Diamonds

They’re forever. They’re a girl’s best friend. Thanks to De Beers, they’re the traditional stone used in engagement rings. But what is a diamond, really? It’s a form of carbon, and it’s the hardest natural mineral known to humankind. Interestingly, it is the carbon that is responsible for the sparkle of the diamond. Only about 25 percent of the world’s diamonds are used for jewelry, while 75 percent is used for industrial purposes. Highly resistant to scratching, diamonds have been used for engraving tools as well as religious icons through the centuries.

Grading Diamonds

Diamonds are the only gemstone that has a universally accepted grading system, developed by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) in the 1950s. The concept of “the four C’s”: color, cut, carat, and clarity, was introduced to consumers in order to better understand how diamonds are graded. Cut is the most important standard of value for a clear diamond, since dispersion, scintillation, and brilliance are of primary significance in diamond jewelry, and none of these factors are possible without the proper cut. Clarity and color are next in importance, and clarity is determined by using 10X magnification to look at the stone.

Pure diamonds are translucent and colorless. Colored diamonds are caused by impurities or structural defects. Nitrogen produces a yellow or brown hue, and boron causes grey-blue coloring. Irradiation can change the diamond’s color to green, and plastic deformation will change some diamonds’ color to brown, pink, or red. The colorless diamond is the most common, followed by yellow, brown, blue, green, black, translucent white, pink, violet, orange, purple, and red (the rarest). Black diamonds (carbonado) are not really black, but scores of dark inclusions in the diamond give it a dark appearance. Most colored diamonds are graded under a different method than pure diamonds.

Whether you’re shopping for a pair of diamond earrings, a necklace, pendant, or an engagement ring, be sure you’re dealing with a reputable jeweler. You should always get a certificate from the jeweler, as well as an appraisal of the piece. Jeweler.com is your best source for diamonds online, and can help you find the perfect item.