Friday 16 September 2016

Types of Diamonds

Diamonds are precious & rare stones which are found inside the earth’s surface. A natural diamond is a gemstone/precious stone made up of carbon.Due to environmental concerns Lab Grown Diamonds also called as Lab Created Diamonds are being preffered over mined diamonds.
Lab Created Diamonds are created in a controlled environment by using high-pressure high-temperature” method (HPHT), and the “chemical vapor deposition” method (CVP).
Diamonds can be classified into 4 types:-1a,1b,2a,2b.Diamonds are classified according to the level of their chemical impurities.
Type 1a:-In type 1a diamonds nitrogen atoms are clustered together within the carbon lattice.They are of pale yellow colour.When the nitrogen atoms are present in groups of three they absorb wavelengths of visible light on the blue end of the spectrum.Hence the light that is reflected appears to be yellow.Around 98% of the diamonds are type 1a.Type 1 a diamonds are futher classified into 1aA and 1aB.1aA are diamonds with nitrogen in aggregate pairs and 1aB are contains aggregates of four nitogen atoms.
Type 2a :-Type IIA diamonds are considered as purest form of diamonds.They contain no or very less impurities.They are considered as most  rare and valuable type of diamonds.They contain very little amount of nitrogen so they don’t easily absorb short wave light.They are colourless and are almost transparent.
Type 1b Diamonds:-In 1B diamonds single nitrogen atoms instead of clusters are dispersed throughout the crystal lattice.As they are scattered a lot of visible light is absorbed resulting in darker colours.
Type 2b Diamonds:-. Type IIB Diamonds do not contain nitrogen,but they contain boron The presence of boron makes these diamonds electrically conductive.All naturally blue diamonds belongs to Type 2b.They are extremely rare and form 0.1 % of the diamonds.
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Monday 12 September 2016

BUYING A DIAMOND RING

A diamond is one of the most precious stones.Every person wishes to buy a diamond ring for his loved one.Diamonds are quite expensive hence person buying it need to do a little research before buying this precious stone. One must not rush and make hasty decisions while buying  a diamond.Buying a diamond ring can be a huge investment on the part of the person buying it.it is important to first decide you budget and the type of ring you want to buy.The 4 c’s of diamonds is what you need to consider while buying a diamond.The 4 C’s of diamonds are colour,cut,clarity & carat.

Lab Created Diamonds are ecofriendly,conflict free,available in variety of colours,their supply is unlimited and they replicate original diamonds.They are 
 at least 20-30% cheaper than mined diamonds.Lab Made Diamonds are created in a controlled enviornment.Lab Grown DiamondsLab Grown Diamonds are produced through one of two methods: the “high-pressure high-temperature” method (HPHT), and the “chemical vapor deposition” method (CVP).

Colour:-

The Color of diamonds is from colorless (most rare and precious) to many shades of yellow (less rare). Most diamonds vary in different  shade from colorless to yellow, brown, or gray. To decide the color grade, all diamonds are compared to an internationally accepted master set of diamonds, the color of which ranges from D, or colorless(most desirable) to Z, (the least desirable).
The color of diamonds, except for fancy color diamonds, are graded based on the absence of color in the diamond. Colorless diamonds are clear and contain no traces of color (e.g. yellow or brown).Diamond color is graded on a scale of D to Z. D, E, and F diamonds are considered the rarest, as they are virtually colorless whereas diamonds in the G and H color range are near colorless Diamonds in the I to J color range offer the best value for money, as they are about 10% cheaper than diamonds in the G to H range but still appear colorless to the naked eye.

CUT:-
How a diamond has been cut, polished, and to what proportions and symmetry, are very important these factors.If these cutting factors are below standard, the appearance of the diamond will be affected.
There are many different cuts, each having a specific effect on the following three attributes:
      Brightness – the amount of light the diamond reflects
      Fire – the various colors of the spectrum that a diamond gives off
      Scintillation – the sparkle and brilliance that is produced when a diamond is moved.

(A) When a ray of light touches the surface of a diamond, part of the ray is reflected back. This is external reflection.
(B) The rest of the ray penetrates the stone and is then relfected toward the center of the diamond.This known as refraction.
(C) The ray of light is reflected to the surface, where it is observed as the colors of the spectrum. This is known as dispersion.

Execution of the design, the precision of the cutting details and the quality of the polish are collectively called the finish.
The quality of a diamond cut is dependent primarily on symmetry and polish, as well as the proportions of the table size, crown angle, and pavilion depth to one another.

Carat Weight
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats, with one carat equaling 200 milligrams or 1/5 gram.Each carat can be subdivided into 100 ‘points. This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. A jeweler may describe the weight of a diamond below one carat by its ‘points’ alone.Similarly, diamond of the same size and carat weight may not hold the same value, because one may have better clarity or color. The cut of a diamond also affects it’s carat weight and value because some diamond cuts hold more volume than others.

Clarity

Most diamonds contain inclusions (imperfections within the diamond).Inclusions that are very visible can affect the way light bounces on individual facets of a diamond and can therefore greatly affect a diamond’s fire, brilliance, and scintillation.
A diamond’s clarity is graded based on the quantity of inclusions and their location in the diamond. 
FL (Flawless)
Do not contain any visible inclusions (internal flaws) and blemishes (flaws located on the surface) even under 10x magnification. These diamonds are virtually flawless and are extremely rare and expensive.
IF (Internally Flawless)
IF diamonds have no visible inclusions or blemishes unless viewed under 10x magnification by a trained expert.
VVS1 VVS2 (Very Very Slightly Included)
VVS1 and VVS2 diamonds contain some inclusions and blemishes but they are not visible to the untrained eye. Even under 10x magnification, only a skilled grader is able to spot the inclusions. 
VS1 VS2 (Very Slightly Included)
Diamonds of VS1 or VS2 clarity grades contain minor inclusions that are not visible to the naked eye. The inclusions can only be seen under 10x magnification.
SI1 SI2 (Slightly Included)
Diamonds with SI1 clarity contain inclusions that are still invisible to the naked eye and can usually only be observed under 10x magnification. SI2 diamonds, on the other hand, contain inclusions that can be seen by the naked eye upon close inspection.
I1, I2, I3 (Included)
I1 to I3 Diamonds contain very visible inclusions that can be observed by the naked eye. I2 and I3 diamonds usually contain inclusions that can affect a diamond’s overall quality and appearance.

Diamond Shape:-Diamonds come in different shapes-round,oval,pear,emerald,heart,princess,radiant,marquise

Round:-
Round diamonds are popular among diamond buyers.They are the most expensive among other diamonds. They are popular because of their brilliance, fire, and light performance.

Oval:-Oval Diamonds are elongated in shape which makes them larger in appearance.It is popular with people who have smaller hands.The Oval shaped diamonds make their fingers look elongated.
  
Pear:- The pear shape is a stunningly feminine diamond shape with a rounded end on one side and a tapering point at the other.The pear shape helps in giving different types of cutting styles to the diamond.The best part about this diamond is that they have rounded end and a single point.They don’t belong to a traditional category as round diamonds nor do they are trendy like princess cut diamonds yet there are people who prefer these diamonds.

Emerald :-They are the most classic type of diamonds and can easily be spotted by beveled corners and stepped facets.They are more transparent compared to other diamonds.They resemble a rough diamond crystal hence they are the least expensive to cut.They have classic beauty and elegance which makes them different than other diamonds.

Heart :-heart shaped diamonds are most popular amongst lovers.They resemble true power of love and hence are preferred while gifting on occasions like wedding,anniverasary etc.

Princess:-The Princess shaped diamond is the most popular fancy cut diamond.The princess shape is a square design with a brilliant cut.Princess cut diamonds ate for those who like sparkle and brilliance of round cut diamonds, but prefer the shape of a square.

Radiant:-The radiant diamond is an emerald cut but has a facet arrangement that gives it brilliance similar to that of a round diamond.They have angled corners and range from square to rectangle.They combine the fire and sparkle of Emerald and round cuts.

Marquise:-The Marquisehas an elongated shape with pointed ends.It makes a small hand look longer.The shape of the diamond makes it look larger.