The diamond has been considered a very precious asset since ancient times!
SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIAMOND
The Diamond it is a mineral and, as such, it is found in nature. It is made entirely of carbon and has the same chemical composition as graphite and pencils but, having a much more compact crystalline structure, it is also harder, indeed it is the hardest material known. The only way to work it is the use of diamond tools .
The specimens found are rarely sufficiently transparent and colorless to be used in jewellery: for this reason and because of the high diamond hardness , most of the mined material is used for industrial purposes and only a small proportion have characteristics that make them suitable for use in jewelry store.
Currently the largest producer is Australia, followed by Russia and various African states including South Africa whose mines were the first to be exploited.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIAMOND AND BRILLIANT?
The answer is very simple: the Diamond is the raw material while the Brilliant refers to the type of cut with 57 facets, 58 if the apex is also faceted.
Also, the brilliant cut it is used on every type of gem. Thus, for example, we have a brilliant cut ruby . However, when we speak of brilliant without further specification, we mean a brilliant cut diamond .
Although much less common, there are other types of cuts such as Huit-Huit cut , rose cut , stepped or emerald cut , carrè cut , baguette cut , princess cut etc.
A brilliant cut diamond does not necessarily have to be round in shape. We will thus be able to have not only round brilliants but also drop, heart, oval shapes, etc.
THE 4Cs
Until a few years ago, anyone interested in buying a diamond had to blindly trust the experience and honesty of their interlocutor. In recent years, however, they have been developed worldwide strict criteria for classifying stones which, moreover, represent an excellent system for protect the buyer . Likewise, the figure of the seller remains important, who must in any case be expert and honest to protect those interested in purchasing.
The 4C they are indicating the 4 main features with which they are classified diamonds i.e. (in English):
- Carat ( Weight in Carats )
- Color
- Clarity ( Purity )
- Cut
The weight of the diamond it is expressed in carats (Ct.) and 1 carat = 0.2 grams.
The color is classified by comparison with diamonds sample and is expressed, for the diamonds that are most often found on the market, i.e. the diamonds of the "Cape Series", with a letter of the alphabet from D to Z where D is the most "white" i.e. the most colorless and Z it is very yellow but not enough to be considered "Fancy Color". The value of a diamond of the "Cape Series" decreases proceeding from D to Z. Most of the diamonds of this series on the market are between F and J. The "fancy" exist in almost all colors but are very rare. Therefore, the value of these diamonds is often higher than that of a "Cape Series" of similar weight, clarity and D color cut.
There purity of the diamond it consists in the classification of the dimensions and the number of impurities present inside the stone through an examination with a 10-magnification lens.
The cut finally, of the diamond is a no less important characteristic than the previous ones and contemplates both the shape, the number and the relative position of the facets ( brilliant cut, princess cut, baguette cut, old cut, etc.) and the quality that is judged with respect to various parameters of which the most important is the proportion.
With regard to the brilliant cut in particular, there are strict geometric relationships that must be respected by the cutter, to obtain a stone that offers the maximum in terms of brilliance. Thus, it turns out that the diameter of two stones of the same weight is approximately the same.
We hope that this little introduction will be useful for you!
For any question we are at your disposal!