Diamond in the Sullen Rough

A diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man and when combined with the brilliant fire of the cut and polished finished product, has made diamonds one of the most valuable gemstones in the world.

Diamonds in all of their glory are pure carbon, just the same way lead pencils used to made from graphite which is also pure carbon, it is the way the carbon atoms are arranged which makes the difference between cheap, dull graphite or brilliant, fiery diamond. Diamonds are formed at great pressure and temperature inside the earth; at least 50 miles below the surface where the pressure is so intense that the carbon atoms are compressed together into an extremely packed formation and which gives diamond its strength. Diamonds are brought to the surface as a result of the natural, geological processes of the earth or more usually, are sought in some of the deepest mines in the world.

Brazil and India used to be the principal sources of diamonds with their gemstones being sourced from rivers and gravel deposits which had come to or close to the surface naturally. In 1870, Kimberlite rock was discovered to be richly laden with diamonds in South Africa and now, huge masses of rock are mined and processed to extract the diamonds it contains. To put it into some perspective, for one carat of polished diamond over 250 tons of Kimberlite ore must be mined and processed - now you understand why diamonds are so expensive!

Once extracted from the ore, the rough diamonds must be sorted and processed further. Processing includes cutting and polishing as at this stage, the diamonds resemble pebbles you would encounter on a beach and are nondescript in appearance. Cutting and polishing the rough diamond brings out the internal fire and beauty of the diamond, however, it is how a diamond is cut which determines the level of light which enters the stone and is internally reflected before exiting the diamond - this level of internal reflection is what adds to the sparkle and brilliance of the stone so cutting a diamond properly is essential or it will appear dull.

After being cut and polished, diamonds are then graded according to a system know as the "Four C's". The Four C's are - Carat (or weight), Cut, Clarity and Color. A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams but you must take care not to confuse diamond size with weight - a carat is a measure of weight and not size; a smaller looking diamond may very well be a larger weight of a much larger diamond simply because of composition and the way it has been cut. The cut, as we have seen, determines how much light enters and internally reflected within a diamond thus bringing out the fire or brilliance - too shallow a cut, where the diamond is not deep enough to allow the internal light reflection, will mean the diamond looks dull instead of fiery - this is a poor cut and underlines why diamond cutting is a highly skilled art.

Clarity refers to how clear and flaw-free the diamond is; diamonds will contain flaws which may be foreign matter enclosed within the diamond when it was forming in the earth or bubbles of gas and even internal faults where the carbon atoms have not uniformly bonded together. The presence of flaws affects the visual appearance of the diamond but also influences how light will travel and internally reflect within it; for these reasons, a flawless diamond is considerably more valuable than one with flaws.

Finally, color - diamonds can come with a yellowish tinge or at the other end of the scale have no color whatsoever - no color means a brighter and fiery brilliance whereas the yellowish tinge will dampen the brilliance of the diamond. The less color a diamond has the more valuable it is and the more you are going to pay for it.

By Lawrence Reaves

Grading Your Diamond - The Four C's

Diamonds are extremely valuable, in fact are the most valuable gemstone today though there is very great variation in the prices which are commanded by different stones. In order to understand what determines the value of a diamond you must first learn how diamond quality is assessed and so equip yourself with the knowledge to know what makes a good buy and what you should be looking to avoid when you are buying a diamond ring or jewelry yourself.

The "Four C's" are the criteria by which a diamond is graded - they are:

· Cut

· Clarity

· Color

· Carat (or weight)

You should know that a diamond fresh from the mine looks like any pebble you may find on the beach; they are completely nondescript and look just like any other piece of rock except, once cut and polished the fire and brilliance within is brought forth.

The cut and polish process is the first stage of creating your diamond after it has been extracted (it takes about 250 tons of ore to produce one carat of diamond), the cut itself is performed so as much of the diamond is preserved as possible (i.e. keeps the weight as high as possible and minimizes any waste) but more importantly, how the cuts are made will determine how much light will enter and be internally reflected within the diamond itself. It is this ability to internally reflect light before it re-emerges from the stone which adds to the brilliance and fire of the diamond's appearance. The wrong cuts and the light will not reflect internally and so it will diminish in appearance; the right cuts and the fire and brilliance will be amplified. Cutting and polishing is understandably, a much sought after skill and requires a great deal of artistry and superb craftsmanship.

A carat is a measure of the weight of a diamond; one carat is equal to 0.2 grams but the term actually derives from the use of carob seeds to balance the scales when weighing a diamond; one carob seed was one carat. In practice, jewelers use carats and a point scale so 50 points is equal to half a carat. You must be aware that a carat is a measure of weight and not size - a diamond may appear larger due to how it is cut, but it may weigh less than another diamond which has a different cut. Keep this in mind; a carat is a measure of weight and not size or shape.

Diamonds are formed about 50 miles or more below the surface of the earth where the pressures are so intense that the carbon atoms which make up diamonds are compressed into a particular atomic formation. This is the structure which makes a diamond possess such qualities as very high strength and transparency. While the diamonds are forming in the earth, they may also include flaws created by bubbles of gas, inclusion of foreign matter, scratches and internal faults along the bonds between the lattice-work of carbon atoms. Sometimes these flaws are visible to the naked eye, sometimes not while a flaw may be located closer to the diamond's visible surface or buried deep within the body of the stone. The more visible flaws a diamond possesses the less valuable it is because of the less clarity it has.

Color is actually a misnomer - diamonds with no coloring at all are sought after as the absence of color increases the ability for a diamond to appear on fire; a diamond may have a yellow hue which dulls the brilliance of the stone. In this instance, the less color a diamond possess the more valuable it is though there are some pink and blue diamond stones which are highly prized because they are so very rare.

By Lawrence Reaves

What Are Diamond Inclusions?

A diamond inclusion is a tiny characteristic(e.g. microscropic crystal) enclosed in a diamond or going into it from its surface. All diamonds have inclusions or clarity characteristics that were formed during natural growth in the earth. A diamond's inclusions are its identifying characteristic, it's what makes each individual diamond unique, no two diamonds are the same. Moreover, inclusions also help in identifying a specific diamond. Inclusions have a big impact on the clarity grade. Getting familiar with the different diamond inclusion terms will allow you to differentiate between a diamond that has a significant inclusion or one that has an inclusion that won't be so significant in affecting its clarity and value. Please take a look at the different diamond inclusions and their definitions below.

* Crystal- a mineral trapped in a diamond.

* Cloud - many microscopic crystals grouped tightly together and this provides a hazy cloud-like appearance when viewing under a 10x loupe.

* Needle- is a tiny, long crystal within a diamond.

* Pinpoint-when viewed under a 10x loupe, this looks like just like a dot, but this is a crystal.

* Feather-a small break inside of diamond that looks like a feather, when viewed under 10x magnification.

* Knot-a crystal within a diamond that actually extends to the surface of the stone.

* Indented Naturals- a small part of the original rough that dips below a polished diamonds surface. Naturals are usually left on the diamond because this saves overall carat weight. These naturals are usually found on the diamond girdle and don't take away from its beauty or clarity grade for that matter.

* Bearded Girdle-tiny feathers that extend from the surface of the girdle to the interior of the diamond.

* Chip-an opening in the diamond that is caused by impact, a chip on a diamond will usually be found on a girdle, culet or facet edges.

* Cavity- an tiny opening in a diamond after a crystal that reaches the surface gets polished out.

* Internal Graining-is caused by irregular crystal growth in a diamond. If seen under 10x magnification, internal graining is characterized by lines, curving lines or angular lines.

* Twinning Wisp- when viewed under 10x magnification, a twining wisp looks like a flat, reflective, flowing ribbon, they can be white or colorful and usually are located around the diamonds center.

* Cleavage- a break in the stone located along a weak atomic plane.

By Edward Calderazzo

How to Choose Your Diamond Wedding Ring

A favorite activity of everyone getting married is the incredible fun of going through a wedding ring selection process. But there are so many things to consider - and sometimes it can turn into a nightmare.

I've got to be honest here, everybody secretly wants a monster stone in the most beautiful setting possible. Do most women get it? No, not really. A perfect, flawless 3K diamond (or bigger) isn't realistic for most. Getting married involves a lot more than a flash ring which is going to have to be paid for and, of course, the bigger it is, the longer it's going to take to pay for it.

Like most young girls, you may have spent a lot of time dreaming of the perfect diamond wedding ring. Hopefully, you and your fiance decided to shop for rings together, or you have informed him of what you like. You will wear the wedding ring for a significant amount of time and it only makes sense that it's something that you like. If your knowledge of diamond wedding rings is limited to size, it's a good idea that you obtain more information before you make your wedding ring selection.

Consider some alternatives like "Loose or Set".

When most people think of a diamond wedding ring, they often think of a stone that is already set or mounted. You can actually buy a diamond only and choose a setting later. Why would you do this? The cost. When you shop for loose diamonds you will notice that diamonds are available in various sizes and shapes, including oval, round, and marquise.

Now let's say you are pretty much indifferent to the shape, but you might want to consider your hands. Certain styles complement certain types of hands. A good guide is to match the shape of the diamond to the hand. Do you have long, narrow fingers? Then an oval-shaped diamond or similar elongated style diamond for your wedding ring would probably work for you. Round diamonds usually are considered a good choice for most hands.

Now, what about the setting.

You really need to carefully consider the setting when shopping for a wedding ring. Should you choose platinum or yellow or white gold? Yellow gold is the setting that most people choose for their wedding ring. It is typically less expensive than platinum or white gold. But if you do choose a yellow gold wedding ring, be careful that you don't choose a higher quality just because you think it is better. As the quality of yellow gold goes up, the softer the metal becomes. A wedding ring set in 24k gold will be less resilient to scratches and more malleable than a ring that is set in 14k gold.

Platinum is by far the most expensive and most durable of the trio. White gold is a good choice for a wedding ring setting if versatility is important to you. White gold tends to go with everything.

White diamonds are by far the most popular. Did you know that you could buy a pink diamond? Diamonds are available in other colors, but these are typically more expensive. Second to the classic white diamond is the yellow diamond. When shopping for your wedding ring you will actually find more of these than any other color of diamond.

OK, now the big one - consider the cost.

Your budget probably carries the most weight in your wedding ring selection. A wedding ring featuring a diamond can cost as little as $100 and as much as $1,000,000. In general, the amount of money you can expect to pay for a diamond wedding ring will vary according to the type of stone and the setting. The more carats (that is the bigger the single diamond or the more smaller diamonds there are in total) a wedding ring has the more it will cost. Diamonds set in platinum will cost you the most. You can, however, spend much less on a wedding ring set in 14-carat gold. You can balance the cost by buying a wedding ring with a high number of carats and set in a less expensive setting.

Ultimately, you have to carefully consider your budget and your future. There is no single answer that will suit everyone. Some have the enviable pleasure of being able to buy whatever combination they most desire. For most of us, however, we need to begin our married life by using smart and careful selection to make sure our diamond ring not only suits and satisfies us, but also doesn't stress our finances.

By Richard Keirt

How Do I Clean My Diamond Ring?

This is a question asked of diamond ring owners all of the time and you may be surprised to find you do not need to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to bring your diamond to life.

Even the most perfectly flawless diamond will lose its brilliance and fire as the detritus of everyday life accumulates on the ring. Aside from the obvious culprits such as soap and make-up, products such as hairspray and perfume will contribute to the deterioration of the diamond's appearance over time and diminishing your enjoyment. Fortunately, you can easily clean your jewelry with a little effort and even les money.

A recommended cleaning method is to buy an ammonia solution or take neat ammonia and dilute one-third of a cup ammonia to two-thirds of hot water from the tap. Soak the ring in this solution for 10 minutes which will loosen accumulated dirt and grime as well as matter such as bread dough. After you have soaked the ring for 10 minutes, take a soft toothbrush and gently scrub the ring but do NOT use toothpaste as it contains scouring agents (a principal ingredient in toothpaste is sand!) and for this reason do not use an old toothbrush as this will still have toothpaste residue and it only takes one scratch to ruin the appearance of your ring.

Here are Ultrasonic cleaning services available if you wish to use these but they are really not necessary and can be very expensive even when you buy them yourself for use at home. Not only can the alcohol cleaning fluid they use be expensive to buy and replenish, the violent spinning and shaking process which is applied may actually loosen your diamond setting and result in the loss of your diamond when you least expect it!

Another method you can try is to buy some rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) which is very cheap (less than a couple of dollars) and use a shaving brush with medium to hard bristles. Soak the ring for a couple of minutes and then apply the brush and pay special attention to the underside of the basket and around and between the prongs. Soak the ring for a further two minutes and dry it off with a tissue. Your ring will look as fresh and sparkling as it did when the craftsman finished it.

We have already mentioned how your ring should not be subjected to shock or shaking however, everyday life being what it is, it is inevitable your jewelry will be knocked and suffer the odd knock no matter how careful you are with it. You should routinely check your ring to make sure it is tight and the diamond is in no danger of falling loose; diamonds being what they are, it is more than likely you will not notice your diamond has fallen from the setting until it is far too late and you will have lost I for good!

Check your diamond ring by taking your thumb and forefinger and putting them on opposite ends of the girdle while you VERY gently try to move the diamond. If you experience even the slightest "give" in the diamond you should take this as a sign the prongs need some attention and tightening. Another good test is to hold your ring to your ear and shake it gently; if you hear any rattling this will be the diamond hitting the prongs and therefore it must be loose so get them tightened as soon as possible and refrain from wearing your ring until you do.

By Lawrence Reaves