Apollo Diamonds

Apollo Diamonds, a gem manufacturing company based in Boston, is an innovative newcomer to the jewelry world whose artificial, cultured stones are virtually indistinguishable from natural diamonds.

Apollo Diamonds is based in Boston.

What is Artificial?

An artificial or cultured diamond is identical to natural diamond chemically in terms of composition and crystal structure; physically in terms of hardness, clarity, and other measurements; and optically in terms of refraction, sparkle, and fire. The biggest difference, in fact, is that cultured diamonds are grown in laboratories in a matter of days rather than taking thousands of years forming beneath the Earth’s crust. Unlike imitation diamonds such as cubic zirconia or cleverly cut quartz, artificial diamonds are real diamonds, they just form through a more controlled, supervised process.

Making Apollo Diamonds

Different companies have been manufacturing diamonds for decades, primarily using tremendous force and pressure to simulate the natural processes that create diamonds. Apollo gems, however, are cultured with a more subtle, technologically sophisticated method.

Carbon "rain" helps form uniform diamond crystals.

First, a diamond chip or sliver is carefully selected and placed in a sealed chamber. That chamber is then flooded with hydrogen and hydrocarbon gases at a precise combination of temperature, pressure, and chemical formula that will induce a unique “rain” of carbon to fall onto the chip. Just as raindrops meld seamlessly into a puddle, this carbon rain melds onto the diamond chip in a process called chemical vapor deposition (CVD), growing it to previously unheard of proportions for made-made gems. The result is a diamond block with a uniform crystal structure that can then be cut, polished, and shaped into a luxurious jewelry stone or otherwise manipulated for industrial use.

This meticulous process was first developed by Dr. Robert Linares, who now shares the business with his son, Bryant Linares. Together they are investigating the different applications of this type of diamond-growing process for industrial and jewelry use.

Types of Apollo Gems

Currently, Apollo Diamonds can create exquisite gems that range from one-quarter to one-half carat in size. The gems are primarily colorless and near-colorless shades, though subtle variations to the chemical gases can lead to champagne diamonds and other rare hues such as mocha and platinum that are highly sought after for rare jewelry. Theoretically, gems up to five carats in size could be grown in about one week, but the company is working on perfecting the process of growing single-crystal diamonds before exploring larger size stones.

Benefits of Man-Made Gems

There are many substantial benefits to using cultured diamonds rather than natural stones both for industrial as well as jewelry applications.

Cost

Once the process of manufacturing stones is perfected, it becomes far less expensive to grow gorgeous diamonds than to mine them. Prices may be as low as half the cost of similar natural stones depending on the company and the technology they employ, which can bring high quality diamonds into the budget of many more couples.

Technology

Diamonds have many industrial uses, such as virtually indestructible coatings for artificial joints, extremely efficient computer chips, high speed transmission communication cables, and more. Crude diamond manufacturing methods do not yield stones of high enough quality or large enough size for these applications, but as Apollo Diamonds and other newly emerging companies perfect more precise methods of culturing diamonds, these industrial and technological applications may be attainable.

Ecology

Cultured diamonds are also a much better choice for consumers interested in the ecological and environmental impact of precious stones. Mining for diamonds is a heavily destructive process on the surrounding land, and the presence of conflict and blood diamonds takes a heavy toll on local populations as well. Cultured stones, on the other hand, are not produced through harsh labor or ecologically disastrous processes, and the funds raised by the sale of cultured stones helps promote more technological advances.

Beauty

Cultured diamonds, because they are grown in a chemically controlled environment, are also much more likely to be flawless and structurally perfect than natural stones. This gives them intense sparkle and clear beauty that is tremendously difficult to find in natural stones. Those natural stones that are graded as perfect are also far more expensive than artificial stones with the same properties.

Apollo Jewelry

Because the technology is still new and under development, Apollo Diamonds has a very limited range of jewelry available. Princess, emerald, and round diamond shapes are the only choices available, and interested consumers must consult with the company’s representatives to arrange custom designer pieces because no loose diamonds or featured line of jewelry is yet available. The company has plans to open an online jewelry store sometime in 2007, though no further details have been announced.

Apollo Diamonds is a diamond manufacturing company that may hold the key to exquisite, elegant diamond jewelry for every consumer: a process of growing beautiful gems in a safe, efficient, and ecologically sound way that could revolutionize the diamond industry. For more information, visit the company's official website..

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