Diamonds, more than just a girls best friend!
Being the hardest natural element known on Earth, diamonds are good for a wide variety of uses. However, although they can be used to conduct heat, they are not very good as a conductor of electricity. There are some rare forms though, known as type IIB that can be used as semiconductors.
The force of being buried under great pressure and heat is what causes carbon to form into diamonds. These are then pushed up to the surface in a rare type of magma called kimberlite and forced out from a diatreme or pipe type of volcanic vent.
The strongly bonded electrons and the compact atoms cause the amazing reduction of the velocity of light through a diamonds mass which is what gives it the lustre which is what most people find appealing about a diamond.
It was first discovered to be carbon in 1796, and it took more than 150 years from that time until a method of diamond synthesis was invented.
As there is nothing tougher than a diamond, it is the only thing that can be used to cut another diamond. Because of this, it is used heavily in the industrial sector for cutting, polishing, grinding and drilling. The majority of industrial rock drills have diamond tips. Diamonds are no longer just used in the industrial sector since they are now becoming a more popular material used in home electronics, appliances, and automobiles.
Diamonds are also very popular as jewellery as they portray a classic look in design. Diamond jewellery is used throughout all forms of celebration from weddings, engagements, anniversaries and even sometimes for awards ceremonies.
Diamond jewellery is made using 18KT of gold because gold must have certain hardness for setting diamonds.
In the 15th century, Archduke Maximilian of Austria presented Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring on their engagement as a romantic gesture. Since this time, diamonds have been seen as a symbol of love, joy and romance. Although it started with a diamond ring, all diamond jewellery is now seen as a token of everlasting love and perfection. It is also traditional to wear diamonds as a symbol of achievement and a symbol of status and success.
Like gold, diamonds are measured by the carat. However, unlike gold, there are 3 other deciding factors on how much a diamond is worth. These factors are color, clarity and cut.
There are often impurities in diamonds that cause them to have a hint of color rather than being clear. These diamonds are generally less expensive than a clear diamond, however, depending on their cut may still demand a reasonable price. Cutting colored diamonds requires that the diamond is cut to enhance the color. In the case of a clear diamond, it can be cut with a deep cut, shallow cut or perfect length. This is the only human contribution that helps determine the price of the diamond.
The reflectance that is shown with a diamond is called an ‘adamantine’ lustre. However, if you continually polish a diamond the adamantine properties gradually diminish and the diamond will lose its lustre.
Check out our website to learn more on buying diamond jewellery, and for more details on how you can cheaply start your own diamond selling business.
