When you’re paying a lot of money for a diamond, whether it’s a pre-set diamond ring, diamond earrings or even diamond pendants, you want to know you’re actually getting a diamond. This also holds true when you purchase other items such as emerald diamonds or other colored diamonds or even clarity enhanced loose diamonds.

To determine if what you already have or if the diamond you are considering is the real thing, the most immediate way to catch a fraud is to ask for a certificate. A reputable jeweler will be more than happy to provide you with a certificate grading authority in the form on a GIA, LGP, PGGL, or AGSL. You can also head to an independent appraiser with your diamond.

When it comes to independent appraisers, use one that is affiliated with a professional organization such as the American Society of Appraisers. It may not be the best idea to head off to an appraiser that the jeweler recommends. An independent appraiser is a good option especially if you’re buying a stone from the Internet.

If you are purchasing your diamond in person, you will be able to examine it yourself. Diamonds have an incredibly high refractive index, which means they bend light that passes through them. If your shiny stone is made of quartz or glass, they will not sparkle as much. Quartz and glass have a much lower refractive index than diamonds.

To determine the refractive index of the stone, if it’s already mounted, you will need to turn in upside down and place it on a piece of newspaper. If you are looking at a specific diamond ring or an engagement ring for example, you should not be able to read the print through the stone. You also should not be able to see distorted lettering or black smudges of the newspaper print. Under very rare circumstances, which are sometimes due to the cut, will you be able to see newspaper print through a real diamond stone.

If the diamond you’re looking at shows any sign of double refraction, meaning your eyes feel like they’re seeing double vision, the stone is most likely a Moissanite. Another way to tell if your stone is real is to look straight through it. If the diamond is mounted, you should not be able to see the bottom of the stone.

For loose diamonds, grab a white piece of paper and a pen. Make a dot on the paper and put your diamond or stone directly over the dot. Look directly down into the stone. If you see a circular reflection inside the stone, it’s most likely not a diamond.

There are numerous other ways to test if your diamond is real by using microscopes, UV light, diamond testers, heat probes and even x-rays. The next time you visit your doctor, wear your diamond. A real diamond will not show up on an x-ray.

One of the most notorious of these famous diamonds is the Blue Hope. Weighting in at an impressive 45.52 carats, this magnificent stone arrived from India and remains one of the most famous diamonds in the world. When the diamond was purchased in 1668, it was common to purchase loose diamonds in this way however, the exquisite stone was set in gold and suspended on what was then a neck ribbon and given as a gift to King Louis XIV. The King wore his beloved French Blue neck ribbon to special occasions and ceremonies however, during the French Revolution, the unforgettable stone was stolen.

It is thought that the diamond was eventually purchased in the early 1800s by an English King but sold in 1830 when he died. The diamond was purchased by Henry Philip Hope, from which the stone got its name. Unfortunately the diamond was deemed a stone of bad luck due to the entire Hope family dying in poverty.

The diamond continued to change hands and ownership for numerous years, bearing stories of its bad luck on entire families.  The stone was eventually donated to the Smithsonian Institution by Harry Winston of New York where it remains a premier attraction.

More famous than even the deadly Blue Hope diamond, the Koh-I-Noor or Mountain of Light was discovered at 186 carats. This oval cut diamond is said to be dated before the time of Christ. It was said that the person who possessed the Koh-I-Noor diamond also ruled the world. It changed many hands from its first documentation in 1304 until 1850 when it was presented to Queen Victoria by the East India Company.

It was displayed at the Crystal Palace for several years to the disappointment on onlookers who simply didn’t see a sparkle. This caused Queen Victoria to have the diamond re-cut, which reduced it to its current size of 105.60 carats. The brilliant, sparkling stone was used as the centre piece for her new crown however, in 1937 the stone was removed and placed on display in the Tower of London with the many other British jewels.

The mother of all loose diamonds is the Cullinan Diamond. Discovered rough at 3,106 carats, it remains the largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. Mined in South Africa in 1905, this massive stone weighted 1 1/3 pounds and became notable for its outstanding purity and color.

The massive diamond was purchased by the Transvaal Government and given as a gift to King Edward VII of England in 1907. King Edward eventually sent the stone off to be cut and within several months, Amsterdam’s Asscher Diamond Company has produced nine major diamonds, two of which were given to the Royal Family. Aside from the nine large diamonds were another 96 smaller loose diamonds of brilliant cuts.

Purchasing diamonds to create your own personalized pieces is an ideal way to create special memories. A pair of beautiful diamond earrings can be given as a priceless gift for a special event. Diamond earrings can be passed down as family heirlooms.

Engagements are a common reason many men purchase diamonds. Searching for perfect engagement rings can be a time consuming and daunting task if you are not sure what to look for in a diamond.

If you find yourself searching for diamonds and are unsure where to begin, there are a few things you should know ahead of time. Understanding what to look for and why you are looking for these characteristics will help you to choose the perfect diamond, regardless of what you want to use it for.

Uses

Diamonds are incredibly versatile and are used for numerous purposes, including everything from fashion to industrial uses. Due to their hardness, they are virtually indestructible, which makes them ideal for use in applications such as abrasives in diamond slurries and drilling bits to drill holes into hard stone.

Due to their natural reflective qualities, diamonds are used in products such as x-ray machines for their high light dispersion. They are also used in manufacturing electronics for their impressively high thermal conductivity.

Aside from jewellery, diamonds are also often used to decorate collectable pieces of art and enhance areas where gold, silver and platinum are the surrounding metals. They are used this way for their high refractive index. Certain diamonds possess the natural quality to move light like a prism, causing it to spread and blend and displaying colors of the rainbow.

These factors are important to understand when you are choosing a diamond for yourself because you will want to make sure the diamond you choose possesses these same qualities of hardness, clarity and light refraction. It is these very same qualities that give a diamond its value.

Buying

It’s helpful to know ahead of time the size and shape or grade cut of the diamond you are looking to buy. This will help narrow down your search choices a great deal.

When someone refers to the carat of a diamond, they are referring to the weight of the diamond. Carat size is one of the largest factors on what your chosen diamond will cost. Typical diamond engagement rings can range from .5 carat up to 2 or more carats. The size is up to you.

Clarity is another factor that will determine the cost of your diamond. The more clear the stone, the more it will cost. Diamond clarity is rated on charts called clarity guides that can be found at any reputable jeweler. Diamonds rated VS2 or higher are normally flawless.

Color is another factor that you will need to consider. Although most people cannot detect one color grade from another, the price difference is significant nonetheless. Diamonds ranked in the D-F range are the clearest while stones in the G-I range still offer a colorless look for a much lower cost.

The former Take That star planned a low-key wedding, with the couple refusing offers from a number of celebrity magazines to photograph the wedding in return for a large pay day. The couple and their children, Elwood and Willow Rose, were joined by a 50-strong wedding party, including fellow band members Jason Orange, Howard Donald and Gary Barlow.

Their wedding party was held at the nearby Cawdor Castle after the service.

The Highlands are known for high-profile celebrity weddings. In 2000, Madonna and Guy Ritchie tied the knot at Skibo Castle, and had their son Rocco christened at nearby Dornoch Cathedral.

Diamond Tutorial: What are feathers?

Feathers: Feathers are are tiny fractures within the diamond. Usually feathers are caused by the incredible stress that the diamond can and likely has suffered during its gestation period underground. There are many cases where the feather begins and ends under the surface of the diamond. Sometimes the feather can start deep inside the diamond and extend out towards the surface. You will need to see this under 10x magnification since some feathers are transparent. In general , feathers have a white light appearance to them making them difficult to detect. Under magnification, these feather fractures often seem to have an disorganized feathery shape.

It may seem like a red flag if you detect feathers in a diamond, however, the reality is that with everyday wear and care most feathers do not add risk to the diamond’s stability or long term viability and value. You should bear in mind that these diamonds have survived their growth and their journey to the earths surface intact and then they’ve been through the rigours of the cutting and polishing processes before you get a chance to see them. With everyday wear most will likely survive the course of several human lifetimes.

Of course, they will be unbelievably thrilled to be adorning such a beautiful diamond, and will show their endless appreciation for such a kind and meaningful gesture. But in reality, was the purchase as meaningful as it could have been? Did you really give a personal and honest effort into the diamond piece itself, making sure it was absolutely perfect and right for the one you bought it for?

This is why people choose to buy loose diamonds – here’s a chance to finally makes diamonds as customizable as possible, allowing you to make this diamond piece as special, personal, and meaningful as possible.

Say you don’t find the perfect diamond ring or diamond pendant in the store you are looking for. Yes, you see a lot of pretty things, but you haven’t found the one. You keep picturing the perfect bracelet in your mind over and over again, but that same image fails to ever pop up on the screen, page after page of searching. Next time, try searching for loose diamonds, where you can build your dream diamond piece, customizing the largest and smallest details of whatever piece of jewelry you have in mind.

It’s guaranteed, when you put this much time and attention into the diamond you give your loved one, the extra effort will be noticed. Your significant other will see you in the diamond, and every time you see them wearing it, you will feel a connection to the diamond, too.

1. It is estimated that less than one percent of women will ever wear a diamond of one carat or more.
2. The word Carat is thought to be derived from the Carab Bean – an ancient unit of weight.
3. Diamonds were first mined in India over 2,800 years ago.
4. The largest diamond ever found weighed 3106 carats
5. The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to the earth.
6. A diamond has a melting point of approximately 4,000 degrees centigrade.
7. 25% of Israel`s total export earnings come from Diamonds.
8. The tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring comes from Archduke Maximilian of
9. Austria who gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.
10. The reason an engagement ring is worn on the third finger of the left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vein of love (vena amoris) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, left hand.

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The Kimberley Process was signed by 73 countries, and is a cooperation between governments and industry. A whole process is required of members in order to receive the Kimberley Certification for their loose diamonds.