Who hasn't wished they could find a way to make diamonds from scratch, and in the process, bypass millions of years of geology and costly exploration, mining, and distribution?
Growing demand for diamonds for use in industry as well as in gemology has driven the diamond industry to look for ways to manufacture the precious stones in a controlled environment, without the costly process of mining.
Synthetic diamonds have been manufactured by various industrial processes for more than half a century. However, in recent years it has become possible to produce gem-quality synthetic diamonds of significant size using sophisticated technology and even everyday household appliances.
This is an excerpt from an Internet website describing how to make you’re your very own homemade diamonds in the microwave. Joe Champion, who is credited with this recipe, and I, advise you to take special precautions with this experiment and conduct it only in extremely well ventilated area or outdoors.
STEP 1
Using a Pyrex microwave cooking dish with lid, place two charcoal briquettes covered with 4 ounces of peanut butter inside. Microwave on "high" for 60 minutes at 10 minute intervals.
STEP 2
When cool enough to handle, place the dish on top of an unlit barbeque grill. Remove the lid form the dish and saturate the charcoal and residue with charcoal lighter fluid. Light the charcoal (Note: At this time the diamonds are made, this procedure is reducing the excess carbon to ash.)
STEP 3
At this time you should have a dish full of a gray/black soot. Carefully scrape this soot into a dark colored dish and gently wash. The ash will wash away leaving the diamonds you've produced.
So how can you tell if your diamond is real?
The DiamondNite - a new diamond and moissanite tester, can tell you within seconds whether your precious gem is a synthetic diamond or real diamond. However, if a synthetic diamond is chemically identical to carbon diamond, there's no real way to tell them apart (which makes them the same, so you shouldn't really sweat it). But do you as professional diamond dealers really use this kind of equipment or is it only for amateurs?
I'm looking forward to hearing from you if this little experiment worked, and how you diamond dealers, polishers and cutters, check that your diamonds are real. Do you do it the old-fashion way or do you use new state-of-the-art technology? Share it with us!