Amorphous Diamond
Treatment FAQs:
Will
Asha� test positive on
a diamond tester?
No,
it will not. Even though the
upper layer of Asha� contains a
multitude of tiny diamond crystals (Amorphous
diamond), they are linked together
by SP2 bonds instead of SP3 as in gem diamond.
Thus, the heat signature is
different and this is
reflected when testing by a diamond tester.
Note
that diamond testers simply measure
*heat conductivity*, they do not
actually detect the presence of "SP3
carbon, or diamond".
Thus, traditional diamond testers
are sometimes also fooled by colorless
sapphire and Moissanite.
However,
if you are buying Moissanite solely
because you believe it will test
positive on a diamond tester, this should keep
you on your toes:
Label
from one of the newer diamond
testers - note the detection of
Moissanite is now standard
How
hard is the latest version of Asha�?
The
current version of Asha� is similar
in hardness to sapphire, or 9.0 on the Mohs scale.
Diamond
- 10
Moissanite - 9.25 (approx)
Asha�:
9.00 (approx)
Sapphire (corundrum) - 9.0
New generation zirconium simulants:
8.5-8.7 (approx)
Typical CZ - 8.0
Emerald - 7.5
Tanzanite - 7.0
Under
the durability testing (abrasion via
grinding wheel) it was a no-contest
win for the latest version of Asha� as compared to any
other type of zirconium based
simulant.
Will
the amorphous diamond coating on the Asha�
come
off?
Atomic
force microscope testing has shown
the amorphous diamond is
literally blasted into the upper
layers of the substrate, making it more
like an infusion process and less of
an actual coating or layering. Amorphous diamond also has a much more flexible
molecular structure than crystalline
diamond, which greatly impedes chipping.
