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Which are the most popular diamonds in the world?

The Cullinan I: a pear fashioned diamond of 530.20 carats also called ”The Star of Africa”. Set in the English crown jewels. Can be admired in the Tower of London.



The Koh-I-Noor: This”Mountain of Light” is the oldest of the well-known diamonds, has an oval shape and weighs 108.93 carats. Discovered in India, the stone is now fraction of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.



The Hope: This is a blue diamond of 44.50 carats and with an extraordinary brilliance. At the moment, the stone is on display at the Smithsonian organization in Washington. Had the reputation to bring misfortune.

Color Diamond

Gemstone Treatments

Gemstone treatments or enhancements refer to the way some gems are altered or treated to improve their appearance or durability. Some common treatments include:

• Heating, which can lighten, darken or change the color of some gems, or improve a gemstone's clarity.


• Irradiation, which can add more color to colored diamonds, some other gemstones and pearls.


• Impregnating some gems with colorless oils, wax or resins, which makes a variety of imperfections less visible and can improve a gemstones' clarity and appearance.


• Fracture filling, which involves injecting colorless plastic or glass in the gems to hide cracks or fractures and improve the gemstones' appearance and durability.


• Diffusion treatment, which adds color to the surface of colorless gems while the center of the stone remains colorless.


• Dyeing, which adds color and improves color uniformity in some gemstones and pearls.


• Bleaching, which lightens and whitens some gems, including jade and pearls.


• Laser-drilling, which removes dark inclusions from diamonds, improving the clarity of the stone.
  
  The Jewelry Guides state that sellers should tell consumers about gemstone treatments in certain circumstances. If the treatment is not permanent or if the treated stone requires special care, you should tell consumers that the stone has been treated and give them appropriate instructions to care for the gemstone. Even if a gemstone treatment is permanent and doesn't create special care requirements, the Guides require you to tell consumers about the treatment if it significantly affects the value of the gemstone.
  

How to Make a Beaded Butterfly Ring

Kohinoor Diamond

The Kohinoor Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. The Kohinoor diamond was first mentioned in 1306 when it was taken from a Rajah of Malwa, whose family had held the diamond for centuries. It was described as weighing 186 carats and was an oval cut white diamond - the shape and size of a small hen's egg. The Kohinoor diamond belonged to various Indian and Persian rulers but it became part of the Crown Jewels of England at the time that Queen Victoria was proclaimed empress of India. The Kohinoor was re-cut at this time and now weighs 108.93 carats and is kept in the Tower of London.

Kimberley Diamond

The Kimberley Diamond, named after the Kimberley Mine in South Africa, is one of the most far-famed emerald-cut diamonds in the world.

Before the Kimberley Diamond was cut, it weighed about 490-carats and had the color of sparkling wine. In the year 1921, the rough diamond was cut to 70 carats and in 1958 the Kimberley Diamond was re- cut into the current emerald shape and measured about 55.09 carats. The yellow colored diamond with its beautiful shape has been exhibited in different places and finally an undisclosed collector from Texas bought it in 1971.

The Kimberley Diamond has become famous because of its emerald cut. This emerald cut was initially known as ‘step cut’ and was perfectly suited for emeralds, hence the name emerald cut. The emerald cut consists of 58 facets, 8 girdles, 25 crowns and 25 pavilions. The shapes can vary from squares to rectangles. Later this emerald cut was used while shaping hard stones and so it was also applied in case of the diamonds.

WORLDS LARGEST DIAMOND!

Firestone Diamonds says Botswana mine ahead of schedule

Firestone Diamonds said it reached earthmoving and production plant capacity targets ahead of schedule and recovered a high quality diamond at its BK11 mine in Botswana, raising its expectations for the average value of output at the mine.

It said early diamond recoveries included 13.74 carat stone, with value estimated at $5,000 per carat.

"This recovery is very significant and confirms our expectation that larger diamonds will be recovered at BK11," Chief Executive Philip Kenny said in a statement.

Firestone said it would "comfortably exceed" the target production of 1.5 million tonnes per annum at it BK11 production plant once the phase 2 commissioning was completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Firestone, which had agreed to buy rival Kopane Diamond Developments for $71 million to get its hands on Kopane's Liqhobong kimberlite project in July, said plans developed in relation to the mine were in advanced stage.

However, the company said a plant it was building for Debswana Diamond Co at a Botswana mine would be delayed to allow Debswana to focus on certain higher priority projects.

The construction of the modular tailings treatment plant at the Jwaneng mine had been expected to start in the first half of 2011 and reach full production in late 2012, said the diamond miner and explorer with operations in Botswana and South Africa.

Shares of Firestone were up 5.4 percent at 24.75 at 0748 GMT on the London Stock Exchange. They touched a high of 11.8 percent earlier in the session.

Beryl Gemstone - The Mother of all Gemstones

Beryl is the common name given to a group of gems having a similar chemical composition.

Beryl has a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs Scale and has a hexagonal crystal system. Beryl is found in many places including Colombia, Africa, Brazil, Russia, Pakistan and California. Other than Jewelry Gemstones Beryl is also the main source of Beryllium which is combined with copper to make high quality resistant wires. It is also used in nuclear reactors, space shuttles.

Beryl jewelry can be cleaned using warm soapy water and then thoroughly rinsed. Though Beryl does not scratch or damage easily It is not advisable to clean beryl stones in ultrasonic cleaners.

Aquamarine is a light bluish green form of beryl. The name of this stone is derived from the Latin word 'Aqua" which means water and 'mare' which means sea.The color of this stone is as a result of the iron content in the stone.

Bixbite is the red form of beryl. It is an extremely rare gemstone and Utah is the only place where bixite can be found. This stone is named after Maynard Bixby who discovered this stone in the year 1904. The red color of this stone is as a result of the manganese content in the stone.

Emerald is the most famous of all beryls and is green in color. The name of this stone is derived from the Greek word ' smargus' which means green gemstone.The green color of this stone is because of the chromium and iron content in the stone.

Goshenite is a form of beryl that does not have any color. This stone is named after 'Goshen' in the US, the place where it was found first.

Heliodor is known as the yellow from of beryl. This stone name is derived from the Greek words 'helios' and 'doros' which means gift from the Sun.The yellow color is due to the iron content in the stone.

Morganite is known as the pink form of beryl. The color of the stone is due to manganese and iron content in stone. Morganite got its name from the American Banker J.P. Morgan.

How Diamonds are Cut

Surat diamond industry to float Rs1,000-crore company to buy raw diamonds

The Rs65,000-crore Surat diamond industry which is gaining momentum after the global economic downturn plans to form a Rs1,000-crore company for the purchase of raw material for its units directly from the mining sources, thus doing away with the role of brokers.

The new company which will be known as Surat Diamond Sourcing India Limited (SDSIL), will procure diamond roughs, the raw material for the cutting and polishing industry directly from the mines abroad, a top body of traders said yesterday.

"The proposed company is likely to have a corpus of over Rs1,000 crore with contributions of Rs1.08 crore each from nearly 500 members, who shall be the founder shareholders, and another 1,000 members who will pay Rs54 lakh each," Surat Diamond Association president Rohit Mehta said.

Mehta said the company will be soon incorporated under the Companies Act and registered with the Registrar of Companies. The shareholders will be issued shares of Rs10 each. The founder-shareholders shall have voting rights, while those paying Rs54 lakh will enjoy all benefits of being a shareholder except voting rights.

At present the diamond industry is getting the raw material from the world's rough diamond hub Antwerp in Belgium, and Dubai. The Surat traders believe that they often get cheated by the middlemen during the deals.

SDSIL will directly bid for procurement of rough diamonds from mining firms in Canada, Russia and Africa, and will sell it through a tender system to its members. With this SDSIL hopes to compete with other players by directly dealing with global majors like De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and others.

6 ct. Fancy Blue Diamond

A flawless blue diamond represented by Sotheby's Hong Kong sold at auction for $7.98 Million U.S. Dollars to Moussaieff Jewellers of London. The 6.04 carat, internally flawless blue diamond fetched a record breaking $1.32 Million U.S. Dollars per carat making it the most expensive diamond per carat in history. The previous record price paid for a fancy colored diamond was the $926,000 per carat which was paid for the "Hancock Red" in 1987. Moussaieff Jewellers has a reputation for aquiring extremely rare and costly gemstones.

Blue diamonds have long captivated the rich and powerful -- shimmering with a certain dark mystique. The famous "Hope Diamond", a 45.52 carat grey-blue beauty, was passed down through the ages by King Louis XIV of France, Marie Antoinette and American heiress Evalyn Walsh McClean among others. It now rests in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. The selling price for blue diamonds is often ten times the price for white (colorless) diamonds of similar quality.

Hancock Red Diamond

April 28, 1987: A 0.95 ct Fancy purplish red round brilliant-cut diamond, now known as the Hancock Red, sold at Christie’s in New York for $880,000 fetching $926,000 per carat. The price paid for the Hancock Red set a new world record per-carat price for any gem sold at auction and fetched more than seven times the previous record mark for a diamond ($127,000 per carat, paid for a 7.27 ct pink diamond in 1980). Despite eye-visible inclusions, the Hancock Red commanded such a hefty price due to its exceptionally rare natural color.

The diamond was put up for auction by the heirs of a Montana collector, Warren Hancock, who reportedly had purchased it in 1956 for $13,500. The Hancock Red was one of his several fancy-color diamonds that had been mined and cut in Brazil.

The record price fetched for the Hancock Red in 1987 set a record which was not surpassed until October 2007 when Sotheby's sold a 6.04 carat fancy blue internally flawless diamond at auction for $7,981,835.00 U.S. Dollars which is a stunning $1.3 Million U.S. Dollars per carat!

Pink Yellow Sapphire Butterfly Ring Diamonds 14k White Gold

Diamond Inclusions

Inclusions play a major role while judging the quality of a diamond. Their presence can reduce the value of a diamond. Among the four Cs, clarity determines the stone’s purity. Any kind of internal impurity is termed as Diamond Inclusion.

The various types of diamond inclusions are:

Mineral and Crystal Inclusion: Diamonds may have slighter crystals inside them. These crystals can be smaller diamonds or some other mineral. They are intent within the stone during its formation. Though they are referred to as inclusions, sometimes they can actually create the diamond look more appealing.


Pinpoint Inclusion: They are minute crystals inside the stone which degrade its clarity. They are so small that they need to be viewed under magnification. When several pinpoints gather at the same area of the stone, it appears to be more distracting and hence makes the diamond look dull.

Cloud Inclusion: When several tiny crystals or pinpoint inclusions are grouped together, it emits cloudy and hazy appearance hence developing a cloud in the stone.

Needle Inclusion: Long and thin crystals are termed as needles in diamond inclusions. They are similar to pinpoint inclusions except for their shape.

Feather Inclusion: These are inclusions which actually look like feathers or fractures. Although small feathers are harmless but if they reach the diamond surface then they can probably result in its breakage.

Knot Inclusion: When an included crystal extends to the diamond’s surface, it is termed as a knot. They are a higher risk to the stone as they make the diamond less durable.

Cavity Inclusion: It is large opening in the stone and is also called as a crack which is relatively bigger in size.

Cleavage Inclusion: It is quite similar to cavity inclusion but appears to be a straight crack without any kind of feathering. This can be quite hazardous for the stone since if hit at the right place, the diamond can split down.

Girdle Fringes, Bearding Inclusion: They are hair-like lines which usually develop during the cutting process of the stone. They appear around the girdle and extend from the surface towards its internal part.

Grain Lines Inclusion: They are also called as grain lines and are formed during the formation of the diamond. These lines are formed due to irregular crystallization.

Asscher cut diamonds

Asscher cut diamonds are square shaped. With regard to their shape, asscher cut gemstones resemble an emerald cut stone because both exhibit step cut. But, diamonds with this cut are larger than the emerald cut diamonds.

The different aspects of a diamond are arranged beautifully in asscher cut with the aim to bring out the inner beauty. Its bottom has great depth which accounts for the enormous brilliance of this type of diamond and it is characterized with ‘small table’ and ‘high crown’. One thing that you must notice while selecting your asscher cut diamond is its corners.

A Few Facts about Black Diamonds

Black diamonds are also called “carbonados,” reflecting their chemical make-up of pure black carbon. All diamonds of any color are chemically composed of carbon that through eons of time, became what we know today as diamonds. They don’t come out of the earth as white, sparkly gemstones, but must be extracted, cut and immaculately polished. Black diamonds are not truly black; they are diamonds that contain a large amount of dark inclusions that give them their dark appearance. These inclusions are actually specks of the carbon that creates all diamonds.

Black diamonds, so far, have only been mined in Brazil and Central Africa. Both countries have a well-known history of producing large, rich diamond strikes. Australia is one of the most prolific producer of diamonds and fire opals, but as yet has not hit a strike of black diamonds.

To enhance their color, black diamonds are treated with an electron beam that causes no harm to the stone. This process can be used with other colored diamonds, but is recommended only for the black diamond’s chemical carbon inclusions. The treated stone is then carefully cut into various carat weights and styles that enhance their dark color.

Diamond Cut Grades

Blue Nile Signature Ideal cut: Our most brilliant cut, representing roughly the top 1% of diamond quality based on cut. The highest grades of polish and symmetry allow it to reflect even more light than the standard ideal cut.

Ideal cut Diamonds: Represents roughly the top 3% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond. An exquisite and rare cut.

Very good cut: Represents roughly the top 15% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price.

Good cut: Represents roughly the top 25% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects most light that enters. Much less expensive than a very good cut.

Fair cut: Represents roughly the top 35% of diamond quality based on cut. Still a quality diamond, but a fair cut will not be as brilliant as a good cut.

Poor cut: Diamonds that are generally so deep and narrow or shallow and wide that they lose most of the light out the sides and bottom. Blue Nile does not carry diamonds with cut grades of poor.

Type of Diamonds

Natural Diamonds

Natural diamonds are classified by the type and quantity of impurities found within them.

* Type Ia - This is the most common type of natural diamond, containing up to 0.3% nitrogen.
* Type Ib - Very few natural diamonds are this type (~0.1%), but nearly all synthetic industrial diamonds are. Type Ib diamonds contain up to 500 ppm nitrogen.
* Type IIa - This type is very rare in nature. Type IIa diamonds contain so little nitrogen that it isn't readily detected using infrared or ultraviolet absorption methods.
* Type IIb - This type is also very rare in nature. Type IIb diamonds contain so little nitrogen (even lower than type IIa) that the crystal is a p-type semiconductor.

Synthetic industrial diamonds

Synthetic industrial diamonds are produced the process of High Pressure High Temperature Synthesis (HPHT). In HPHT synthesis, graphite and a metallic catalyst are placed in a hydraulic press under high temperatures and pressures. Over the period of a few hours the graphite converts to diamond. The resulting diamonds are usually a few millimeters in size and too flawed for use as gemstones, but they are extremely useful as edges on cutting tools and drill-bits and for being compressed to generate very high pressures.

Thin Film Diamonds

A process called Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) may be used to deposit thin films of polycrystalline diamond. CVD technology makes it possible to put 'zero-wear' coatings on machine parts, use diamond coatings to draw the heat away from electronic components, fashion windows that are transparent over a broad wavelength range, and take advantage of other properties of diamonds.