DIAMOND QUESTIONS
What are diamonds?
Diamonds are very unique and fascinating gift of nature. They cannot be compared to any other mineral known to man, and they are found in select places on our planet, formed under extreme conditions. From the icy Tundra of the north to the hot African deserts of the south diamonds are mined but not every diamond mined is a gem used in the jewelry industry and this bring us to the importance of Milanj Diamonds. At Milanj Diamonds a Gemologist assesses the physical attributes of each diamond we select using the 4Cs classification system ( cut, carat weight, color and clarity) and by implementing the GIA grading system for certification in order to present to our customer the most beautiful diamonds in the market. The 4Cs classification enables the comparison and valuation of diamonds. No one 'C' is more significant than another, and none will diminish in value over time, when cut and polished by the most skilled artisans in the industry.
A diamond's beauty is based on far more than these characteristics. Each diamond was formed billions of years ago, yes billions of years ago, and has travelled a long and arduous journey from deep within the Earth to the surface. And while most of a diamonds' qualities are defined by nature, it takes a master craftsman to unlock the diamond's true brilliance, fire and beauty.
As diamonds require specific geological conditions in order to form, they are only found in certain remote locations around the world. Southern Africa produces the majority of the world's diamonds, but there is also diamond production in Russia, Canada, Australia, India, China and South America. Based on 2006 Kimberley Process production statistics, Botswana is the world's biggest producer of diamonds by value, followed by Russia, Canada, South Africa and Angola.
For thousands of years diamonds have been valued for their beauty and rarity, entrancing us with their fire and brilliance. Symbols of power and inspiration, diamonds are also a token of love and personal expression of our hopes for the future and an emblem of eternity.
So what makes a diamond famous? Rarity is often the most important factor. This may mean size, but extraordinary variety or intensity of color can also make a diamond famous. Large flawless diamonds - those with the best color and clarity grades - are among the rarest materials on earth.
Other factors are more closely linked to the history of the individual stone. Diamonds are often named after their owner, their country or mine of origin, their color, their shape, a special occasion or the sentiments they evoke with their unique beauty.
And that is why friends we call it the Milanj Diamond, and it is truly the most beautiful thing you can present to the most precious person in your life.
How do you tell the difference between a real diamond and a fake?
No impact on a diamond's strength.
The presence of nitrogen or other impurity atoms in the diamond crystal structure does not have any influence on the hardness or durability of a diamond. The bottom line is that faint to slight and even medium blue has no impact on the diamond's appearance or value. More than this (e.g. strong on grading certificates) can have negative or positive impacts depending on what color you are purchasing, but strong fluorescence is only to be avoided when it makes the diamond appear 'milkish', like there is a fog/haze inside.
What is it?
Florescence results from the interaction between a light's energy and the atoms in a diamond and makes diamonds glow in Ultraviolet light (which is found in sunlight). The most common color for fluorescence is blue. It is not so much whether there is fluorescence but the degree of fluorescence that matters. MEDIUM and STRONG fluorescence can make 'off white' diamonds appear whiter and can make white diamonds look bluer. As the best diamond color, D is actually a "Blue white" some decades ago, fluorescent diamonds used to be prized but since then the trend has reversed. When a diamond has fluorescence it can be categorized into just 5 levels from none, faint, medium, strong, and very strong per GIA grading system.
How does it happen?
Diamond is crystallized carbon. If there were traces of other minerals present e.g. nitrogen, boron (these are common element) present in the earth when the crystallization process occurred, the diamond will fluoresce. Blue is the most common color for the fluorescence.
Do all diamonds have fluorescence?
About 50-66% of the diamond has some fluorescence that can be observed under special conditions such as short wave ultra violet light. FAINT, SLIGHT or MEDIUM fluorescence has no visible impact on the diamond. 10% of the diamonds on the market have florescence that is strong it is some of these diamonds (according to GIA), only 3% that are to be avoided as they make the diamond look milky/hazy.
Here is a summary from GIA study on this subject:
"Some gem diamonds fluoresce, most commonly blue, to the concentrated long-wave ultraviolet radiation of a UV lamp. There is a perception in the trade that this fluorescence has a negative effect on the overall appearance of such a diamond. Visual observation experiments were conducted to study this relationship. Four sets of very similar round brilliant diamonds, covering the color range from colorless to faint yellow, were selected for the different commonly encountered strengths of blue fluorescence they represented. These diamonds were then observed by trained graders, trade professionals, and average observers in various stone positions and lighting environments. For the average observer, meant to represent the jewelry buying public, no systematic effects of fluorescence were detected. Even the experienced observers did not consistently agree on the effects of fluorescence from one stone to the next. In general, the results revealed that strongly blue fluorescent diamonds were perceived to have a better color appearance when viewed table-up, with no discernible trend table-down. Most observers saw no relationship between fluorescence and transparency."
Kamal Youssef (Joe).
Registered Gemologist Appraiser,member of the National
Association of Jewelry
Appraisers, and a graduate
diamond and accredited jewelry
professional of the Gemological
Institute of America (GIA).