Urban Code Magazine

Archive for the ‘Diamonds’ Category

Available Diamond Shapes

If you thought all diamond shapes were the same, you may be surprised at the abundant number of diamond shapes that are available.  Most jewelers offer at least nine of the most common gemstone shapes, including:

 

• Round diamonds
• Emerald diamonds
• Heart diamonds
• Princess diamonds
• Pear diamonds
• Radiant diamonds
• Asscher diamonds
• Marquis diamonds
• Oval diamonds

Two diamonds that are the same shape will appear to look slightly different depending on the size and weight of the diamond, as well as the type of setting that the stone is placed in.  The same ring worn on two different hands can also look quite different, based on the size of the hands.

Difference Between Diamond Shapes and Diamond Cut

Many people mistakenly use the terms “diamond shapes” and “diamond cuts” interchangeably, but there is a difference between them.  The cut of a diamond refers to how the artisan maximizes the features of the gemstone by creating angles and details, making the light go into the diamond and bounce back in the most brilliant way possible.  The quality of a diamond’s cut contributes greatly to the overall value of the gemstone, where as the shape of a diamond does not increase or decrease a diamond’s value.  When discussing diamond shapes, you are referring to the actual geometric shape of the diamond, whether it is round or oval, emerald or heart shaped, for example.

Choosing Diamond Shapes

With all the possibilities of diamond shapes, how do you go about choosing one?  If you are buying yourself a diamond, it’s just a matter of looking at all the different varieties and finding one that is most pleasing to your eyes, and the ones that look best when you put them on your finger, or wear in your necklace.

 

When choosing a diamond shape for someone else, it becomes a bit more difficult.  For an engagement ring, many women prefer the traditional round shaped diamond, while others may enjoy having something more unique.  A young woman or one who is considered a hopeless romantic may prefer to have a heart shaped diamond.

 

Other considerations for selecting diamond shapes for rings should be based on the size of a woman’s hand.  If she has long, slender fingers, can elegantly wear a pear shaped diamond, marquis, or oval shape.  Place the same shaped diamond rings on a woman with shorter, wider fingers, and it will cover up too much of the finger and look bulky, and perhaps even awkward.  Small hands typically look best with round shaped or princess shaped diamonds.

Most Popular Diamond Shape for Engagement Rings

Even though there is a wide variety of diamond shapes available, the most commonly purchased diamond shape for engagement rings is the round diamond.  Round diamonds are considered the “classic engagement ring”, and the stones are often set in yellow gold or platinum.  In fact, any diamond shape other than round is considered to be a “fancy” shape, since the round diamond is so popular.

Diamond history varies greatly depending on your source of documentation, as diamond history is as rich in myths and folklore as it is in physical facts and records.  Diamond history is one filled with mythical stories, such as one where snakes guarded a land full of diamonds, and the history has fascinated people with the romance and beauty that surrounds our most precious gemstones; diamonds.

Early Diamond History

Around 3,000 years ago, in the country of India, the first ever diamond history was recorded.  If diamonds had been found prior to this period of time, we have no written record of  it  Diamonds in this day and age were used for two main purposes, and is quite different from why we still love diamonds today.  Diamonds stood as a talisman in order to fend off evil spirits, and to provide protection during battles, and they were also valued because of their ability to reflect the light.

Dark Ages of Diamond History

It is during the dark ages that the diamond history moved into having some sort of medical purpose.  St Hildegarde was said to have written an anecdote to heal wounds and cure illnesses that instructed the sick to hold a diamond in their hand and make the sign of the cross.  Some people in diamond history went as far as swallowing diamonds, hoping it would cure their illnesses magically.

Middle Ages of Diamond History

It was during the middle ages that diamonds began to gain popularity.  It is this point in diamond history that many of the famous diamonds were discovered, including the Blue Hope, and the mountain of light, both found in India.  In our current times, India remains the worlds finest polishers of diamonds.

 

The middle ages also saw a shift in diamond history- where previously diamonds were valued based on their mythical powers, they began to be valued more for their overall worth.  As more people learned of the incredible value of diamonds, mine owners began circulating stories that diamonds were poisonous, to prevent the workers from swallowing diamonds as a means to smuggle them out of the mines undetected.

 

Also during this period of diamond history, people wanted diamonds more than any other time period previously, mostly because they recognized their power and worth.  India’s diamond supply was dwindling and was unable to meet demands of diamond buyers.  South Africa’s find of diamonds near the Orange River began the world’s largest diamond rush of diamond history, and helped satisfy the demands of those wanting diamonds for themselves.

More Recently

Diamond history began to spread into eastern Australia sometime during the middle of the nineteenth century.  During the late 1970′s, Australia as a diamond producer became validated.  Also in the late 1970′s, 1979 to be exact, the Argyle pipe near Lake Argyle was discovered by geologists.  Since that day, Argyle has become the absolute largest producer of diamonds in all the world and throughout diamond history, and produces over one third of the diamond volume each year.

Internal Diamond Flaws

When a diamond is considered to have a flaw, it is an imperfect gem stone.  Something about the diamond did not form correctly, or there are tiny imperfections within the stone.  Diamond flaws and inclusions are often not noticeable to the average person, and you need not worry about the small inclusions that occur in most diamonds.  There are actually only very few diamonds which can be labeled “perfect”, and if they are placed in the category of no diamond flaws and inclusions, chances are the diamond will be extremely expensive!

 

There are some minor inclusions which cause a diamond to appear slightly dull.  The inclusion within the diamond can affect the stone’s clarity because as light passes through the stone, it is intercepted by the inclusion.  Many of these flaws and inclusions can be reduced or fixed with the various forms of treatment processes that gemologists and jewelers have learned to do over the years.

 

Other diamond flaws and inclusions may be large enough to cause weakness within the gem stone, and the stone could shatter or break much more easily than a stone without the weakness.  These are the flaws you want to be careful with, since they reduce the value of your stone.

Pinpoint Inclusions

When a diamond has speckles of dark crystals in groups or scattered throughout the stone, it is said to havea form of diamond flaws and inclusions called pinpoint inclusions.  If the dark crystals are all clustered together in the stone, the clarity of the diamond is effected, and it appears to have a “cloud” inside the stone.  These types of diamond flaws and inclusions may cause the diamond to be worth less, as it greatly effects the appearance.

Problems from Laser Treatments

When an imperfect diamond is treated with lasers to remove dark diamond flaws and inclusions from within the gemstone, sometimes a line is left through the diamond that looks much like a thread.  The laser line begins at the outer edge of the diamond, and moves inward to the area where the dark inclusion was treated by the laser.  These diamond flaws and inclusions are unsightly and easily spotted by most people, making the diamond less desirable.

Mineral and Crystal Inclusions

While most diamond flaws and inclusions are negative, there are instances when the diamond flaws and inclusions are actually an eye catching aspect of your diamond!  For example, diamonds typically have smaller crystals inside the diamond, often so tiny they cannot be seen without some sort of magnifying device.  The clarity of the diamond can be effected by these crystals, if there are enough of them and if they are all grouped together in one area of the diamond.

 

There are a few rare instances when another gem stone is actually inside a diamond, and could certainly not be seen as a diamond flaw or inclusion.  For example, if you had a ruby or emerald that was surrounded by a diamond, you would see that as a special piece of  jewelry- not a flawed one!

How Diamond Cost is Determined

If you are in the market to purchase a diamond, you’ll be learning all about the 4 C’s of diamonds; cut, color, clarity and carat.  But in the mind of the average buyer, there is a fifth “c” that just may be the most important of all them: the diamond cost.

 

The actual price of a diamond is determined by a grading system that takes into account the cut of the diamond, the color, the clarity and the number of carats.  There is a non profit organization called the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) that has devised the official grading system of diamonds, and because of that system, a diamond that is of more carats may cost less than a smaller diamond if the larger diamond has inferior cut, clarity or color ratings.  Cost is also determined by the retailer.

Buying Diamonds Online

The internet provides a wealth of information on diamonds, educating buyers on the value of diamonds based on size, shape and clarity- and luckily, diamond cost is regulated by industry guidelines.  This means you can shop for your diamond gem stones online with as much confidence as you would shopping for jewelry at your local retailer, especially if you take the time to become knowledgeable about diamond cost before beginning your search for the perfect stone.

 

 

Guide to Diamond Cost

Every jeweler sets their own prices on their gem stones, rings, necklaces and other items.  When dealing with diamond cost, it also depends on the shape of the diamond.  A ”round brilliant” shape will tend to cost more than an ”emerald” shape even when they are the same quality and the same size.

 

If you have a minimal budget, such as $500 or less, you can expect to find a diamond with a carat weight between .15 and .25, set in a 10-14k gold.  If you’re in the market for a diamond cost of $500 to $750, you can expect to be able to purchase one between .20 and .37 carats.  If you are looking for a 1 carat diamond, you should expect your diamond cost to range between $2000 and $3500.

 

Get the Most Diamond for Your Money

When you are researching diamond cost, there are many more factors to consider than just the size of the diamond.  Remember that the shape (cut) of the diamond will greatly effect the diamond cost, as well as the clarity of the diamond.  You can get multiple, smaller diamonds for less cost than you can a single, larger diamond due to the rarity of mining a larger sized diamond.  Sometimes a diamond will be beautiful to the naked eye, and have a reasonable diamond cost- but it may have a lower rating for quality or tone given by the GIA. When you are shopping for your diamond, you’ll need to decide what is more important to you;  the diamond cost, the size of the diamond, the quality (the rating as given by the GIA), or how it looks when it’s worn!