I recall a promotional campaign on T.V that used the punch line “A diamond is forever”. I can think of no better reason, than this, to stress the importance of careful planning before buying a diamond. Any layman knows for sure that diamonds don’t come cheap. So before you impress your loved one with expensive diamond jewellery, please take some time to understand the variables involved. Fortunately, this is not rocket science. Organizations like American Gem Society and Gemmological Institute of America have made it easier for the common folk to buy diamonds from jewellery store without breaking a sweat.

The first concern while buying a diamond is obviously your budget. Depending on the amount of money you are willing to dish, a jeweller can offer you a variety of options. The options may involve various permutations and combinations of four characteristics viz. carat, colour, cut and clarity. If your budget is constrained you might have to sacrifice on one or more of the four parameters e.g. in order to get a well cut diamond with reasonable clarity and colour you might have to sacrifice on the carat weight. Similarly you may have to compromise the clarity and colour if you are looking for a decent sized ornament with more carat weight and flat cut.

The next major issue is the answer to the question “Am I getting my money’s worth?” Unfortunately, this question is a bit tricky and hard to answer because diamond prices vary from place to place. Therefore it is advised that you spend some time on doing market research. But this exercise is not as difficult as it may seem. Modern day conveniences like telephone, internet etc allows us to make these enquiries with minimal effort! There are websites which give you a detailed price comparison for any type of diamond that you would like to buy (in terms of shape, colour, clarity, cut, carat, price range etc.)

Most people don’t take the quality of the protective setting within which the diamond is placed. The quality and security of the setting keeps the diamond right where it’s supposed to be. A diamond with inferior setting may come apart in due time. If this happens by accident, there is a good chance of loosing the stone forever.
A more subtle yet key aspect is the place you buy it from. A diamond brought from a reputed jeweller is likely to retain its brilliance over a longer period compared to small time diamond sellers. Buying diamonds from authorized dealers will also prevent people from tricking you into buying nothing but cubic zirconium instead of diamonds.

Please ask the dealer to substantiate the grade of the diamond with written certificates approved by recognized authorities. Also make enquiries regarding resale prospects i.e. is the price of your diamond going to increase or decrease with time and by how much. Some firms also provide diamond insurance in case of loss or theft.

Remember purchasing a diamond is a very special and cherished occasion. Thus you must do everything it takes to make it a treasured experience. Only awareness can help you do so. So take your time and spent your hard earned money only on something that’s guaranteed to outlast even your own life span!

Since time immemorial diamonds have instigated myths, shaped civilizations and enchanted people with its enigmatic charisma. The history of diamonds has been a very interesting one. What was once believed to be a mystic stone is now the corner stone of world economy! This magnificent transition reflects not only the evolution of an inanimate stone but also portrays how the outlook of the human race changed from conservative to progressive.

EARLY HISTORY

Diamonds were first discovered in India almost three millenniums ago. It was here that its value as a gem was recognized. The astonishing attribute to refract light, much more than any other gem, elevated the diamond to a class of its own. In this time period diamonds were mainly used as ornaments. Some people believed that the stone was heaven sent because nothing this beautiful could exist on Earth. Thus they used it as a talisman to ward of evil spirits or provide protection.

THE DARK AGES

During the dark ages, the fame of the mystic stone reached the western civilization. European doctors believed that the stone had miraculous medicinal powers. This belief was reinforced by the all powerful church. It was said that a diamond was capable of healing wounds and cure illness if you make a cross with it while clutching it in your hands. Stories of this sort gave the stone a holy dimension, sanctified by the pope himself! But such myths were soon dispelled after Pope Clement failed to recover from his illness despite resorting to diamonds as a cure

THE MIDDLE AGES

Soon man became more materialistic. The newly developed scientific outlook led man to focus on the diamonds material worth and physical properties like strength, refractive index, molecular structure etc. rather than its mystical powers. Hence awareness about the worth of diamonds began to increase. The increased understanding caused mine owners to resort to lies and propaganda to prevent mine workers from smuggling them. Many famous stones like the Koh-I-Noor and the Blue Hope were found during this time. The size and splendour of these diamonds led to a huge increase in popularity. Therefore, the demand for diamonds became more than ever!

As time passed by, India lost its monopoly over the diamond market. Small deposits were found in Brazil and Borneo, but they hardly, met the ever increasing demand. The next diamond revolution occurred in the nineteenth century in South Africa along the Orange River basin. This new find helped satisfy the global demand at least for the time being.

RECENT TIMES

Today the diamond industry is shifting its pivot from traditional suppliers like India, South Africa, Brazil etc. Geologists hypothesized that the island continent of Australia might have a rich deposit of diamonds due to geological isolation and late occupancy. But it wasn’t until the 1970’s that a concentrated effort was made into tapping this potential. The efforts were rewarded in 1979 when large deposits of this precious stone were uncovered in Argyle. The diamonds mined from this region accounts for nearly 33% of the diamonds mined each year globally!

The Great Star of Africa

The Great Star of Africa or the Cullinan I is the largest cut diamond in the world. It weighs 530.20 Carats and has 74 refracting sides. The diamond was cut from a 3106 Carat diamond called the Cullinan, the largest diamond crystal ever found. The Cullinan was discovered during a routine inspection of the Premiere Mine in Transvaal, South Africa in 1095. The diamond was divided into nine major and ninety six minor diamonds by Joseph Asscher and Company of Amsterdam, the largest being the Cullinan I. Currently the diamond rests on the Royal Sceptre along with the rest of the crown jewels in the Tower of London.

The Orloff

The journey of the Orlof began in India. This 300 Carat diamond was originally believed to be the eye of an idol of the Hindu deity Vishnu. A French deserter stole the diamond from idol’s socket and sold it to an English captain for a mere 2.000 pounds. The stone changed owners and soon reached Amsterdam. It was from here that the jewel reached the hands of the Russian count Grigori Orloff. He bought the gem for 90,000 pounds and gifted it to Empress Catherine as a token of love. The Empress set the stone on the Imperial Staff and it has been there ever since. The exceptional clarity, bluish green colour and exquisite cut are what make this diamond one of the most treasured jewels in the world.

The Centenary Diamond

The Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa, of the Cullinan fame, yielded another marvellous diamond in 1986. This diamond was weighed in at 599.10 Carats in the rough state. It took an elite team of master-cutters, led by Gabi Tolkowsky, three years to transform this diamond into a 273.85 Carat diamond named The Centenary Diamond. The diamond has 274 facets and is currently the third largest diamond in the world. This scintillating beauty was unveiled at the Tower of London in the month of May in the year 1991.

The Regent

The 140.50 Carat was discovered in India in 1698 by the Governor of Madras, Thomas Pitt. He sent the diamond overseas, to England, for cutting and polishing. In 1717 the regent purchased it from Pitt in order to adore the French Crown. The diamond was first set in the crown of Louis XV and later in the crown of his successor, Louis XVI. Later on it was encrusted in hilt of the sword of the First Consul Fontainebleau, Musée Napoléon 1st and later on the double edged sword of the Emperor. It was also seen on the crown of Charles X during his coronation in 1812. Despite being only the fourth largest diamond in the world, many consider it the most beautiful diamond due to its outstanding clarity and perfect cut. Today it can be seen at the Louvre, Paris, France.

Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light)

Weighed in at 105.60 Carats, the Koh-i-noor or mountain of light is perhaps the most famous diamond in the world. It has a long history dating back to 1304. It was captured from the Rajahs of Malwa by the Mughal Sultan Babur in the sixteenth century. From there on it fell unto the hands of the Afgan raider named Nadir Shah. After the death of Nadir Shah, the diamond came back to India and passed into the hands of the Sikh guru Ranjit Singh of Punjab. After a fight broke out between the Sikhs and the English, the English claimed ownership of the diamond and presented it to the queen. For centuries, the Koh-i-noor has been a part of the royal jewellery. Today it can be seen at the Tower of London along with the rest of the crown jewels.

The price of a diamond is influenced by the four C’s. Namely colour, clarity, cut and carat. For the sake of comparison, each of the four characteristics is graded in an internationally recognized format. This system of grading will be explained one by one.

COLOUR

The worth of a diamond is judged by its colour or rather colourlessness. A pure diamond is colourless. But such diamonds are very rare and consequently very expensive. Most diamonds contain certain amount of impurities in them. These impurities are responsible for the colouration in diamonds. To establish a reliable metric for comparing different diamonds and international system of grading has been devised. The grading, in the decreasing order of cost, is as follows:
1. Grade D to F – colourless
2. Grade G to J – Nearly colourless
3. Grade K to M – Faint yellow
4. Grade N to R – Very light yellow
5. Grade S to Z – Light yellow
6. Fancy – Fancy yellow

CLARITY

The clarity of a diamond is determined by the presence of impurities contained in the diamond. The location of the impurities within the diamond is also of importance. In America the GIA has developed a scale comprising of eleven categories. They are as follows (in the decreasing order of cost):

FL,IF,VVS1,VVS2,VS1,VS2,SI1, SI2, I1, I2,I3.

The first category represents flawless diamonds. The next three categories represent diamonds with microscopic inclusions. The subsequent four categories represent diamonds with inclusion which are barely visible by the naked eye. The last three classifications refer to diamonds with impurities easily identifiable by the naked eye.

CUT

One of the paramount qualities to look for in a diamond is its cut. The cut of the diamond determines its optical properties. A well cut, polished and proportioned diamond will have much more brilliance and lustre compared to a poorly cut diamond, even if the later is clearer and more colourless. The cut of the diamond, more precisely the alignment of each facet, is what makes the diamond glitter. Therefore prime importance must be given to the cut of the diamond if you intent to purchase one. The American Gem Society (AGS) has graded the diamonds into a category of ten, the best being AGS 0. AGS 0 diamonds exhibit perfect symmetry, exact proportions, even faceting and fine polishing. They are very expensive and rare. The next grades are AGS 1, 2, 3…. etc up to AGS 10. Thus it can be observed that the quality and cost of the diamond decreases with increase in the AGS index, making AGS 10 the worst, yet cheapest, examples of symmetry, proportioning and polishing.

CARAT

The carat weight of a diamond gives a measure of how heavy a diamond is. As carat weight of the diamond increases, so does the cost. Large diamonds, say ten carats or more, are extremely rare. But their unearthly beauty and elegance makes them more sought after. Consequently, they are very, very expensive. While buying diamonds, carat weight is an important parameter.

Since diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth, it is immune to wear and tear. But it does have its weaknesses. The most damage prone area in a diamond is the girdle. Fortunately this is not a cause for concern because the force required to chip the girdle is very unlikely to be produced unintentionally. But more often than not, the diamond is always housed in a protective setting like a ring or a pendant in order to keep the diamond undamaged over the entire lifespan. Although the gem is extremely resistant to physical damage, its shine may be dulled by sweat from perspiration or from common chemicals like chlorine and hairspray. This can be prevented by cleaning the gem within regular intervals.

CLEANING DIAMOND JEWELLERY

Diamond jewellery may be cleaned by using a solution of one part ammonia diluted by six parts of water. Keep the diamond submerged in this solution for half and hour. Then use a small brush to remove the dirt and other impurities lodged within the diamond and the protective setting. While cleaning the diamond with a brush please be sure to use a soft brush. A hard brush may leave permanent scratch marks on the protective setting. Rinse the ring with clean water and leave it to dry. To maintain the lustre, wipe the diamond with a damp cloth from time to time. There are also mechanical cleaners, like the ultra sonic cleaner, if you prefer to not handle the gem manually. Ultrasonic cleaning is recommended because it will remove dirt from areas that are practically unreachable manually. Ultrasonic cleaning is available at most jewellery stores.

STORING DIAMOND JEWELLERY

Care must be taken while storing diamond along with the rest of your jewellery. If placed carelessly, the diamond is most likely to damage other ornaments made of gold, silver or platinum. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the diamond wrapped around a soft cloth before putting it with the rest of you jewellery. Ideally, the diamond jewellery must be kept in isolation. Most jewellers provide a box or a case to keep the diamond. You can use the same case or buy a another one if you want to.

MAINTENANCE

Other than regular cleaning, diamond jewellery also requires careful attention when it comes to maintenance. For starters, try to be aware that you are wearing the worlds most precious gem stone at all times. If you have an active life style, please make sure that the setting is safe and secure. Otherwise the gem might get dislodged from the setting. Avoid exposure to strong chemicals. This may not directly endanger the diamond, but it may prove to be mighty harmful for the setting. Wearing diamond jewellery, while engaging in rough activities, is not a very wise thing to do. But if you want to show off, please do it only after you get the setting double checked. After all, what good is a diamond if you can’t brag about it to your friends?

The weight of diamonds, like most other precious gems, is expressed in carats. The word carats may be abbreviated as ct. for all practical purposes. Some times a suffix ‘TW’ is added to indicate that the weight expressed is the cumulative total of all the diamonds used in that particular piece of jewellery. The word carat is derived from the Greek word kerátion which means “fruit of the carob”. This apparent association may be because of the fact that carob seeds were used to make precise measurements during ancient times. But in the present context, one carat has been standardized at 200 milligrams.

You might ask “What’s the big deal with diamonds. Why not use the conventional system of weight measurement?” My response to that can be illustrated with an example. The largest diamond crystal ever found was the Cullinan diamond. It weighed in at an unbelievable 3106 carat! If we do the maths right, it would be exactly 0.6212 kg. That’s the largest diamond ever found. It has been a thousand years since the Cullinan was discovered and yet we haven’t come even close to discovering a diamond that weighs that much. Therefore, if we stuck to the conventional system of weights we would have to resort to fractions and decimals. To avoid this, a new system of weight called carat was chosen. Using this system the weight of the diamonds could be expressed more compactly and conveniently. When it comes to small diamonds, carat becomes ill suited to indicate the diamonds weight. Thus for convenience, each carat is divided into 100 points e.g. a diamond with a physical weight of 50 milligrams will weigh 0.25 carats or 25 points.

Although the carat weight of a diamond is the most common measure of a diamonds worth, it’s not the most precise indicator. The worth of a diamond is affected by many other features like clarity, cut, colour etc. Thus two diamonds having the same carat weight may look totally different! For instance, the diamond having higher packing density will look smaller than the one having lesser packing density. Another apt example would be the cut of the diamond. You see, a diamond having flat cut will look larger than one having a steep cut, despite having the same carat weight! Therefore it can be said, without reasonable doubt, that carat weight is only a raw indicator of the diamond.

So how exactly does carat weight influence value? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Large diamonds are rare and more in demand, so naturally, they are expensive. Consequently a one carat pendant would be more high-priced compared to a pendant made of smaller diamonds having a collective weight of one carat or more. Diamonds which weigh a little less than the nearest full carat are significantly cheaper than those which weigh a little more than the next full carat. If you are looking for a one carat diamond but have a limited budget the most sensible thing to do would be to buy a diamond which weighs just under a carat, say 90 points or so. This way nobody will be able to tell the difference, but you will get away with a big saving!