Goodbye, Mined Gem Industry? (Score 1)

I can forsee the Apollo CVD method being used with plasmas of other materials like iron, titanium, etc. being added to the process. This would color the otherwise flawless block of carbon to some rather appealing colors...

I can also envision plasmas of beryllium aluminum silicate (beryl) and aluminum oxide (corundum) coupled with the appropriate metallic coloring to make blocks of flawless gemstones like emerald, ruby and sapphire. Only problem here would be that the that the gems would be too flawless... for example, emeralds from Minas Gerais, Brazil are prized because of their pyrite inclusions and liquid-filled gas bubbles, and I doubt if you could randomly deposit iron sulfide on the block and expect it to crystalize. Same applies with corundums; some rubies and sapphires have a star reflection on them, from inclusions of rutile crystals.

I suppose that perfection can be nice, but sometimes nothing beats the real thing.