There are a few reasons why it can be said that created gem-quality Diamonds are the rarest in the world. Created Diamonds make up less than 1% of the Diamond market. Most created Diamonds, just like mined Diamonds, are used for industrial purposes like drill bits, abrasives, and cutting or polishing tools.
On top of that, jewelry-quality created Diamonds are Type IIa. Less than 2% of natural Diamonds are of this type. Type IIa Diamonds have almost no impurities from elements like nitrogen and boron, the elements in natural Diamonds that make them yellow or blue. Type IIa Diamonds are what is referred to as “colorless”. Only recently has the technology for created Diamonds advanced to the point that the Type IIa can be made. Earlier technologies produced yellow Diamonds, and even blue ones. This is why the fancy colors of yellow and blue created Diamonds are more prevalent in the market.
Furthermore, the ability to control the necessary growth conditions for the length of time it takes to cultivate a white Diamond is what makes them the least available color. Conditions must be maintained at exact levels over an extensive period of time for the process to be a success. At this point in time, the largest that can be manufactured as a Type IIa colorless Diamond is roughly 1.5 carats. Larger sizes have been grown, but these are “near colorless” to faint yellow.
It cannot be stated categorically that there will be a breakthrough in the Diamond creating technologies that will allow for Type IIa Diamonds to be developed quicker, and with larger sizes becoming available. Created Diamonds have been part of the industry for over 70 years. Only in the last decade have they been able to come out colorless and in sizes over half a carat.
Thus, created Diamonds of Type IIa are the rarest in the world. They constitute only a very small percentage of the 1% that created Diamonds claim in the Diamond market.
