All About Diamonds - Just For You

All About Diamonds

Lets get back to the basics. You don't have to read this if you just want to go out a buy a diamond. But if you want some idea of what diamonds are all about, then this article is for you.

The word "diamond" comes from a Greek word 'adamas'. According to Greek mythology, this word means in its simplest form "something that is invincible." And considering how a diamond is created, the description is a apt one.

Deep under the earth's surface, the mineral carbon undergoes an extreme change in temperature and pressure. The resulting crystal is a diamond - one of the hardest minerals known to man.

The resulting diamond has been found all over the world but perhaps the largest source of diamonds are found in South Africa and in other parts of the region. After the diamonds are mined, they are put to a huge number of different uses. In fact very few of the diamonds are used for gemstones. Over 80% of the diamonds are used for industrial purposes.

Commercially, diamonds have significant impact on the world economy. South Africa produces approximately 60% of the world production. And of that number, approximately 95% is controlled by the mining giant De Beers.

Diamond Cutting

For a gemologist, when you cut a diamond, you are not just giving it a desired shape. The decisions the gemstone cutter makes about how to cut the stone make a huge difference to the qualities that make or break a piece of jewelry. Cutting and polishing the facets, the angles, of the diamond bring out its best qualities. The number of facets and how they face will reflect and refract the light causing the diamond to light up with fire and brilliance.

The number of facets directly affects how 'bright' a diamond is. For example a cushion cut has 60 facets and is considered to be one of the brightest diamonds. But the angle of the facets is important because each angle would reflect and refract the light differently.

Width and Depth (and Length)

For the diamond to have brilliance, it is absolutely necessary for the width and depth of the stone be in proportion. An ideal cut diamond favors total internal reflection. The light rays enter from the top and are reflected internally and exits from its top face. If the diamond is 'shallow cut', the light is reflected out the bottom and sides and it disappears with the stone loosing its sparkle. When you look at a shallow cut diamond it will appear dark and somewhat dull.

Symmetry

Symmetry - what do you mean? Symmetry simply means the the diamond faces are in proper alignment and that all of its flat and polished surfaces refine the qualities of the diamond. Not usually able to be seen with the naked eye, these points of symmetry play a major role in the diamonds final finishing.

Purchasing A Diamond

First there are the four C's:

1. clarity - how clear and flawless the diamond appears. The diamond my have small inclusions that do not appear to the naked eye but they still affect the price of the diamond.
2. cut - refers to the shape as well as the 'make' of the diamond, how well the diamond has been constructed, how well the shape is with regards to polish as well as its proportions. The most common cuts today are round, pear, oval, emerald cut, princess, radiant and heart shaped.
3. color - a colorless or near colorless diamond is most rare. Most diamonds for purchase are colored in some respect with yellow or yellowish tinge being the most common. In may cases and in some lights, you will barely notice any color at all.
4. carat weight - refers to weight of diamond. A larger diamond, for example a two carat diamond is more rare and more expensive than two one carat diamonds.

The quality of the diamond when considering each of the points about will either increase or decrease the actual diamond regardless of its visual appeal to the buyer. The buyer, unless they are a wealthy investor, is primarily concerned with "Does it look good?"

Make sure you have a reputable dealer that you are working with. It is very easy to be mislead when purchasing a diamond.

Scams To Watch For

There are numerous 'scams' to watch out for when buying a diamond. Here are some of the most common to be aware of.

• Jewelry stores like to have bright lights: This benefits them by showing off the diamonds amazing brilliance, not telling you about the lights. Make sure you see the ring in different light settings to see how the diamond really looks.
• Total carat weight scam is another one. The tag gives you the total carat weight of the ring for example. The ring has a center stone and smaller stones on each side. When reading the tag, the customer assumes that the weight shown is the for the center stone. The store does not inform the buyer of the difference between total carat weight and the carat weight of the center stone.
• The ‘fluorescence’ scam shows the diamond under a fluorescent light where it appears blue-white which is made out to be something rare which it is not. Make sure you see the diamond in different lights.

When look for a diamond for yourself of a loved one, know as much as you can before you walk through the door. Protect yourself with information. Thank you for reading "All About Diamonds."