Undoubtedly, the diamond is the world’s most famous stone. "A diamond is forever." "Diamonds are a girl’s best friend." "Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one." All of these adages signify the high value that our society places on diamonds. When we think of the most valuable substances on Earth, we typically think of items such as gold, coal, water, and diamonds. However, much of what we know about diamonds is based on observation and mystique.

Today, jewelry manufacturers use diamonds to produce many types of products, including rings, pendants, and necklaces. Why do they use diamonds? We know that diamonds are hard and shiny precious stones. We also know intuitively that these features make diamonds ideal for jewelry. However, what gives them such characteristics that make them one of the most popular precious stones in the world?  

While humans can mine diamonds near the Earth’s surface, they actually form deep within the planet. Magma from the Earth’s mantle pushes upwards and then explodes at the Earth’s surface. This process can cause any type of minerals that are present, such as diamonds, to glide through a region. Long before diamonds become diamond pendants, this process creates pipes shaped like icicles–which consist of kimberlite rock. These pipes extend to roughly 2.5 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. Over a period of millions of years, the top levels of the pipes erode. This reveals any diamonds that they are holding.

If you were to buy candles for a diamond’s birthday cake: forget about it! A diamond’s upward journey from the Earth’s mantle to the surface causes it to have an age of roughly 3.3 billion years. Other diamonds form upon the impact of a meteorite, which makes some of them older than the age of our own solar system!

However, let us return to the question at hand: how do diamonds, such as those in jewelry, obtain their characteristics? The hardness of diamonds originates from the element carbon, which coal contains as well. The strongest type of chemical connectors, the covalent bond, "glues" together the carbon atoms of a diamond. The basic structural unit of diamonds includes eight carbon atoms, which exist as a cube. This inflexible and sturdy structure causes diamonds to be extremely hard and hard to melt. How hard are diamonds, such as those in diamond rings? On the Mohs Hardness Scale, they earn a score of 10, with 10 being the hardest substance available.

Meanwhile, what gives diamonds their "bling-bling" brilliance? The diamonds that humans mine are actually rough stones that they must process, in order to make them glitter. One of the key steps in this process is the cutting of the diamond. Experts use a variety of methods to cut and form the precious stone. These include:

•    Cleaving:  The cutter uses a steel blade to cut a rough diamond into two parts.
•    Sawing: The cutter uses a powerful saw with a rotating blade. He or she determines which areas will be the "table" and the "girdle," before cutting. An alternative is to use a laser, though that can cause the cutting to take hours.
•    Bruiting: This is the process that gives a diamond its form. Bruiting is actually the process of cutting a diamond by hand. When the cutter uses a machine, we call the process cutting.
•    Polishing: The cutter positions the diamond against a turning polishing wheel, which gives the precious stone a finished appearance.

While diamonds in diamond jewelry have similar characteristics, not all diamond jewelry is alike. Thus, how do you know which diamond jewelry (such as a solitaire diamond ring) is right for you? Here are some tips to make the process easier:

1. Learn the Four Cs
When choosing diamond jewelry, it is important to know the "Four Cs" of diamonds, to help you select the best pieces:

CARATS: Each 100 points of weight that a diamond has, is equivalent to one carat. Many shoppers of diamond jewelry wrongly assume that "bigger is always better." However, keep in mind that a smaller, flawless, and sparkling diamond is better than a larger diamond with many imperfections.

CLARITY: This indicates how "included" (flawed) a diamond is. Totally flawless diamonds are rare and quite pricey. However, even if a diamond is not impeccable, you should avoid purchasing jewelry that contains flaws such as chips and cracks.

COLOR: Diamonds can range from colorless to brown. The letters D to Z indicate the amount of color that a diamond has. When selecting a piece of jewelry with multiple diamonds, it is important that each stone has uniform coloring. 

CUT: This determines the brilliance or "fire" of a diamond. The cutting that the diamond cutter performs before the precious stone becomes part of diamond pendants, determines how he or she creates the facets of the diamond. This process is important. It influences the reflection and refraction (bending) of light, as it contacts the surface of the diamonds.

2. Know your budget before you start shopping
This tip is important whether you are shopping offline or online. When searching for diamond jewelry, it can be tempting to select dazzling pieces that are far beyond your budget. However, try to stay focused and buy jewelry within your means.

3. Choose the right jeweler
You can take various steps to achieve this goal. Choose jewelers based on your relatives’ and friends’ personal recommendations. Pick smaller "Mom and Pop" jewelers, rather than large chains. Be wary of jewelers that frequently have too-good-to-be-true sales. It is highly likely that the jeweler had already inflated the prices! Finally, be very cautious about jewelers who ask you to open a charge account before you examine their products.

Today, companies use dazzling diamonds to create an array of jewelry, such as diamond rings. Before selecting such diamond jewelry, it is important to consider the aforementioned matters. That will help you to choose the best diamond jewelry for your particular needs. Shopping for hard diamonds will be easier!

Tags: Solitaire diamond ring | Solitaire diamond ring | Diamond pendants | Diamond pendants | Diamond rings | Diamond rings

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