Diamond

Diamond

Content

  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Name and History
  3. 3. Characteristics and Formation
  4. 4. Varieties
  5. 5. Treatment and Care
  6. 6. Jewellery with Diamond
  7. 7. More gemstones in the lexicon

1. Introduction

Discover the world of real diamonds at Juwelo and learn all about the unbeaten gemstone classic.

2. Name and History

Name

‘Diamond’ comes from the Greek word “adamas”, which means “invincible” and emphasises the special hardness of this gemstone.

History

Diamonds have a number of mythological and esoteric associations: Greek philosophers believed that celestial spirits dwelled in diamonds; the Romans believed diamonds to be the tears of the gods or fragments of stars that had fallen to earth. In Hinduism, diamonds were believed to have been formed when rock and lightning collided. According to Jewish tradition, a diamond that is pointed at a guilty person turns dark in colour. In contrast, the brilliance of a diamond pointed at an innocent person is intensified. From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, a number of esoteric effects were attributed to these gemstones, which were supposed to ease the hardships of life. They were said to give courage and valour, invincibility, strength and virtue, chase away nightmares and evil spirits, tame wild animals, protect the home from fire and even calm the mentally ill. The trade in so-called ‘blood diamonds’ (diamonds that are usually illegally mined in a war zone, smuggled and sold to finance the fighting) is countered by state certificates of origin. This ‘Kimberley Process’, initiated by the United Nations, aims to prevent the trade in blood diamonds through a state regulation system, which more than forty countries agreed to in 2000. Only the countries participating in this system are allowed to export rough diamonds to other partner countries.

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3. Characteristics and Formation

Characteristics

The diamond is the hardest known naturally occurring material. It has a dazzling brilliance, a fantastic fire and a glistening sparkle. These popular properties of the diamond are particularly evident in the brilliant cut. (The standard number of facets is 57 or 58 if you count the calette). However, the brilliant cut is now used for many other gemstones and is specially adapted to the typical characteristics of a diamond. The four Cs (colour, clarity, cut and carat weight) form the basis for the valuation of diamonds.

Formation

The diamond consists of crystalline carbon. Colour-causing trace elements cannot penetrate the gemstone due to the compact atomic structure, but in addition to the popular colourless variety, there are also coloured diamonds. Boron, hydrogen, nitrogen or anomalies in the crystal structure (colour centres) cause the colours of the so-called ‘fancy diamonds’. Naturally coloured diamonds are rather rare in nature; many specimens are colour-treated.

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4. Varieties

In addition to the familiar colourless (also known as ‘white’) diamonds, there are also coloured diamonds (fancy diamonds), which can be yellow, blue, brown, red or even black, for example. The assessment of the colour and purity of a diamond has been standardised by the Gemological Institute of America's (GIA) colour and purity scale.

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5. Treatment and Care

The diamond can usually be subjected to normal care as well as steam or ultrasonic cleaning.

Diamond (Black Diamond)

Treatment Heating and/or irradiation or Low Pressure High Temperature Treatment (LPHT) explanation Used for colour enhancement Care Instructions Black diamonds may not respond to diamond tester Steam Cleaning Yes Ultrasonic Cleaning Yes

Diamond (Salt-and-Pepper Diamond)

Treatment Dyeing explanation Used for colour enhancement Care Instructions None Steam Cleaning Yes Ultrasonic Cleaning Yes

Diamond (Blue Diamond, Blue VS1 diamond, Canary F Diamond, Champagne Diamond, Chocolate Diamond, Cognac Diamond, Diamond, Emerald Green Diamond, Fancy Diamond, Forrest Green Diamond, Green Diamond, Natural Yellow SI Diamond, Orange Cognac Diamond, Orange diamond, Pink Champagne F Diamond, Pink Diamond, Pink VS1 Diamond, Pink VS2 Diamond, Red Cognac Diamond, Red Diamond, Royal Blue Diamond, SI Blue Diamond, SI Canary Yellow Diamond, SI Champagne Diamond, SI Cognac Diamond, SI Fancy Diamond, SI Green Diamon, SI Pink Diamond, SI Red Diamond, SI Yellow Diamond, SI1 Blue Diamond, SI1 Pink Diamond, Sky Blue Diamond, V1 Yellow Diamond, VS Blue Diamond, VS1 Green Diamond, VS1 Orange Diamond, VS1 Yellow Diamond, VS2 Blue Diamond, VS2 Green Diamond, VS2 Orange Diamond, VS2 Yellow Diamond, VVS2 Blue Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Yellow Gold Diamond, Yellow SI1 Diamond)

Treatment Usually heated and/or irradiated; extremely valuable if untreated explanation Used to enhance colour intensity or create unique colours. Care Instructions None Steam Cleaning Yes Ultrasonic Cleaning Yes

Diamond (Argyle Champagne Diamond, Argyle Fancy Diamond, I1 (E) Diamond, I1 (F) Diamond, I1 (G) Diamond, I1 (H) Diamond, I2 (F) Diamond, IF (D) Diamond, IF (F) Diamond, IF (G) Diamond, IF (H) Diamond, Natural SI Argyle Diamond, SI Argyle Champagne Diamond, SI Argyle Fancy Diamond, SI Diamond, SI Rose de France Diamond, SI1 (D) Diamond, SI1 (E) Diamond, SI1 (F) Diamond, SI1 (G) Diamond, SI1 (H) Diamond, SI1 (I) Diamond, SI1 (J) Diamond, SI1 Argyle-Rose de France Diamond, SI1 Diamond, SI2 (E) Diamond, SI2 (F) Diamond, SI2 (G) Diamond, SI2 (H) Diamond, SI2 (I) Diamond, SI2 (J) Diamond, Silver coloured Diamond, Untreated Star Diamond, VS Argyle Champagne Diamond, VS Argyle Fancy Diamond, VS Diamond, VS1 (D) Diamond, VS1 (E) Diamond, VS1 (F) Diamond, VS1 (G) Diamond, VS1 (H) Diamond, VS1 (I) Diamond, VS1 (J) Diamond, VS1 Argyle-Rose de France Diamond, VS1 Diamond, VS1 Pink Diamond, VS2 (D) Diamond, VS2 (E) Diamond, VS2 (F) Diamond, VS2 (G) Canadian Diamond, VS2 (H) Diamond, VS2 (I) Diamond, VS2 (J) Diamond, VS2 Cognac Diamond, VS2 Diamond, VVS Argyle Champagne Diamond, VVS Argyle Fancy Diamond, VVS Diamond, VVS1 (D) Diamond, VVS1 (E) Diamond, VVS1 (F) Diamond, VVS1 (G) Diamond, VVS1 (H) Diamond, VVS1 (I) Diamond, VVS2 (D) Diamond, VVS2 (E) Diamond, VVS2 (F) Diamond, VVS2 (G) Diamond, VVS2 (H) Diamond, VVS2 (I) Diamond, VVS2 (J) Diamond)

Treatment None explanation N/A Care Instructions None Steam Cleaning Yes Ultrasonic Cleaning Yes

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6. Jewellery with Diamond

More jewellery with Diamond in our Online-Shop

7. More gemstones in the lexicon

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