Diamond
Diamonds have captured man's imagination for thousands of years. The unique brilliance of a diamond, combined with its distinctive hardness has given this stone an almost mythical status.
Diamond was first discovered in India. There it became a powerful religious symbol. Diamonds have always held a special attraction for humans.
The ancient Greeks thought they were tears of the gods, the Romans mistook them for the splinters of shooting stars, and until the fifteenth century, diamonds in Europe were only allowed to be worn by men because their magical powers were said to be too strong for women.
How are diamonds created?
Diamond is the crystallized form of pure carbon. Diamond forms at a depth of 140 to 190 km, between the Earth's crust and magma. Under the extreme pressure and temperature, the carbon atoms form a very tight lattice. Volcanic activity pushes the diamonds along to the Earth's surface. There they are mined in large mines.
Today, most diamonds come from Africa. Other deposits are in Canada, Russia, Brazil, India and Australia.
The 4 Cs
The 4 C's are the four main properties on which a diamond is valued. This system was developed in the 1950s by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to make diamond grading objective and standardized.
The four Cs consist of "Carat," "Clarity," "Colour" and "Cut." Respectively, these mean "Carat," "Clarity," "Color" and "Cut." All cut diamonds are rated using this system.
Carat
Carat (Carat in English) is the unit of weight of diamonds. 1 carat is equal to 0.20 grams. A carat is divided into 100 points, so 0.50 ct is equal to 50 points.
Carat of diamond should not be confused with carat in gold, where it indicates the degree of purity.
2. Color
Most diamonds are colorless with a pale yellow hue. The color (Colour) is determined by comparison with a number of 'master stones'. The best grade is colorless and is denoted by the letter D - Exceptional White+. In addition, diamonds can also occur in a variety of colors ranging from bright yellow to blue, red, pink, purple, brown, etc. These stones are called "Fancy colors.
Van der Veken Jewelers sells only diamonds with the colors D, E or F.
3. Clarity
All diamonds contain minute traces of their creation. These traces are called inclusions. However, most inclusions are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye. The degree of clarity (Clarity) is determined by viewing the diamond with a loupe at 10X magnification.
At Van der Veken Jewelers, we only sell diamonds with Clarity LC, VVS and VS
4. Grindings
The brilliance of the diamond depends largely on the way it is cut (Cut). A small deviation can cause the diamond to "leak" light, making a shadow visible in the stone.
Grind quality is the most difficult of the 4 c's to assess. Therefore, most laboratories do not go beyond a distinction between poor, fair, good, very good or excellent.
In addition to the quality of the cut itself, of course, the shape also plays a role. Most shapes are designed to reflect a maximum amount of light, giving the diamond the greatest possible brilliance. The round Brilliant is probably the best known cut. Other common shapes are "Marquise," "Emerald" and "Princess.
Certificates
Diamond certificates list a diamond's main properties. These certificates are prepared by recognized independent institutes. For this purpose, they have specially equipped laboratories where gemologists examine diamonds for authenticity, carat, color, clarity and cut.
A certificate is issued only when two or more gemologists independently agree on all points examined. The best-known diamond certificate issuers are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the High Diamond Council (HRD).
Every diamond purchased from Van der Veken Jewelers above 0.50 ct. is accompanied by a certificate from GIA, HRD or IGI as standard. Upon request, this is also possible for stones from 0.30 ct.