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ABOUT DIAMONDS
There is nothing comparable to a
diamond in hardness; it is therefore nearly imperishable. Sapphire
is the next hardest gemstone but its cutting resistance is 140
times less than that of diamond. However the hardness of diamond
is different in the make up of the individual crystal faces. This
allows a diamond to be cut with diamond powder. Diamonds do have
cleavage lines and some of the largest diamonds ever found - such
as the Kohinoor diamond, are examined thoroughly both at the surface
and internally before being cleaved into workable sized pieces,
so that flawed parts can be removed and maximum yield and purity
assured.
Diamond is the most reflective transparent
gem. When light strikes a diamond it can either reflect from the
highly polished surface or transmit into the stone. These light
rays may be reflected many times within the stone before finally
exiting. It is light that allows a diamond to reveal its true
beauty.
The angle of every facet affects
the way light reflects and refracts, resulting in the brilliance,
fire and scintillation. Some combinations of proportions may accentuate
brilliance, while others give greater fire from within the gem.
There are many different proportion combinations that manage to
achieve the intricate balance of brilliance, fire and scintillation.
Only your jeweller is able to compare
diamonds from different sources, side by side to ensure the very
best combination.
Brilliance
- is white light reflected from the surface and from the inside
of a polished diamond. Quite simply, brilliance is the returning
of white light to the viewer's eye.
Fire
- the rainbow colours seen in diamond are the result of dispersion
or the splitting of white light into the colours of the spectrum.
Well-proportioned diamonds encourage longer light paths that continue
reflecting within the stone. The more the light continues to bounce
around within the stone, the more it disperses into spectral colours,
creating greater fire.
Scintillation
- is the contrasting light and dark flashes seen when there is
movement of the diamond, the observer or the light source. Scintillation
is the flashing light that is reflected from the crown.
THE FOUR 'C's OF DIAMONDS
COLOUR
Refers to lack of colour- the range
in colour grades from "D" to "Z". D being
the whitest and rarest. However with fancy coloured diamonds the
greater the intensity of colour, the rarer and more expensive
they are. Colour grade is assigned by comparison to a master set
of colour grading stones that each act as the borderline between
two colour grades. D to Z grades are a range of tones of colour
where one merges into the next.
CLARITY
Refers to the amount of natural
inclusion in diamond the range is from F (Flawless) to IF (Internally
Flawless), to VVS (Very Very Slight Inclusions, to VS (Very Slight
Inclusions), to SI (Slight Inclusions) to P1/2/3 (Inclusions which
are eye visible). As a diamond forms within the earth and travels
to the surface, the extreme conditions make it rare that it will
be perfect in every aspect. Diamonds with fewer inclusions are
rarer and, therefore, more valuable. Minor inclusions affect the
price of the diamond even though they may not affect its overall
beauty. Very large inclusions that are more visible can obstruct
the light paths in the diamond, resulting in reduced transparency.
CUT
Generally refers to the shape of
the diamond i.e. round brilliant, emerald cut, princess cut etc.
However it also refers to the proportions of the diamond, which
affect the brilliance of the stone. If a stone has not been cut
well the light will not be reflected perfectly through the top
of the stone.
This is one of the most important
factors in choosing a diamond. The combination of proportions
can have a dramatic effect on a diamond’s face-up appearance,
regardless of whether a stone is claw or bezel set. A stone of
high colour and clarity may still appear dark or lifeless if the
quality of cut is poor, affecting its beauty and value.
Diamond is said to come from the
Greek word, adamas meaning unconquerable.
David is able to show you a range
of diamonds on request at very competitive prices and of course
any valuation we do with the piece sold we stand by, being members
of JATVC and trained in diamond grading.
Some diamonds come with their own
certificates.
HRD - Hoge Raad Voor Diamant - Diamond Hight Council
EGL - European Gemmological Laboratory
IGI - International Gemmological Institute
GIA - Gemmological Institute of America
CARATS
The word carat is derived from Carob,
the name of the tree whose seeds were always the same weight and
therefore used by the early traders to measure the size of precious
stones and pearls. The Carob was standardised to each trading
country's units of weight, but a London Carob was different to
a Venetian Carob and both could be unlike a Madras Carob. As gem
trading increased throughout the world the Carat weight became
by international agreement the metric carat 0.02 gram.
Diamonds are bought and sold by
carat weight. each carat is divided into 100 points, a 1 pointer
is 0.01 carats, a 20 pointer is 0.20 carats, a 1/2 carat or 50
pointer is 0.50 carats and a 1 carat stone is 100 points.
Diamonds differ in value for many
reasons, colour and purity being the main considerations. For
instance a 1 carat fine stone of top quality and purity could
be $40,000. A medium quality stone could be $15,000, and a poor
example heavily included (internal marks) could be $3,000.
But smaller diamonds are cut exactly
the same way as the 1 carat, with the same amount of care they
have the same amount of facets as their larger counterparts. Many
designs now have a lot of smaller diamonds set in such a way that
they sparkle and shine over a much larger area. This is called
pave setting (pronounced pavay).
HERMITAGE DIAMONDS
David Connor Designs is a supplier
of Hermitage Diamonds, which is the brand of one of Australia's
longest established diamond companies.
To produce the brightest gemstone
the master cutter must start with the finest diamond crystal.
Most Hermitage Diamonds are bought directly from Russia, and are
of an unparalleled quality and beauty. Better diamond crystals
allow a cutter to unlock the true beauty of the stone and return
the maximum amount of light to the viewer. Using only the finest
diamond crystals from around the world, gives the Hermitage Diamond
cutter the ultimate advantage in crafting the worlds most beautiful
diamonds.
Click
for more information on Hermitage Diamonds
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