“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” sang Marilyn Monroe, and everybody’s best friend, if you are after a beautiful, valuable, fascinating object that will last, in pristine condition, for centuries. Diamonds: just the word makes eyes sparkle, fiancées sigh, rich men invest and poor men dream. “Diamond Class” often describes the very best: service, hotel suite, wedding anniversary, cruise ship, etc. It conveys wealth, beauty and durability: diamonds are forever…
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At the heart of the suggestive, dream-like aura surrounding the idea of diamonds, lies an unyielding, almost colorless, pitiless, hard-to-get-at, rock-like mineral … which is probably part of its fascination. This material, the hardest mineral, sought after and rare, and practically eternal, attracts and bewitches. This justifies the high prices and makes the complicated processes to produce a precious jewel well worth it. From diamond mines in Africa to the locked display cases of high-class jewelers, the road is long.
Rough diamonds extracted from the earth undergo numerous transformations before becoming jewelry. First, they are sorted and classified. Diamonds come in varying degrees of purity, and with differing color tones. Then they are cut and mounted. All this is painstaking work that requires a high degree of expertise. The end-customer will spend a fair amount of money and will examine his purchase closely, and rightly so. The discerning client will probably be well-versed in what to look for in a diamond and will know something about the four “C”s of diamond lore: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.
Cut, reflecting the light
Love that incredible sparkle that only a diamond can give? It is all in the cut! Diamonds are cut to enhance their light-reflecting properties; the many facets of the cut diamond give back light, creating that famous sparkle. The fire and brilliance of the reflected light, as well as the flashing sparkling effect, all come from the perfect proportions, angles and symmetry of the cut. There are classification tables and complicated instruments for evaluating the cut and consequent light reflection of diamonds.
Color, or lack of it
Diamonds are essentially carbon and most contain some contamination or impurity caused by the presence of nitrogen which produces a yellow tinge. Where there is also internal graining, a brownish color can be seen. Diamonds are color classified (from D to Z) according to the amount of contamination. The most prized diamonds are completely colorless (a beautiful rarity), or almost colorless. But even diamonds with a discernible tinge have their beauty, and much depends on personal taste and budget. Beyond this classification are the rare, intensely-colored, “fancy” diamonds which can be blue, black, pink and other colors. Take a look at the Pricescope Diamond forum for help with choosing a diamond color. This is a good independent source of information, rich in advice and facts about the color of diamonds.
Clarity, light performance
The above-mentioned impurities within the diamond not only affect the color, but also impact on the all-important clarity or purity of the diamond, or the way that the surface reflects the light. Also here, there is a classification scale which measures the amount of impurity within the diamond. Examination is carried out under magnification which reveals flaws or internal graining which could impede the passage of light. Fewer impurities mean more light and more sparkle, that precious inner fire that everyone expects from a diamond.
Carat, a weighty question
The weight of the diamond is the main factor in determining its price. Diamonds are weighed in carats, one carat is 200 milligrams or .200gm. However, weight alone does not always reflect the true value of a piece of diamond jewelry. Its clarity and color are equally important to the final look of the jewel, and the cut of the diamond determines its sparkle. It is necessary to consider all these factors when choosing a diamond.
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When you have chosen your color and cut, and decided that your best option is for a near-colorless, quality-cut, high-clarity diamond, make sure that you get the accompanying GIA/AGS certification (Gemological Institute of America, American Gem Society) which guarantees the authenticity of your purchase.
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