The History of Diamonds

The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth. It was said by some that they were the tears of the gods. Another legend has it that there was an inaccessible valley in Central Asia carpeted with diamonds. It was said to be 'patrolled by birds of prey in the air and guarded by snakes of murderous gaze on the ground.'
Until the 15th century only kings wore diamonds, as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. Over the centuries, however, the diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love. Indeed, it was said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds which have a magic that nothing else can ever quite equal. Since the very beginning, diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend. The very word "diamond" comes from the Greek "adamas" meaning unconquerable, suggesting the eternity of love. The Greeks also believed the fire in the diamond reflected the constant flame of love.But it wasn't until 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of diamond engagement rings began. Even the reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, left hand. The truth is, however, that the exact origin of diamonds is still something of a mystery, even to scientists and geologists.Even though the diamond is the hardest of all gemstones known to man, it is the simplest in composition. It is common carbon, like the graphite in a lead pencil, yet has a melting point of 6,900 degrees Fahrenheit, which is two and a half times greater than the melting point of steel. Billions of years ago, the elemental forces of heat and pressure miraculously transformed the carbon into diamond in the cauldron of boiling magma that lay deep below the surface of the earth. The volcanic mass in which this crystallization took place then thrust upwards and broke through the earth's surface to cool in Kimberlite pipes. It is in these Kimberlite pipes that most diamonds are found today.

JEWELRY47 GARY WEISS

Diamond is the hardest natural material known to man and the third-hardest known material after aggregated diamond nanorods and ultrahard fullerite. Its hardness and high dispersion of light make it useful for industrial applications and jewelry.
Diamonds are specifically renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities — they make excellent abrasives because they can be scratched only by other diamonds, Borazon, ultrahard fullerite, or aggregated diamond nanorods, which also means they hold a polish extremely well and retain their lustre. About 130 million carats (26,000 kg) are mined annually, with a total value of nearly USD $9 billion.[citation needed] About 100,000 kg are synthesized annually.


The name diamond derives from the ancient Greek adamas (αδάμας; “invincible”). They have been treasured as gemstones since their use as religious icons in ancient India and usage in engraving tools also dates to early human history. Popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques, growth in the world economy, and innovative and successful advertising campaigns. They are commonly judged by the “four Cs”: carat, clarity, color, and cut.

Roughly 49% of diamonds originate from central and southern Africa, although significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in Canada, India, Russia, Brazil, and Australia. They are mined from kimberlite and lamproite volcanic pipes, which brought to the surface the diamond crystals from deep in the Earth where the high pressure and temperature enables the formation of the crystals. The mining and distribution of natural diamonds are subjects of frequent controversy such as with concerns over the sale of conflict diamonds by African paramilitary groups. There are also allegations that the De Beers Group misuses its dominance in the industry to control supply and manipulate price via monopolistic practices, although in recent years the company's market share has dropped to below 50%.

Pearl jewelry

Elegant, classic, and always appreciated.Pearls have always had something magic about them, and in many cultures they symbolize purity, love and virtue (though not necessarily in that order). Today they’re considered to be timeless, even sentimental gifts. Giving pearls is a sweet, thoughtful gesture that will be treasured for years to come.
The pearl is the birthstone for June, although pearl jewelry makes a thoughtful gift all year round. We think a classic pearl necklace is a wonderful graduation gift, and pearl earrings are the perfect way to thank bridesmaids.
How pearls happenPearls are born when a mollusk, usually an oyster, gets annoyed.
When a bit of sand or some other irritant lodges inside the oyster’s shell, the oyster tries to protect itself by covering the offender with a beautiful, pearly substance called nacre. The oyster does this again and again until eventually, the nacre builds up enough to produce a pearl.
Unfortunately, pollution and over-fishing have made these rare accidents even rarer. So today, nearly all pearls are cultured pearls.
Pearl farmers simply insert small beads into the oysters to jump-start the natural process. The oyster gets busy coating the bead, and a cultured pearl is born. You can’t tell the difference between cultured and "natural" pearls without an X-ray.
Learn more about these fascinating gifts of nature by watching our video about pearls.
ColorMost pearls are white or cream, often with a hint of another color ("overtone") on the surface. Other pearls are pink, gold, pale blue, bronze, gray, black, even eggplant. Almost all lighter-colored pearls are bleached to eliminate dark spots. Some are dyed to give them a rosy glow or a darker color altogether.
At Helzberg Diamonds, we carry the two most poplar types of pearls, Akoya and Freshwater. Both are white with a rose overtone, a universal combination that’s flattering to all skin colors. Akoya pearls are produced by saltwater or ocean oysters, while Freshwater pearls are produced by freshwater mussels. Nearly all Freshwater pearls come from China, while Akoya pearls come primarily from Japan and China. We also sell Tahitian cultured pearls, which come in a range of luminescent greys and blacks. Unlike black Akoya and Freshwater cultured pearls which are always dyed, Tahitian pearls come by their rich deep hue naturally.
LusterLuster is the light reflected from the pearl’s surface — you might call it shine. Generally, the thicker the nacre coating on the pearl the more luster it has. Akoya pearls are slightly more lustrous than Freshwater pearls.
Size, shape and surfacePearls come in a huge range of sizes, so you know there’s one — or maybe even a whole strand — that’s right for you. While most pearls are spherical they also come in a variety of other shapes. This may include teardrop, button or oval shapes. Baroque pearls are irregularly shaped pearls. Since pearls are made by a mollusk, not a machine, almost all of them have tiny bumps, spots and scratches in the nacre coating. These small defects usually don’t detract from the beauty of the pearl; in fact, they actually make them more unique.
When to choose what typeGenerally, Akoya cultured pearls cost a bit more than Freshwater cultured pearls, and are slightly more lustrous. Tahitian cultured pearls are the rarest and most expensive of the three types of pearls that we carry. They are bigger (8mm and larger), and have a beautiful metallic luster. Freshwater cultured pearls come in a tremendous variety of sizes and shapes.
What’s your style?If your style is traditional and elegant, you can’t go wrong with a classic cultured pearl necklace or pendant. For women who like a twist on the traditional, dark pearls, like Tahitian pearls, are enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
Of course, if you love pearls you’re not limited to a simple, traditional strand. At Helzberg Diamonds, we pride ourselves on our selection of beautifully designed pearl jewelry that combines pearls with diamonds in a variety of settings — from ornate and dressy to fun and trendy. Shop our selection now to find the style that’s perfect for you.
Akoya pearlsThese popular pearls are farmed mostly along the coasts of China and Japan. Akoya pearls usually have a high luster, near-perfect roundness and high quality all around. White and cream are the most-requested colors, but many natural and treated colors are available, including black. Shop our selection of Akoya pearls.
Freshwater pearlsThese are the most affordable pearls, and come in a huge array of shapes, sizes and natural or treated colors. While they used to be irregular in shape, today’s Freshwater pearls are usually roundish in shape. They’re cultivated in freshwater streams, rivers and lakes in China, Japan and the U.S. Shop our selection of Freshwater pearls.
Tahitian pearlsThese pearls come in more exotic colors like silver, golden green, and gray-black. Often they have a metallic luster. They tend to be larger than Akoya and Freshwater pearls. Shop our selection of Tahitian pearls.
Taking them homePearl jewelry needs a little bit of TLC. Pearls’ surfaces can chip and they scratch rather easily, rating only a 2 1/2 to 4 on the Mohs Hardness Scale (10 is diamond-hard). Time, intense light and dryness are not their friends, and neither are solvents, household cleaners, alcohol, many cosmetics and chlorine.
So put pearl jewelry on after you apply your makeup, hairspray and cologne. And remove it before stripping furniture.

ideal cut diamonds

JamesAllen.com is proud to offer some of the world’s finest-cut diamonds, all guaranteed available and ready to be set into the setting of your choice. Our high standards in diamond quality and grading, combined with our ability to source the most beautiful diamond inventory has allowed us to introduce the perfect diamond collection: the Hearts & Arrows Diamond Collection.Hearts & Arrows (often abbreviated as H&A) diamonds arrived in the United States in the mid 1990’s. H&A diamonds are cut so precisely that they display a special pattern through both the table and pavilion when viewed through a special magnifying device called a Hearts & Arrows (or H&A) viewer. Top-notch H&A ideal cut diamonds are highly coveted because of their optimal performance, which can be attributed to both their overall ideal proportions as well as the meticulous attention to detail during the cutting process. Although many diamonds are cut to ideal proportions (and have an incredible amount of fire and brilliance), very few diamonds will display a clean, perfect H&A pattern. A Hearts & Arrows diamond is often referred to as “the perfect diamond.”Each and every James Allen Hearts & Arrows Diamond Collections diamond is individually inspected for overall beauty using both basic magnification and detailed review through a Hearts & Arrow viewer.

Diamond

In mineralogy, diamond (from the ancient Greek ἀδάμας, adámas) is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in an isometric-hexoctahedral crystal lattice. After graphite, diamond is the second most stable form of carbon. Its hardness and high dispersion of light make it useful for industrial applications and jewelry. It is the hardest known naturally occurring mineral. It is possible to treat regular diamonds under a combination of high pressure and high temperature to produce diamonds that are harder than the diamonds used in hardness gauges.[2] Presently, only aggregated diamond nanorods, a material created using ultrahard fullerite (C60) is confirmed to be harder, although other substances such as cubic boron nitride, rhenium diboride and ultrahard fullerite itself are comparable.
Diamonds are specifically renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities; they make excellent abrasives because they can be scratched only by other diamonds, borazon, ultrahard fullerite, rhenium diboride, or aggregated diamond nanorods, which also means they hold a polish extremely well and retain their lustre. Approximately 130 million carats (26,000 kg (57,000 lb)) are mined annually, with a total value of nearly USD $9 billion, and about 100,000 kg (220,000 lb) are synthesized annually.[3]
The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek ἀδάμας (adámas), "unbreakable, untamed", from ἀ- (a-), "un-" + δαμάω (damáō), "to overpower, to tame"[4]. They have been treasured as gemstones since their use as religious icons in ancient India and usage in engraving tools also dates to early human history.[5][6] Popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques, growth in the world economy, and innovative and successful advertising campaigns. They are commonly judged by the “four Cs”: carat, clarity, color, and cut.
Roughly 49% of diamonds originate from central and southern Africa, although significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in Canada, India, Russia, Brazil, and Australia. They are mined from kimberlite and lamproite volcanic pipes, which can bring diamond crystals, originating from deep within the Earth where high pressures and temperatures enable them to form, to the surface. The mining and distribution of natural diamonds are subjects of frequent controversy such as with concerns over the sale of conflict diamonds (aka blood diamonds) by African paramilitary groups.

RINGS DESIGNED TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS

Since we design and manufacturer an extensive collection of diamond engagement rings and fine jewelry, we can custom set your diamond choice in the setting that you specify. Often we can do this for less than half of the cost elsewhere. Most of the time we can complete the job in less than two business days. Side-diamonds are custom matched to the center diamond and cost is directly related to their quality and weight.

TYPES OF DIAMONDS

Pink Diamonds The pink diamond is the world's most rare and valuable diamond.The Argyle mine is the world's foremost source of unrivalled intense pink diamonds, producing 95% of the world's supply. However, an extremely small proportion of Argyle Diamonds production is Pink colour, in fact less than one tenth of 1% is classified Pink.
The legend of Argyle pink diamond has grown over the past ten years. At the 1989 Christie's auction in New York a 3.14 carat Argyle pink sold for $1,510,000. Privately, Argyle has sold pink diamonds for up to $1 million a carat.

For years the white diamond was considered the world's most beautiful diamond, until the discovery of the Argyle mine heralded the arrival of the Argyle pink diamond. Never before had pink diamonds displaying such intense shades of colour been seen. The pink diamonds of India, Brazil and Africa were characteristically light in colour and paled even further when placed beside the intensely pink Argyle diamonds. The natural colour diamonds have in fact been around as long as the classical whites but in much smaller quantities and never in great demand.


The Argyle pink diamond comes in shades ranging from delicate pastel rose to robust raspberry and full-blooded purple-reds. The prices per carat are determined by the intensity of colour. Argyle selects only its most vibrant pink diamonds for polishing at its head office in Perth. There, the stones are polished in a wide range of cuts, such as round brilliant, marquise, oval and pear, to enhance their natural beauty. Polished pink diamonds are available in the same size ranges as traditional commercial sizes.

Once a year, Argyle Diamonds issues a special release of outstanding pink diamonds that are sold by special bids in the international and invitation-only, Pink Diamond Tender.


White Diamonds White diamonds are produced by mines all over the world in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.The white diamonds recovered from the Argyle mine are particularly brilliant and of high quality.
White diamonds with secondary pink colour
The Argyle mine also produces white diamonds with secondary pink colour that command a higher price per carat. In an effect similar to that described of pink champagne diamonds, the white diamond will display slight to bold flashes of pink when viewed from the top. A higher price is commanded for pink secondary colour depending on its depth and strength, because pink is one of the most rare colours found in diamonds.


Champagne DiamondsChampagne diamonds are naturally coloured diamonds that are produced in a wide range of colours from light straw to rich cognac.
The 4C's of colour, cut, clarity and carat weight apply to coloured diamonds just as they do to colourless diamonds except the intensity of colour, not lack of it, plays a greater part in the valuation.
Argyle Diamonds created the following scale specifically for champagne diamonds. The diamonds are graded on a C1-C7 colour scale. C1 and C2 represent light champagne, C3 and C4 medium champagne, and C5 and C6 dark champagne. The fancy cognac diamond is graded C7.


Pink Champagne Diamonds Attractive champagne diamonds with secondary pink colour are also available and command a higher price per carat than champagne diamonds. These stones display slight to bold flashes of pink in their fire.
Argyle Pink Champagne Diamonds are available in three ranges of shades, from light pink champagne to medium and dark pink champagne.
As pink is one of the rarest colours found in diamonds, even secondary colours demand a higher price depending on depth and strength of colour.

Yellow Diamonds Fancy yellow diamonds come in a broad range of shades ranging from light yellow to a rich canary colour.
A limited quantity of fancy yellow diamonds is recovered from the Argyle mine.
Blue DiamondsFancy blue diamonds are available in a wide range of shades, from the blue of the sky to a more "steely" colour than sapphire.
Limited quantities of fancy blue diamonds are recovered from the Argyle mine.


Green Diamonds Fancy green diamonds are also available. Usually, penetration of the colour is not very deep and is often removed during the fashioning of the stone.
A limited quantity of fancy green diamonds is recovered from the Argyle mine.


Diamond SimulantsCubic Zirconia Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the most commonly encountered diamond simulant. All commercial CZ is formed in laboratories however, it is also found in nature. In both its synthetic and natural forms, CZ is colourless but colour can be introduced. A thermal pen tester can quickly and easily detect CZ.
Synthetic moissanite Synthetic moissanite is a new diamond simulant to join the long list of products that imitate diamonds. Although moissanite is being marketed as a new unique, synthetic gemstone, some of its properties are close enough to those of diamonds to lead to confusion in the trade.
Natural moissanite was first identified in a meteorite crater at the beginning of the twentieth century however, most is produced synthetically as natural moissanite is very rare. Chemically, it is 'silicon carbide', also known as 'carborundum', which is widely used for abrasive purposes and for use in the electronics industry.
Synthetic moissanite is a diamond simulant like Cubic Zirconia however, it can be passed as a diamond by the widely used thermal pen testers because it has similar thermal characteristics to diamonds. However, it can be easily identified by other methods.