What are Diamonds

Diamond, which is solely composed of the element Carbon, is the hardest substance known to man. The word Diamond comes from The Greek word for unconquerable which is "adamas". First discovered in India in the year 800 B.C., they were considered the tears of God From Heaven. For centuries diamonds have been the possession of just the royalty and the very elite few. However today diamonds are found in many parts of the world. Less than 5% of the diamonds mined today are considered gem quality - meaning that they would be suitable to use in jewelry. The largest number of gem quality stones are produced in South Africa but diamonds are also found in Russia, Australia, South America and the United States. Much of the mining outside of South Africa produces industrial quality diamonds.

Today diamonds symbolize wealth, durability, status, and peerless quality. Across time and cultures diamonds have been associated with invulnerability, lightning, magic, healing and protection. To most people today diamonds symbolize timeless grace and beauty that will never fade away.

The 4 C's of a Diamond

The oft talked about 4 C's of a diamond are instrumental in judging it value. In a nutshell. The larger a diamond (Carat), the rarer it is. The purer a diamond (Clarity), the more transparent it is. The better the cross section (Cut) of a diamond, the more its brilliance. The more colorless a diamond (Color), the more beautiful it is.

Carat

A Carat is an extremely exact unit of weight measurement which is divided into one hundred smaller units called "points". A Diamond that is half a carat would weigh fifty points. Some extremely delicate jewelers scales will even weigh in fractions of a point. To give you a comparison, a point in weight is approximately equivalent to 1/15,000th of an ounce! Larger diamonds are uncovered less often than smaller ones. Thus, large diamonds are rare and have a greater value per carat. For that reason, the price of a diamond rises exponentially to its size.

Clarity

No two diamonds are alike. A diamond's most distinguishing characteristics are its inclusions, marks that are often invisible to the naked eye. However, under a jeweler's magnifying loupe which is generally 10x or microscope they can look like feathers, crystals, tiny rivers, or clouds. A diamond's clarity is determined by the presence or absence of inclusions--fewer inclusions mean better clarity--and how visible they are. The greater a diamond's clarity, the greater its brilliance and value. A diamond categorized as internally flawless will have no inclusions, but this is extremely rare. Diamonds with very, very small inclusions are graded as VVS1 or VVS2. Likewise those with very small inclusions and slight inclusions are graded VS1 or VS2 and SI1 or SI2 Those with larger inclusions are considered lower-grade. Diamonds with inclusions that are visible with the naked eye are graded I1, I2 and I3.

Cut

The way a diamond is cut and polished is very vital to its sparkle and brilliance. It is the precision and delicacy of the cut that dictates the maximum amount of light that the diamond will refract and reflect. The better the cut, the greater its brilliance and sparkle. When a diamond is cut into good proportions, light is internally reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the crown. If the cut is too deep, then some light will escape through the opposite side of the pavilion, or bottom of the diamond. If the cut is too shallow, then some light will escape through the pavilion, or bottom, before it can be reflected.

Diamonds are classified into different categories that make it simpler to judge the cut, even if you are not a professional. Diamonds can carry cut grades of Excellent, Ideal, Very Good, Good, or Fair. "Excellent" or "Very Good" cut diamonds are exceptionally proportioned high quality stones that reflect back up to 90% of the light entering the diamond. The "ideal" cut diamonds refers to the very best of round diamonds. "Good" rated diamonds are well cut stones because of their ability to reflect light. Diamonds with less than good proportion are rated "fair" or "poor" and are generally less expensive.

Color

Most diamonds look white, but there are many subtle shades. The closer a diamond is colorless, the more valuable it becomes. Diamonds with no hint of color at all are very rare, and are called colorless. Grading laboratories use a color scale that ranges from D (completely colorless) to Z (strong yellow). Diamonds ranging from D to F in color have virtually no color tone and are the most valuable. Diamonds in the range of G to J are almost colorless and most people cannot detect color tones in them, they are less expensive. Diamonds of K color and lower have enough yellow color tone which most people can easily detect, nevertheless, these stones can still make fine jewelry and their cost is much less than higher color grade diamonds.