Researchers create diamonds at room temperature

Making diamonds in nature requires an extremely long time to the tune of billions of years under vast amounts of pressure and extremely high temperatures. A group of researchers at the Australian National University and RMIT University have made two types of diamonds at room temperature. One of the diamonds the team created is the typical diamond type found in rings, and the other diamond is called Lonsdaleite. Lonsdaleite is found in nature at meteorite impact sites such as Canyon Diablo in the US. Creating diamonds in nature is typically done deep inside the Earth at a depth of about 150 kilometers where pressure is high enough and temperatures are above 1000 degrees Celsius. The researcher’s unexpected discovery shows that both types of diamond can form at room temperature under high pressure. The pressure the team used to create diamonds was equivalent to 640 African elephants standing on the tip of a ballet shoe. The team says at high pressures, the carbon experiences something called “shear,” which is a twisting or sliding force. They believe shear allows carbon atoms to move into place and form regular diamond or Lonsdaleite. Advanced electron microscope techniques allowed researchers to capture solid and intact slices from the experimental samples creating snapshots of how the two types of diamond form. Regular diamonds only form in the middle of the Lonsdaleite veins using the team’s new method. Lonsdaleite is predicted to be 58 percent harder than regular diamond, thanks to a different crystal structure. This type of diamond has the potential to be used for cutting through ultra-solid materials at mining sites. Lonsdaleite is rare and very useful. Creating more of it is the long-term aim of the research.

Get to Know the Hope Diamond’s Keeper

The Hope Diamond has a complicated past. It came from India and was sold to King Louis XIV in 1669 as part of the French Crown Jewels. During the French Revolution, the diamond was stolen, resurfacing in London in the early 1800s when it was bought by Henry Philip Hope. From then on, the gemstone passed from person to person until it was donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History on November 10, 1958.

Today the diamond lays in the museum’s Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, under the care of Dr. Jeffrey Post, the Curator-in-Charge of Gems and Minerals.

We caught up with Post to hear the story of this infamous blue diamond, see what makes the National Gem and Mineral Collection so special and learn about the countless things mineralogy can reveal about the past and future.

It’s been 62 years since the museum acquired the Hope Diamond. What have we learned about the diamond since then?

Most of our visitors see the Hope Diamond as a valuable gemstone with a long human history. But it’s not only a historic jewel. It’s also a very interesting scientific object. Since 1958, we’ve added science to the story about the Hope Diamond.

Many blue diamonds glow orange under ultraviolet light, but with different shades and strengths. The Hope Diamond is the larger diamond in this image. (Chip Clark, Smithsonian)

When the diamond first came to the museum, no one knew that after exposure to ultraviolet light it would phosphoresce a bright orange color, like an ember at the bottom of a barbeque grill. That was only discovered in the late ‘60s. And now with even better instruments, we know the diamond is actually emitting both red and blue-green light. It just looks orange to our eyes. We’ve also realized that all blue diamonds phosphoresce, although they each emit a slightly different color. That phenomenon is caused by a boron impurity that also gives the diamonds their blue color in ordinary light.

Another thing we’ve been able to do with modern science is recreate the cutting history of the Hope Diamond. Through computer simulations, we modeled how the Hope Diamond was cut from the French Blue owned by King Louis XIV and that came from a diamond from India. This research led us to two strong conclusions: First, the Hope Diamond is the recut version of the French Blue diamond. Second, by looking at how it would have been recut, we determined that everything that was removed had to have been ground away. So, there are no other pieces of the Hope Diamond in the world.

What excites you most about your work besides getting to care for the Hope Diamond?

We work in this incredibly interesting place where objects, history and people converge. Every day, I learn something new. I get to learn about and have held in my hand some of the Earth’s great treasures.

I also love going into the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals and watching people interact with the objects on display. I really do believe that gems and minerals can act as unintimidating portals into science. I love watching people experience the thrill of discovery when they realize these things came out of the Earth. The knowledge that these minerals and gems form naturally in such beautiful, geometric shapes is something that gives people a sense of awe.

What are some of your favorite minerals or gems in the collection?

Whichever one is in my hand at the time! But really, it is hard to pick one. Every day I walk into our vault area and my eye is caught by something I haven’t looked at in a long time and that becomes my favorite mineral for the day.

Like the Hope Diamond, the Oppenheimer Diamond gets its color from an impurity. Nitrogen makes the uncut gem a pale yellow. (Chip Clark, Smithsonian)

If there was a threat to the collection and I had to grab whatever I could to take, one of the things I would grab is a diamond crystal called the Oppenheimer Diamond. There are very few large diamond crystals preserved in the world. It’s just this beautiful shape and pale yellow. It is truly a treasure. You could travel the world’s many museums and not find another one. We have many unique objects, but that is one I’ve always found particularly special.

What are some surprising things that objects in the collection have revealed?

We have another blue diamond called the Blue Heart Diamond. While the Hope Diamond phosphoresces bright orange, the Blue Heard Diamond emits a whitish blue color. Looking at the phosphorescent difference between those two diamonds prompted us to look at a bunch of other blue diamonds. We realized phosphorescent spectra could be used as a fingerprint for any specific blue diamond. That was a surprising revelation, and we couldn’t have done that research without the Blue Heart Diamond.

The Blue Heart Diamond is the second blue diamond in the Smithsonian’s collections. It also glows after exposure to ultraviolet light. (Chip Clark, Smithsonian)

What does mineralogy tell us about the world’s past, present and future?

Minerals are the basic building blocks of solid Earth and the solid solar system. Everything we know about the history of a meteorite, a moon rock or an Earth rock is because of information stored in its minerals. Even fossils are preserved in minerals. So, for example, if I can understand how minerals have been altered because of changes in the environment over the course of time, perhaps I can predict what will happen in the future.

One way we do that is by making polished sections of mineral crystals to look at their interiors — much like looking at the cross-section of a tree and using its rings to trace its history. These sections show us what’s changed in a mineral from when it was created to present day. It’s like a time capsule that has the information about when and where that mineral formed.

The value of the collection is that we can keep interrogating those minerals. None of us are arrogant enough to think we’ve learned everything we can about the collection. When I think of my early career and what questions our field was asking and what technology we had… I never could have even predicted the kinds of questions we can ask and answer now. We maintain this collection so that it’s continuously available. Scientists will always have access to it.

Meet a SI-entist: The Smithsonian is so much more than its world-renowned exhibits and artifacts. It is a hub of scientific exploration for hundreds of researchers from around the world. Once a month, we’ll introduce you to a Smithsonian Institution scientist (or SI-entist) and the fascinating work they do behind the scenes at the National Museum of Natural History.

How to pair traditional jewellery with modern silhouettes

Timeless and oh-so elegant, heirloom jewellery can add that much-needed grandeur to your festive look. And no, you don’t need to restrict those evergreen pieces to traditional outfits alone. Wear your grandma’s kundan choker and jhumkas or those chandbalis and kadas with modern silhouettes to make a unique statement as you flaunt your prized possessions. While you prepare to ring in the festivities at home, scan your mother’s and grandmothers’ closets and pick out a few charming pieces from their heirloom jewellery collection, which rarely see the light of day. Here’s a guide from fashion designers and stylists on how to mix and match your treasured heirlooms with contemporary dresses to create some vintage magic this festive season. Read on…

Pocket-friendly and effortlessly chic Nothing is more satisfying than wearing a jadau choker from your bequest or a heritage piece of jewellery that’s been part of the family heirloom for generations on Dhanteras. Such traditional pieces are not only incomparable in terms of design and quality, but are mostly one of a kind. Pairing them with a modern festive wardrobe is the best way to keep yourself effortlessly chic amid the festivities without burning a hole in your pocket. Give the precious pieces the respect they deserve by choosing one statement piece and build the look with smaller accents. A few rules for using heirloom jewellery 1) Pick one statement piece and give it center stage 2) Layer kundan chokers with long pearl malas. Put on an easy resort wear bandhani wrap dress or a tie and dye romper jumpsuit to complete the look 3) When it comes to rings, the more the merrier 4) An heirloom silver anklet is a must in every mother’s closet. Be sure to wear it with a drape skirt and top or a dhoti jumpsuit that shows off your ankles 5) Filigree gold bangles, especially when too many, go best with a silk shirt and a Banarasi sharara. If it’s a bangle story in both hands, keeping the neck bare is a great idea. Long earrings would be best here 6)Wear your jhumkas with an asymmetric dress and tie your hair back to add another dimension to your look 7) Wear a long gold ornamental chain with a long shirt dress and team it up with a belt and high-heeled boots 8) Do not over accessorise. Avoid wearing everything at once. If it’s a statement choker, then make sure the earrings are small, more like tops. No bracelet or bangles. A couple of rings will do the magic 9) Maang tikkas are great finds and every grandmother has one. A tight bun or easy locks with a bold maang tikka is quite a head-turner anywhere. If you have a long neck, a maang tikka and choker or neckpiece with no other jewellery is a very confident look. Put on a maang tikka with a bandhani or shibori kimono jumpsuit with a statement bracelet or handcuff — Nupur Kanoi, fashion designer Match heritage jewellery with modern outfits cleverly Passing on heirloom jewellery from one generation to the next is a tradition. While some of us still indulge in new designs and styles every now and then, our traditional family jewellery pieces hold a special place. Whether it’s a bunch of gold chains, a kundan neckpiece, a chandbali, or a choker – all kinds of heritage jewellery can be styled cleverly with contemporary outfits, such as dresses, gowns, or even plain solid shirts with the neckpieces peeking out from the few open buttons. A traditional bala can be used as an armband with certain dresses. Men, too, can use heirloom jewellery to make a style statement. Use a chandbali or pendant as a brooch in smart jackets or even bandh galas and be prepared for all the lovely compliments coming your way! — Dev R Nil, designer duo

Style it right 1) Anklets are in vogue this season. Throw them on with a pair of high-heel sneakers and don’t forget to roll up your jeans 2)Team up an amazing vintage silver choker with a long, flowy dress. Or wear a traditional necklace with a fabulous white or black shirt to stand out 3)Add loads of bangles over the cuff of your shirt so they don’t get lost underneath 4) Traditional oversized gold earrings look great with an oversized T-shirt belted at the waist. Complete the look with a pair of sexy heels 5) Traditional rings, be it in silver or gold, are your go-to accessories with modern silhouettes — Shaleena Nathani, stylist