From Earth's Ancient Mantle to Studio Transparency: Why Diamond Testing Matters

For me growing up as a sci-fi nerd, getting piercings in the late 90's and later studying Geology, jewelry is more than an aesthetic choice—it is an emotion and a physical connection to the Earth’s 3.5 billion-year history and here is how you can use a lil bit of science to dazzle your clients and even yourself.

To protect your sanity and investment in the gemstones that you stock and love, I would like to advocate for the use of diamond testers across the piercing industry in all studios far and wide. Whether you are using a budget-friendly diamond testing pen or a high-tech diamond tester that is automatic, having a tester on hand is the ultimate safeguard for your studio's transparency and your peace of mind.

When you buy a natural diamond, you are purchasing one of the oldest physical objects from earth that you will ever touch. Forged by the Earth over millions to billions of years. Diamonds are finite pieces of the deep past. If you are holding a 3-billion-year-old diamond, you are holding something that existed before there were trees, before there were creatures roaming the lands, and even before there was oxygen in the atmosphere. WTF!? How wild! But let’s talk about what makes a diamond even testable in the first place, cue some cheesy 80’s flashback music.

Ancient Origins: Diamonds and the Geological Time Scale

Natural diamonds are among Earth's most ancient creations, formed billions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the planet. To understand the chart below, here are some terms you might not be familiar with, “Ga” stands for Giga-annum. It is a unit of time used to denote one billion years. The term is derived from "Giga", giant or billion and "annum," which is Latin for "year." “Ma” stands for Mega-annum, which means one million years.

• The Deep Forge: Diamonds form 90–150 miles deep in the mantle. They require extreme pressure and intense heat (over 2,000°F) to force carbon atoms into a perfect crystal lattice.

• The Volcanic Elevator: They reached us via Kimberlite pipes. These supersonic volcanic eruptions carried diamonds to the surface before they could dissolve into graphite.

The Science of the "Glow" (Fluorescence) 

Ever seen a diamond glow neon blue under UV light? That is Fluorescence, an atomic fingerprint from eons ago.

• The Cause: During formation, tiny amounts of Nitrogen (clusters called N3 centers) got trapped in the carbon lattice.

• The Effect: When UV hits those atoms, they absorb energy and release it as a visible glow. This is caused by the diamond's unique internal chemistry.

The Mystery of Black Diamonds (Carbonados)

Black diamonds are the rebels of the gem world. Unlike white diamonds, they are polycrystalline (made of millions of tiny crystals fused together).

• The "Space" Theory: Many scientists believe black diamonds are extraterrestrial, formed in supernova explosions and brought to Earth via meteorites roughly 3.8 billion years ago. **Science doesn't need belief but I used the word anyway**

The Tester: Your Modern Safeguard

Whether you use a simple manual pen or a complex automatic multi-tester, you are using physics to verify these ancient treasures and ensure total transparency for your clients. When using a tester please read the instructions throughly on how to hold, set to a certain volume if using a manual tester and how to properly use before removing the protective cover of the probe tip. If you hold the tester at an angle or touch the tester's probe tip to the jewelry's setting, you will get a series of beeps that can be jarring and misleading. 

Thermal Conductivity (The Heat Sink)

Because of their tight carbon lattice, diamonds are the world’s most efficient thermal conductors—conducting heat 5x better than copper.

• The Test: A tester’s probe wicks heat away from a diamond instantly. CZ (Cubic Zirconia) is a thermal insulator; it holds heat like a "molecular traffic jam," which is why it never beeps or triggers the "Diamond" light.

• The Weight Difference: CZ is much denser than diamond. If you have two stones of the same size, the CZ will weigh ~1.7 times more than the diamond.

Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamonds

Lab diamonds are chemically identical to natural ones. They have the same thermal conductivity and weight, meaning they will pass a standard diamond tester every time. This makes specialized screening and supplier transparency essential. Keeping the lab grown diamonds completely separate from genuine diamonds is key to your chillness as they will both test as a genuine diamond.

Whichever diamond tester you go with, it will be a great tool to show off your science side and also share knowledge with your clients and most likely anyone willing to nerd out with you. 

Sources and Further Reading

• Modern Mood FAQ & Ethics: www.modernmoodbodyjewelry.com

• GIA - How Do Diamonds Form?: 4cs.gia.edu

• GIA - Diamond Fluorescence FAQ: www.gia.edu

• International Gem Society - How Diamond Testers Work: www.gemsociety.org

• Association of Professional Piercers (APP) - Jewelry Standards: safepiercing.org

• The Kimberley Process - Official Website: www.kimberleyprocess.com

• Britannica - Kimberlite Eruptions: www.britannica.com

• Gem Society - Diamond vs. Cubic Zirconia Comparison: www.gemsociety.org

• Natural Diamond Council - The Age of Diamonds: www.naturaldiamonds.com