Not surprisingly, given the millions pumped into their marketing, Diamond is the most well-known and still the most popular gemstone in the world. Diamond is the birthstone of April and continues to be the number one choice for engagement rings as well as a popular choice for a gift. The Blue Diamond is extremely rare, in fact, all colored Diamonds are extremely rare but the Blue Diamond is one of the most expensive and coveted of them all. Due to antiquity (most Diamonds are between 1 billion and 3.3 billion years old), durability (the hardest known natural material), blinding brilliance (white light reflections), fantastic fire (the ability to split light into its component colours), sizzling scintillation (play of light) and, last but not least, remarkable rarity, for 80 percent of all Diamonds mined are only good enough for industry and it takes 1 million Diamonds to get one 1 carat gem quality Diamond; due to all of this, Diamond has become to most recognised and worn gemstone in the world. JUST THE FACTS Formed in the mantle at the very heart of the earth, Diamond derives its name from the Greek adamas, which means unconquerable, certainly appropriate for the hardest and one of the most valuable of all gemstones. Natural fancy coloured Diamonds are very rare and expensive. Blue Diamond is one of the rarest and most desirable colours. The Hope Diamond, which is based in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, is the most famous Blue Diamond in the world, and the largest at 45.52 carats. With regards to the various different colours available, Blue Diamonds are among the rarest with violet, pink, and red varieties. In general, coloured Diamonds are much rarer than colourless diamonds, but some colours or more common than others such as yellow and champagne stones. For Diamonds, beautiful brilliance is king and this is true for both single solitaires destined for engagement rings to melees (small gems typically under 20 points) used in cluster designs or in a supporting role as accent gems. We are looking for the best balance of dispersion, scintillation and its characteristic brilliance which is a combination of its internal brilliance and its unique adamantine lustre. In bright illumination, a Diamond can display the entire colour spectrum of the rainbow (blue, green, orange, red, violet and yellow) in all their individual glory, and as the gem is moved its facets sparkle in the play of light. The problem is the lapidary must use angles to balance these three signature characteristics, and as fire and brilliance are odd bed fellows, maximising both is simply impossible. Much has been written about the ideal cut proportions for Diamonds and the maintenance of these uniform ideals to get the best out of them. However, research by the GIA, using computer modelling, has established that there are actually several proportions that can maximise either brilliance or fire. Simply put, the concept of an ideal cut for Diamonds is not finite, and judging the quality of cut in terms of visible brilliance rather than against mathematical proportions is the current trend. Apart from its cut, a Diamonds brilliance will also be determined by its colour, inherent transparency (clarity) and fluorescence. As with all gems, the better the brilliance, clarity and cut, the higher the price. Natural Blue Diamond will fetch some of the highest prices in the gemstone world, these are very rarely even seen. Enhanced Blue Diamond, which is still a natural Diamond that is simply enhanced for colour intensity, are more reasonably priced but are still graded and thus price accordingly.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:52:58 +0000
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