Diamond Facts for the Diamond Buyer
The word diamond stems from the Greek word, adamas, which means invincible. Diamonds are the hardest naturally-occurring substance and therefore are nearly invincible. Some other general diamond facts are as follows: diamonds are formed over 90 miles below the Earth's surface; it takes over a billion years for diamonds to reach the surface; over 65% of the world's diamonds originate in Africa; and the largest diamond in the world is the Golden Jubilee Diamond which weighs 545.67 carats.
This article also lists diamond facts specific to the diamond buyer. Diamonds are the most popular gemstone due to their history, value, and relationship with romantic love especially in western culture. The largest diamond distributor, the De Beers Company, is partially responsible for the popularity of diamonds due to their ad campaign, "A Diamond is Forever," which compared the diamond with love and marriage and the lasting quality of both.
More Diamond Facts and the "4 Cs"
Diamonds are rated by four criteria or the "4 Cs." These are: clarity, cut, color, and carats. Clarity refers to the interior and exterior quality of the diamond. Cut is the shape of the diamond. Color is the particular hue of the diamond. Carats are units of weight. When shopping for diamonds, good questions to ask based on the above criteria are as follows:
Clarity: Are there flaws on the interior or exterior of the diamond? Do these flaws make the overall diamond less appealing?
Cut: What is the shape of the diamond: princess, marquis, heart, pear, etc.? Is the shape appropriate and attractive?
Color: Does the diamond appear too brown or yellow? (For clear, colorless diamonds)
Is the color uniform, bright and appealing to the eye? (For colored or fancy diamonds)
Carats: How many carats is the diamond? Will this be too big/small for the setting you have chosen?
Though you hear talk about the number of carats, size does not matter if the diamond is not clear, well-cut, and uniform in color.
Diamond facts about colored diamonds are as follows: colored diamonds are called "fancy" diamonds; less than 2% of diamonds are colored; color can be natural or man-made; natural color is rare and sometimes more expensive than a clear/colorless diamond; and there are over 1500 colors to choose from but the most common are yellow, orange, pink, red, blue, and green.
Final diamond facts include buying from a diamond seller who is certified. Doing so should provide peace of mind as to the quality and value of your diamond purchase. It is also recommended that you buy a diamond that has been graded by the Gemological Institute of America so that you know exactly what you are getting.
