Brilliant Diamonds
A gem is a rock that is entirely carbon. Along with being the most popular gemstone, it also happens to be the hardest naturally occurring mineral known to man. Because of their extreme hardness, brilliant diamonds find extensive use in numerous vital industrial applications.
Brilliant diamonds are mined and cut from a variety of rock formations. They are found in jewellery.
An uncut diamond in rock
Gems cannot compare to diamonds due to their unparalleled hardness, brilliance, and glitter. The birthstone for April is the diamond, which, according to gemstone symbolism, stands for unwavering love. Diamonds are measured in carats and points, with one point equaling 0.01 carats. One carat is equal to 200 milligrammes. Several types of industrial diamonds exist, and synthetic diamonds have been mass-produced commercially since 1960, in addition to gem-quality stones. (Related terms: synthetic diamond, industrial diamond.)
Alluvial diamond mine in Australia
The three main places where diamonds can be found are kimberlite pipes, glacial tills, and alluvial gravels. Kimberlite pipes, like the ones in Kimberley, South Africa, convey diamonds and other minerals and rocks from the Earth’s mantle as magma erupts into the crust. In many cases, the age of the pipes is less than a hundred million years. In contrast, the diamonds they are carrying were formed at depths exceeding 120 kilometers and between one and three and a half billion years ago. Alluvial and glacial gravels contain diamonds that were deposited in rivers or till by glaciers or rivers after they eroded the kimberlite matrix.
history of diamond mining in South Africa
Colorless, translucent, or opaque diamonds are just some of the options available. The majority of gem-quality diamonds are colourless and clear. Most gem diamonds have a yellow tint, but the rarest and most valuable stones are colourless or pale blue. Diamonds with a red, blue, or green body colour are extremely rare, but diamonds with orange, violet, yellow, or yellowish. Green, as their body color, is more prevalent. Although most industrial diamonds are brown or grey in colour and are either translucent or opaque, even the highest-quality stones used in manufacturing can be subtly reduced to gem quality. Radiation from sources such as nuclear reactors or particle accelerators, as well as heat treatment, can alter the colour of diamonds.
How diamonds can be made from methane
According to X-ray diffraction analysis, the atomic structure of diamond shows that each carbon atom is connected to four evenly distributed neighbours in the crystal. The properties of diamond, which result from its close-packed, dense, and tightly bonded crystal structure, differ significantly from those of graphite, the other form of native carbon.
Cut grading
The most important factor influencing the diamond’s appearance is the angle between its crown and pavilion. In certain cases, a crown angle that is shallower might complement .A pavilion angle that is somewhat steep, and vice versa.
The viewer’s eye-to-diamond distance is crucial. The cut criteria established by the 2005 AGS use a distance of 25 cm, or approximately 10 inches. As of 2004, the HCA cut criteria were established using a distance of 40 cm, or approximately 16 inches.
A well-cut piece will have both symmetry and polish. The polish grade is used to define how flawless a diamond is, while the symmetry grade is used to describe how well the diamond’s facets line up with one another. A facet’s surface can be dull and produce muddled or dull sparkle if the polish is poor. At first glance, the stone could appear dirty. Light can be distorted when it enters and leaves the diamond due to its asymmetry.
