Diamond Basics

Diamond Basics will give you all the necessary information about these luxurious gems because they have an allure about them that makes them probably the most sought after gemstones in the world.

We all know the saying that "diamonds are a girl's best friend", and more than likely that sentiment is due to their brilliance, sparkle and the way they make a person feel when wearing one. But, little do we know that these perfectly clear and beautiful gemstones start their lives as basically rocks. 

Did you know that a diamond is a form of carbon?  It's extreme hardness and light diffusion qualities make it a highly useful stone for industrial purposes, in addition to its pleasing artistic qualities. Diamonds also make excellent abrasives due to the fact that they can only be scratched by other diamonds (which makes them durable).

Diamonds date back to as far as approximately 296 BC. It is generally accepted that diamonds were first mined in India, where they quickly became symbols of spirituality and holiness. Diamonds were traded in all direction of India for their different industrial uses, including engraving and drilling. They were also used for their artistic purposes such as for ceremony, decoration, and adornment.

Back then there was a strict prohibition against cutting diamonds which started with the early traditional uses in India, and ended in the Middle Ages. By the 13th century, a guild of diamond cutters and polishers were established, as the technology of reshaping diamonds began to develop. 

Diamond basics are that they have 4 characteristics which are used as basic description devices of diamonds, and which are used in order to determine the ultimate value of a particular diamond. These are known as the 4 "C's" - Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut. The carat is the weight that measures the mass of the diamond. One carat is more or less equal to 0.007 ounce. The value of a diamond increases greatly relative to its carat weight.

The clarity of a diamond is measured by the amount of inclusions in a diamond. The value of a diamond decreases when a cloudy appearance is formed due to cracks and foreign matter. The grading systems used to assess clarity are based on certain factors including number, size, color, and visibility of the inclusions, the higher the clarity rating is, the more rare and valuable the diamond is.

An almost perfect diamond would be free of chemicals, almost perfectly clear and color-free to the naked eye. This doesn't necessarily affect the value of a diamond, however, Some pink or even blue diamonds are considered spectacular, and therefore highly valuable. A rating system of D to Z (D=colorless and Z=bright yellow) is in use to aid in color assessment of diamonds.

Lastly the cut of a diamond describes how the diamond has been shaped and polished from its original rough state to a piece of art. The "cut" describes the level of workmanship that has gone into the diamond, as well as the angles to which the diamond is cut. Remember that this is not the same as the shape of the diamond, which describes just that, its shape.

Jewelry stores will be aware of the 4 C's of the diamonds they have in store. Because diamonds are unique, they add even more allure to owning one.

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