A diamond (from Ancient Greek: ?????? adÃÆ'¡mas , meaning "unbreakable "," exact ", or" unchangeable ") is one of the most famous and most sought after gems. Diamonds have been used as decorative objects since ancient times; some of the earliest references can be traced to India.
Hardness of diamonds and high light dispersion - gives the diamond "fire" its characteristics - making it useful for industrial applications and desirable as jewelry. Diamonds are a highly traded commodity so many organizations have been created to assess and certify them based on "four C", which are colored, cut, clarity, and rust. Other characteristics, such as the presence or lack of fluorescence, also affect the desire and thus the diamond value used for jewelry.
Diamonds are used in engagement rings. This practice is documented among European aristocracies as early as the fifteenth century, though rubies and sapphires are more desirable gemstones. The popularity of modern diamonds was largely invented by De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd., which established the first large-scale diamond mine in South Africa. Through an advertising campaign that began in the 1930s and continued into the mid-20th century, De Beers made diamonds an important part of the engagement process and status symbols coveted. The high value of diamonds has been the driving force behind dictators and revolutionary entities, especially in Africa, using slaves and child labor to mine blood diamonds to fund conflict. Though believed to derive its value from its scarcity, gem-quality diamonds are quite common compared to rare gems like alexandrite, and the annual global crude diamond production is estimated to be about 130 million carats (26 tons, 29 short tons).
Video Diamond (gemstone)
History
Initial history
Before the invention of diamonds in Brazil in the 1700s, India was the only place where diamonds were mined. The earliest reference for diamonds in India comes from Sanskrit texts. The Arthashastra of Kautilya mentions the diamond trade in India. Buddhist works dating from the 4th century BC describe diamonds as famous and precious stones but do not mention details of diamond cuts. Other Indian descriptions written at the beginning of the 3rd century explain the strength, regularity, brilliance, metal scratching ability, and good bias properties as desired diamond qualities. Golconda is an important trading center for diamonds in central India.
Diamonds are traded to the east and west of India and are recognized by various cultures for their gemological or industrial use. In his Naturalist Historia , the Roman author Pliny the Elder notes the use of diamond ornaments, as well as their use for the engraver because of his violence. Yet it is doubtful that Pliny actually means diamonds and it is assumed that in fact some of the different minerals such as corundum, spinel, or even mixture with magnetite are all called by the word "adamas".
Diamonds eventually spread throughout the world, though India remained the only major source of gems until the discovery of diamonds in Brazil in 1725. A Chinese work from the 3rd century BC mentions: "Foreigners wear them [diamonds] in the belief that it can counteract evil influence ". The Chinese, who did not find diamonds in their country, initially did not use diamonds as gems but used them as "jade cutting knives". Diamonds reached ancient Rome from India. Diamonds are also found in 700 in Borneo, and are used by traders in Southeast Asia.
Modern history
The modern diamond mining era began in the 1860s in Kimberley, South Africa with the opening of the first large-scale diamond mine. The first diamond was discovered in 1866 on the banks of the Orange River and is known as Eureka Diamond.
In 1869, a larger diamond of 83.50 carats (16,700 g, 0.5891 oz) was found on the slope of Colesberg Kopje on the Vooruitzigt farm of the De Beers brothers. This triggered the famous "New Rush" and within a month, 800 claims were cut into a small hill that was done energetically by two to three thousand people. When the land is lowered into a small hill into a mine - in time, the world-famous Kimberley Mine. Following an agreement by the British government on compensation to the Citrus Free State for its competitive land claims, Griqualand West was annexed to the Cape Colony in 1877.
From 1871 to 1914, 50,000 miners dug Big Hole with picks and shovels, producing 2,722 kg (6,001 pounds) of diamonds, and in 1873 Kimberley was the second largest city in South Africa, having a population of around 40,000.
Small mining companies were joined by British imperialists Cecil Rhodes and Charles Rudd became De Beers, and The Kimberley under Barney Barnato. In 1888, the two companies merged to form De Beers Consolidated Mines, which used to have a monopoly over the world diamond market. The monopoly came to an end in 2005, following an antitrust lawsuit in the US (which De Beers completed without acknowledging errors, after settlement payments of US $ 295 million), and a voluntary agreement between De Beers and the European Commission. The latter agreement was canceled at the time of appeal by Russian mining company Alrosa, but the European Court later upheld the decision and the European Commission later concluded its investigation without any action being taken against De Beers.
Today, global annual crude diamond production is estimated at about 130 million carats (26 tons, 29 short tons), of which 92% are cut and polished in India, mostly in the city of Surat. About 85% of the world's rough diamonds, 50% diamonds are cut, and 40% of industrial diamonds are traded in Antwerp, Belgium - the center of the world's diamonds. The city of Antwerp also hosts Alteres Antwerche, created in 1929 to become the first and largest diamond exchanges dedicated to rough diamonds. The Antwerp association with diamonds began at the end of the 15th century when new techniques for polishing and gem forming flourished in this city. Diamond cutter from Antwerp is famous in the world for their skills. More than 12,000 expert cutters and polishers are working in the Diamond District, in 380 workshops, serving 1,500 companies and 3,500 brokers and traders.
In the 21st century, technology to produce synthetically perfect diamonds was developed. The diamonds produced by the latest technology are visually identical to mined and natural diamonds. It is still too early to assess the effect of future availability of gem-quality diamond-grade diamonds in the diamond market, although traditional diamond industries have taken steps to try to create the distinction between diamonds excavated from land and factory-made diamonds, in part by downplaying the fact that diamonds of both sources is actually visually identical. Synthetics currently represents 2% of the supply of gem-quality gems used for jewelry, but 98% of the industrial quality supplies are used for abrasive applications.
Maps Diamond (gemstone)
Gemological Characteristics
The most popular use of diamonds today is like gems used for jewelry - ancient usage. The dispersion of white light into spectral colors is a major gemological characteristic of gem gems. In the twentieth century, gemologists have developed methods of giving diamonds and other gemstones based on the characteristics most important to their value as gems. Four characteristics known informally as "four C" are now used as basic descriptions of diamonds: rust, cut, color, and clarity. The system was developed by Gemological Institute of America in 1953 as an internationally recognized standard for evaluating diamond characteristics.
Most diamond gems are traded on wholesale markets based on a single value for each of the four C's; for example knowing that diamonds are rated as 1.5 carats (300 mg), VS2 clarity, F color, exceptional brilliant round pieces, enough to set reasonably expected price ranges. More detailed information of each characteristic is used to determine actual market value for individual stones. Consumers who buy individual diamonds are often advised to use four Cs to select the "right" diamonds for them.
Other characteristics also affect the value and appearance of gem gems. These include physical characteristics such as the presence of fluorescence as well as diamond sources and the gemological institute evaluating diamonds. Hygiene also dramatically affects the beauty of diamonds.
There are two major nonprofit gemological associations that rank and report (informally referred to as certificate or cert , which is a mistake for many assessment reports) on diamonds; while the weight of rust and cutting angle is defined mathematically, clarity and color are judged by the trained human eye and therefore open to slight differences in interpretation. This association is listed below.
- The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the first laboratory in America to publish modern diamond reports, and is respected by gemologists for its consistent and conservative judgment.
- Diamond High Council (HRD) The official certification of the Belgian diamond industry laboratory, located in Antwerp.
In the last two decades, a number of gemological gemological labs have also been established, many of them also based in Antwerp or New York. This entity serves to provide similar services as a nonprofit association above, but in a cheaper and more timely manner. They produce certificates similar to GIA.
Carat
Weight carat measures the diamond mass. One carat is defined as 200 milligrams (about 0.007 ounces avoirdupois). Unit point - equal to one hundredth of a carat (0.01 karat, or 2 mg) - commonly used for diamonds less than one carat. All others are the same, the price per carat increases with the weight of rust, because larger diamonds are rarer and more desirable to be used as gems.
Price per carat does not increase linearly with increasing size. Conversely, there is a sharp jump around the weight of the rust milestone, because demand is much higher for diamonds weighing just over a milestone than for those who weigh less. For example, a 0.99 carat diamond might have a much lower price per carat than a comparable 1.01 carat diamond, due to the difference in demand.
The weekly diamond price list, Rapaport Diamond Report published by Martin Rapaport, CEO of Rapaport Group of New York, for diamond cutting, clarity and different weights. Currently considered a de facto retail price baseline. Jewelery often trades diamonds at discounted prices from Rapaport prices (e.g., "R -3%").
In the wholesale trade of gem gems, carats are often used in many diamond denominations for sale. For example, buyers can order 100 carats (20 g) 0.5 carat (100 mg), DF, VS2-SI1, excellent cut diamonds, indicating a desire to buy 200 diamonds (100 karat (20 g) total mass) of the characteristics the forecast. Therefore, diamond prices (especially among wholesalers and other industry professionals) are often quoted per carat, not per stone.
Total carat weight (t.c.w.) is a phrase used to describe the total mass of diamonds or other gems in a jewelry, when more than one gem is used. Solitaire diamond earrings, for example, are usually quoted at t.c.w. when placed for sale, shows the mass of diamonds in both earrings and not every individual diamond. T.c.w. also widely used for diamond necklaces, bracelets and other similar jewelry pieces.
Clarity
Clarity is a measure of internal diamond defect called inclusion . Inclusions may be crystals of foreign material or other diamond crystals, or structural imperfections such as small cracks that may appear whitish or turbid. The number, size, color, relative location, orientation, and visibility of all inclusions can affect the relative clarity of diamonds. Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and other organizations have developed a system for assessing clarity, based on the inclusions seen by a trained professional when diamonds are seen under 10ÃÆ'â € "enlargement.
Diamonds are becoming increasingly scarce when considering gradations of higher clarity. Only about 20% of all mined diamonds have a high enough clarity rating for diamonds to be considered appropriate for use as gems; The other 80% is degraded into industrial usage. Of the top 20%, most contain one or more visible inclusions. Those without inclusions appear to be known as "eye-clean" and are preferred by most buyers, although visible inclusions can sometimes be hidden under arrangements in a piece of jewelry.
Most inclusions present in gem-quality diamonds do not affect diamond performance or structural integrity. When arranged in jewelry, it is also possible to hide certain inclusions behind the installation of hardware such as a fork in a way that makes the defect invisible. However, large clouds can affect the ability of diamonds to transmit and disseminate light. Large cracks near or broken surface may increase the likelihood of fracture.
Diamonds are valued by large communities on a scale from perfect to imperfect.
Colors
The best quality to match color gradations is completely colorless, which is rated as a color D diamond around the world, which means absolutely free of any color. The next level has very slight color, which can be observed by any grading/lab grading expert. However, when sprinkled with brightly colored diamond jewelry it does not show any color or it is impossible to create shades of color. This is rated as the color E or diamond color F.
Diamonds that show little trace color are rated as diamond color G or H. Little-colored diamonds are rated as I or J or K colors. Diamonds can be found in any color other than colorless. Some colored diamonds, like pink, are very rare.
Very pure diamonds and perfectly perfect chemically transparent without hue, or colors . However, in reality most of the gems of gem-sized gems are not perfect. The diamond color may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects in the crystal lattice. Depending on the color and intensity of the diamond color, the color of the diamond can reduce or increase its value. For example, most white diamonds are discounted in price as more and more yellow can be detected, while intense pink or blue diamonds (such as Diamond Hope) can be dramatically more valuable. The Aurora Diamond Collection features a spectacular array of natural colored diamonds, which takes place in every rainbow color.
Most diamonds used as gemstones are essentially transparent with little color, or white diamonds . The most common impurity, nitrogen, replaces a small percentage of carbon atoms in the diamond structure and causes a yellowish to brownish color. This effect is present in almost all white diamonds; only the rarest diamond is the color of this effect is undetectable. GIA has developed a rating system for color in white diamonds, from D to Z (with D being "colorless" and Z having bright yellow), which has been widely adopted in industry and universally recognized, replacing some old systems. The GIA system uses a series of natural diamond benchmarks with known color levels, along with standardized and carefully regulated lighting conditions. Diamonds with higher color values ​​are less frequent, in higher demand, and therefore more expensive, than lower color values. Oddly, diamonds rated Z are also rare, and bright yellow colors are also greatly appreciated. The diamond considered D-F is considered "colorless", G-J is considered "almost colorless", K-M "slightly colored". N-Y usually looks yellow or brown.
In contrast to yellow or brown, other color diamonds are more rare and valuable. While pink or pale blue can increase the value of diamond, a more intense color is usually considered more desirable and ordered the highest price. Various impurities and structural imperfections cause different colors in diamonds, including yellow, pink, blue, red, green, brown, and other colors. Diamonds with unusual or intense colors are sometimes labeled "luxury" in the diamond industry. Intense yellow color is considered as one of the fancy colors, and apart from the white diamond color values. Gemologists have developed a rating system for colored luxury diamonds, but they are not commonly used because of the relative scarcity of diamonds.
Cut
Diamond cutting is the art and science of creating gems of quality gems of rough mines. The chop of the diamond illustrates the way in which diamonds have been shaped and polished from their initial shape as rough stones to the proportions of their last gems. The diamond cut represents the quality of the workmanship and the angle that cuts the diamond. Often cut diamonds confused by "shape".
There is a mathematical guide to the angle and the ratio of the length at which the diamond should be cut to reflect the maximum amount of light. Brilliant round diamonds, most commonly, are guided by this specific guide, although fancy stone pieces can not be accurately guided by mathematical specifications.
Techniques for cutting diamonds have been developed for hundreds of years, with perhaps the greatest achievement made in 1919 by mathematician and the jewel lover Marcel Tolkowsky. He develops brilliant round pieces by calculating the ideal shape to go back and spread the light when the diamonds are seen from above. The brilliant modern round has 57 aspects (polished face), 33 counts on crown (top), and 24 on pavilion (bottom). The corset is a thin center. The function of the crown is to reflect light into various colors and functions of the pavilion reflecting light back through the top of the diamond.
Tolkowsky calculations include some estimates. He calculates the ideal dimension as:
- Percentage of tables (angle-to-angle table divided by overall diameter) = 53%
- Percentage depth (overall depth divided by overall diameter) = 59.3% (excluding adjustment for culet height and corset thickness)
- The corner of the pavilion (the angle between the corset and the main side of the pavilion) = 40.75 Â °
- The crown angle (the angle between the corset and the side of the overpass) = 34.5 Â °
- Pavilion depth (depth of pavilion divided by overall diameter) = 43.1%
- The depth of the crown (the crown depth divided by the overall diameter) = 16.2%
The culet is a small dot or facet at the bottom of the diamond. This should be a negligible diameter, otherwise the light leaks out from below. Tolkowsky calculations do not include comets or corsets. However, a corset is necessary in reality to prevent diamonds from chipping easily in settings. The thick part of the corset is usually about 1.7% (of the whole diameter) thicker than the thin part of the corset.
The more characteristic the diamond comes from the ideal Tolkowsky, the less light that will be reflected. However, there is a small range in which diamonds can be considered "ideal". Tolkowsky calculations can be repeated for a narrow range of pavilion angles. Such calculations show a slightly larger percentage of tables, and a trade-off between the pavilion angle and the crown angle.
Today, due to the relative importance of heavy rust among buyers, many diamonds are often deliberately cut badly to increase the weight of rust. There are financial premiums for diamonds that weigh 1.0 carats (200 mg), so often the corsets are made thicker or the depth increases. None of these changes make the look diamond larger, and both greatly reduce diamond sparkle. (A 1.0-carat diamond cut diameter (200mg) may have the same diameter and look of diamond 0.85 karat (170mg).) depth percentage is the fastest overall indication of the quality of a brilliant round cut. The "Ideal" brilliant diamond should not have a depth percentage greater than 62.5%. Another quick indication is the total diameter . Usually a brilliant 0.5-carat diamond (200mg) round should have a diameter of about 6.5 mm (0.26 inches). Mathematically, the inner diameter of the brilliant spherical millimeter should be approximately equal to 6.5 times the cube root of the weight of the carat, or 11.1 times the cube root of the weight of gram, or 1.4 times the cube root of the point density.
Shape
Diamonds do not show all their beauty as rough stones; instead, they must be cut and polished to show the characteristics of the fire and the brilliance of a known diamond gemstone. Diamonds are cut into various shapes that are generally designed to accentuate these features.
A diamond that is not cut into a round brilliant shape is known as "fancy pieces." Popular luxury pieces include baguette (French, meaning bar or bread), marquise , pieces of princess (line big square), hearts , briolette (rosebud shape), and pie cut . The new piece that has been introduced into the jewelry industry is "cushion" "beaming" (similar to a piece of princess, but with a rounded tip instead of a square edge) and an Asscher piece. Many colorful diamonds are now being cut in accordance with this new style. In general, these "luxury pieces" do not have the same rigorous standards as the rounded brilliants derived from Tolkowsky and there are less specific mathematical guidelines from the corners that define well-cut stones. The pieces are influenced heavily by fashion: the baguette pieces - which highlight the diamond luster and belittle the flames - are popular during the Art Deco period, while the princess pieces - highlighting the diamond fires rather than the luster - are now gaining in popularity. Pieces of the princess are also popular among diamond cutters: of all the pieces, it consumes the least of the original crystals. The last decade has seen the development of new diamond cuts, often based on modifications of existing cuts. Some of them include additional aspects. This newly developed cut is seen by many as more of a brand differentiation effort by a diamond seller, than an actual improvement in the state of the art.
Quality
The quality of diamond pieces is widely considered the most important of the four C's in determining the beauty of diamonds; indeed, it is generally acknowledged that well-cut diamonds may appear to have a greater weight of rust, and having clarity and color seems to have a better value than it really is. The skill of cutting a diamond determines its ability to reflect and refract light.
In addition to bringing the most important diamond quality as a gemstone, pieces are also the most difficult to quantitatively assess. A number of factors, including the proportions, paints, symmetry, and relative angles of various facets, are determined by the quality of the pieces and may affect the performance of the diamond. Diamonds with sides that are cut only a few degrees of parallel can produce poorly performing stones. For brilliant round pieces, there is a balance between "brilliance" and "fire". When the diamond is cut too much "fire", the diamond looks like cubic zirconia, which gives much more "fire" than the original diamond. A well-done spherical round cut will reflect the light upwards and make the diamond look white when viewed from above. The inferior piece will produce a stone that looks dark in the middle and in extreme cases the arrangement can be seen through the top of the diamond as a shadow.
Several different theories about the "ideal" proportions of diamonds have been and continue to be advocated by various patent owners on machines to see how well diamonds are cut. These proponents divert the shift from beheading by using various angles and proportions to measure the performance of the cut stone. A number of specially modified viewers and machines have been developed to achieve this goal. Hearts and Arrows viewers test for characteristic patterns of "hearts and arrows" that can be observed on stones that show high symmetry and certain cutting angles. Closely related to Hearts and Arrows viewers are ASETs that test light leaks, light returns, and proportions. ASSET (and ASET computer simulation) is used to test the AGS cut value. The proponents of this machine argue that they help the seller demonstrate the light performance of the diamond in addition to the traditional 4C. Detractors, however, see these machines as marketing tools rather than scientific ones. GIA has developed a series of criteria for assessing the brilliant piece of cobble that is now standard in the diamond industry and is called Facetware.
Process
The process of forming rough diamonds into polished gems is both art and science. Selection of pieces is often decided by the original form of rough stone, inclusion location and deficiency to be eliminated, weight preservation, popularity of certain forms among consumers and many other considerations. Brilliant round cutting is preferred when the crystal is an octahedron, because often two stones can be cut from one such crystal. The odd-shaped crystals such as macles are more likely to be cut in the fancy pieces - that is, pieces other than brilliant rounds - the special crystal shapes fit for that.
Even with modern techniques, cutting and polishing of diamond crystals always result in dramatic weight loss; rarely less than 50%. Sometimes the cutter compromises and receives lower proportions and symmetry to avoid inclusion or maintain rust rating. Because the price per carat of diamonds shifts around key milestones (such as 1.00 karat (200 mg)), many one-carat diamonds are the result of cutting compromises for rust. Some jewelers advise consumers to buy a 0.99 carat diamond (198mg) at a better price or buy a 1.10 carat diamond (220mg) to cut better, avoiding 1.00 carat diamond (200mg) which is more likely to be a stone cut badly.
Light performance
In gem trading, the term light performance is used to describe how well the polished diamond will return the light to the viewer. There are three properties of light that are described in relation to the performance of light: brilliance, fire, and luster. Brilliance refers to the reflection of white light from the external and internal facet surfaces. Fire refers to the resulting spectral color as a result of diamonds that propagate white light. The sheen refers to the small flash of light that is seen when the diamond, light source or viewer is moved. Diamonds that are cut and polished to produce this high quality level are said to be high in light performance .
Diamond settings placed in also affect the performance of light through the diamond. The three most commonly used settings are: Prong, Bezel, and Channel. Branch settings are the most popular settings for diamond jewelry. The branch arrangement consists of four or six 'claws' that hold a diamond, allowing the maximum amount of light to enter from all angles, allowing the diamond to appear larger and more brilliant. In a bezel setting, a diamond or a gemstone is completely surrounded by a metal rim, which can be formed into any shape to accommodate the stone. Used for attaching earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings, the bezel arrangement can have an open or closed back, and can generally be formed to allow plenty of light to pass. Channel arrangements set the stones right next to each other without the metal that separates it. This arrangement is mostly used in weddings and band anniversaries. The outer ridge is then worked on the edge of the rock to create a smooth exterior surface. It also protects the corset area on the rock.
Fluorescence
About a third of all diamonds will shine under ultraviolet light, usually a blue color that may be seen under black light or strong sunlight. According to the GIA, which reviewed a random sample of 26,010 natural diamonds, 65% of diamonds in the sample had no fluorescence. Of the 35% who did have fluorescence, 97% had blue fluorescence where 38% had pale blue fluorescence and 62% had fluorescence ranging from moderate to very strong blue. Other diamond colors that can fluoresce are green, yellow, and red but are very rare and sometimes a color combination like blue-green or orange. Some diamonds with "very strong" fluorescence can have a "dairy" or "oily" look for them, but they are also very rare and are called "overblues." Their study concluded that with the exception of "overblues" and yellow fluorescent diamonds, fluorescence has little effect on transparency and that strong and very strong strong blue fluorescent diamonds on average have better color appearance than non-fluorescent stones. Since blue is a complementary color for yellow and can appear to undo it, strong blue fluorescence has excellent color appearance with a graded diamond of lower color that has slightly yellowish color like I or J color but has less effect on the more colorful D. , E and F color values.
Clean
Cleanliness significantly affects the beauty of diamonds. The cleaner diamond is more brilliant and fiery than the same diamond when it is "dirty". Dirt or fat on the top of the diamond reduces the gloss. Water, dirt, or oil at the bottom of the diamond interferes with the brilliance and fire of diamonds. Even thin films absorb some of the light that can be reflected into the viewer. Colored dyes or stains can affect the color of the perceived diamond. Historically, some of the gems are questionable because of the stains on the bodice, or the dye in the culet. The current practice is to clean the diamonds thoroughly before determining the color.
Maintaining a clean diamond can sometimes be difficult because jewelry settings can block cleaning, and oils, fats, and other hydrophobic materials adhere well to diamonds. Many jewelry sellers use steam cleaners. Some jewelers provide their customers with ammonia-based cleaning kits; ultrasonic cleaners are also popular.
Symbolism and knowledge
Historically, it has been claimed that diamonds have some magical powers:
- A diamond gives a victory to those who carry it on its left arm, no matter the number of enemies.
- Panic, plague, dandy, all flying before that; therefore, good for sleepwalker and crazy person.
- This removes the magnetic stones and magnets of their virtues (ie, the ability to attract iron).
- Arabian diamonds are said to attract more iron than magnets.
- The resilience of a diamond can only be solved by rubbing it with fresh goat's blood.
- In traditional Hindu religion one should avoid contact with diamond whose surface area is damaged by cracks, crowfoot, rounded area, dull, spotted, or a black-blue, flat, or cut apart (ideal)) hexagonal shape.
Due to its extraordinary physical properties, diamonds have been used symbolically since the time of their first discovery. Perhaps the earliest use of symbolic diamonds is as the eyes of Hindu devotion statues. In Hinduism Indra uses Vajrayudham or lightning as its main weapon. Vajra is the word for diamond and ayudham means weapon in Sanskrit. Another name for it is Agira which means api or sun . There are even 14 names calculated to be given to diamonds in the traditional Hindu religion.
The world's oldest dated printed book is called Diamond Sutra , a Chinese-language text dating from 868 and found in the Mogao Cave. Silk is most widely used to describe Buddhism. In this case the title of the Sutra does not refer to the diamond itself but to the 'diamond blade that will cut out the worldly illusions to illuminate what is real and eternal'. Imagery gems form the central part of Buddhism: the triple-jewel represents 'Buddha', its teachings 'Dharma' and 'Shangha' spiritual community. This book is currently in the British Library.
Many cultures use divine intervention to explain the origin and creation of gemstones, and diamonds are no exception to this. In Greek mythology for example it was a young man on the island of Crete who interfered with Zeus and who at that time (as a form of punishment) turned into adamas .
However, philosophers have a more naturalistic approach to explaining the origin of gems: Plato for example believes gemstones are a consequence of fermentation in stars, where diamonds actually form the nucleus of gold bearing mass. Even diamonds are often associated with gold, which may have found its origin in the occurrence of diamonds with quartzite, quartz veins and occasional gold in it.
Later, Robert Boyle really believed that gems (including diamonds) were formed from clear and transparent water, and that their color and characteristics were derived from their metal spirits.
Diamonds are birthstones for people born in April, and are also used as a sixty year warning symbol, such as the Diamond Jubilee (see hierarchy of valuables ). In symbol systems by gemstones that are sometimes used in the past for aristocratic arms, diamonds are used to represent sable, or black colors.
Diamond ring
The origin of the habit of using diamonds in the ring, and newer ones, in engagement rings, can be traced back to the Middle Ages and even Romans. The Romans appreciate diamonds completely because of the supernatural power they perceive. Pliny writes that a diamond makes a poison, prevents insanity, and expels a futile fear. Medieval Italians copied these beliefs and added some into it: they called it "Pietra della Reconciliazione" (a stone of reconciliation) for maintaining a match between husband and wife. On this account it is recommended as a stone to be arranged in a wedding ring (or espousal) - not because of its beauty therefore, which Isidore describes from Seville as a small stone that has no beauty.
Recently, an Oracle mystic subject of Paris, Baron d'Orchamps, announces a diamond, if worn on the left (hand) ward off evil influences and attracts good fortune and because he has a fashionable client, the word spreads and the use of diamonds in the hands left to be a distinctive mode.
One of the first occurrences of a diamond engagement ring (or marriage) can be traced back to the marriage of Maximilian I (later Archduke of Austria) to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. Other early examples of engagement jewelry incorporating diamonds include that of Blanche Bridal Crown ( c. 1370-1380) and brochure Heftlein from Vienna ( c. 1430 -1440), a pictorial picture depicting the bridal couple.
The popularity of diamond rings as engagement rings for a wider audience can be traced directly to the De Beers marketing campaign, starting in 1938. Such campaigns became necessary to sell large quantities of diamonds that were suddenly available due to large diamonds found especially in South Africa. At the beginning of the 20th century, a chairman of De Beers optimistically predicted that the diamond trade would work "as long as the human being is foolish and the woman is in vain."
Today, the brilliant is still the most popular form of diamond for engagement rings. About 70 percent of the diamonds sold are brilliants.
An increase in online sales disrupts the market for diamonds by bringing greater transparency to industries that traditionally rely on opacity. Online diamond retailers and e-commerce platforms include Blue Nile, Brilliant Earth, and Costco.
"Blood" diamonds
In some politically unstable African and West African countries, revolutionary groups have taken control of diamond mines, using the proceeds of diamond sales to finance their operations. The diamonds sold through this process are known as diamond conflict or blood diamond . Major diamond trading companies continue to fund and trigger these conflicts by doing business with armed groups. In response to public concerns that their diamond purchases contributed to war and human rights abuses in Central Africa and West Africa, the United Nations, the diamond industry and the diamond trading countries introduced Kimberley Process in 2002, aimed at ensuring the conflict. diamonds do not become mixed with diamonds that are not controlled by the rebel group, by providing documentation and certification of diamond exports from producer countries to ensure that proceeds are not used to finance criminal or revolutionary activities. Although the Kimberley Process has been quite successful in limiting the number of conflict diamonds entering the market, conflict diamonds smuggled into the market continue to some extent (about 2-3% of diamonds traded in 2000 are possible diamond conflicts). Today, according to Gemological Institute of America, 99% of the world's diamonds are conflict-free. According to the 2006 book The Heartless Stone, two major weaknesses still hinder the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process: the relative ease of smuggling diamonds across the African border and providing false history, and the violent nature of diamond mining in non-technical states war and whose diamonds are considered "clean."
The Government of Canada has established a body known as the Canadian Diamond Behavior Code to help authenticate Canadian diamonds. This is a very strict diamond tracking system and helps protect the 'conflict free' label from Canadian diamonds.
Currently, the total production of gemstones is nearly 30 million carats (6.0 tons, 6.6 tons short) of cuts and polishes annually, and over 100 million carats (20 tons, 22 short tons) of mined diamonds are sold for industrial purposes every year, as well as about 100 tons (110 tons short) diamonds are synthesized.
See also
- Antwerp diamond district
- Brown diamond
- Child labor in diamond industry
- De Beers diamond monopoly
- Diamantaire
- List of famous diamonds
- Synthetic diamond
Note
References
Source cited
- Dickinson, Joan Y. (2001). The Book of Diamonds . Dover Publication. ISBNÃ, 0-486-41816-2.
- Lee, Sunggyu (2006). Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing . Press CRC. ISBNÃ, 0-8247-5563-4.
- Wenk, Hans-Rudolf; et al. (2003). Minerals: The Constitution and Their Origin . Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0-521-52958-1. Ã,
External links
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B. Seth. "Diamond Gemology" . Retrieved 2010-11-06 . - Have You Tried Selling Diamonds?
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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