Archive for the ‘Diamonds’ Category

Diamond Care

Ways to Clean your Diamond

 

There are a few different ways that you can provide diamond care for your precious jewelry, in particular, there are different cleaning processes you can use to keep it looking as brilliant and sparkling as the day you brought it home from the jeweler!

 

While there are many cleaning procedures that can be done from your own home, don’t forget that you can almost always return to the jeweler where you purchased your diamond and ask for a professional cleaning.  Sometimes cleanings are included in a warranty agreement, so check your paperwork to see if this form of diamond care is provided in your agreement.

 

Detergent Bath

           

The most commonly used method of diamond care is cleaning your diamond in a mild, warm water detergent bath.  Fill a bowl with warm water, and add in a mild detergent that you have in the house.  Some people use a dish detergent, while others will use a gentle bathroom cleaner.  Using a toothbrush or eyebrow brush, gently brush your diamond with the sudsy water to loosen any dirt and oil that have found their way to your diamond.  Afterwards, rinse your diamond by placing it into a strainer (careful to select a strainer with holes smaller than your diamond!) and running it under warm water to remove all soap.  Never use chlorine bleach to clean your jewelry, the cleanser is much too harsh.

 

Quick-Dip

 

There are many cleaners on the market for diamond care.  Select one and follow it’s instructions carefully for dipping your diamond into the cleanser.  Once you’ve dipped your jewelry into the cleanser, you don’t want to touch the diamonds, because oils from your fingers can be easily transferred to your diamond.  Allow it to dry completely and then wear or return to storage.

 

Cold Water Soak

 

Diamond care also includes a process called a “cold water soak”.  Fill a bowl with a solution of half cold water and half household ammonia.  Place your diamond into the cleanser and allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes.  When you take it out, tap the jewelry around the mounting brackets and then swish it around in your cold water solution again as a final rinsing.  You can set it out to dry on a piece of tissue paper.

           

Ultrasonic Cleansing

 

You can provide diamond care by purchasing an ultrasonic cleansing machine.  These machines have a little cup that you fill with water and cleanser, and a place to insert your jewelry.  Once you turn on the ultrasonic cleansing unit, it uses high speed motion to clean dirt and oils off your piece of jewelry.

 

 

Storing Diamonds

 

Another important consideration of diamond care is how to store your diamonds when you are not wearing them.  Diamonds are gemstones that can scratch other diamonds or other jewelry, so it is recommended that you never place them into a jewelry box or case with other pieces of  jewelry unless you individual wrap the diamonds with tissue paper.  The best way to properly provide diamond care and store your diamond however, is to place the jewelry piece into a fabric lined jewelry box, or a larger case that has individual dividers that are each lined with fabric to protect each piece of jewelry.

 

 

 

Diamond Carat

What is Diamond Carat Weight?

 

When shopping for a diamond, you’ve no doubt heard references to the 4 C’s of diamonds.  Diamond carat is one of those popular ”c’s” to consider when evaluating a diamond, and it’s a term used to describe how much the diamond weighs.  A single diamond carat is equal to the weight of 200 milligrams, or .2 grams.

 

Diamonds are described two different ways in regards to the diamond carat.  An abbreviation of “ct” is used to describe the weight of a single diamond stone while an abbreviation of “ct TW” is used when describing the total weight of an entire piece of jewelry- when it has more than one stone in place.

 

It’s important to recognize that two stones may have the exact same carats, meaning they have the same weight measurement, and yet they are completely different in size and appearance.  This is due to the actual density of the gemstone.  The more dense a stone is, the more weight they have, and sometimes a smaller stone will actually weigh more than a larger stone because of density.

 

The Value of the Diamond is Effected by it’s Weight.

 

When selecting your diamond ring, you can choose between a single, solitaire style setting (a single diamond on the ring) and a setting that has multiple, smaller stones to make up the ring.  The value of a solitaire one diamond carat will actually be more than if you buy a ring that has two diamonds that add up to one carat or greater. Larger sized diamonds are more rarely found when mining diamonds, making them more valuable and expensive than purchasing the same amount of diamond carats in smaller stones.

 

Selecting Diamond Carat

 

So how do you determine what size diamond to buy?  Do you want a diamond carat of 1, or 2, or do you want a ring with multiple, smaller stones?  The answer to this will depend greatly on your budget, as well as the person who will be wearing the ring.

 

A diamond will look larger on a slender finger, so keep that in mind if the recipient of the ring has thin hands.  The actual diamond carat measurement is probably not as much of a concern as the appearance, shape, and setting of the ring.  Particularly because a 1 carat diamond ring will not look half the size of a 2 diamond carat ring, it’s far more important to select a ring that is pleasing to look at than it is to buy one with the most carats you can afford.

 

Determine how much money you have to spend, and then decide on the cut of the diamond.  Once you have these two pieces of information narrowed down, you can start browsing the diamonds in your price range, in the style you want, and find out what diamond carat you are in the market to buy.

Diamond – An Inner Look

Astrologically Diamond is the birthstone of April. It is also the gemstone for the 10th and 60th anniversary. Diamond is supposed to strengthen the planet Venus to increase luxury and enjoyment in your life. If you are a Virgo then according to Vedic astrology Diamond is the right gemstone for you. The glittering colour, the four perfect cleavage directions and its endurability has made it the most popular gemstone.

 

For the interest of Chemistry student Diamond is nothing but a carbon. It is a polymorph of Carbon just like Graphite. Its chemical formula is “C” and only “C”. It’s a native element and belongs to the sub-class Non-metallic. Diamonds are available in wide variety of colors like Blue, pink, white, yellow. The diamond processing industry values the brown diamond much more, which comes in three varieties called Champagne, Cognac and Coffee.

 

For the Physics students, its hardness is perfect 10 out of 10 in mohs hardness scale. Diamond is the hardest substance, gifted by nature. Just for the sake of interest, Diamond is four times harder than Sapphire or Ruby. Diamond can scratch any other mineral and the myth, “Diamond can only cut a diamond”, is true. The clarity of Diamond is transparent. The specific Gravity of Diamond is 3.5, which is well above the average. Diamond conducts heat the best. For comparison purpose, its five times better than Silver. At this scenario of this very best, the Melting point of Diamond is 3820 Kelvin and the Lattice density is also the highest. Definitely Diamond is empowered with many excellent properties to become the first choice, but again the myth of its indestructible or eternity has been proved to be a foolish notion.

 

Diamonds are available all over the world. Mostly it is available in Australia, Arkansas, Africa, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Congo, and Russia etc. A large mine in South Africa has started its operation just five years back.

 

Diamonds have been used in treatment of mankind for ages. Medical sciences have been able to find its remedial utilities in several accidental and usual disorders due to injuries, fracturing of bones etc. It is supposed to be highly effective in several brain diseases and nervous system disorders. Diamond even helps to control the hormone sequence of the human body.