Diamond Jewelry

For sheer brilliance and fire, no other gemstone matches a diamond. Diamonds are the most popular gemstones, with a history stretching back to around 1000 BC when they were first found in river deposits. Some diamonds throughout history have become so well known that they have their own names: the Koh-i-Noor, the Star of Africa, and the Hope Diamond are among the best known.

The quality of diamonds varies enormously and is judged on the basis of several criteria. The major ones are popularly known as "the four C's," and consist of color, cut, clarity, and carat.

Pure diamonds are pure white, and the crystal structure gives a high dispersal of light, so high-quality diamonds are very brilliant. Off-white diamonds are not as valuable as pure white ones, but brightly colored diamonds (known as fancy diamonds) are popular. The color of fancy diamonds can be natural but is often enhanced by heat or radiation treatment. Gem-quality synthetic diamonds are also being produced with a good white color, although fancy diamonds are easier to produce synthetically.

Diamonds can be cut into several shapes with many facets to increase the brilliance. The best cuts cause reflected light to exit the stone at the top rather than the sides or the bottom where some of the brilliance is lost. The most common cut is the brilliant cut, creating a round diamond with 58 facets. Marquise, pear, oval, square, and triangular (trilliant) cuts also have many facets. The emerald cut, a step-cut rectangular diamond, has fewer facets, so for good effect it can only be used with the highest-quality stones.

Clarity is affected by faults and inclusions in the crystal. A faultless diamond is rare and very valuable. Some diamonds have fluorescence, which is claimed to affect their clarity, but there are different schools of thought about this.

Carat weight measures the weight of a diamond and should not be confused with the karats of gold, which measure the percentage purity. One carat is 200 milligrams. Larger stones are proportionally more valuable than the same weight made up of smaller stones. Carat is also used for other gems, but since they have different densities, the proportion of size and weight is different for different gems.

Diamonds are the most popular stones for engagement rings and eternity rings and are also popular in earrings. They are also used to decorate watches and to add formality and value to necklaces and bracelets. Thin diamond bracelets, known as tennis bracelets because they were popular with the tennis star Chris Evert, are still in demand today, although not necessarily for wearing on the tennis court.

Diamonds can be set alone (solitaire) or in groups with other diamonds or colored stones. The most popular setting is the prong (claw) setting, where the diamond is held in place by prongs which bend over the top of the stone to secure it. The sides of the diamond are exposed to the light, so this setting enhances the brilliance of the stone. Bezel-set diamonds are enclosed in a metal rim which is bent over the top edge all the way round the diamond. This setting is more secure than a prong setting but cuts down on the amount of light available to the stone, so the diamond can appear less brilliant. In a channel setting, the diamonds are set flush with the ring rather than sitting above it; this setting is used in contemporary jewelry and also often in eternity rings. A pavé setting consists of many tiny diamonds set close together and held with tiny prongs or beads, giving the appearance of a much larger diamond.

The variety of cuts and settings makes diamonds some of the most versatile and breathtakingly beautiful gemstones and turns jewelry into something truly special and magical.