i
The News Argus
March 3, 2008
1 ■ What is a diamond?
Once believed to be the tears of (lod or
spliniers of stars, a diamoiicl is carbon in its
niosl conccnlralcd form. I'hc graphite in
your pcncil is made of the same mole
cules as your diamond, the atoms are
jusi more coiiipacf
2a Where does the word
“diamond” come from?
"Diamond" started with the
Greek word "adamas ' mean
ing unconquerable; filling
since it is the hardest natur
al substance on Eaith. r
On Why are dia
monds the ulti
mate symbol of
love?
Diainontls have
long been associated
with romance and love
because they are rare,
prccious and — almost
— indestructible.
I.egends say Cupid's arrows
were lipped vv ith diamonds,
while the (jreeks believed the fire
in the diamond reflected the constant
name of love.
12.
11
How much was the most expen
sive diamond sold at auction?
Sheikh l itaihi of Saudi Arabia, an internation
al collector, Wiught "The Star of the Season” dia
mond for .$16.5 million at a Sotheby's auction in
1995.
*Tm Where did the tradition of dia
mond engagement rings begin?
The modern tradition gets its strength from
successf ul advertising campaigns. But Archduke
Maximilian of Austria set the trend in 1477 when
he gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond engage
ment ring.
5m What else are diamonds traditional
ly used to celebrate?
Diamonds arc April’s birlhslone. The 10th,
60th and T.'Sth wedding anniversaries are also
associated with diamonds.
6a Where do diamonds come from?
Natural diamotids are found in kimberlites, or
diamond pipes, which were formed by powerful
magma eruptions millions of years ago. An esti
mated 65 percent of the world's diamonds are
found in Africa, bui other big deposits are found
in Australia and Russia.
7■ What are the “four C's”?
Knowing the four C's is essential for choos
ing a quality diamond, not just one that looks
good under the jewelry store's lights.
■ Color: Most diamonds appear colorless,
but ahnost all contain varying degrees of yellow
or brown, somelinies called champagne dia
monds. "I'lineies” are colorcd diamonds, which
can be found in pink, red, blue, green, amber or . .,
bJack.
■ Cut: The cut allow's a diamond to make
the best use of light. When a diamond is cut to
good proportions, light is rcllcctcd from one
facet to another and then dispersed through the
top of the stone. Cut loo deep or too shallow and
the stone can appear duller. The most common
shape is the round brilliant, but you can choose
from a marquise, pear, emerald, cushion, oval,
baguette, princess, heart or the new flower cuts.
■ Carat Weight; l.ike all precious stones,
the weight of a diamond is expressed in carats; a
tradition since jewelers weighed gemstones In
relation to the seeds of the carob tree. Now stan-
dardi/.ed, one carat is equal to 0.2 grams. One
carat is divided into 100 "points," so that a dia
mond of 25 points is described as 0.25 carats.
Less than 5 percent of all the diamonds made
into jewelry arc larger than one carat.
■ Clarity: Almost all diamonds contain tiny
traccs of non-diamond crystals, but most arc
invisible to the naked eye. ITiese hiccups in your
diamonds perfection are called inclusions. The
fewer inclusions, the itiore nire and desirable the
stone.
8a How do I pick a jeweler to buy my
diamonds from?
A good jeweler should be happy to explain
the four C's to you, the difference between vari
ous qualities of diamonds and how these difier-
ences affect the price. To find a jeweler you can
trust, ask fot recommendations from family and
friends. Or. ask the Jewelers of America
(www.jewelers.org) or the American (iem
■Society (www.amerlcangemsociety.org)
for a recommendation.
9a What are conflict diamonds?
Also called blood diamonds, conflict dia
monds are mined in war-torn countries to fund
rebel causes. .Amnesty International estimates
that the smugghng of conflict diamonds is
responsible for ."^.7 million deaths in Africa.
10. How do I know my diamond Isn’t
a conflict diamond?
The Kimberley Process is an international ini
tiative to regulate trade in rough diamonds.
Kimberley men>lx:rs must meet extensive
requirements to call their diamonds "contlict-
frce." I'o avoid buying a conflict diamond, only
buy diamonds that have guarantees. Reputable
jewelers, if abiding by the Kimberley PnKess.
w ill only buy from suppliers who provide guar
antees, which should be recorded in their invoic
es. The store also should have a clear and firm
policy on conflict diamonds.
HODNFY
TURNER/MCT
TOUGH, YET
Facts, tips and trivia
about diamonds
Exploring a diamond’s cut
The cut of a diamond determines how well it reflects light.
Proportion
A well cut and proportioned
diamond should reflect light
side to side and back
toward you.
A diamond cut too
shallow or deep allows
light to leak out the side, ^
reducing its brilliance.
Shape
A diamond's cut also refers to its shape. The most common shape is the round brilliant
cut. More than any other shape, its symmetry, allows it to reflect nearly all the light that
enters it.
Round briliant cut
Facets
Star
Bezel
Upper
girdle
Pavillion facet
Lower girdle
Crown
Table
Pavillion
Culet
Girdle
Selected cuts
other diamond shapes:
Emerald Pear Marquise
Princess Oval Radiant
The round
brilliant cut reflects
more light than any
other diamond cut.
SOURCE. DE DEERS. CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF GEMMOLOGY.
WWW.AntAMONOlSFORFVFR.COW, WCT
ILt U.STRATIONS: .lUTTA RCHEIBF. (SAREI. 50NOFRGAARO
AND ANGELA SMITH/MCT
% -
t
How much should i expect to
spend on a quality diamond?
Diamonds will not lose \ alue over time — a
g(xxl reason to buy the best you can afford.
For engagement rings in piuficular, jewelers
say the general guideline is anywhere
from one-month’s to three-months'
salary.
13. Is bigger really
better?
Size is only one of the
four C's for assessing dia
monds. A small, high-
clariiy, high-color dia
mond can cost more
than a large, low-clari-
ty, low-color dia
mond. You can find
V a one-carat diamond
% for as low as a few
1 hundred dollars, but it
I won't be as pretty as a
' smaller, better quality
one.
14. What is the
world’s largest diamond?
The world’s largest diamond on
t' record is the 106-carat Cullinan, found
in South Africa in 1905. The Cullinan was
eventually cut into nine large stones and about
KM) smaller ones. The two largest, called the Star
ot Africa 1 and 11, are on display in the Tower of
London.
15. Why are diamonds so expen
sive?
They are rare — period. Only a few diamonds
survived the violent eruptions that brought the
billion-year-old stones within our reach.
Estimates show that only 500 tons have been
mined throughout history. To add to their rarity,
only 50 percent of mined diamonds are gem-
quality. Even fewer are big enough to be pol
ished into diamonds no! much bigger than the
head of a match.
16a What is the difference between a
synthetic diamond and a simulant?
Synthetic diamonds are real and simulants are
fake. Lab-created, or synthetic, diamonds have
the same chemical composition, brilliance, hard
ness and atomic structure as natural stones.
Scientists can grow diamonds in a matter of days
by recreating the same conditions of intense heal
and pressure that fornied natural diamonds bil
lions of years ago. A good jeweler will tell you
whether a diamond is natural or synthetic. Rut
because it is hard to identify synthetics, mrmy
diamond buyers gel refi^sura(ic?Ji‘w>Vti'Ji iflfntif'-
cation report from a gemological laboratory, like
the Gemological Institute of America. The
Federal Trade C.'ommission now requires all syn
thetic diamonds have a laser inscription.
Diamond .simulants, such as cubic zirconia or
moissanitc, do not have the same brilliance,
hardness or chemical properties of a diamond.
17. How can I tell between a real and
a fake?
At roughly .$5 a carat, cubic zirconia is a very
cheap diamond substitute. It’s also easy to recog-
nt^e as a fake. For instance, it is about twice as
heavy as a real diamond and it has a light blue
cast. Moissanite, however, is almost as hard as
diamond and even more brilliant. ,^t about S600
a carat, it can fool many professionals. If you
still can't tell if your diamond is authentic, you
can spend S50 to S75 to have it professionally
appraised.
18.
How can I clean my diamonds?
Keeping your diamonds clean will help them
reflect light better and look bigger. Because dia
monds lend (o attraci grease, they should be
cleaned once a month with a toothbrush in a mix
of warm water and any mild liquid detergent.
Rinse them under warai running water then pat
dry with a soft, lintless cloth. Or do a cold-water
soak in half water and half ammonia for .^0 min
utes, then tap with a brush, sw'ish in the solution
one more time and drain on paper (no rinsing
required).
19.
How can I maintain my diamond?
To protect your investment, don’t wear your
diamonds when you're cleaning or doing rough
work. Diamonds are highly durable but chlorinc
blcach will deteriorate mountings and a hard
blow can chip a diamond. And don't throw ail of
your jewels together in a box. since diamonds
will scratch other diamonds and the rest of your
jewelry. An annual check-up at your jeweler will
help you keep an eye on loose settings and signs
of wear.
20. What else, other than jewelry, are
diamonds used for?
Industrial quality diamonds are small, lower-
quality stones. Diamonds are used as a cutting
tool, abrasives or turned to powder or paste for
grinding and polishing. As new methods for
growing diamonds emerge, so do new ways to
lake advantage of the stone’s propeilics from
super electronics to unscratchable surfaces.
— CoinpilctJ and written hy Allison Baker,
McCtalchy-Trihune hifoimation Servicex
SOURCES: WWW KIM0£HLeYDHMONOS COU AU, WWW
NATlONAUevveiERSSUPPLieS.COM.WWW JCKONllNE COM
WWW.HISTORY COM, WVVW.GEwesSENCeOESmNS COW
WWW.USATOOAY COM, WWW.DtAMONDfACTS ORC
WWW.01AMONDCUTTtHSmTL.COM, WV/W
STOPSLOODDIAMONOS.OnC, WWW.KSWeeRL6yPnoCESS COM
WWW,DIAMONDS.N£T, WWW.CN6T COM
DIAMONDS
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