The diamond continues to be the most popular gemstone for engagement rings, with over 85% of engagement rings featuring the diamond as the centre stone. Of this, lab-grown diamonds have seen a significant rise, representing approximately half of all diamond engagement rings.

The word "diamond" comes from the Greek "Adamas", meaning "unconquerable" - and it lives up to the name. Diamonds are the hardest natural material on Earth, 58x harder than anything else in nature. This exceptional durability makes them ideal for everyday wear.

Whether you select a stone created deep within the Earth or one produced under controlled conditions, all diamonds share the same core properties.

What Makes a Diamond a Diamond

Every diamond, whether natural, lab-grown, rough or polished have the same chemical composition and internal crystal structure. It is made up of pure carbon, typically about 99.95%.

Property	Description
Mineral	Carbon
Mohs Hardness	10
Dispersion	0.044 The high dispersion in the diamond creates distinct flashes of spectral colour in colourless, cut diamonds, known as "fire".
Refractive Index	2.417 - 2.419 The high refractive index results in a strong lustre or shine known as "Adamantine Lustre".
Colour	Colourless diamonds range from colorless to brown. Colourless diamonds are typically the most rare, with brown diamonds more common. For fancy colours, rare shades include red, green, purple, orange, blue and black. Everything Colour: Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds explores fancy coloured diamonds.

A Global Journey

The History and Origin of Natural Diamonds

The world's appreciation for diamonds started in India, where trading began as early as the fourth century BC. For centuries, India remained the primary source of diamonds, with stones found in the alluvial deposits of rivers. Three of the 4Cs - colour, clarity and carat - were established in India over 2,000 years ago.

By the 15th century, diamonds were established as fashionable accessories amongst Europe's elite. In the 1700s, Brazil emerged as the new primary source as Indian supplies declined.

The modern diamond market began with discoveries in Kimberley, South Africa, in 1866. This find transformed the industry, leading to large-scale mining operations and establishing South Africa as a major player in the diamond trade. These mining operations were also the source of civil and economic conflict, including "blood diamonds", associated with the exploitation of workers in civil war areas, and market control and monopolistic practices, particularly from large enterprises such as De Beers.

Today, South Africa continues to be the world's largest supplier of natural diamonds, however, modern standards and regulations now aim to address historical conflicts and exploitation issues. These include adherence to the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) standards and verification through the Kimberley Process, which tracks diamonds from mine to market.

Diamonds are also found in other important sites globally, including Russia, Canada, Australia, Namibia and Botswana.

Location	Description
South Africa	The world's largest supplier of diamonds. South Africa's famous mines include the Kimberley mine and Premier mine, the latter of which the Cullinan diamond, over 3,100 carats, is the largest rough gem diamond to ever be discovered. Diamonds found in South Africa range the full spectrum of quality, from colourless to yellow and brown diamonds.
India	The original source of diamonds, gathered from rivers, streams and the Golconda mines. Today, India processes the most natural diamonds globally, accounting for over 90% of all diamond cutting and polishing. Diamonds from India's Golconda mine are known for having extraordinary transparency.
Brazil	Prior to the rise of South African mines, Brazil held the position for leading diamond production for over 150 years from the early 1700s. Today, they remain an important producer of diamonds. Brazil is the source of some rare-coloured diamonds, including the black "Carbonado" diamonds.
Russia	Russian diamonds are known for their consistent output of higher quality diamonds, with the Siberian region also producing rare purple diamonds.
Canada	Canadian mining is known to adhere to strict environmental regulations, with a well-established industry of ethical and responsible sourcing.
Australia	Australia is a significant source of diamonds; however, this volume mostly consists of industrial stones, with a small percent of Australian diamonds being gemstone quality. Nevertheless, Australia is renown for its pink diamonds, from the Argyle mine.
Namibia and Botswana	The diamonds found along Namibia's coast originated from pipe sources in South Africa, transported by natural erosion and ocean currents. Botswana has its own significant deposits. Namibia and Botswana diamonds are known for their extraordinarily high quality diamonds, with the vast majority of their diamonds being gemstone quality.

Lab-Grown Diamonds in Modern Manufacturing

Lab-grown diamonds (also called synthetic diamonds) are physically, chemically, and optically identical to natural diamonds. They are produced through chemical synthesis in controlled indoor environments. Understanding Diamonds: Natural, Lab-Grown and Imitations dives into the differences between natural and lab-grown diamonds and imitations.

The two primary methods of lab-grown diamond production today are HPHT (High-Pressure High-Temperature) and CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition).

The first synthetic diamonds were attempted to be created by GE in the early 1940s using the HPHT method, however, "Project Superpressure" was postponed due to World War II. By the 1950s, this project managed to successfully produce the first synthetic diamond. However, these created gemstones were industrial-grade and were not of a suitable quality for gemstones.

GE continued their research, improving the HPHT methodology until the first gemstone-quality diamonds were created in the 1970s. These gemstones were small, up to 0.3 carats, often yellow, and with many inclusions - too small for any practical use in jewellery.

During the same period, CVD patents were also issued, however, the technology for CVD diamonds did not reach gemstone quality until the 1980s.

By the early 2000s, both HPHT and CVD technology had reached a point of commercialisation. The surge in quality meant that lab-grown diamonds could exceed natural diamonds in carat, colour, and clarity.

In 2005, IGI became the first gemmological certifier to grade lab-grown diamonds, and in 2007, GIA officially recognised lab-grown diamonds and began to issue reports on them. This marked the beginning of significant growth in popularity and demand by the public. Today, lab-grown diamonds represent approximately half of all diamond engagement rings.

Be On The Lookout

If you're looking for diamonds specifically, be aware of imitations such as sapphire, topaz, zircon, moissanite, and cubic zirconia. These materials may visually resemble diamonds but possess different chemical compositions and physical properties.

Assembled stones, particularly diamond doublets, may use a genuine diamond combined with a cheaper material, such as glass or rock crystal. These composite stones can be misleading if not properly disclosed.

When making a significant diamond purchase, insist on a grading report from a reputable, independent laboratory that clearly discloses the stone's origin and provides a comprehensive assessment of the 4Cs. Only trained experts using sophisticated instruments at gemmological laboratories such as GIA or IGI can conclusively identify whether a diamond is natural or lab-grown or detect imitations.

Making Your Choice

Understanding what diamonds are, where they come from, and how they're made allows you to make an informed decision based on what matters most to you. Whether you're drawn to the geological rarity and ancient formation of natural diamonds, or the identical properties and different value proposition of lab-grown diamonds, clarity about origins and properties ensures your purchase aligns with your values and expectations.

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