Sherlock Holmes & The Diamond Mystery
Trust is key when purchasing a diamond. It can be one of the most important and significant purchases you make for a loved one. Therefore, Barbara Tipple jewellers has invested in the most advanced diamond tester available called the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ to ensure that we can detect whether a diamond is lab grown or mined.
It is 100% accurate. Barbara Tipple will test every diamond in front of you that you purchase. We also offer the service of testing anything you have brought online or elsewhere, that you are unsure about. Whether that is a diamond solitaire engagement ring or multiple diamonds in an eternity ring. We will only test this piece in front of you, it will not leave your sight. You must make an appointment for this service.
A basic diamond tester, which tells you if a gemstone is a diamond or synthetic material, such as moissanite is not good enough to detect a lab grown diamond. Lab grown material shares the same physical and chemical properties as a natural diamond. Only the sherlock Holmes tester can tell you whether it is lab grown or mined.
Increasingly, in the diamond industry, unscrupulous dealers are selling lab grown diamonds which have GIA certificates because they have swapped the real diamond for a lab grown diamond. Each natural diamond comes with a GIA certificate number which is also lasered onto the girdle of the diamond, Crooks will remove this and laser the same number onto the edge of the lab grown diamond then re certificate the original one. Someone will unknowingly purchase a worthless stone with a GIA certificate.
Similarly, diamond ring manufacturers may introduce lab grown diamonds alongside natural diamonds in clusters or eternity rings by putting a percentage of small lab grown diamonds into the ring alongside the real ones. Thus, saving them a lot of money as they are mass producing this jewellery. We can test rings like these also.
Lab grown vs Natural Diamonds
Lab grown use an outstanding amount of energy to manufacture, lab diamonds are grown under high pressure high temperature conditions recreating the environment in which natural diamonds are made when they grow deep within the earth’s mantle. This involves a lot of heat, energy and pressure. This makes them not very desirable when carbon footprint is concerned.
Lab grown diamonds are being mass produced in countries all over the world and consequently are dropping in price all the time. They are much cheaper, but they have very little resale value.
Mined diamonds are becoming scarcer because there is less mining. Consequently, they are increasing in price.
Diamond labs are run by very wealthy corporations in Russia, China, and across the World. Whereas a natural diamond will support people who depend on the mining industry for an income.
Since winning her first Diamonds International Award in 1973 Barbara has gained huge experience in buying and assessing diamonds. She specialises in unusual cuts for a range of luxury one-of-a-kind jewellery including diamond engagement rings and wedding rings. Every stone is chosen for its beauty.
For an appointment with Barbara or with Sherlock Holmes please call 02392753025 or email barbara@tipple.uk.com