While global organizations work hard to ensure consumers have full transparency over origin and authenticity, not every diamond has a crystal-clear backstory. The provenance and formation of some diamonds may be misrepresented or, worse still, entirely fabricated.
Leave nothing to chance and ensure sure your diamond is everything it claims to be with our must-read guide on origin, authentication and diamond certification.
What’s the difference between provenance and authenticity?
First things first, it’s good to know the difference between authenticity and provenance when buying diamonds.
The authenticity of a diamond relates to whether it’s natural and a product of Mother Nature or laboratory-grown and thus entirely man-made.
The provenance of a diamond refers to its origin and traceability. For example, from what country did the diamond originate, from what mine was it recovered, and where was it cut or polished?
Authentication is essential!
Authenticating a diamond is vital for establishing its monetary and sentimental value. And as technological advances mean that laboratory-grown diamonds (also known as lab-grown diamonds, lab-created diamonds, LGDs and synthetic diamonds) are increasingly available, it’s more important than ever.
Natural diamonds are a totally organic phenomenon. Made from pure carbon atoms fused together by intense heat and pressure within the Earth’s mantle billions of years ago, they were brought to the surface by a series of volcanic eruptions.
And while it’s believed there’s an abundance of diamonds still deep within the Earth, these are inaccessible to humans and can’t be recovered with today’s technology. Thus, the world’s natural diamond resource is truly finite and the limited geographic locations in which you can find them also makes them exceptionally rare.
In complete contrast, LGDs are man-made and can be grown in a matter of weeks or even days. Due to their mass production and endless supply, they’re not at all rare and have zero connection to Earth’s history, geology or mythology.
The key takeaway here? Authenticating whether a diamond is natural or lab-grown underpins its very essence.
How do I know if a diamond is natural or not?
When it comes to polished diamonds, most diamonds over a certain size (approx. 0.3 carat, also known as 30 points) have their own grading certificate, which is also called a diamond grading report, issued by an independent gemological institute, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), American Gem Society (AGS) and De Beers Institute of Diamonds.
Smaller gems typically won’t have their own report, as it’s not cost effective. For example, a piece of jewelry or garment with tens or even hundreds of melee (diamonds weighing less than a fifth of a carat) would then require several reports!
A diamond grading report will clarify whether it’s natural or laboratory-grown. And to ensure there’s no mix-up about which report refers to which diamond, most diamonds will have an inscription on either their girdle (the ‘waist’ of the diamond) or their table (the top face) that corresponds with its report.
Concerned about the certification of your diamond? Whether you want to check if a gem matches its report or know more about a small gem that doesn’t have one, you can send it directly to GIA, De Beers Institute of Diamonds or another institute for verification.
What else should I know about diamond certification and grading reports?
Beyond stating whether a diamond is natural or lab-grown, as mentioned above, each gemology institute grades a diamond against a universal set of standards relating to the 4Cs, which together determine its rarity and value. In some cases, a report can also provide information about the origin of a diamond.
If you’re wondering what we mean by the 4Cs, they are…
Cut
A diamond’s cut grade is based on three things. Firstly, its proportions – the angles and sizes of the facets, which help the diamond reflect light in a way that makes it sparkle and show off colorful flashes (called its ‘fire’). Secondly, its polish – how smooth its surface is, which determines a diamond’s luster and shine. And thirdly, its symmetry – how well the shape and facets line up with one another. The closer a diamond is to perfect symmetry, the better the cut grade.
Color
The color of a diamond is graded on a scale from D (completely colorless) to Z (pale yellow or brownish), with colorless being most valuable. That said, fancy color diamonds are also sought after because they’re incredibly rare and visually striking. The deeper the color, like a hot pink, vivid blue or bold, bright yellow, the more desirable the fancy diamond is.
Clarity
Clarity assesses how visible internal features (lovingly referred to as ‘birthmarks’) are under magnification. On a scale of flawless to having some microscopic features, the fewer features a diamond has then the higher it will rate. Clarity is a measure of rarity, as it’s an almost impossible job for Mother Nature to create a diamond with no inclusions.
Carat
Finally, carat is a measure of diamond weight. One carat equals 0.2g. And while a diamond may weigh several carats, its value will depend on how it rates for the other Cs.
How do the experts tell the difference?
Let’s be clear: natural diamonds and LGDs are chemically the same. In science speak, they’re both pure crystalline forms of carbon, with atoms arranged in an identical way. Us humans copied nature’s blueprint, basically.
However, because LGD’s are made in very different environments to natural diamonds, there are notable variations in their crystal structure. This difference means trained gemologists and jewelers can confidently identify one from another using advanced machinery, which measures the absorption or emission of light from crystals.
Keep a lookout for lookalikes!
On top of LGDs, there are other colorless gems that are common simulants of natural diamonds. Because they do not possess the same chemical, physical and optical properties of a diamond, they can be identified very easily using basic gemological testing.
For instance, diamonds are a brilliant heat conductor (heat moves through diamond five times quicker than it does through copper), whereas man-made diamond simulants like synthetic sapphire, synthetic spinel and cubic zirconia are not. Testing for thermal conductivity is a good way to weed out an impersonator.
That said, however, synthetic moissanite, another popular man-made simulant, conducts heat well, as it does electricity. As most diamonds don’t conduct electricity (except for very rare blue diamonds), gemologists will also test for that, too.
Diamond simulants also occur in nature and include quartz, zircon and topaz. These aren’t as durable as diamond and are a lot easier to scratch.
Red flags to watch out for
When visiting a jeweler, don’t be shy about asking questions and requesting to see the paperwork. Indicators that could suggest something’s amiss include…
Vague details or reluctance to provide a certificate
Reputable jewelers will have the grading report for any larger diamonds (again, generally those over 30 points) they have in stock. Accept no excuses!
Prices that are too good to be true
A good deal might not be what it seems, so question why a diamond is on sale or cheaper than elsewhere.
Reports issued by a non-reputable institute
A diamond’s certificate should be issued by a leading gemological body, such as the Gemological Institute of America, De Beers Institute of Diamonds, American Gem Society, HRD Antwerp or the International Gemological Institute.
Certification equals confidence!
The differences between natural diamonds and LGDs aren’t always visible to the naked eye, but in terms of geological heritage, crystal structure and emotional value, they’re vast.
Buying a fully certified natural diamond means you’ll have full confidence that you’re either gifting or wearing one of Mother Nature’s true masterpieces.
