| Diamonds are the glamorous stones that | | | | the very wealthy. |
| decorate the finest jewelry in the world, but just | | | | Diamond possesses many qualities, which make it |
| what exactly are diamonds? How are they | | | | an ideal gemstone. |
| formed? Where are they found? If you are | | | | They are extremely hard, and also very tough |
| curious about these questions then read on | | | | and hard-wearing and this helps it to take a very |
| because I would like to share with you the most | | | | high polish. In its pure form the diamond is |
| important facts about diamonds. | | | | colorless and has a high refractive index, so has a |
| First of all, diamonds are made of carbon. | | | | very high luster. Diamonds possess high dispersion |
| Charcoal and graphite are also composed of | | | | qualities and different light wavelengths are |
| carbon, but their chemical structure is different. In | | | | diffracted differently, giving a strong scintillating |
| diamonds each carbon atom is bonded to four | | | | play of prismatic colors. Despite these |
| other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral structure, like | | | | generalqualities, 80% of the world's diamonds are |
| a pyramid. | | | | not suitable for jewelry. |
| Each link or bond is the same length, and the | | | | Pure diamond, if it existed, is colorless. Most |
| tetrahedral formation is completely regular. It is | | | | diamonds have a slight color, although the color is |
| the structure, strength and regularity of this | | | | almost imperceptible. The commonest color is |
| bonding which makes diamonds very hard, | | | | yellow, which is caused by tiny amounts of |
| non-volatile and resistant to chemical attack. | | | | nitrogen being present in the crystal structure. |
| Diamonds are one billion to three billion years old. | | | | Other colors include gray, light brown or greenish. |
| They were formed deep within the Earth's crust, | | | | Diamonds can be almost any color, although |
| and come to the surface via volcanoes. Most | | | | strongly colored, attractive specimens are very |
| diamonds are found in Kimberlite, which is a | | | | rare. In addition, colorful diamonds have not been |
| volcanic rock. | | | | widely promoted by diamond manufacturers |
| Diamonds seem to have been known for about | | | | because if consumers liked blue, red, green and |
| 3,000 years. However, in early times, other hard | | | | other colors then they might start buying |
| minerals were often confused with diamonds. The | | | | sapphires, rubies, emeralds and other gemstones |
| earliest diamonds were found in about the 12th | | | | instead. |
| century B.C., in India. India remained the most | | | | In any case, colored diamonds can be artificially |
| important, if not the sole, source until 1725, when | | | | produced or modified. Some fancy colored |
| diamonds were discovered in Brazil. | | | | diamonds are produced by irradiation and heat |
| The Indian and Brazilian deposits had been almost | | | | treatment. Natural, fancy colored diamonds |
| exhausted when, in 1866, the Eureka diamond | | | | command very high prices, especially if they are |
| was discovered in South Africa, followed by the | | | | the more popular colors. Fancy colored diamonds |
| Star of South Africa in 1869. Soon afterwards, | | | | where the color is artificially produced are no less |
| the great South African diamond rush had started | | | | beautiful, but sell for more normal prices. |
| and till today South Africa remains one of the | | | | Occasionally, fancy colored diamonds are available |
| world's most important sources of diamonds. | | | | in blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, brown |
| However, diamonds have since been discovered | | | | and even black. |
| throughout the world, including Russia and | | | | The next time you see a beautiful diamond, you |
| Australia. | | | | can reflect on the one billion year history of this |
| Until the South Africa finds, diamonds were so | | | | glittering object. |
| rare and valuable, that they were only owned by | | | | |