The saying goes that “a diamond is forever”. Since time immemorial, buying a diamond for a loved one is akin to pledging everlasting love and a lifetime of togetherness. What makes this piece of carbon so special?. When people think of diamonds, they think of something very pure, rare, precious and unique.
The word “diamond” finds its origin in the Greek word “adamas”, meaning unconquerable. Diamonds are pure carbon crystals that are formed nearly 100 miles under the surface of earth, over billions of years due to extreme heat and pressure. Diamonds are mined from the ocean floor, glacial tills and alluvial gravel. Being the hardest substance on earth, only a diamond can cut a diamond. This feature means that diamonds have useful industrial applications. Today diamonds are found all over the world, but South Africa remains the main source of gem quality diamonds. The Cullinan diamond was found in 1905 and weighing 3,106 carats is the largest rough diamond discovered in South Africa..
Diamonds are used in all kinds of jewellery including rings, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, nose rings, earrings, pendants and chokers. Certification of the quality of a diamond is important and it is useful to understand a few things about the “4 Cs” that are used by the diamond industry to ascertain the quality and value of a diamond. These are cut, clarity, colour and carat.
The cut is one of the most important factors; it determines the brilliance of a diamond. There are many kinds of cuts, including the princess, heart, emerald, brilliant, cushion and asscher cuts. Of these, the brilliant cut is the most popular. The clarity check assesses the visibility, number and size of the inner flaws in a diamond that occur during formation. The fewer inclusions, the more light the gemstone will reflect. Diamonds come in a spectrum of colours ranging from colourless to black, with the former being very popular as it permits a very high refraction of light. More elaborately coloured diamonds include blue, green and bright yellow and are very rare and expensive. The final factor that will determine the price of the diamond is the carat or unit weight. One carat is equivalent to one fifth of a gram.
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