Fashion and Jewelry

Did you ever wonder about diamonds? Where diamonds come from? What makes a diamond so special? Or how diamonds are formed?

Diamonds are a mineral, a natural crystalline substance, the transparent form of pure carbon or nearly pure carbon. Diamonds have extraordinary qualities. Diamonds have a broad colour range, high refraction, high dispersion of fire, very low reactivity to chemicals, rarity, and of course, extreme hardness and durability. Diamonds are known as the “king of gems” they glitter, dazzle, and symbolize purity and strength.

A diamond is the oldest thing you will ever own, probably 3 billion years in age, fully two thirds the age of the Earth. A diamond is a strategic and high-tech supermaterial for our technological society. Diamond is the birth stone for the month of April.

A diamond is composed of the single element carbon, and it is the arrangement of the C atoms in the lattice that give a diamond its amazing properties. Both diamond and graphite are composed of just carbon. However a diamond is the hardest known material and graphite is one of the softest, this was caused by a rearrangement of the way the atoms are bonded together. Diamond carbon atoms are linked in a regular three-dimensional lattice with a repeating or crystalline pattern.

Diamond belongs to the cubic, or ‘isometric’ crystal system. The most commonly seen crystal structures or arrangements are:

• Octahedron (8 faces)

• Cube (6 faces)

• Dodecahedron (12 faces)

A diamond is the ultimate gemstone, having few weaknesses and many strengths. It is well known that diamonds are the hardest substance found in nature, but few people realize that diamonds are four times harder than the next hardest natural mineral, corundum – sapphires and rubies.

Natural diamonds are formed deep within the Earth’s mantle layer from the element carbon, about 180km below the surface, where high temperatures and pressures exist. Some diamonds form at depths of 300-400 kilometres, or even deeper, but these diamonds are particularly rare.

The earths mantel is made up of molten rock, metals and other materials. The temperature is very high at this depth – between 1100 degC and 1400 degC. The high pressures needed to form diamonds are produced by the weight of 180km of rocks pressing down. Besides carbon, there are very small amounts of other substances, such as nitrogen and sulfur that can become trapped in the crystal when it is formed in the mantel. These impurities can give color to the diamond. One of the most rare is pink diamonds.

Natural diamonds are classified by the type and level of impurities found within them.

• Type Ia diamond – Most natural diamonds are of this type, which contain up to 0.3% nitrogen.

• Type Ib diamond – Very rare (~0.1%) in nature, but almost all synthetic (industrial) diamonds are of this type. They contain nitrogen at concentrations of up to 500 ppm.

• Type IIa diamond – Very rare in nature, these diamonds contain so little nitrogen that it can’t be easily detected by the usual IR or UV absorption measurements.

• Type IIb diamond – Extremely rare in nature. These have such a low concentration of nitrogen (even lower than type IIa) that the crystal is a p-type semiconductor (due to uncompensated B acceptor impurities).

Due to its unique internal structure and powers of light reflection, when cut to proper proportions, diamonds gather light within itself and then sends it back in a shower of fire and brilliance. The life of a polished diamond is regarded as the amount of light that is reflected back to the viewer. The term life is also referred to as brilliance. If the diamond is cut with good proportions then the brilliance will be increased. Lustre refers to the surface gloss on a polished diamond. Fire the play of colours that can be seen from the crown of a polished diamond. As light enters the diamond it is refracted and broken up into the colours of the spectrum and reflected back. The resulting rainbow-like colour flashes are called fire.

The hardness of diamond is an important property. As an industrial tool it has many uses and modern industry is highly dependent upon it. As a gemstone, it is resistant to scratching and abrasion, which ensures that a finished gem will retain its brilliance and polish. Because of its hardness and the unique way in which it is manufactured, a diamond polishes very slowly. It forms an unusually flat, finely-polished adamantine surface, with very sharp, straight edges between facets. No other gemstone can quite match this standard of polish.

Diamond has the highest coefficient of thermal conductivity of any known substance because the closely-packed crystal structure conducts heat very quickly. The thermal conductivity of diamond is five times higher than that of copper. This explains why a diamond feels cold to the touch when first picked up but quickly becomes warm from the heat of your fingers.

Only about one-fifth of all mined diamonds could be considered of gem quality. From 40 to 250 tons of gravel and sand must be processed today to recover one rough diamond from the world’s thinning diamond deposits. Experts estimate that all known supplies of diamonds will be depleted within 30 to 40 years. 75 - 80% of all diamonds mined are used for industrial applications such as drilling, grinding, or sawing. The remainder are used for jewellery or investment. Less than 2% of the diamonds mined are of such high quality that they may be considered investment quality.

On average, 250 tons of ore must be mined and processed to produce a one carat diamond of gem quality. When the mining operation is completed, sorters look at rough diamonds, separating them into small piles by shape, size, and quality, a long and laborious process.

The earliest examples of diamonds in human hands were found 3,000 years ago, in India. There, diamonds were used primarily as talismans to ward off evil and protect the wearer in battle. Diamonds were also used by the early Chinese, Greeks, and Romans as an engraving tool. While there was some mystique surrounding diamonds because they were so rare and difficult to obtain-many early cultures believed they had magical properties

The word diamond comes from the Greek word “adamas” meaning unconquerable, in reference to the eternity of love. In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, thus, starting the tradition of diamond engagement rings. The reason a woman wears an engagement ring on her third finger of her left hand dates back to the Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of that finger.

Many of the rarest diamonds occur by rare accidents of nature in shades of pink, blue, green, amber, or even red. These diamonds are referred to as Fancy diamonds and are evaluated by a different set of color standards. Fancy diamonds are the most expensive due to their extreme rarity.

Towards the middle of the 20th century, De Beers began using its slogan “a diamond is forever” in its advertising. Their campaign was so successful that today, diamonds are strongly associated with engagement rings and eternal love.

It is the only gem mineral composed of a single element making it the purest of earth’s gemstones. Therefore it is fitting that the purest and most brilliant of all the world’s gemstones make the diamond engagement ring the perfect symbol of eternal love.

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Australia’s Leading Wholesaler of Excellent Cut Diamonds and Certified Diamonds

Perfect Diamonds is a boutique located in the heart of Melbourne, specializing in the sale of diamonds and diamond jewellery.Not only do we offer magnificent products, but also with our combined experiences we at Perfect Diamonds, take pride in over 25 years of specializing in diamond manufacturing and the “art of diamonds”.

Importance of Diamonds :

This style of cut has probably experienced the longest and most intensive history of development; it began as long ago as the first century B.C. and only in the 20th century did it mature in the form of a round brilliant cut. Most of the beauty of a cut diamond is in its amazing optical properties, particularly in the way it bends light, and its play of color. The round brilliant displays these properties in the cut state where all of the factors blend in optical harmony with one another to create the highest degree of brilliance.

Perfect Diamond’s diamond manufacturing facility, is staffed by the finest diamond cutters and craftsmen in the world. These artisans dedicate themselves to the total process of manufacturing, from rough diamonds to the highly polished diamonds.This type of dedication ensures that you receive the highest quality diamonds designed to suit your individual needs. Perfect Diamond’s inventory is stocked with the current and traditional styles, ranging in all colors and clarity’s to make sure you find that special something for the one you love. All stock is certified with a certificate from the worlds leading gemological laboratories guaranteeing you peace of mind. For insurance policies, we also provide to you valuations.

Once you have found your perfect diamond, we will then help you to create the perfect design for the setting of your choice.We, at Perfect Diamonds, will be with you through the entire process, to make sure that you have the exact jewellery that you want. Rest assured, that you will receive personal, professional and attentive service at all times.

In additional to offering fantastic and high quality diamonds at an unbeatable price, we also offer our customers the following services for peace of mind:

* Valuations

* Free Designs

* Cleaning and Polishing

* Valuations for insurance purposes

* Certificate of Authenticity

* Price savings

* Free gift box and packaging

As well as accepting Australian orders, we also welcome international orders.

So, is it safe to buy diamonds online? Yes and no. It is only safe if you follow these essential and simple rules:

EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT DIAMONDS

This may sound like an obvious tip but it is very important to understand the differences between diamonds. All diamonds vary based on four characteristics that you should be aware of. They are commonly known as the 4 C’s:

Cut – Here we are talking about the proportions of the diamond as opposed to its shape. If the angle at which the diamond was cut is not perfect, the brilliancy and scintillation of the diamond won’t be optimal.  For instance, if the base of the diamond is too deep, light will be absorbed inwards instead of being reflected. Think of it as the diamond’s sparkle. Usually, a diamond’s cut will be referred to as Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. We recommend that you leave out Fair and Poor and aim for Very Good or better.

Clarity – Here we are talking about the number and the size of tiny inclusions within the stone or on the surface of the stone. The diamond’s clarity is referred to as FL (Flawless), IF (Internally Flawless), VVS1 VVS2 (Very, very small inclusions), VS1 VS2 (Very small inclusions), SI1 SI2 (Small inclusions) or I1 I2 I3 P1 P2 P3 (Inclusions, visible to the naked eye). These inclusions can block the light and affect the brilliancy of the diamond. Flaws are also visible to the naked eye starting from I1. Therefore, we do not recommend that you buy anything rated lower than SI2. You should preferably aim for VS2 or higher.

Color – Diamond color is usually rated using the letters D through Z. The rating D is the best color as it represents a colorless diamond. On the contrary, the rating Z is a brownish yellow. The rule is quite simple, the closer the diamond is to colorless, the more valuable the diamond will be. We do not recommend that you buy anything worse than J. So the only acceptable choices are D, E, F, G, H, I.

Carat – Carats always refer to the weight of the diamond. Therefore, it also refers to the size of the diamond, as diamonds always have the same density. We strongly recommend that you find the size that you want in real life and then buy it online. If you buy your fiancee a .30 carat diamond and she is expecting a 1.0 carat diamond, you may get in trouble!

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONLINE RETAILER

Only buy from a reputable online retailer that only sells certified diamonds. The most common certifications are GIA and AGS. The certificate will ensure that you are getting the 4 Cs that the vendor advertised. You can research a certain online retailer’s reputation by looking at their reviews. For Canada, http://www.redflagdeals.com/deals/main.php/ratings/retailers/  provides an excellent source of reviews. Due to possible customs charges, outlandish shipping fees and possible legal warranties, it may be better to make the purchase from a retailer that is based in your country. It is also important to confirm that the vendor offers a 100% free 30 days return policy. That is the norm for good online retailers of certified diamonds. 

LAST MINUTE TIP

Finally, we always recommend making your purchase through a credit card. If you have problems with a retailer and have exhausted all possible recourses with the company, it may be possible to fall on your credit card company for assistance. For example, VISA and MasterCard both offer purchase and fraud protection for certain tiers of their credit cards. Consult your credit card issuer for actual terms of service and carefully read the insurance policies as some clauses exclude protection for jewelry.

Http://TheDiamondBuyingGuide.ca

Colour, when applied to white diamonds, is often misunderstood by people outside the diamond industry.

Most people think that all white diamonds are colourless. In fact, truly colourless diamonds are quite rare. The diamonds used most often in jewelry are nearly colourless with faint yellow or brown tints. These diamonds fall into the normal colour range.Within the normal colour range, the closer to colourless, the more desirable and valuable the diamond.

In the 1950’s, the GIA introduced the D-Z colour grading scale that is still the industry standard.

GIA Colour Grade Scale
D – F: Colourless
G – J: Near Colourless
K – M: Faint Yellow
N – R: Very Light Yellow
S – Z: Light Yellow

How is colour measured?
Colour in white diamonds is most commonly measured by comparing the diamond to a set of ‘master stones’ of known colour. The highest ‘master stone’ is E-colour. Any diamond better than the E-colour master is rated D-colour.

Each colour grade is actually a narrow range of colors. There is no one exact colour for any GIA grade. So, an F-colour diamond can be a strong, average or weak F-colour. However, as long as the diamond is better than the G-colour master, it receives an F-colour grade.

For a Diamond colour chart please visit http://www.diamondswest.com

Fluorescence
Fluorescence is a unique effect that causes some diamonds to produce a glow (usually blue or yellow) when exposed to a strong ultraviolet light. Some prefer a diamond with some ‘blue fluorescence’ because it may make the diamond in the ‘near colourless’ or ‘faint yellow’ ranges look somewhat whiter.

In the ‘colourless’ range, fluorescence has no effect on colour, though it can cause the diamond to have a slightly milky appearance.

Why is a diamond’s colour grade important?
The brilliant, fiery, sparkles of light that radiate from a high quality white diamond are unmatched by any other gem. The diamond acts like a prism, dividing light into spectral colors, which are then reflected as colour flashes, called fire. Any natural colour in the diamond filters the light, reducing its fire and brilliance.

The less colour in the diamond, the more colorful the fire, and the better the diamond’s colour grade. The better the colour grade, the more desirable and valuable the diamond.

When you buy something as significant and timeless as a diamond, for any occasion, it makes sense that you would like to know the history of that valuable memento.

In the late 1990’s, the world became aware of the existence of “conflict diamonds,” jewels that have been used to fund insurgent or invading army’s war efforts.

Today, over 99% of the world’s diamond supply has been verified to be completely conflict free, and reputable retailers and suppliers of diamonds the world over have embraced a policy never to support the countries involved in the diamond trade that still engage in these practices. Still, retailers such as Spence Diamonds see the value in educating their customers and staff on the issue of conflict diamonds, to better understand the importance and the process of diamonds that are procured through fair trade.

In 2000, a joint initiative supported by the United Nations General Assembly created the Kimberly Process, an international certification regimen that aims to put an end to illegally traded diamonds. Today, 69 countries are legally bound by the rules of this strict and thorough process.

Any trade of diamonds between these 69 countries (which includes Canada, the U.S., Belgium and many of the African countries involved in the trade of diamonds) must adhere to these guidelines:

Each participating country must have laws in place that mandate the Kimberly Process

Any shipment of diamonds must be inspected to ensure that each shipment adheres to the guidelines

They must then be shipped in tamper-proof containers

They must be accompanied by a uniquely numbered, Government validated Kimberly Process certificate

Shipments must only be made to participating countries in the Kimberly Process

Each diamond, when sold by a retailer must be accompanied by the following warranty statement:

“The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The undersigned hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.”

In a very short time, the Kimberly Process has had a profound effect. In the six years since its creation, the Kimberly Process has reduced the trade of conflict diamonds, from 4% to less than 1% of the entire diamond industry.

Retailers like Spence Diamonds have always maintained a strict policy about the origin of their diamonds. The diamonds in Spence stores come from large, reputable diamond suppliers who ensure that the diamonds originated from Kimberly Process compliant countries such as Belgium and Canada. As a major centre for the trade of diamonds, Belgium has always had a system for diamond verification, even previous to the creation of the Kimberly Process. Today, Belgian diamond wholesalers employ one of the strictest levels of security when it comes to the trade of diamonds, according to the U.N.

All of the diamonds purchased for Spence Diamonds have been certified as conflict free.

Without a doubt, diamonds are among the most exquisite stones in existence. This is mainly due to the colorless appearance, which is a combination of the diamond characteristics: cut, clarity, color, and carat. For years these core characteristics have help describe the beauty of a diamond.

The cut of a diamond is always the first to be considered—as it is considered as the most important of the characteristics. This is because the cut usually determines the value. For instance, a big or heavy diamond isn’t always valuable if the cut is poor. Although many refer to the shape of the stone as its cut, this term actually refers to the reflective qualities of a diamond. In layman’s terms, the cut determines the diamond’s ability to handle the light passing through the stone. The light that passes through the diamond should reflect back to the eye; with poorly cut diamonds, the light leaks out.

Meanwhile, the clarity of the diamond allows one to see the flaws of the stone. Clarity is rated from F (flawless) to I1 to I3 (the lowest of the grades). Experts do not suggest buyers get diamond with the last three ratings, as diamonds with these ratings have visible internal flaws (meaning the diamond is obviously of poor quality). Needless to say, buyers should opt for colorless diamonds, since this also means it is clear. The highest grade of diamonds is colorless. Next to colorless on the color scale is near colorless, faint fellow, and very light yellow. Diamonds with a light yellow color are of low quality.

The final characteristic is the carat, or the weight of the stone. A carat is 200 milligrams, although bigger doesn’t always mean more valuable. Good diamonds should always strike a balance between all four characteristics.

Asscher Cut Diamonds are nearly identical to emerald cut diamonds and they are often reffered to as a square emerald cut. Joseph Asscher an eminent diamond cutter, who cut the 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond, developed and patented the Asscher cut diamond in 1902. The Asscher cut is a squarish step cut with an almost octagonal outline. Asscher cut diamonds have a distinctive windmill reflection and wide cut corners that are characterized by concentric square patterns.The Asscher cut diamond has a small table, a high crown, wide step facets, a deep pavilion and square culet.

An Asscher cut diamond is cut with a series of many parallel steps, creating a hall-of-mirrors effect when looking deeply into the stone. These steps create more internal refraction and diamond fire than typical step cut stones, such as the elongated Emerald cut. Because of its high crown and small table, the Asscher cut diamond has more light and fire than an Emerald cut diamond.

The Asscher cut diamond became very popular in Art Deco jewellery and was a forerunner of the emerald cut. Since an Asscher cut diamond produces more fire than you see in a typical step cut diamond it has become extremely popular especially with many Hollywood stars and celebrities.

If you choose a SI-clarity graded Asscher cut diamond be sure to view the clarity plot on the diamond certificate, because this shape can highlight the clarity of the diamond. When choosing an Asscher cut diamond consider the colour grade, for colours below J-colour, in various fancy-shaped diamonds the colour may be slightly visible in its corners.

The optimum shape for an Asscher cut diamond has a Length to Width ratio of 1:1, acceptable length to width ratios can be 1.00 – 1.40 : 1 depending on the shape of the Asscher cut you desire, noting that the greater length to width ratio the more rectangular the Asscher cut diamond will become.

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The Princess Cut Diamond is a brilliant style diamond shape with sharp, uncut corners. It is typically cut square although there are sometimes princess cut diamonds that have a rectangular shape.

The princess cut is the most important new cut or shape for diamonds since the invention or perfection of the modern brilliant cut over 60 years ago. The princess cut diamond is effectively a square version of the round brilliant cut, and is known technically as a square modified brilliant cut.

The princess cut was originally created by Israel Itzkowitz in 1979 at Ambar Diamonds in Los Angeles. After three years of optical research the princess cut was developed. It was a square diamond from the girdle up that had faceting similar to that of a round brilliant cut diamond from the girdle down. This accounts for the fire and brilliance seen in princess cut diamonds.

Princess cut diamonds are the most popular non-round diamond. They have a beautiful brilliance and a modern square shape that accentuates a diamond’s fire rather than its luster. Princess cut diamonds have become a favourite diamond choice for engagement rings.

The princess cut diamond is usually less expensive than a round brilliant cut diamond of the same carat weight because a diamond cutter usually does not need to shave off as much diamond weight from the rough diamond. This ability to retain more crystal weight makes this shape popular amongst diamond cutters and therefore less expensive than round brilliant cut diamonds.

The princess cut diamond is normally close to a square with a + or – 10% deviation, but it may come in more elongated versions. Try to avoid extremely thin girdles which are prone to chipping when being set. For a princess cut diamond that is square, a length to width ratio between 1:0 – 1:10 is best, if you prefer a more rectangular shape then a length to width ratio above 1:11 is best.

A Princess Cut Diamond generally has 76 facets, giving it more brilliance and fire than the round brilliant. Princess cut diamonds are the most popular non-round diamond. They have a beautiful brilliance and a modern square shape that accentuates a diamond’s fire rather than its luster. Princess cut diamonds have become a favourite diamond choice for engagement rings.

As a song by famed Marilyn Monroe says, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. However, with the current financial current, does this still hold true? After all, diamonds—especially the ones with good quality—can be awfully expensive. Even the ones that aren’t so flawless can still be a burden to one’s budget. But diamonds, despite the price, are still in demand—primarily as a wedding or engagement ring, although usually also as an elegant gift. So this begs the question: should people still buy diamonds today? And if the answer to this question is yes, why should people buy diamonds?

According to an article in Time magazine dated 2006, the answer to this question will depend on who is asked. Beyond the price of the diamond and its value, this has something to do with the process of how diamonds are acquired. Companies engaged in the exploration of diamonds have already tried to minimize violence related to the stone. However, even with the violence, the countries concerned cannot deny that diamonds play a large part in their economy. For instance, in Botswana, more than half of the country’s revenue came from the diamond industry.

Of course, beyond the moralistic side of buying diamonds, what are the reasons that should fuel one’s desire to buy diamonds? For one, as many already know, precious stones are great investments. Unlike other properties that are equally expensive—such as cars—the value of diamonds do not depreciate; they only increase in time. This is why many people consider diamonds as the best insurance, since cash can depreciate, other physical properties have uncertain value, and banks can close due to various reasons.

Besides the practical, diamonds are among the most aesthetically pleasing materials on earth. During ancient times, they are even considered as stones that came from the gods themselves—or from the cosmos, or from other mystical and surreal sources, most of which underscoring the value of diamonds.

Lastly, diamonds are safe gifts. Anyone who doesn’t know what to give to a beloved can easily buy diamonds. Everyone can appreciate a diamond of good quality. Anyone who can afford diamonds has no reason not to buy diamonds. Go to Find-a-diamond.com Blog to read up on more reasons to buy diamonds.

Rough diamonds can be cut by experts to virtually any shape and size

Some of the most popular shapes are round, oval, princess, emerald, marquise, pear, heart, triangle and radiant. The cut of a polished diamond is the only human contribution to its beauty, fire and brilliance.

Because of its extraordinary ability to reflect light, the round brilliant diamond is the most popular shape today.

Cut determines amount of reflected light that exits through the top of a diamond. The better the cut, the more light exits through the top, the more brilliant and beautiful the diamond.

Is cut important? Many gemologists consider cut to be the most important diamond characteristic:

A poorly cut diamond will appear relatively dull, even if clarity and color are perfect. When light is reflected through the sides and bottom of the diamond, not the top, brilliance and fire are dramatically reduced.
The ‘well-cut’ diamond reflects almost all the light through the top; it will be the most beautiful, and the most valuable.

So, why don’t we hear more about cut? Diamond sellers prefer to talk about carat weight, color and clarity. That’s because those measures are relatively simple to explain:

Carat weight is an exact measure
Color is easy to determine by comparing the diamond to ‘master stones’
Clarity is a bit more difficult to judge, but there are well-established rules and standards that are accepted by all reputable diamond grading laboratories On the other hand, grading the cut of a diamond is complex. It is the analysis of all the diamond’s proportions taken together that determines the cut grade.

Even the most reputable gemological laboratories try to avoid grading cut. In fact, only the AGS (American Gemological Society) has an established system for grading cut. Hopefully, the GIA, EGL, UGL will follow their lead.

How is cut graded? First, let’s look at the parts of a diamond that are considered when evaluating cut:

Diameter
the width of the diamond as measured through the girdle

Table
the largest facet of a diamond

Crown
the top portion of the diamond; the crown extends from the girdle to the table

Girdle
the narrow band around the widest part of the diamond; the girdle separates the crown from the pavilion

Pavilion
the bottom portion of the diamond; the pavilion extends from the girdle to the culet

Culet
the facet at the tip of the diamond; diamonds of excellent cut have culets that are invisible to the naked eye

Depth
the height of the diamond; depth is measured from the table to the culet

To determine the diamond’s cut grade:

All the proportions of the diamond are considered
All the angles between faces and facets are measured

The symmetry of the diamond is evaluated The final cut grade of the diamond is determined by its weakest component. For example, an ‘extremely thin’ girdle will result in a poor cut grade, even if every other measurement is ideal.

Remember: Only about 3% of polished diamonds are ideal cuts. They are exquisite and rare gems that reflect back 96% or more of the light that enters through the table.

No other diamond characteristic has so much impact on price!