What do
I look for in buying jewellery with quality diamonds?
The Four C's - cut, colour, clarity and carat weight are
your guidelines. These four characteristics determine the
value of a diamond. As well as learning as much as you can
about the Four C's, remember the Fifth C which is Confidence
in your jeweller. He will help you choose the right quality
stone. He will realise this is a very important purchase
for you and that you will want to buy the best quality diamond
you can.
What is meant by carat?
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats, and there
are 100 points to a carat. A carat is equal to one fifth
of a gram. Diamonds are so precious that they are weighed
on scales whose delicate balance even a breath can tip.
The carat has an interesting history. Centuries ago, the gem dealers
of the Middle East used the seeds of the carob tree to balance their
scales. These seeds are surprisingly uniform in weight; on ancient scales
they balanced exactly.
Do diamonds come in different
colours?
Diamonds come in all colours of the spectrum. Most diamonds
appear white. A rare few are the crystalline white of icicles
under the sun. The majority of diamonds are the warmer whites
with tinges of yellow or brown, some so faint that only the
expert eye can see them. There are also diamonds in pastel
colours such as pink, green and champagne. The whiter they
are, the greater is their rarity and, therefore, value.
What should I know about colour
in buying a diamond?
When buying a diamond, colour is an important factor in
determining the price.
Completely colourless, icy-white diamonds are very rare and are priced
accordingly. The variations in colour are often so slight that they can
be detected only by an expert under special light. Diamonds with a strong
natural colour are also very rare and are called "fancy colours" commanding
collectors prices if also of good size and cut.
The best way to see the true colour of a diamond is to look through its
side against a white background.
What is the meaning of clarity?
If a jeweller were to line up six bright and sparkling diamonds
on a velvet pad, most customers would think they were all
the same. But to the jeweller each is different. In the process
of crystallizing diamonds out of carbon, Nature left miniscule
birthmarks - specks, bubbles and "feathers" in
most of them. These natural characteristics are called inclusions
and it is their number, size and position, under 10-power
magnification, which determine the clarity of a diamond.
Because of inclusions, each diamond has individuality just as each person
is a unique combination of genes.
You might have heard the term "flawless" applied to diamonds.
This is the term for a diamond that has no visible inclusions when viewed
under 10-power magnification. There are very few flawless diamonds.
Does clarity affect the price?
The fewer inclusions there are in a diamond, the more valuable
it is.
Frequently, inclusions can be removed in the cutting process, and it
is the task of the diamond cutter to remove as many as he can while maintaining
as much of the original carat weight as possible, since both weight and
clarity affect the value of the diamond.
Why is the shape of a diamond
called a cut.
When he examines the rough stone, the cutter decides what
shape the diamond will be. He takes into consideration the
shape of the rough, its size, any inclusions and how much
weight will be lost in the cutting.
The most popular shape for the engagement diamond is the round brilliant
cut, which has have 58 facets. This is usually cut from an eight-sided
crystal.
The marquise, oval, pear, emerald and heart-shaped diamonds are known
as fancy cuts. These are all fashioned from different shapes of rough
diamonds that do not lend themselves to the round brilliant cut.
he shapes of the facets differ in each of the cuts, and it is these tiny
polished planes on the surface of each diamond that account for its brilliance
and fire. The precision and delicacy exercised by the craftsman who cuts
the stone determines the quality of the cut, the extent of the brilliancy
and mystery of the diamond's "fire".
The shape you choose is a matter of individual taste -they are all works
of art.
Is a diamond really forever?
Diamonds are as precious and unique today as they were when
only worn by princes and kings.
The diamond is the hardest natural substance known to man and literally
endures forever, which is why it is a perfect symbol of love and a lasting
relationship. It is several thousand times harder than corundum, from
which sapphires and rubies are formed. Once cut and polished, diamonds
never lose their beauty, and many have been passed on and enjoyed from
generation to generation, yet further reason why you should buy the best
quality stone you can.
What other characteristics
make a diamond so special?
The main characteristic which makes a diamond so special
is its unique ability to handle light. It is because of this
that the diamond sparkles with such brilliance, fire and
scintillation.
The diamond's brilliance lies in its ability to capture white light,
and reflect it back to the eye. No other gemstone can match it.
Fire is the blaze of rainbow colours into which the diamond breaks up
the white light that passes through it. This quality is also called dispersion,
and the diamond has the highest dispersion index of any natural gem.
Scintillation is the flash of light that occurs whenever a diamond is
moved, even fractionally. A well cut and faceted diamond will capture
light from the slightest flicker of a candle.
A diamond's unique beauty - the spectacular light show it puts on - is
captured in every stone. The higher the quality of a diamond the greater
its ability to handle light, which intensifies its beauty and increases
its value. Nothing can begin to rival the diamond for fire, brilliance,
scintillation and hardness.
Where do diamonds come from?
The exact origin of diamonds is still something of a mystery,
even to scientists. Though the diamond is the hardest of
all gemstones, it is the simplest in composition. It is pure
carbon, not unlike the graphite in a lead pencil, but carbon
that has crystallized.
Somehow many millions of years ago diamonds crystallized under immense
heat and pressure, deep in the earth's crust. Then the force of ancient
volcanic eruptions drove the diamond-bearing molten rock up through pipe-like
channels towards the earth's surface where diamonds are mined today.
Why are diamonds so valuable?
Only twenty per cent of all the diamonds mined in the world
are gem quality; the rest, because of their colour and quality,
are suitable only for industrial purposes, which is why diamonds
are so rare. They are extremely difficult to recover. An
average 31 tons of ore must be mined and processed in order
to produce a one carat diamond (which is only 1/142 of an
ounce). The expertise of many skilled and experienced people
is necessary not only in the complicated process of extracting,
but also in cutting and polishing a diamond. So all diamonds
are valuable; the better their cut, colour and clarity, and
the bigger they are, the more valuable they are.
How did the tradition of the
diamond engagement ring begin?
It all began with Mary of Burgundy She was the first lady
to receive a diamond ring for her engagement to Maximilian
of Austria on August 17, 1477.
According to history, Maximilian asked one of his counsellors for advice
on proposing to Mary. The counsellor told him to give her "a ring
set with a diamond and also a gold ring". Maximilian took the advice
and proposed, slipping a diamond ring on the third finger of her left
hand. Mary said "yes", and a tradition was born.
Why the third finger, left
hand?
The early Egyptians believed that the vena amoris (vein
of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third
finger, left hand.
How are diamonds cared for?
Diamonds do need care to keep them at their brilliant best.
A clean diamond not only reflects light better, but actually
looks bigger than one that's been "dulled" by skin
oils, soap, cosmetics and cooking grease. Diamonds have an
affinity for grease and should be cleaned once every month
to keep them looking their brightest.
There are three simple ways to wash away the "film" that accumulates
on diamonds:
-
The Detergent Bath. Prepare a small bowl of warm suds
with any mild liquid detergent. Brush pieces gently with
a toothbrush while they are in the suds. Transfer to
a wire strainer and rinse under warm running water. Pat
dry with a soft, lintless cloth.
-
The Cold Water Soak. Make a half and half solution of
cold water and household ammonia in a cup. Soak the diamond
for 30 minutes. Lift out and tap gently around the back
and front of the mounting with a small brush. Swish in
the solution once more and drain on paper. No rinse is
needed.
-
The Quick-Dip Method. Buy one of the brand-name liquid
jewellery cleaners, with its kit, and follow the instructions.
Additional tips on how
to care for your diamond
Don't let your diamond come in contact with chlorine bleach
when you're doing housework. It won't hurt the diamond, but
it can pit or discolour the mounting.
Don't wear your diamond when you're playing sports, doing rough work
or the dishes. Even though a diamond is durable, it can be chipped by
a hard blow along its grain.
Don't jumble your diamond pieces in a drawer or jewellery case, because
diamond pieces can scratch each other and also scratch other jewellery
Take your diamonds to your jeweller for a "check-up" at least
once a year. He will check your ring for loose claws and signs of wear.
He'll usually give them a professional "shine-up" too.
Remember, each diamond is unique; a miniature work of art - Nature's
Limited Edition. The strength of your love is reflected by your quality
diamond - care for it and it will always sparkle the same way it did
the day it caught your eye and said what was in your heart.
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