Synthetic diamonds are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. From a chemical perspective, they are the real thing.  As a matter of fact, they have fewer blemishes than natural diamonds, and surpass them in clarity and brilliance.

Synthetic diamonds are made by a process called chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which takes only 24 hours. It begins with a small diamond “seed,” which serves as a base and template for the deposition of additional carbon atoms. It’s similar to the way pearls are formed within the body of an oyster, from small grains of sand which find their way inside and become coated by the body’s secretions, which eventually hardens into pearl. However, in the case of synthetic diamonds, the process is far more rapid.

Aside from their potential as jewelry, synthetic diamonds have a host of industrial uses: from semiconductors (which are essential components in computers), to optical lenses that can emit sharper, more intense laser beams for cutting, welding and surgery.

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An elderly woman once passed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe after waiting in line for hours to see him and receive his blessing. She could not contain herself and called out, “Rebbe, I’ve been standing in line for a  few hours and I’m exhausted. How can you stand on your feet for hours upon hours greeting all these people?”

The Rebbe replied, “When you’re counting diamonds, you don’t get tired.”

To the Rebbe, every Jew, no matter who they were, what level of learning, what level of Jewish observance, was a diamond. With the right technique, the small seed of “diamond” that each individual has inside can grow into a brilliant, precious stone.

And for many, this process was begun in the instant that they met with the Rebbe. From that moment, their spiritual strengths began to flourish; their lives were transformed to become brighter and better. It was as if the Rebbe lit an inner fire in them, which had always been dormant and only needed a small spark to ignite. The kernel of diamond is the Jewish spark; the part of G-d within all of us that sustains us and gives us our sense of meaning and purpose. And within moments of meeting the Rebbe, that spark would find its expression and give the person strength and courage to go forward.