Diamonds are remarkable gemstones with a resounding reputation as a leading gemstone in beauty and value. Many think they have a link with wealth and fortunes that many people may not have the opportunity to possess.
”A Diamond is forever” marketing slogan by De Beers company was so famous that the entire world noticed. It remains the single most effective marketing strategy in modern times. This statement single-handedly won the market for De Beers, enabled them to control the supply of diamonds for decades.
Diamonds represent love, compassion, and beauty, all captured for emotional well-being for the beholder of a diamond. That is why, in any jewelry setting, a diamond is a fundamental addition in bringing out its beauty. It can make other gemstones come out beautifully, even if they are not the most valuable. Any gem becomes stunning whenever paired with the smallest of diamonds.
Mineral Properties of Diamonds
- Chemical composition: Carbon
- Hardness: 10
- Refractive index: 2.418
- Specific gravity: 3.52
- Crystal system: Octahedral, dodecahedron
- Color: Yellow, brown, gray, colorless, colored.
What are the main characteristics of a diamond?
Diamonds and their characteristics are vast and complex. There are so many technical elements in them that we can not cover anything close to their entirety. So, we’ll leave the technicalities for the geeks; here, we are catering to the consumers. Therefore, let’s discuss some of the surprising characteristics that are fascinating to learn.
Hardness
Moh’s hardness scale puts the diamond at number 10, the highest rank; King’s class. No other material exists with that hardness. Diamonds are scratch-resistant; no element can scratch a diamond, and only another diamond can scratch it in its league.
Also, do not mistake toughness for hardness; diamonds are hard material but are not the toughest. Your diamond will easily break when it falls, depending on its cleavage, angle joints.
Industrial Diamond
An estimation has it that over 80 percent of the diamonds mined are for industrial purposes. That means most diamonds that come out of the ground are not fit for gems and jewelry.
Industries that utilize the diamond include gemstone cutting and faceting, which use diamond powder for polishing gemstones, including diamonds.
Industries prefer this due to its unique qualities of hardness and its heat conductivity, which works perfectly for grinding, drilling, etc.
Diamond drill bits are an industrial tool with diamonds embedded in their front/mouth metal to drill hard rocks such as boreholes.
Color
The color of the diamond plays a considerable part in its beauty and value. Diamonds can come in any color, with extreme rarity in colored diamonds, and colorless remain the most sought after of the diamond.
Colored diamonds of Red and Blue, for example, are scarce and have the highest price tag of any diamond. Brown diamonds, also known as champaign diamonds, are synonymous with Australia.
Weight
Large-sized diamonds are hard to come by; few have found a place in the history books. The bigger the diamond piece is, the higher value it will command. However, other quality components will play a role in the concluding price, whether big or small.
The above points are the main characteristics that a non-geek person would care to know about.
If you are reading up to this point, you will probably buy one for yourself or your partner. Oh wait, it could be your big day, and you are browsing to get ideas and knowledge about this precious stone.
Well, we’ve got your back. Follow this link, and you will learn the basic steps to take when buying your first ever diamond.