Diamond Information

Welcome to our Diamond Education center, if you would like information on
jewellery other than diamonds, – please click here–

Overview
To make it simple; the larger the diamond, the rarer it is (carat weight). The purer the diamond, the more pristine it is (clarity). The greater the absence of colour in a diamond, the more the beauty emerges (colour). The more precise the cut of the diamond, the more brilliant it appears (cut).
It is a combination of these individual elements that make each diamond unique in its quality and beauty.
Carat Weight
The weight of all gemstones is measured in carats, which was originally related to the weight of the Carob seed of ancient trading communities. Each carat contains 100 points. An extremely sensitive scale or diamond balance determines diamond weight.It is possible to approximate a round brilliant diamond’s weight by measuring its diameter.
Clarity
All diamonds contain inclusions or imperfections under magnification. Inclusions are internal or external features, which are wholly or partially surrounded by the stone. The lack of inclusions visible to a trained eye under 10 powers of magnification will determine a diamonds clarity.

Colour
Diamonds range from colourless, the rarest and most valuable, to yellow, with a spectrum of shades in between.As these yellowish tones become more easily apparent, the rarity and price decrease.

If a diamond is of a rich, unusual, naturally occurring colour that is pleasing to the eye it is considered unique and has a relatively high value. Two very well known examples of Fancy diamonds are the Hope diamond which is a deep blue and the Tiffany Diamond which is a brilliant yellow.
Cut
When a diamond is cut to exact proportions, all of the light entering the diamond is totally reflected through the top of the diamond. The light is dispersed into a display of sparkling flashes and a rainbow of colour. This is known as fire.
How a diamond handles light

It is the cut that enables a diamond to make the best use of light: When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.

What is a diamond ?
Diamonds are pure carbon, which has been compressed and purified by tremendous heat and pressure which is found deep beneath the Earth.  When these conditions are met, the carbon can be crystallized into diamond and brought to the surface through volcanic activity. The weather, over centuries can move the diamond-bearing material through streams, rivers, and even the sea. Diamonds are the hardest natural material to be found on earth, and the simplest of all gemstones in composition.
Rarity:
Diamonds are rare. An average of 500,00 lbs. or 250 tons of diamond bearing material must be mined to find a single one-carat diamond of gem quality. Diamonds are nothing more than pure carbon, which has been compressed and purified by tremendous heat and pressure, found deep beneath the earth. Only with these conditions the carbon will be crystallized into diamond. Then brought to the surface through volcanic activity.