What is diamond...
Diamond is the hardest material known to occur in nature. It consists of pure carbon that crystallizes as a result of very high pressure and temperature. These conditions can only be found in a depth of 150 to 200 kilometers below the earth's surface! With great effort, the crystals are extracted from the earth and skillfully processed into gemstone in jewelry. Mining the raw diamond rock is still very complicated today despite all modern techniques. On average, it takes just over six tons of rough rock to find one gram of rough diamond. Also, of all diamonds, only 20% are suitable for incorporation into jewelry. All this explains the costliness of these precious stones.
History and properties
The word diamond comes from the Ancient Greek "adamas" meaning unbeatable, which of course has everything to do with the gemstone's hardness. The stone has crystalline quadrilateral structure with a very high refractive index. This means that as a result, it brilliantly refracts and reflects (sun) light depending on the cut. Moreover, the polished shiny surface of the diamond stone does not become dull due to its high hardness.
A symbol of power, courage and invincibility, diamond was worn only by kings and rulers until the 15th century. Only when in 1477 Mary of Burgundy received a diamond engagement ring from the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, was the tradition born to use this magnificent gemstone as an engagement ring. The tradition of wearing the ring on the left hand came from the Egyptians who believed that the "Vena Amoris" (vein of love) ran from the heart directly to the left hand.
The 4 Cs
There are 4 factors that determine the value of the gemstone, the 4 Cs:
- Cut
- Colour
- Clarity
- Caratweight
The cut says something about the way the stone is cut. Brilliant is the best known cut, princess and emerald are also well known. The marquise (navette) is one of my personal favorites: This cut has 58 facets and is brilliant cut. The name comes from a commission from King Louis XIV as a gift for his mistress Marquise de Pompadour. The Marquise cut diamond is widely used in rings.
The color (Colour) says something about the whiteness of the diamond. The more yellow the lower the value and the whiter the diamond the higher the value. Not to be confused with yellow diamonds, these are actually high in value because they are very rare.
Clarity tells how many impurities (inclusions) a diamond contains: the fewer and smaller these inclusions are, the more valuable the diamond.
The carat weight (Carat) indicates the size of the diamond.
