Diamond Education
Diamonds are believed to have been first recognised in India around the 4th century BC and remained the sole source of diamonds until 1725. In that year, diamonds were discovered in Brazil, followed by another discovery in South Africa in 1870. These findings significantly boosted the diamond industry. Diamonds are typically found around 93 miles (150 kilometres) beneath the Earth's surface, where temperatures reach approximately 1050°C (2000°F), contributing to the conditions necessary for their formation.
Throughout history, natural diamonds have been regarded as a rare and meaningful gift for a loved one. Until the 15th century, leaders often wore diamonds, symbolising strength and power. Known for their exceptional durability, diamonds are considered one of the toughest substances on Earth.
While the classic white diamond remains the most popular, diamonds come in a variety of colours, including black, blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange, and yellow. Some of these colours are natural, while others result from treatments that alter the diamond's hue, though these processes carry certain risks. The colour-changing process is highly complex, involving superheated and pressurized carbon molecules deep within the Earth's core. By introducing specific minerals and elements—such as nitrogen, which creates a yellow hue, or boron, which produces blue—diamonds can take on a range of captivating colours.
Understanding
the 4 C's
The 4 C’s—colour, clarity, cut, and carat—are well-known in the jewellery industry as the key factors that determine a diamond's value and price. When purchasing a diamond, it's important to understand these attributes to make an informed decision.
Colour
Diamonds are available in a range of colours, including pink, green, and blue. However, in white diamonds, the presence of a yellow tint can reduce the diamond's value. The less colour a white diamond has, the higher its value. In some cases, the colour of a white diamond may not be noticeable without professional magnification. Diamond colour is measured on a standardised scale using letters, which is universally recognised in the jewellery industry.
At Dytham Jewellery Designers, we believe that the ideal diamond for an engagement ring falls between grades D and H. Below is our guide:
Clarity
Most diamonds have flaws, these are called inclusions. The fewer inclusions a diamond has, the higher the clarity grade. To describe the different grades they use acronyms so if your looking for a diamond and see these, this is what it means:
IF = Internally Flawless
VVSI = Very very slightly included
VSI = Very Slightly included
SI = Slightly included
I = Included
(Included can also be known as Pique - PK)
To maximise your budget we suggest you go for an 'eye clean' diamond, such as an SI or higher as you can only see the flaws under a microscope.
IF VVS1 - VVS2 VS1 - VS2 SI1 SI2 I1 - I3
What you see without magnification
IF VVS1 - VVS2 VS1 - VS2 SI1 SI2 I1 - I3
What you see with 10x magnification
The Cut
The cut of the diamond is an important factor of the overall beauty, as this is what makes the stone sparkle. Diamonds have the unique ability to utilise light efficiently. The cut is focused on the proportions of the diamond in opposed to the actual shape, for example the shape of the diamond would be pear, princess emerald and so on, however in grading the cut it evaluates the skill and the polishing of the diamond facets to a level of accuracy. The facets are the sides and the angles on the diamond, which allows light to transmit through which will give the effect of sparkling.
The Carat
Not to be confused with a Karat of gold (which refers to the gold’s purity). Carat is the physical weight of the diamond, though people may assume it to be the size of the diamond. It is weighed very precisely to the hundredth. The unit is metric carats. Out of all of the 4 C’s the carat weight is the most objective. One carat equals to 0.2 grams (1/5 gram) and this can be divided into 100 points.
