Article fashion jewelry

Diamonds have an allure about them that make them probably the most sought after gemstones in the world. They say that "diamonds are a girl's best friend"
and more than likely that sentiment is due to their brilliance
their sparkle
and the way they make a person feel when wearing one. But
what we know as these perfectly clear and beautiful gemstones start their lives as basically rocks. They have to be mined and honed and crafted into what we know as diamonds.

A diamond is a form of carbon
and its extreme hardness and light diffusion qualities make it a highly useful stone for industrial purposes
in addition to its pleasing aesthetic qualities. Diamonds make excellent abrasives because they can only be scratched by other diamonds. Therefore
they are extremely durable and retain their brilliant gleam wonderfully.

The earliest known reference to the diamond comes from a Sanskrit text dating back to approximately 296 BCE (before the Christian Era)
which described the diamond's qualities. It is generally accepted that diamonds were first mined in India
where they quickly became symbols of spirituality and holiness
decorating religious idols. Early on in their history
diamonds were traded in all direction of India for their different industrial uses
including engraving and drilling
as well as for their aesthetic purposes such as for ceremony
decoration
and adornment.

There was a strict prohibition against cutting diamonds. This taboo was started with the early traditional uses in India
and ended in the Middle Ages. By 1375
a guild of diamond cutters and polishers was established
as the technology of reshaping diamonds began to develop. The different shapes that were developed through the years only worked to exemplify the diamond's beauty and brilliance
increasing their allure. Today
diamonds are most familiarly used for the purposes of adornments
such as for jewelry.

There are 4 characteristics that are used as basic description devices of diamonds
and which are used in order to determine the ultimate value of a particular diamond. These are known as the "4 C's"
or carat
clarity
color
and cut. The carat is the weight that measures the mass of the diamond. One carat equals approximately 0.007 ounce. The value of a diamond increases greatly relative to its carat weight
because large diamonds are exceptional and in high demand for jewelry.

The clarity of a diamond measures the amount of inclusions of a diamond
or its internal flaws. Foreign matter inside the diamond or cracks causing a cloudy appearance are considered inclusions
and tend to decrease the value of a diamond. There grading systems used to assess clarity
based on certain factors including number
size
color
and visibility of the inclusions (diamonds are usually graded from flawless to imperfect). The higher the clarity rating is
the more rare the diamond (and the more valuable) is.

The color of a structurally perfect diamond
and one that is free of chemicals is almost perfectly clear
and color-free to the naked eye. This doesn't necessarily affect the value of a diamond
however. Some pink or blue diamonds (like the Hope Diamond
for example) are considered spectacular
and therefore highly valuable. A rating system of D to Z (D=colorless and Z=bright yellow) is in use to aid in color assessment of diamonds.

The cut of a diamond describes how the diamond has been shaped and polished from its original mined state. The "cut" describes the level of workmanship that has gone into the diamond
as well as the angles to which the diamond is cut. This is not the same as the shape of the diamond
which describes just that
its shape. Shapes such as pear
round
marquis
princess are all familiar terms for diamond jewelry. When shopping for diamond jewelry
fine jewelry stores will be aware of the 4 C's of the diamond they carry
and will be able to provide information about which gems you are interested in. Diamonds are unique
and they are the ultimate souvenirs from the Earth
which adds even more allure to owning one.