11Oh great, now even budding Hip Hop artists will have diamonds in their platinum grille.
    Check out my sweet teef! hurr
  • CAD420, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9Check out some of the prices on these things:
    http://d.neadiamonds.com/lab-created-diamonds/
  • TomT223, on 06/18/2008, -1/+27Hell. I can't even tell the difference between the real thing and Zircon.
    • WNW3, on 06/18/2008, -0/+16I can't tell the difference between the real thing and glass...or plastic! Needless to say I don't buy jewelry.
    • Scynet, on 06/18/2008, -0/+7Zircon has more carats than a diamond, and larger reflective ratio, meaning it glimmers more too. The only reason it's not MORE expensive than diamonds is because of the diamond cartel who are overpricing diamonds.
  • GreatSunJester, on 06/18/2008, -0/+64Diamonds are a cartel's best friend.
  • ChayesFSS, on 06/18/2008, -1/+28I can see the commercials now, 'She'll never know the difference but your wallet will'
  • PhilliesBlunt, on 06/18/2008, -0/+42***** Diamond Cartels. They've made billions off slave labor and manipulating the market. I think they'll be fine.
  • lazyfisherman, on 06/18/2008, -1/+30Lol.. DeBeers + other diamond hoarders suck and I won't cry for them or their *****, manipulative companies. And they shouldn't worry so much, there will always be fools to buy their overpriced diamonds..

    Personally, if I were going to buy a stone, I think it would be cooler if I could design it myself + make it as big and as perfect as I can afford.
    • ELCad, on 06/18/2008, -0/+16You can even get diamond made from the carbon of your dead loved ones. or enemies if you wish.
      http://www.lifegem.com/
      • Rorsach, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Oi, that's creepy. And to think they're based just 10 kilometers from me.
      • lazyfisherman, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5oooh weird...

        I must say... if you could make a quality diamond (or multiple diamonds) out of a dead celebrity.. like Elvis, Kurt Cobain etc. a lot of creepy people would want to own those diamonds.
        • Butterfly9, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2I think beethoven was turn in to a blue diamond. all you really need is the ash's. there is a company that makes diamond out of hair to.
  • trixterIreland, on 06/18/2008, -0/+19they have chemically altered rubies to make them better than they are, and they too are very hard to tell the difference. Precious stones as currency is coming to a close, not entirely, but they wont have the same intrinsic value they used to.
  • Hercules, on 06/18/2008, -0/+8I searched high and low for a lab that would let me buy a diamond at about 1 carat, in a round cut and no color. Unfortunately, most labs produce yellow diamonds since the 'colored' flavor are easier to make -- and the prices weren't much better at the time.

    I wound up buying a regular stone with a GIA certification. Although on principle, I would much rather have bought a lab grown diamond. I never liked giving money to DeBeers.
    • secrity, on 06/18/2008, -3/+2What did you need a 1 carat white diamond for? A laser or some optical tool?
      • locojones, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1Maybe he needs it with a platinum or other silver colored band in which case the color becomes a detraction and not an asset as it would be with, for instance, a gold band.
  • shelle, on 06/18/2008, -1/+19Awesome. I won't feel guilty asking my bf for a big fattie diamond if we can get it cheap from Target! Or hopefully it will make this stupid overdone bling trend go away. Diamond-encrusted bands for diamond rings, jesus how tacky.

    But yeah, I remember this same article in Wired a few years ago. And a very good article linked off that one about how the diamond market was totally created by DeBeers and others during the 20th century. There's no actual tradition beyond that for diamond solitaires as engagement gifts.
  • zbeast, on 06/18/2008, -0/+11http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/18/moonsized_ ...
    Well if you could get there and back, and you could escape the crushing gravitational forces.
    you could bring back the worlds largest diamonds. You could totally destroy the market for diamonds.
    Then again because of the time dilation everyone on the earth should be dead the time you get back.
    So you'll have no one to sell the rocks too.

  • WiretapStudios, on 06/18/2008, -0/+31Diamonds are already worthless. Have you ever tried to sell a diamond? They have no resale value. They are basically just glass.

    http://www.wanderings.net/notebook/Main/10ReasonsW ...
    • verivalta, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3I love how there is a De Beers ad directly to the left of the list advertising their new bridal line.
  • pintomp3, on 06/18/2008, -0/+24there aren't many industries that can out-evil the diamond industry.
  • trentrezn0r, on 06/18/2008, -11/+2I love Nested Comments! How about you?!
    • Endneesia, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Yah, they're pretty sweet. Almost as cool as fake diamonds.
      • Endneesia, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Hell yah man, fake diamonds!
      • wharlie, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Is there a maximum depth for nested comments?
        • trentrezn0r, on 06/18/2008, -1/+1Well there's only one way to find out
  • krnldmp, on 06/18/2008, -4/+4That's why they're called rocks you worthless, pretentious dope.
  • gyronic, on 06/18/2008, -0/+10About damn time people stop valuing a f*cking rock dug out of the earth.

    ZOMG!! a rare pebble, I must buy it!!!
  • alpha94, on 06/18/2008, -0/+7If you're going to place value on something, at least do it on something unique and different like ammolite.
  • hollywoodphony, on 06/18/2008, -0/+12If you really want to make yourself sick, read this:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Beers
    • drexl, on 06/18/2008, -2/+2I edited their page...third paragraph.
    • Fordi, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Your edit was reverted. I edited it as well, removing an unreferenced comment and adding a qualification to their marketing.

      Despite that my edits are correct, I'm looking forward to the inevitable revert.
  • DryMaltExtract, on 06/18/2008, -0/+19How about you stop supporting a business that makes up traditions so that it can sell you stupid *****? Don't get her a ring at all. Where's my engagement HDTV?
    • bemenaker, on 06/18/2008, -1/+2Will that fit on your finger?
      • hexydes, on 06/18/2008, -1/+2No, but it should go swimmingly on my wall.

        I hope no one already posted that, I started reading this page like an hour ago...
  • lolinyerface, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9"When Linares was at a diamond conference a few years ago, he says, a man he declines to describe slipped behind him as he was walking out of a hotel meeting room and said someone from a natural diamond company just might put a bullet in his head. "It was a scary moment," Linares recalls."
    Nobody messes with our artificially valued accessory!
  • jizzypop, on 06/18/2008, -0/+5so...... where can i buy these?
  • wigginz, on 06/18/2008, -7/+1cry more n00bs
  • 8347, on 06/18/2008, -4/+0Da Beers is Da un!
  • patricksmith, on 06/18/2008, -0/+14Diamonds were never rare. DeBeers manufactured that notion with their Diamonds Are Forever campaign back in the 40s. They have duped millions of people to pay outrageous prices for gems that are a dime a dozen. If diamonds were really precious and limited, then as time goes on and supplies dwindle their prices would skyrocket. DeBeers might just be the best marketing firm in history.
  • kungfoolou, on 06/18/2008, -0/+94+ years it took a lot of convincing for my then-girlfriend to not want a diamond engagement ring. We found white sapphires and she's been very happy about it since. After all, white sapphires are actually rare, unlike diamonds.
  • evodevo1, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9I would love to see much more competition for the DeBeers monopoly. It is about time!!!

    However, I've actually spoken with sales reps at both Apollo and Gemesis, and from the sound of it, they are not ready for prime time. The price quotes I've gotten from both from WHITE diamonds are at least 30% ABOVE what you can get if you shopped around online. Right now the yields are low for whites and the sizes are small. The largest white round diamond both company had was a 0.74 carat, K color, and SI2 clarity. I don't think you'd want a K colored white diamond.

    For the other colors like blue and yellow. They are charging a lot more for them because as the article says, their natural counter parts are much more rare and so they command a exorbitant price. However, in the lab the yield is much higher than the whites, yet they cost 3-4 times more than the whites.
    • hexydes, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2That's a stupid way to run your business. If you're competing against the monopoly, but have a less-desirable product (which "yellow" and "blue" colored diamonds are inferior to their white counter-parts, according to most people looking for diamonds), then the only thing you have left to compete on is price.

      Drop the yellows and blues to $300 per karat, and then see how long it takes for people to care about white diamonds anymore. Use that money to dump back into R&D so you can get a better yield on white diamonds. Put the rest of the money into public awareness campaigns to teach them why what they are buying really are REAL diamonds.
  • SilverBlade2k, on 06/18/2008, -2/+17Boo *****-hoo. It's called 'Free Market'. If one company can produce a product and sell it for 1/10th of the amount then the next guy, all the power to them.

    Too the Diamond Cartel, I say, lets call the WAAAAAMbulance. Cause they need it.
  • Youreallinsane, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9Great, Fantastic, Wonderful...let's see how popular diamonds remain after the facade of rarity and class diminishes.
  • samcrut, on 06/18/2008, -0/+9I want to see them cranking out diamond window "glass."
  • hoisonsauce, on 06/18/2008, -0/+7Here's a bit of trivia about diamonds: the Rhodes Scholarship is named after Cecil Rhodes, the man that has a large hand in the decimation of Africa. Rhodes and Charles Rudd were the co-founders of De Beers.
  • feignNU, on 06/18/2008, -0/+4"The word 'diamond' comes from the ancient Greek adamas, meaning invincible."

    Battlestar is such a literate show.
  • stoanhart, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3FTA:
    >>The space will soon be filled with 30 diamond-making
    >>machines, the men say, nearly doubling Apollo's
    >>production capacity. It will be the world's first diamond
    >>factory, they say. "There was a copper age and
    >>a steel age," Bryant says. "Next will be diamond."

    Ahh, the Diamond Age; Neal Stephenson's creative genius coming to fruition.
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