Everything you need to know about Diamonds
Diamond is a special, naturally occurring mineral made of carbon. Each carbon atom in a diamond is linked to the four carbon atoms around it by the most important chemical bond, covalent. Diamonds are the hardest known natural substance.
These characteristics allow it to be utilized as a cutting tool and for other durable-needed operations. Diamonds range in hue from colorless to black and can be transparent, translucent, or opaque. Most are used as jewelry are transparent and essentially colorless.
The most valuable stones are colorless or pale blue, but these are uncommon; most gem diamonds have a yellowish tint. The body color of a “fancy” diamond is distinct; red, blue, and green are the rarest, while orange, violet, yellow, and yellowish green are more prevalent.
Mined Diamonds
Most likely, a mined diamond comes to mind when you hear the term “natural diamond.” For engagement rings and wedding bands, mined diamond have long been the most popular option. Before mining operations retrieved them, mined diamond form under extreme heat and pressure over billions of years deep inside the earth’s crust.
Lab-grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds have become a more popular method for obtaining these jewels in recent years. Instead of mining diamond from the earth, modern technology allows for their creation in a lab.
A lab-grown diamond is ultimately a real diamond. The only distinction between a lab-grown and a mined diamond is where it was created.
Lab-grown diamonds are produced of carbon rather than being mined from the earth; as a result, they are chemically, optically, and physically like mined diamond. Natural diamond are more expensive than lab-grown ones.
Treated Diamonds
Diamonds were mined in the same way as the previously stated ordinary diamond, but whose characteristics were artificially improved or altered to produce a diamond with a superior appearance. Inclusion filling, in which they “conceal” inclusions using specific material, and color enhancement are typical procedures.
Please be aware that since these treatments are typically applied to diamond that cannot be sold otherwise, the prices of these diamonds are significantly lower than those of a comparable natural diamond that has not been treated.
Diamonds with Natural Fancy Colors
Finally, although by no means least… These diamonds are the most exquisite kind. Colored diamonds are very uncommon. Compared to ordinary diamonds, there are roughly 1 to 10,000 of them.
The demand for them increased in the last decade as more and more celebrities started to wear them, whether as engagement rings or as fashion statements on the red carpet. The two most well-known diamond colors are pink and canary yellow, but these stunning stones are available in every color of the rainbow, including combinations of these hues as well as blue, purple, violet, red, green, and yellow.
TIPS BEFORE BUYING DIAMOND
Cut
Diamonds are in their unprocessed state when they are brought to the Earth’s surface from its deeper strata. They need to be shaped and polished to be set in a piece of jewelry, such as a necklace or ring. The design and form that a jeweler gives a diamond are referred to as its cut.
It directly determines how much the diamond is worth. Light can only enter and reflect out of the diamond when it is expertly cut, producing a stunning shine. When comparing diamonds, the cut grades Ideal/Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor are employed.
Color
True colorless diamonds are extremely rare. The remainder is various tones of yellow and brown. A diamond is submitted to a gem lab after it is mined, where gemologists assess its color on a scale that goes from D (colorless) to Z (very dark) (light yellow).
The most expensive and most valuable diamonds are colorless ones. Typically, we recommend selecting diamonds with a maximum D and I grade.
Clarity
Diamonds develop both internal and external inclusions as they originate deep within the ground. The quantity, nature, and location of these flaws are referred to as clarity. On a scale that goes from Loupe Clean (LC) to Piqué 3, diamond clarity is rated.
Carat
Gemologists measure a diamond’s weight in metric carats. A carat weighs 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams. Each carat can be divided into 100 “points,” with each “point” representing one-hundredth of a carat.
As a result, measurements are exceedingly accurate down to the hundredth decimal place. Most diamonds you’ll see while shopping will have their weight marked in carats or fractions of carats, but rarely, you’ll find a particularly little diamond with its weight listed in points.
Shapes
There are numerous forms of diamonds. The most popular and expensive diamond form is the brilliant round cut. Since round diamonds have the highest sparkle, they are highly valued.
Fancy forms are used to describe the remaining diamond shapes. While the square or rectangular forms, like the Asscher, are step cuts, some of them, including the marquise, pear, and heart, are essentially variations of the brilliant round cut. There are different levels of fire and scintillation in every fancy-shaped diamond.
Certification for Diamonds
As the saying goes, not everything that glitters is gold, and diamonds are a prime example. Anyone with no prior diamond expertise should examine the seller’s certificate. To confirm the diamond grade you are buying, it is usually a good idea to get a certificate from one of the top grading laboratories, such as GIA or IGI. According to the certificate, the item’s cut, clarity, and color have all been confirmed by a certified gemologist.
