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August 13, 2003
The New Diamond Age
Enough people are commenting on this article just out in wired. The New Diamond Age reveals some quite startling information. Namely, at least two companies in the US are beginning to manufacture diamonds at a fraction of the cost to mine them. How cheap? Possibly as cheap as $5 per carat. The implications are astounding. For thousands of years people have been trying to turn led to gold. Gold is cheap compared to diamonds. One of the revelations, suspected by man, known by some, revealed in this article is that De Beers is really an international cartel that controls the diamond market. De Beers has vast stores of Diamonds, which as it turns out are more plentiful than one would think. They strictly control the release of these diamonds to maintain the illusion of scarcity. As you can imagine, they are beside themselves about these latest developments.The other major impact this news has is on the Chipmaking industry. Diomond chips have been the dream of chipmakers since moores law. The problem with silicon is that after a certain temp, it just melts. In comes diamonds. The problem has always been that diamonds are unreliable in their quality and do not conduct electricity to begin with. Both of these problems have been solved and indeed chipmakers oversees are working on this very concept. What about Intel? Clueless. If the US lost the chipmaking war, it would certainly have a huge impact on our economy.
The two companies have two different processes which produce different types of diamonds. One of them. Gemesis can create rare yellow diamonds, which CAN be distinguished from real diamonds through expensive analysis. The other, Apollo Diamond uses a process called chemical vapor deposition. Their diamonds are also easily distinguishable from real diamonds. But only because their diamonds are perfect. Absolutely perfect, whereas real diamonds never are.
De Beers is hoping people won't want these 'man-made' diamonds over the expensive 'real' diamonds because of the mystique that real diamonds have. Of course, much of that mystique is created by the rarity of them, which, as it turns out, isn't the case anyway.
Would you buy, want, or give a perfect 3 carat man made diamond that you paid 90% less for?
Posted by wonko at August 13, 2003 12:35 PM
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Comments
Yeah, I just read that yesterday. It's amazing. Could you imaging getting a top quality diamond for a fraction of the price. It would look real because it is real. You know I've been looking at this kind of stuff lately, (I wonder if I can pick up one of these manufactured ones of the Internet??? Just kidding of course.)
Anyways, Debares I totally an organized cartel. The are able to requate the amount of dimonds on the market inorder to keep the prices high. It'd be like if the cigarette company decided to only make half as many cigarettes next year so that they could double the price.
Posted by: Will at August 14, 2003 08:42 AM
I wouldn't think twice about buying a man-made diamond instead of a real one for the ones I love. I'd even tell them. Diamonds still have the mystique of being one of the hardest materials. Plus, even if I know, and even if the receiver knows, the people looking at her finger, ear, neck, don't know. And that's what's most important :)
On of the messages I get clearly from De Beers is that what makes Diamonds so special IS how expensive they are. I never held much stock in that to begin with. They should have a more honest campaign which explained that diamonds are so special because of the boatloads of money they make off them.
Posted by: Wonko at August 14, 2003 10:55 AM
Is it possible to obtain rough of these manufactured diamonds?. . . cut stones? Where?
Posted by: Elizabeth McMath at January 9, 2004 09:11 AM
Where can I purchase one of these Dimonds?
I nee an 3-4ct engagement ring
I want a round white dimond
Thank You
Posted by: Georgina McCalman at March 3, 2004 11:39 AM
Where can I purchase one of these dimonds?
Posted by: c benton at May 14, 2004 12:50 PM
where can you Buy Them?
Posted by: William Elkerson at May 14, 2004 03:27 PM
Where can I purchase one of these Dimonds?
I need an 3-ct stude
I want a round white dimond
Thank You
Posted by: Gertraud Elkerson at May 14, 2004 03:31 PM
Seriously, do you think I know. It was an article in Wired. First of all, I doubt they are even ready for public consumption. Secondly, the odds of the diomond industry just letting these things get out there without putting up a fight is slim. Congratulations for why you need the diomond, but unfortunately, you're probably going to have to do what we've all had to do, fork up the dough.
Posted by: Wonko at May 14, 2004 03:37 PM
You've been able to buy these diamonds for a while now, but De Beers tell you they're nothing like the real thing through a process only they can carry out! Something to do with the specific pattern of light emitted when analysed by a computer program...mmm the mystic of reeaal diamonds.
Posted by: Markus at May 17, 2004 09:28 AM
Where can I purchase one of these diamonds, either from Gemisis or Apollo?
Posted by: Nikki at May 19, 2004 08:41 PM
Where can I get a 3.5ct marquise from apollo diamonds? white diamond?
Posted by: Kim Gronewold at May 27, 2004 11:21 AM
how can i test a real diamond without all the fancy and expensive ways. where do they come from? aren't there several colors of real diamonds?is there a quimical that one can use to test the stone?
Posted by: tricia at June 6, 2004 03:36 PM
Where can i get a 3ct apollo or gemisis diamond engagment ring?
Posted by: jane at June 18, 2004 12:04 PM
as if anyone would really care whether it's natural or not. I certainly wouldn't. De Beers is clutching at straws. They deserve to go down.
Posted by: esque at July 28, 2004 08:52 PM
Yes, where can I get one of these? I am very interested!
Posted by: tracy at February 11, 2005 05:28 AM
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