Diamond Rings Are True To The Heart
Sundial
Diamond
is a mineral and is the hardest known substance to man, but one of the
simplest being composed of carbon and the first recorded history dates
back to some 3000 years ago to India. Throughout history diamonds have
been associated with mystical power, great beauty and more recently great
value and wealth. The word comes from the Greek meaning ‘adamas’ meaning
unconquerable and they have been worn throughout the ages by men going
into battle as a sign of strength, courage and invincibility.
Most diamonds still originate from central and south Africa
although there have been other significant finds in Canada, Brazil,
Australia and the biggest diamond mine is in Siberia. The diamond market
is very much dominated by De Beers to control the supply and price of
diamonds across the world by what some would say are monopolistic
practices.
Some of the worlds largest and most valuable diamonds are in the
Tower of London in the British Crown Jewels.
Diamonds are indeed very desirable objects and are worn throughout
the world set in precious metals in many different types of jewellery. One
of the most common pieces of jewellery is still the ladies diamond
engagement ring and many women still choose to have a diamond as a symbol
of love to wear on their engagement finger whether it be the traditional
solitaire or three diamonds which some believe signifies ‘I love you’.
Diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend and it is
said that Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds because they possess a
magic that nothing else has equalled.
Diamonds vary enormously in price according to size and quality so
when choosing
diamond rings
it is important to consider your budget.
Diamonds are graded according to the 4 c’s which refers to cut,
clarity, colour and carat.
The cut
of a diamond is very important as it affects the reflective qualities,
which will determine the brilliance of a diamond and how it looks to the
naked eye. Cut should not be confused with shape such as pear, emerald,
round etc.
Clarity refer to the number of flaws known as inclusions in the
stone and the stones which have fewer inclusion are more highly prized and
valuable because they have greater brilliance. Remember though that a
diamond doesn’t have to be flawless to look absolutely stunning.
Diamond colour usually refers to whiteness or colourlessness in
white diamonds with those with least colour being more valuable because of
their ability to pass more light giving more sparkle and fire. Coloured
diamonds do occur naturally ranging from blue to green but they are rare
and very expensive.
Carat is the unit of weight for measuring the size of diamonds and
in this case it really is a case of size does matter. The value of a
diamond rises exponentially in relation to its size so the cost of a 4
carat stone for instance will not be double the cost of a 2 carat stone
but very much more. So it is all down to your budget and not a measure of
how much someone loves another.
Cost is important when buying a diamond ring but you will find that
there is a huge choice out there that will fit within your budget.
Remember that clever design and settings can make a diamond appear bigger
but if you really want a larger stone on a limited budget you could decide
to purchase a stone which is graded slightly lower in terms of clarity and
colour.
Article Source:
http://www.free-wedding-articles.net
Written
by John Lewis of Love2Have who specialise in unusual
diamond rings
for wedding, engagement and everyday wear.
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