It is every woman’s dream that on the day when the most important question is being asked by the most important man on earth… It is also accompanied by the little blue box with the most sought-after Tiffany Diamond proposal ring…
Ahhhh……. Like a fairytale come true….
Now… on the topic of diamonds… 钻石,钻石,亮晶晶！
What makes diamonds so special? Is it their blazing radiance and glowing beauty that shine from within; that dazzle eyes and make hearts flutter? (And burn pockets)
The pursuit of spectacular rocks has been an age-old obession for ladies, all ages.
But, diamonds are no longer only a girl’s best friend (As Nicole Kidman sang in Moulin Rouge) but they are also making a big impression on men’s jewellery and watches!
Something very interesting to know, ‘Diamonds’ comes from the ancient Greek word ‘Adamas’, meaning unconquerable and indestructible. It takes 1 diamond to cut another. Its ultimate hardness (Measured in Mohs) among all rocks trranslates into its supreme quality, while its rarity makes it highly sought after. It is said that no 2 diamonds are alike, each possessing its own unique characteristics that define its value & nature.
Diamonds are the most rare form of pure carbon, formed through millions of years deep down in the core of the earth, into crystals that define their color.
Selection of the Perfect Diamond: The traditional 4C’s System
- CARAT
- CLARITY
- COLOR
- CUT
These are the basic 4Cs that access and determine the value of a diamond. The quality is determined by its cut, clarity and color while the size of a diamond is measured in carat weight. There are also other important factors that diamond authorities also consider like; symmetry & quality of the polish that comtribute to the final presence of an exemplary diamond.
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CARAT
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats (ct), derived from the Greek word ‘keration’ which refers to the carob tree. Due to their stability, its seeds were dried and used by merchanges in ancient times to weigh gems! It was only in the early 20th century that an international standard was established equating 1 carat = 0.2grams. Since more diamonds sold in the jewelry industry weigh less than 1 carat, the carat is usually subdivided into ‘points’. 1 carat = 100 points. Hence a diamond weighing 3/4 carat would be a “75 point diamond”.
Diamonds of equal size can vary in valuye and brillance because of the quality differences. In addition, a 1-carat diamond does not equate to double the price of a half-carat but more since bigger diamonds of high quality are much rarer.
However, don’t confuse the WEIGHT of a stone and its SIZE.
This argument is similar to that of cereal boxes or potato chips where the contents are sold by weight and not volume. Also don’t confuse the carats of a diamond with the carats of a different stone. As different minerals have different densities, a 1 carat diamond will have different volume a.k.a. size to say, a 1 carat ruby.
Another common source of confusion:
The ‘karats’ are used to measure the purity of GOLD while ‘carats’ are used to measure the weight of a diamond. Notice the spelling difference.
When you are unsure of the stone’s carat weight, simply ask the jeweller to weigh the stone in your presence and take the # of gram divided by 0.2 to get the carat weight of the stone.
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CLARITY
The greater a diamond’s clarity, the more valuable it is, naturally. The clarity of a diamond is graded on a scale, established by the GIA, that ranges from flawless (FL) to heavily included (13). See chart.
Inclusions, which are minerals of fractures formed as a carbon crystallizes into a diamond, occur in all diamonds and define the unique nature of each diamond. Inclusions may not be visible to the naked eye, though they do interfere with the interplay of light (Affects the brillance).
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COLOR
The notion of ‘less is more’ applies in the case of diamonds, where the ideal color is characterised by the lack of it. Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), that range from D (Colorless) to Z (Yellow). Diamonds are best compared to a master set for precise accuracy. However, color differences caused by minute impurities are very subtle and can only be detected by a trained eye under the microscope.
Diamonds also come in other colors such as Orange, Pink, Blue, Green and very rarely red and vivid yellow and are known as fancies.
Colored diamonds are also highly valued and have their own grading standards, determined by the intensity of their colors. A good example is the Tiffany Diamond, one of the world’s largest and fineset fancy yellow diamonds.
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CUT
The term ‘cut’ revers to the facet proportions on the surface of the diamond but is often used interchangeably with the shape of the diamonds. It is one of the most researched topics at the GIA, combining the fields of gemology, physics and diamond history.
A diamond in its natural state is known as ‘rough diamond’. Its natural apprearance resembles a glass pebble , which doesn’t seem like anything valuable. Nature might have a hand in determining a rouch diamond’s clarity, color & carat weight. But it is in the hands of a highly skilled diamond cutter where the brilliance of the diamond will be revealed through the dispersion of light.
A diamond acts as a prism and splits light up into spectral colors. A well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from 1 mirror-like facet to another and disperse it through the top of the rock, which gives it the effect of blazing from within. The angle of facet must be precisely crafted to ensure the perfect proportions of light dispersion.
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This is a beauty!
(4 votes, average: 3.75 out of 5)
Then another weird thing… I couldn’t find the homepage for Miu Miu… Hmmm…. Or maybe there isn’t one… Which is something I cannot comprehend. How could that be possible??? Do ‘enlighten’ me if you know. 
