Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to mankind. That, along with their brilliance and fire, have made diamonds the quintessential symbol of timeless, enduring love.The simplest of all the gemstones, diamond consists of 99.95% pure crystallized carbon. A diamond begins to crystallize far beneath the earth's surface among a mixture of liquids, gases, and crystals. Diamonds can, in fact, be from 1 to 3 billion years old--more than two-thirds the age of the earth itself.
Shape
The first step in choosing a diamond is deciding what shape you want. While the round shape is the most popular, there's plenty of other beautiful shapes to choose from which deliver brilliance and fire. Round brilliant-cut diamonds show the most brilliance and sparkle of all the shapes. When it comes to hiding imperfections, the round brilliant cut is the king. Its design allows it to hide flaws and yellow tints better than diamonds of other shapes.Color
The most important thing to know about diamond color is, in general, the less color a diamond has, the more valuable it is, all other factors being equal. The diamond color grading system uses the letters of the alphabet from D through Z, with 'D' being the most colorless and therefore the rarest and most valuable, and 'Z' having the most color within the normal range, and being the least valuable, all other factors being equal.
Carat
A diamond's weight is measured in what is known as a 'carat', which is a small unit of measurement equal to 200 milligrams.
Care
Diamonds must be kept clean and be stored carefully when they are not being worn, or are being packed for travel. Because most people wear their engagement ring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it's essential that you're always mindful of its care.
Cleaning
Diamonds, like anything else, get smudged, soiled and dusty. Lotions, powders, soaps--even the natural oils from your skin--will create a film on diamonds, which will reduce their brilliance. In addition, chemicals in the air will oxidize or discolor the mountings. Keeping your jewelry clean will maximize its brilliance. Four ways suggests you clean your diamonds:
- Detergent Bath: Prepare a small bowl of warm suds using any mild household liquid detergent (be sure not to use any cleaners containing chlorine). Brush the jewelry with a soft brush until you have created a lather around it. With the jewelry on a plastic or metal strainer, rinse off with warm water (be sure not to clean your jewelry over the drain!) Pat your jewelry dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
- Cold Water Soak: Make a solution of 4 parts cold-water and 1 part very mild dishwashing detergent. Soak the pieces for several minutes. Lift out and tap gently around all sides of the mounting with a soft brush. Rinse the pieces in the solution once more and drain on tissue paper.
- Quick-Dip Method: Buy one of the brand name liquid jewelry cleaners, choosing the one that is best for the kind of stones and metals in your jewelry. Read the label carefully and follow the instructions. Do not touch your clean diamonds with your fingers, as the oils from your hands will leave a film on the stone.
- The Ultrasonic Cleaner: There are many types of these small machines available to the public today. They will clean any piece of jewelry that can be soaked in a liquid within a matter of minutes. These machines often have a metal cup, which is filled with water and detergent. When the machine is turned on, a high-frequency turbulence is created. Avoid putting emeralds in ultrasonic cleaners.
Information by : http://www.diamond.com/