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Diamond Jewelry
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Diamonds were discovered in India in 500 B.C., and the name "diamond" comes from the Greek word "Adamas" which means unconquerable - suggesting the eternity of love. Since ancient Greece, diamonds have been the traditional symbol of love, and the ancients believed they were hardened dew drops, splinters from the stars or crystallized lightning.
A diamond is the hardest substance, and is made of a crystallized carbon that has unique powers of light reflection. Since diamonds are composed of a single element, they are the purest of all gemstones.
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Clarity
Diamond Clarity is a measure of a diamond's internal flaws and impurities. A diamond that is virtually free of interior or exterior inclusions is of the highest quality, for nothing interferes with the passage of light through the diamond.
Internally Flawless - No internal flaws. Very rare and beautiful diamonds which are quite expensive.
VVS - Very, Very Slightly Included: Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification. An excellent quality diamond.
VS - Very Slightly Included: Inclusions are not visible to the unaided eye. Less expensive than the VVS grades.
SI - Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification, SI clarity diamonds are usually of the best value since inclusions are not visible to the naked eye and prices are reasonable when compared to prices of the VS clarity and up grades.
I - Included: an I clarity diamond will have a visible flaw which can be seen with the naked eye, but there should only be one major flaw which is not too obvious. If your budget only allows for an SI or I clarity diamond, be sure to examine it thouroughly before purchasing and make sure you can not see any inclusions.
Colour
A diamond can divide light into a spectrum of colors and reflect this light as colorful flashes called fire.When looking through colored glass, color in a diamond will act as a filter, and will diminish the spectrum of color emitted. The less color in a diamond, the more colorful the fire, and the better the color grade.
D: Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare.
E: Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond.
F:?. Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered a "colorless" grade. A high-quality diamond.
G-H: Near-colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value.
I-J: Near-colorless. Color slightly detectable. An excellent value.
K-M: Mounted stones will dasplay a yellowish tint even to the untrained eye.
N-Z: Mounted stones will dasplay yellow or even brown.
What color grade is the best?
For the purist, look for a colorless diamond with a grade of D-F and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none, or negligible.
For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable color to the unaided eye, look for a near-colorless grade of G-I, and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue.
Or, if you'd rather not compromise on color but would like to stay on budget, choose a diamond with a good cut, SI clarity, and consider going with a strong fluorescence. It will still be beautiful to the unaided eye and you may prefer the unique effect of a strong fluorescence.
Carat
"Carat Weight" is simply the weight of the diamond.
When diamonds are mined, large gems are discovered much less frequently than small ones, which makes large diamonds much more valuable. In fact, diamond prices rise exponentially with carat weight.A 2-carat diamond is always worth more than two 1-carat diamonds of the same quality.
The following table shows, roughly, the appearance of different carat weights:
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1 carat = 200 milligrams = 100 points
Don't confuse the weight of a stone with its size.
Don't confuse the carats of a diamond with the carats of a different stone. Different minerals have different densities, a 1-carat diamond will have a different volume than, say, a 1-carat ruby. Another common source of confusion: The karats used to measure the purity of gold have nothing to do with the carats used to measure the weight of a diamond.
Care
Diamonds are uniquely resistant to damage by heat or scratching, and can be cut or polished only by another diamond but an extremely hard blow to the girdle can cause a diamond to chip. By having your diamond set in a relatively protective setting, and remaining conscious of it on your finger, you can keep it intact for a lifetime. Exposure during ordinary wear to perspiration and household chemicals, like chlorine and hairspray, can cause buildup that dulls the surface of a diamond.
If your diamond seems loose, if the stones move or if there is any other noticeable damage, do not wear the jewelry until you have taken it to a professional jeweler for repair. Avoid setting diamonds in very soft metals, like 24 karat gold, which bend easily.
In storage, diamonds can scratch other jewelry, especially soft items like pearls, as well as other diamonds. Keep them in a fabric-lined case with dividers or separate compartments, or store them individually in soft cloth pouches.
Cleaning
Ammonia: Use a soft, non-metallic brush and a solution of one part ammonia to six parts water. Gently rub off any dirt, especially any buildup around the prongs or setting. Be careful not to scratch the metal of your setting.
Detergent Bath: Prepare a bowl of warm suds using mild household liquid detergent. Be sure not to use any cleaners containing chlorine. Gently scrub the jewelry with a soft, non-metallic brush until you have created lather. Rinse the stone with warm water on a plastic or metal strainer.
Quick Dip Method: Buy one of the brand name liquid jewelry cleaners that is suited for the kind of gems or metals in your jewelry. Read the label carefully and follow the instructions.The oils from your skin will leave a film on the stone,so avoid touching your clean diamonds with your fingers.
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