Diamonds
- A girl’s best friend –
There are many reasons why Diamonds are a girl's best friend. In the 1940s, De Beers Jewellers debuted the ad slogan, “A Diamond is forever.” Diamonds symbolise love, class, eternal love, trust, and faith. These qualities have been proven to be a true expression of love, what makes it the perfect gem for an engagement ring. Love is the most important thing in the world, and Diamonds will help us remember that.
Legends say that Diamonds can promote creativity and imagination, while also symbolising wealth and the ability to manifest abundance.
Each gem is has its standards for cut, colour, clarity, and carat– commonly referred to as the 4 Cs. The scale acts as a Diamond quality guide, but there’s no “right answer” to how a Diamond should look. When used together, they describe the quality of a finished Diamond.
1. Diamond Cut
Cut refers to the facets, symmetry, and reflective qualities of
a Diamond. The cut of a Diamond is directly related to its overall sparkle and
beauty. A Diamond’s proportions determine how light performs when it enters the Diamond.
If light enters through the crown and goes out through the pavilion, the Diamond will look dark and unattractive. Diamonds with different proportions
and good polish make better use of the light, and will be bright and colourful.
2. Diamond Colour
Colour refers to the natural colour or lack of colour visible within a Diamond. They vary from colourless to black and may be transparent. Diamonds are found in every colour of the rainbow. The rarest natural colours are blue, green, orange, and red. The closer a dDamond is to “colourless,” the rarer it is in value. To identify colour quality, a standard grading system has been developed beginning with grade D, the highest colour quality with total absence of colour and ending with grades N through Z, the lowest colour quality with noticeable colour. The higher the Diamond grade, the greater its light performance and price.
3. Diamond Clarity
Clarity grade measures a Diamond’s visual inclusions, blemishes or lack thereof. These might be crystals, feathers, pinpoints, clouds, cavities, scratches, pits, nicks, chips or other imperfections. Diamonds with little to no inclusions are considered particularly rare and highly valued.
4. Diamond Carat
Carat is the unit of measurement used to describe the weight of a Diamond. It is often the most visually apparent factor when comparing Diamonds. Diamond stones are weighed in carats (1 carat = 200 milligrams) and in points (1 point = 0.01 carat).
Diamonds are the world’s most beloved gemstone. But why is that? Here are some interesting facts about Diamonds:
1. Diamonds are the earth’s hardest natural substance. The only thing that can scratch a Diamond is another Diamond!
2. Because of their extreme hardness, Diamonds have a number of important industrial applications. These industrial Diamonds are usually gemstones that can’t be turned into profitable jewellery
3. Diamonds form approximately 100 miles under the earth and are carried to the surface by volcanic activity
4. Diamonds are the only gems made of only one element. They are made of pure carbon.
5. In the symbolism of gemstones, the Diamond represents steadfast love and is the birthstone for April.
6. Like snowflakes, no two Diamonds are identical. Each has its own set of unique characteristics that professional cutters draw out, maximizing the beauty of the stone.
7. The majority of natural Diamonds are one to three billion years old. These gemstones most likely formed in the first couple billion years that Earth existed. The oldest Diamonds are more than 3.5 billion years old1, while the younger ones are at least hundreds of millions of years old.
How are Diamonds Made
Diamonds formed when carbon atoms were put under high heat and pressure—in the Earth’s upper mantle—resulting in one atom being bonded to four other atoms.
Where are Diamonds found?
Diamonds are mined around the world, in countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Russia, and Canada.
