| There are perhaps no two substances more
| |
| | subjected to pressures of up to 882,000
|
| different visually or symbolically than
| |
| | pounds per square inch - over 440 tons.
|
| diamonds and lumps of coal. However,
| |
| | Furthermore, the temperatures that cause
|
| diamonds and coal are virtually identical
| |
| | this transformation into white and
|
| from a chemical and geological
| |
| | colored diamonds is over 800 hotter than
|
| standpoint. The important difference is
| |
| | the furnaces that are required in the
|
| that the former are not only pleasing to
| |
| | melting and manufacture of steel.
|
| the eye and symbolic as jewelry, they are
| |
| | Such temperatures and pressures only
|
| an excellent investment - and useful in
| |
| | occur naturally deep under the earth's
|
| industrial machinery as well.
| |
| | surface - so deep that even the deepest
|
| Of course, gem grade stones are quite
| |
| | diamond mines can only reach these
|
| different - and far more valuable - than
| |
| | precious stones that have been brought
|
| industrial grade. In fact, four fifths of
| |
| | close to the surface through tremendous
|
| all that are mined are deemed unsuitable
| |
| | geological activity. This is one reason
|
| for diamond jewelry, and thus are used
| |
| | that they are found primarily in the
|
| for industrial applications - primarily
| |
| | Great Rift Valley of Africa and in the
|
| in activities that require cutting,
| |
| | Himalayan foothills where the Indian
|
| drilling, grinding and polishing.
| |
| | subcontinent plows into Asia.
|
| Since the 1950s, scientists have actually
| |
| | These conditions have been replicable in
|
| been able to manufacture artificial
| |
| | the laboratory for over half a century;
|
| diamonds in laboratories as well. This
| |
| | however, natural and artificial diamonds
|
| has to do with the similarity between
| |
| | each have their own unique flaws, which
|
| these and coal, the difference between
| |
| | are detectable by trained, professional
|
| which is more of degree than process.
| |
| | gemologists.
|
| Both are made of carbon that has been
| |
| | One difference has to do with color as
|
| subjected to heat and pressure. What
| |
| | well; natural colored diamonds are not
|
| happens is that diamonds are subject to
| |
| | terribly uncommon, and come in a wide
|
| much greater amounts of both - as much as
| |
| | range of hues. Some of these color
|
| 60,000 times that of normal air pressure
| |
| | variations can add tremendous value to a
|
| at sea level, and up to 2300 degrees
| |
| | gem. Loose diamonds made artificially are
|
| Fahrenheit.
| |
| | almost always of the white variety;
|
| To put this into perspective, the
| |
| | colored stones make up only one in every
|
| pressure of the air we live in is about
| |
| | ten thousand. When purchasing loose
|
| 14.7 pounds per square inch. At 1083 feet
| |
| | diamonds whether as an investment or for
|
| below the sea's surface (the current
| |
| | use in jewelry, make sure that such
|
| scuba diving record), the pressure is
| |
| | diamonds have been certified by an
|
| over 482 pounds per square inch. Carbon
| |
| | independent gemology professional.
|
| that is transformed into diamonds is
| |
| |
|
