My Pink Diamonds

Whether you have just decided to get married and are shopping for cubic zirconia wedding rings or you’re already married and have chosen to replace your former rings with something new, there’s nothing quite like the flawless image of a sparkling simulated diamond accenting your hand. If you’re in the market for a new set of cz wedding rings, below are five fascinating facts to keep in mind:
Cz eternity rings symbolize eternal love. A wedding band represents an unbroken line, which is said to represent everlasting love. Whether you choose a textured or high-polished design or you prefer something with gemstones, the unbroken circle of your rings will reflect the commitment that you have to your spouse.
Cubic zirconium is harder than most other gemstones. Because it measures an 8.5 on the scale of hardness, it has earned the distinction as being harder than all other gems with the exception of a diamond, ruby or sapphire. What does this mean? When it comes to cubic zirconia wedding rings, the hardness of the stone will add to the durability and longevity of the ring.
Diamond simulants shine more brightly than most other gemstones. A cubic zirconia is designed to imitate a flawless diamond, which means its ability to shine is one of its most important characteristics. A genuine diamond has a high reflective index of 2.41, whereas a cz is close behind with a reading of 2.15. In comparison, these numbers indicate that these simulated rings will come close to the brilliance of their diamond competitors in terms of light reflection and shine. As an added bonus, these rings offer the look of flawless eye clean diamonds.
Faux diamond wedding rings are ideal for newlyweds. Because of their affordable price, cubic zirconia wedding these rings are a wonderful way for couples to begin their lives together without being in debt. While some may choose to spend a lot of money on their wedding rings and either use their savings to pay cash or go into debt by using a credit card, others are opting for cubic zirconia rings and using the money saved toward life’s essentials.
Cubic zirconium rings are ideal for travel. Whether you’re out of town on business or pleasure, you will likely want to take your wedding rings along for the trip. If you were to wear genuine diamond rings, how much would you be losing if those rings were lost or stolen? With cubic zirconia wedding rings, you would be sad over the loss but you could still replace them without depleting your savings. Whether you currently have a diamond ring set that you just aren’t comfortable traveling with or you want to start your married life with money in the bank, cubic zirconia simulated diamond rings may be the answer you’re looking for.

Jewelry has a very long and diverse history going back as far as history takes us. Every culture has embraced the use of jewelry for adornment in some form or other. The history of wearing rings goes back a long time also. We think of great rulers who used their signet rings to imprint a wax seal to put their authority on documents.

Today we love rings as much as they were ever loved. In western cultures they can be worn by male or female of any age, on any finger, thumb or toe. Rings are often made out of precious metals, like gold and sterling silver. Many popular styles of rings are made out of stainless steel or other base metals, wood, bone or shells. Rings speak of love and friendship or are worn just for beauty and fashion.

Rings are decorated by etching, using contrasting metals, plating, adding precious and semi-precious gems, pearls, enamel or oxidised finishes. The list of decoration is as endless as the many shapes and sizes of rings.

The Spinner Rings can be used to annoy everyone around you or be used as way of stress relief for the wearer.

The Class Ring or school graduation ring is often engraved with the year of graduation and a stone of one of the school colors.

Stack Rings are two or more rings designed to fit on the same finger at the same time.

Cocktail Rings are usually large and set with oversized gems, rather showy but elegant.

Rings, especially sterling silver rings, make wonderful gifts because they look wonderful and are not too expensive. The beautiful glow of the silver sets off the sparkle of any gems that may be used to create the ring. The majority of peoples skin tone is more suited to silver or a mixture of silver and gold than it is to plain gold.

Rings are widely used as a symbol of love and marriage. The continuous circular band is said to be symbolic of continuous love and commitment between the partners in the marriage. Some engagement rings and eternity rings feature three main stones symbolising the past, present and future of the continuing relationship. Most eternity rings have a continuous line of gem stones.

The claddagh ring was first crafted in 1689. Claddagh rings have two hands clasping a heart, symbolizing love, surmounted by a crown, symbolizing loyalty. The ring worn on the right hand with the heart turned outward indicates that your heart is yet unoccupied. Worn on the right hand with the heart turned inward indicates that love is being considered. Worn on the left hand the with the heart turned inward shows everyone that your heart is truly spoken for.

The rich and famous may measure their worth by the size and price of the gems in their rings but the rest of us are content to wear rings for their own beauty and style. We are fortunate these days to be able to take advantage of the man made gems that look stunning yet are very cost effective.

Rings are for wearing, giving, cherishing and enjoying, one can never have too many.

 Taylor-Burton Diamond 

As a status symbol big diamonds have no equal.  It shows that you have the ability to spend an extravagant amount of money on jewelry.  When not being displayed these beautiful gems are hidden away in secure locations and rarely see the light of day.  When was the last time you have seen the Esther Williams famous Champagne diamond ring or the Taylor Burton pear shaped diamond?

 Esthers Diamond 

Finding a good jeweler is the first step you need to take when purchasing any jewelry item.  It is also necessary to do some research on the grading system of diamonds.  Many good article are available on the internet to assist you in understanding the 4 C’s of diamond grading.  After you have learned the fundamentals your jeweler can clarify your understanding.

The American Gem Society (AGS), the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and the International Gemological Institute (IGI) are the three most widely known and respected diamond grading laboratories in the world and each of them has developed a very similar nomenclature for identifying the 4 C’s of diamonds.  The 4 C’s stand for Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut and I like to add shape to the 4 C’s list.

The first of the 4 C’s is the Carat.  A carat is 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams and is always referenced within 2 decimal points. For example the the Golden Jubilee is considered the largest faceted diamond in the world and weighs in at 545.67 carts.  The Taylor-Burton diamond is 69.42 carats.  This is a highly accurate grading scale used to determine the weight or size of a diamond but it does not apply a value to the diamond.

Color Grading

 D to Z 

The next thing you need to look at when purchasing a diamond is the color of the diamond.  A white diamond is not white but clear in color.  Different colors in diamonds are produced because of impurities trapped in the diamond during the formation process.  Since nature rarely create anything pure many diamond will have show some color to the naked eye.  Color range from totally colorless (D) to a pale color (Z).  Diamonds of a higher grade than (Z) fall into the fancy color diamond range.  A diamond with a color range greater that (K) usually have a descriptive phrase such as grade (M) Faint Brown.

 White Diamond 

White diamonds are usually more expensive because of their rarity, D through F, but some diamonds in the fancy color range can command a very high per-caret price.  Pink diamonds have sold for up to $1,000,000 a carat.  The largest Fancy Vivid Pink diamond is the The Steinmetz Pink Diamond and is 59.60 carats in weight.

Clarity Grading is the third factor in determining the quality of a diamond.  This grading requires education and years of practice for a gemologists to master.  The number and nature of the defects in a diamond is taken into account when applying the clarity grading code.  Basically the diamond is looked at with the naked eye and under a 10X magnification lens.

Internally Flawless (I.F) when it presents no internal defects under 10x magnification.

Very slightly included (V.V.S.1 to V.V.S.2) when it presents defects that are very difficult to locate under 10x magnification.

Slightly Included (S.I.1 to S.I.2) when it presents defects that are easy to locate under 10x magnification.

Imperfect (P.1 to I.1) when it presents defects that are hard to locate with the naked eye.

Imperfect (P.2 to I.2) when it presents defects that are easy to locate with the naked eye.

Imperfect (P.3 to I.3) when it presents defects that are very easy to locate with the naked eye.

Next is the cut of the diamond and the cut has nothing to do with the shape of the diamond.  The proportions and symmetry of the diamond cut determines the light dispersion, brilliance or life of the diamond.  If the diamond’s reflective qualities are below standard then the appearance of the diamond will be adversely affected.  Many of the diamond cut over a couple hundred years ago were cut to maximize the carat weight with little regard to the diamond’s reflective qualities.  Many of the older stones have been recut to increase its brilliance.  A good cut give the diamond it brilliance or the ability to handle light in a pleasing fashion.  The brightness will seem to come from the very heart of a diamond.

 American Star 

In 2001 the EightStar company of California wanted to prove that optical perfection of the round brilliant diamonds could be obtained by using an exclusive light-tracking instrument called a FireScope which allows a diamond cutter to align facets so precisely that the flow of light into and out of a diamonds can be completely controlled.  The American Star as slowly cut from 14.89 to 13.42 carats over a six-week period.  Cutting the diamond for maximum light output and not size increased the beauty of the American Star and many of the older diamonds have gone through a recut.

There are several standard categories for the shape of the diamond but there are many variations on each standard categories.  Basic categories include Round, Emerald, Pear, Heart, Marquise, Oval, and Princess cuts.

The final shape of the raw diamond us usually determined by the imperfections found in the diamond.  Many imperfectsions can be remove or hidden by and experienced jeweler in mounting the diamond in the final jewelry piece and by the proper cut of the diamond.

Jewelry has a very long and diverse history going back as far as history takes us. Every culture has embraced the use of jewelry for adornment in some form or other. The history of wearing rings goes back a long time also. We think of great rulers who used their signet rings to imprint a wax seal to put their authority on documents.
Today we love rings as much as they were ever loved. In western cultures they can be worn by male or female of any age, on any finger, thumb or toe. Rings are often made out of precious metals, like gold and sterling silver. Many popular styles of rings are made out of stainless steel or other base metals, wood, bone or shells. Rings speak of love and friendship or are worn just for beauty and fashion.
Rings are decorated by etching, using contrasting metals, plating, adding precious and semi-precious gems, pearls, enamel or oxidized finishes. The list of decoration is as endless as the many shapes and sizes of rings.
The Spinner Rings can be used to annoy everyone around you or be used as way of stress relief for the wearer.
The Class Ring or school graduation ring is often engraved with the year of graduation and a stone of one of the school colors.
Stack Rings are two or more rings designed to fit on the same finger at the same time.
Cocktail Rings are usually large and set with oversized gems, rather showy but elegant.
Rings, especially sterling silver rings, make wonderful gifts because they look wonderful and are not too expensive. The beautiful glow of the silver sets off the sparkle of any gems that may be used to create the ring. The majority of peoples skin tone is more suited to silver or a mixture of silver and gold than it is to plain gold.
Rings are widely used as a symbol of love and marriage. The continuous circular band is said to be symbolic of continuous love and commitment between the partners in the marriage. Some engagement rings and eternity rings feature three main stones symbolizing the past, present and future of the continuing relationship. Most eternity rings have a continuous line of gem stones.
The claddagh ring was first crafted in 1689. Claddagh rings have two hands clasping a heart, symbolizing love, surmounted by a crown, symbolizing loyalty. The ring worn on the right hand with the heart turned outward indicates that your heart is yet unoccupied. Worn on the right hand with the heart turned inward indicates that love is being considered. Worn on the left hand the with the heart turned inward shows everyone that your heart is truly spoken for.
The rich and famous may measure their worth by the size and price of the gems in their rings but the rest of us are content to wear rings for their own beauty and style. We are fortunate these days to be able to take advantage of the man made gems that look stunning yet are very cost effective.
Rings are for wearing, giving, cherishing and enjoying, one can never have too many.

Diamond bangles look stunning on anyone and can be given for any occasion. You can buy diamond bangles for yourself, or for a woman who you care about.  While diamond jewelry is worn by both men and women, diamond bangles are worn predominantly by women, although you can find a style bangle bracelet for men as well. There are more styles from which to choose for women as women tend to love this delicate look. 

When you are buying these types of bracelets, you need to know the quality of the diamonds as well as the material that the diamond bangles are made from. Jewelry that contains diamonds should be set in a hard precious metal, such as gold or platinum. When you know the quality of the diamonds as well as the precious metal that holds these illuminating gems, then you can make an informed decision when it comes to buying the bangles. 

Unlike bangle bracelets, diamond rings are worn by both men and women.  Men will usually wear a diamond on their pinky finger, while women will wear diamond rings on all fingers. The most common use for diamond rings is engagement. They are traditionally given by a man to a woman he plans to marry. There are many options when it comes to diamond rings and they are set in either platinum or gold. 

The metal that surrounds the diamonds or other gems is called the setting.  Precious stones, like diamonds, should always be set in a precious metal that is hard enough to hold them. Silver is too soft a metal to hold precious gems.  Some jewelers will set diamonds in 24 karat gold, although the standard is 14 karat gold for settings. Diamond bangles are set in platinum, 14 karat gold or 10 karat gold. 

Measuring the fingers and wrists are also important when you are buying this type of diamond jewelry. Most people do not know their finger sizes, which makes it difficult to make diamond rings a surprise. While you can surprise someone with a diamond ring, often the ring needs to be taken back to the jeweler to get fitted. Diamond rings made of precious metals can be enlarged or made smaller by a jeweler. 

When buying diamond rings or diamond bangles, you should know the jeweler and have trust in their product. They can tell you the grade of the diamond and the quality of the precious metal in which it is set. It is important to do business with a jeweler that has been in business for a while and who you can trust. 

Remember that gold can be white gold or yellow gold. Much of the trend today when it comes to precious metals is towards white gold that resembles platinum, which is a more expensive metal. Only a jeweler can tell white gold from platinum so many of those who seek this look opt for diamond rings and other diamond jewelry set in white gold. 

Both diamond rings and bangles look elegant on anyone, especially when they are set in sparkling white gold. You can give diamond jewelry as a gift for any occasion and it is sure to be adored! 

Most people have had experience with diamonds, the beautiful, shimmering and shining gems that are a symbol of eternal love. However, more and more there are colored diamonds being marketed that seem to be the exact opposite of what a diamond is supposed to look like. It is now not uncommon to hear of ruby red diamonds, amber diamonds, yellow or pink diamonds or even blue and green diamonds. There are even very unusual colored diamonds in gray, browns and black colors. This is not a marketing scam, there really are colored or fancy diamonds that are naturally produced in the same fashion that traditional clear diamonds are, they just had additional mineral in the carbon that formed the diamond millions of years ago.
These fancy diamonds are more expensive than the traditional and more common clear diamonds, largely because they are very rarely occurring in nature. It is a true find to discover a fancy diamond and the deeper and more distinct the color is the more costly the diamond is. One estimate states that of 100,000 gem quality clear diamond stones found, only one will be a gem quality colored diamond. Keep in mind that it takes between 200 and 250 tons of mined ore to produce just one gem quality clear diamond, so these really are a rare find.
One of the most famous colored diamonds is the blue colored Hope diamond that was actually cut from a much larger blue diamond with a total weight of 112 carats. The current size of the blue Hope diamond is 45.52 carats, and the famous necklace that features this diamond also has a surrounding setting of clear diamonds. This celebrated diamond also is believed by many to have a curse attached to ownership and it would cost you a cool 250 million dollars to purchase, if the Smithsonian Institute would even consider a sale. Perhaps a bit less well-known pink diamond is the Darya-I-Nur (Sea of Light) diamond that is mounted in a gold brooch setting. This massive pink diamond is a staggering 182 carats and is a very pale pink color. The Hancock diamond, one of the most impressive examples of a red diamond sold for $880,000. Before thinking that this was quite a deal, you might want to consider that the Hancock diamond is less that one carat in size.
Colored diamonds can now be produced in a lab, however these colored diamonds are not as valued as the naturally occurring diamonds. Colors are produced by applying varying degrees of pressure, irradiation and high temperatures to the brownish colored diamonds to produce vivid greens, yellows and blues. Red diamonds can now be produced in a lab through the same general process that includes very high, rapid heating and cooling, irradiation and high pressures. These red diamonds are still difficult to purchase but the lighter pink varieties that are developed in labs are becoming more common and readily available.
Whenever shopping for a colored diamond be sure to use a reputable jeweler and always ask to see a certificate on the diamond. Be very cautious of sales and “deals” on naturally occurring colored diamonds, they are usually not a sale item under any condition.

If you are getting ready to say your ‘I dos’ or are interested in enhancing your hand with exquisite diamond jewellery, then it begins with looking into diamond rings.  This introduces you into types of jewellery that only makes the statement of luxury and style with the design.  Knowing which qualities to look for with the right rings, and making sure you find one that suits your personality is the beginning to the perfect look of elegance. 

The concept of diamond rings differs from other types of jewellery because of the rock and it’s symbolic identity.  Other gems include specific colors and levels of durability.  Diamonds, in contrast, are the top of the pile because they are the hardest and therefore more precious jewels than other types of gems.  This means they last for a longer period of time and become a symbol of ‘forever’ to those that are looking at diamond rings.  This is combined with the make of diamonds, which consists of crystallized carbon as the main substance, allowing it to keep its hardness and durability.  It is this that makes the diamond a special feature for specific occasions and for years to come.

When you begin looking into the characteristics of diamond rings, you want to make sure you begin with style that defines your personality.  This is first seen as more formal wear, such as wedding rings for men and women.  There are also other elegant styles that still have sparkle but that aren’t defined by this same look.  This includes engagement rings and diamond rings that are worn for a formal occasions.  Determining the use for your ring is the beginning to getting the perfect fit for your happily ever after or a joyous evening out. 

If you are looking at diamond rings for any occasion, you want to make sure you begin with understanding the basics of different types of diamond rings.  The first part to this is the cut of the diamond.  This includes round shapes, princess cuts, emerald, oval and other fits that make the diamond rings unique.  The second part to this is establishing diamonds’ colour.  Even though diamonds are known for their brilliance, they may still be tinted within the crystal.  If there is no tint in the diamond, then it adds more value to your diamond rings. 

It is also important to make sure the elegance is defined with the other details of the ring.  For instance, having a level of clarity where the diamond is almost see through, shows that there is more value with the ring.  This is combined with the carat weight that the diamond holds. The higher the weight, the more value there is to the diamond. 

The attributes that are kept in mind for diamond rings offer a complete shine to your formal wear or for the one time when you say forever.  Looking at the specific characteristics and details, and using them to define specific aspects of your overall look is the beginning to making a statement of elegance and style.  With this, you have the ability to show luxury and definition through the look of your diamond ring.

Diamonds are most elegant, simple and the dazzling diamonds sparkle with the promise of eternity. Though we all love these beautiful, shimmering gems they are considered to be, “girl’s best friend.” A diamond in any form is a must have for every girl.

Diamond popularity is vast and we all love those dazzling white gemstones, but hold on you can also get a colored diamond that matches your outfit. Colored diamonds are a rage these days and are marketed extensively. As far as color goes you can have from reds, yellows, pinks to blues and greens and for that matter even brows and blacks. 

The colored diamonds or the fancy diamonds are not artificial diamonds, but are naturally produced as the traditional clear diamonds. However the colored diamonds are expensive traditional diamonds. The more distinct the color is the more costly the diamond is. This is probably due to the fact that the colored diamonds occur very rarely in nature. Let us take a sneak in this colored world.  

Pink Diamonds: Pink diamonds are hot favorites these are considered the treasure of treasures. Pink diamonds are epitome of love and grace as the color pink is always associated with femininity, love and grace. 

Yellow Diamonds: These are the diamonds with delicate dramatic appeal. The charismatic yellow diamonds has a distinct glow that has a sensual appeal. Each shade of the yellow diamonds illuminates the woman.   

Blue Diamonds: These are exceptional gems and are extremely rare. These are gorgeous gems with ranging from pale blue to deep hue of peacock’s tail.  

Green Diamonds: The elegant green diamonds could be ranging from yellowish green to bluish green to green yellow. Pure greens however are found very rarely. 

Brown Diamonds/Champagne Diamonds: These are soft glowing diamonds resembling the champagne bubbles. It is difficult to take your eyes away from it. 

The above are just a few examples there are many more colors available. These stunning diamonds in vibrant colors have a mesmerizing effect and you cannot resist the temptation to buy it. However when shopping for color diamonds always shop from a reputed jeweler and ask for an authenticated certificate.

Suncrest Diamonds, creators of the first collection of beautiful yellow “HPHT” diamonds, is expanding their lines of these *High Pressure, High Temperature gems to include a new collection of pink diamonds.  In their release at the JCK 2009 Las Vegas Show, they announced their intention to make the new pink HPHT diamonds available to retailers nationwide.The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has now designated the proprietary HPHT processes used by the company as “Suncrest”.  In this process, Suncrest selects naturally-mined diamonds and then places the diamonds under tremendous pressure and heat to bring out each gem’s color and natural beauty.  This can take an ordinary or less-than-jewel-worthy diamond and make it stunning and nearly perfect.  Some argue that, because the process is not done naturally over millions of years, that the diamonds have less value.  The proof, however, might be in the sparkle.  Suncrest pink diamonds get an additional treatment that ensures that the color will not fade over time.  Lab certification, from GIA or another recognized gem lab, can accompany each of Suncrest’s new pink diamonds, documenting the stones natural origin and processing.“We are very pleased that retailers can now offer beautiful, high-end pink and yellow HPHT diamonds to their discriminating diamond clientele at a price suited for today’s economy,” assured Sonny Pope, General Manager of Suncrest Diamonds.  “Our proprietary processes enable retailers and the diamond trade to dramatically upgrade existing natural diamond inventories with breathtaking results.”  Looking through a jeweler’s loupe, you would see nothing unusual about these beautiful, nearly-ideal diamonds—except that each diamond is inscribed with the “Suncrest Pink” designation. Because these are real diamonds that are enhanced mechanically, they are less costly than diamonds that are nearly-perfect after millions of years in the earth.  Most diamonds that are collected are not gem-quality, and go for industrial usage.  The fewer gems that are gem-quality are, indeed, very expensive.  Suncrest has developed a procedure that combines the natural and the mechanical to create a gem-quality diamond every time.  With a global economic recession and growing awareness about the origin of most diamonds, Suncrest might be exactly in the right place at the right time with this cutting-edge technology.

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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