Said to be “a girl’s best friend”, the name derives from the ancient Greek word ‘adamas’ meaning invincible.

Diamonds are a gemstone made of pure native crystallised carbon. The value of a similar carat weight of diamonds can vary dramatically, based on their clarity and colour and to some extents more importantly, how well the gemstone has been cut.

As the hardest natural mineral known to man and 10 on the Mohs scale, Diamonds can only be cut and faceted by other Diamonds and although they are extremely hard, they are also quite brittle, making it one of the more difficult gems for Lapidarists to cut.

They have a very high refractive index (2.4175–2.4178) and its luster is described as an adamantine luster. One of the main differences to other gemstones is that a lack of colour is highly prized. The closer to colourless a Diamond becomes, the better dispersion (the splitting of light into its constituent colours) it will display.

Throughout history Diamonds have not been as highly prized as their coloured counterparts, but during the last one hundred years, they have unquestionably become the most popular gemstone of the 20th century. Although not as rare as many of the coloured gemstones available today, nobody can deny the beauty and almost magical power that is ‘Diamond.'

Around half of the worlds supply is still found in Africa, but increasingly Diamonds have been discovered and mined in India, Canada, Russia, Australia and Brazil.

The gem is found in Kimberlite rough, which is brought to, or near to the surface of the earth in volcanic pipes. Diamonds are formed when carbon is put under immense pressure of between 45 and 60 kilo bars and at a temperature ranging from 900 -1300 degrees Celsius. For these conditions to occur naturally, it is believed that Diamonds were created some 90 to 120 miles below the earths crust. Scientists tell us, that even the youngest Diamonds available to day, were probably formed over 100 million years ago!

A one carat diamond solitaire is one in a million… literally speaking!

Hardness: 10, Refractive index: 2.4175–2.4178