Diamonds are associated with luxury and wealth. In fact, these are cut diamonds, which, in turn, are a rare mineral carried by lava flows from the depths of the earth's crust. It is interesting that the “relatives” of diamonds are graphite (the one found in pencils) and coal. But due to pressure and temperature, diamonds look completely different.
Origin
It is impossible to say with certainty when diamonds were first discovered, because their appearance is associated with the origin of planet Earth. But when faced with the find for the first time, the man realized how valuable it was. Moreover, we are talking not so much about the issue of the cost of the stone, but about its natural properties, which in one way or another influence people.
Thus, the first mention in history says that diamonds were found in Indian rivers in the 4th century. BC e. But the date of the actual discovery of the stone belongs to 1867 in Kimberley. Today, South Africa remains the primary location for the gemstone.
Jewelry with mineral
A diamond is rightfully considered the most expensive gemstone. Only exceptional examples of other top five minerals - sapphire, alexandrite or emerald - can exceed its value. One carat of diamond with the best performance according to the 4C criteria starts at 25 thousand dollars.
Domestic stores offer an assortment of diamond jewelry at the following prices:
- Ring. For a product made of 750-carat white gold and for 3 stones with a total weight of 0.33 carats, you will have to pay 62 thousand rubles. If the total weight of diamonds in the same product reaches 0.77 carats, such a ring will cost about 200 thousand rubles.
- Earrings. Simple studs made of 14-carat white gold with diamond inserts weighing a total of 0.5 carats start at 65-70 thousand rubles. Inserts of 0.4 carats each will cost 200 thousand and more.
- Suspension. Fans of minimalism and cheapness may like the pendant for 20 thousand rubles. A diamond in such jewelry will weigh no more than 0.04 carats. An insert of 0.5 carats turns the cost of the pendant to at least 130 thousand.
- Brooch. Such jewelry with a scattering of diamonds with a total weight of 1.92 to 2.6 carats will cost from 460 to 600 thousand rubles on average.
Diamonds are also a profitable investment. If you want to make a profitable investment, buying a diamond is what you need. The price for a round-cut stone weighing 1.01 carats, the first in purity (1st category of the scale) with a very light color (3rd point of the color scale) can be 1 million 165 thousand rubles.
Artificial Diamonds
Artificial diamonds are called synthetic, i.e. grown artificially. Data from geological processes, pressure, and temperature are taken into account, and as a result, a person receives an analogue that is barely distinguishable from a natural diamond. The crystals have a similar structure, but the synthetic sample has no defects or inclusions.
Artificially grown diamonds are usually used in industry, because devices for equipment, optical materials, and electronics are created on the basis of diamonds and diamond chips. In the jewelry niche, synthetic diamonds make up 3%, but the cost is much lower than natural samples.
Stone processing
Diamonds began to be processed almost immediately after their discovery. The initial processing was minimal - one face of the crystal was ground off and then polished. In 1465, the Burgundian jeweler Van Berkem cut the crystal in the shape of a rose. Since then, jewelers have constantly developed new techniques to make the perfect diamond.
The standard number of facets in diamonds of the highest standard is 57. This number was determined through many physical and mathematical calculations. It is believed that 33 facets at the top of the diamond and 24 facets at the bottom maximize the brilliance and play of light.
The round diamond shape with 57 facets is the most common. This treatment is used for stones weighing at least 0.05 carats. Smaller crystals are cut into 17 facets. A clear structure of the appearance of faceted stone has been determined:
- two main parts - the crown and the pavilion, separated by a girdle;
- the largest face is located in the crown, called the platform;
- 8 wedges extend down from the platform and come into contact with the 8 main faces of the crown;
- 16 wedges extend upward from the girdle;
- the pavilion contains 24 wedges and has an elongated shape;
- the lowest point of the stone is called the culet.
In the second half of the 20th century, new methods of cutting diamonds were developed. They are mainly used for large stones weighing more than 1 carat. The true cutting methods for diamonds include round, royal and majestic shapes. The last two are square in shape. There are fantasy ways:
- marquis;
- princess;
- pear;
- heart;
- oval;
- baguette;
- emerald.
These methods are used depending on the initial shape of the diamonds and the needs of the customer.
Rhodium plated diamonds are stones coated with a thin layer of rhodium. Metal increases the strength of the diamond, protects it from damage, and extends its service life.
Watch a program about how these precious stones are produced:
Medicinal properties
Even though modern people are accustomed to receiving diamonds as a sign of attention, in ancient times they attached great importance to the stone, since they observed its healing effect on the human body.
- Diamonds help normalize sleep;
- Calm the nervous system;
- Helps improve dermatological ailments;
It was believed that the jewel strengthens the immune system and improves the functioning of human organs and systems. Diamonds helped ancient women who had lost hope of having a child to conceive, bear and easily give birth to offspring. In addition, the gem slows down the aging process.
The magic of mineral
Diamond is a stone of leaders and confident individuals. This is a powerful amulet and a strong protector. The diamond will give the owner determination, fortitude, protect him from bad influences, reveal strengths and increase self-esteem. A diamond will give a person optimism and attract good luck.
Important! An evil stone will turn evil even against its owner. The diamond must be given as a gift, otherwise a person will feel its properties only 7 years after purchase or not at all. A woman should be given a diamond by a man. For married women, a diamond is the guardian of the hearth, and for single women, it is a shield that will not allow them to enter into marriage.
Fantasy stones are also endowed with special powers. Blue, for example, improves the functioning of the body, and on a magical level acts as a symbol of devotion. Yellow stone is a companion of believers. Red serves as a spiritual “cleanser”, and pink embodies tenderness and femininity.
You can read about the magic of Diamond-Diamond here.
Magic properties
People have been associated with diamonds for a very long time, and they observed some patterns that were difficult to explain in simple language. There are some signs associated with them, confirmed by eyewitnesses.
- Since ancient times, diamonds have been taken for hunting, which resulted in a rich “catch”;
- believes that the jewel helps to sharpen hearing and vision, and this was tested during the same hunt;
- In addition, the diamond protected the owners, who, by the way, if they had the stone with them, did not get into trouble, no matter how big or small.
Diamonds are a symbol of love - mutual, sincere and faithful. Giving jewelry to your chosen one was not just a romantic gesture - the pebble became a talisman of relationships.
Where is it used?
The number one gem is used in two areas: jewelry and investment.
Investments
Diamond stone is a reliable means of preserving capital.
It is profitable to invest in high quality copies sold separately.
The most popular is 1 carat. It is considered large, reaching a diameter of 6.5 mm. Even diamonds of average quality do not cost less than several thousand, with the highest characteristics - $300 thousand per carat. For specimens larger than 0.3 carats, a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certificate is issued.
Stones in jewelry are considered personal use and depreciate over time; these are only luxury accessories. For them there is a price for primary purchase and secondary sale (20–40% of store prices and 60–80% of company prices).
The main price guide is Rapaport's price list, which is updated and published in New York. It does not display the price of diamonds, but the opinion of experts from the Rapaport Corporation. It guides dealers and all interested parties.
Jewelry
The stones are framed in platinum and white gold. In red they appear yellowish. The yellow gold setting hides flaws in the gem (air bubbles and dirt). Silver jewelry with diamonds requires special care: the metal becomes dull when it comes into contact with the gem.
Stones with which diamonds are combined in jewelry: garnet, cultured pearls, amethyst, sapphire.
Rule 4C
The price is determined by four characteristics of diamonds (4C rule): cut, clarity, color, and carat weight.
Weight. As the weight increases, the price per carat does not increase in direct proportion: up to 2 carats - by percentage, from 2 carats - in geometric progression.
Diamonds are valued using the “Tavernier Rule”: (carat weight)2 x (carat value) = price of the stone. The rule applies up to five carats: a 10-carat specimen is a hundred times more expensive than a 1-carat specimen.
Cut. It is she who makes a diamond a diamond. Only a diamond cut of 57 facets is acceptable: 24 in the pavilion area, the rest on the crown. The stone can be processed with a classic round, oval, or other cut. Round ones are classified into groups A and B. A - ideal proportions and squares forming a platform. B - stones are elongated in width or height, symmetry is broken.
The type of cut has little effect on the price.
Purity. The fewer inclusions and the smaller they are, the better. At the first levels of gradation, the price increases sharply, for higher indicators - less.
Color. The richer the better. The price is growing exponentially, but visually the gradation of colors is indistinguishable.
A colorless or blue diamond is expensive (from $24,750 per carat), while a brown or yellow one is cheap (up to $1,100).
Other options. The price is influenced by the types of inclusions, the quality of polishing, the symmetry of the crystal, and fluorescence.
How to spot a fake
In the jewelry industry, there are so-called legal analogues of diamonds, be it a synthetic sample, cubic zirconia, mussanite (and their analogues). However, the documentation must contain information about the characteristics of the stones.
The most common methods for identifying a fake are:
- a diamond will easily scratch glass if you run a jewel across it;
- the pebble will be absolutely intact if you try to scratch it.
However, the surest way to verify the authenticity of a stone is to check its certificate, so it is better to purchase it in jewelry stores.
Who is suitable according to their zodiac sign?
The diamond suits the zodiac sign of Aries, Libra and Leo. From an astrological point of view, their energy is consonant with the vibrations of the stone. The gem can suppress the soft character of Pisces.
Diamond “Heart of the Ocean”
According to the horoscope, it will also suit other signs, the main thing is to establish personal contact with the stone.
| Zodiac sign | Compatibility (“+++” – fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – strictly contraindicated) |
| Aries | +++ |
| Taurus | + |
| Twins | + |
| Cancer | + |
| a lion | + |
| Virgo | + |
| Scales | +++ |
| Scorpion | + |
| Sagittarius | + |
| Capricorn | + |
| Aquarius | + |
| Fish | + |
(“+++” – fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated)
How to wear and care
Esotericists claim that wearing a diamond ring on a certain finger can have a great influence on a person:
- index finger: endows the owner with leadership qualities, determination, courage, helps a person in a leadership position;
- medium: suppresses impulsiveness, balances the wearer, gives inner harmony;
- unnamed: allows lonely people to determine their creative impulses, and will become a talisman for relationships for lovers;
- little finger: makes the owner eloquent, prevents confusion, for example, suitable for people associated with trade.
Cleaning
Whenever possible, contact of the diamond with human skin should be avoided, both when wearing and when cleaning.
- cleaning is carried out with a lint-free cloth or a piece of soft velvet;
- wet cleaning is carried out using a weak, low-alkaline soap solution, into which the stone is dipped for a couple of minutes, the water should not exceed 40 degrees. Soap can be replaced with an alcohol solution;
- After removing it from the solution, wipe the diamond dry and repeat the procedure if necessary. Do not leave it in the open sun.
Note
The luxury and brilliance of a diamond attracts aristocrats, young girls and mature ladies. The best friend of the diva Marilyn Monroe won the hearts of the entire female half of the globe. Solid but fragile. Strong but graceful. Talisman of good luck and determination. Eternal, indestructible, great.
Photo gallery of stone
Earrings with Amethyst and Diamond
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