From the mines of Aikhal, Russia to the hands of your loved ones. “A diamond is forever” — De Beers, during the diamond monopoly, made it the epitome of love. The marketing tactic by De Beers has made diamonds reach the mark they are at now. Once they monopolized the diamond market, they soon controlled its supply. Often this marketing campaign is considered as the most successful campaign ever. Believe me, diamonds are not investments. They re-sell at 25-30% of their actual worth.
I agree, unlike several other gems, Diamonds are forged deep inside the Earth’s crust under very high pressure and temperature which makes it rare and hence making it expensive. But given the technological advancements diamond can be fabricated in the lab as well. Diamond is an allotrope of carbon just like graphite. But they both have different atom alignment which gives them different properties. In the lab, graphite is exposed to hundreds of tonnes of pressure which converts graphite to diamond. Compared to the diamonds formed under the earth’s crust, the diamonds formed in the lab are crystal clear and are aesthetic.
But how do diamonds surface? Diamonds are formed 100-150 km beneath the earth’s surface and reside at volcanic magma chambers. When a volcano erupts, a rare type of magma, kimberlite, is erupted which when cooled form diamonds. These diamonds age between 1 billion to 3.5 billion years. But these diamonds have impurities which are introduced in the lattice when they are being formed. Although these discrepancies make them ugly, they are very useful for scientists. These inconsistencies help in understanding and advancing the study of deeper earth. These marvels of the natural world have the highest hardness and thermal conductivity. These properties are utilized in major industrial applications such as cutting and polishing tools.
Besides, Diamonds for jewelry requires a diamond Certification. Labs like GIA, AGS, IGI, EGL, GSI, and HRD provide a certificate which describes diamond and its characteristics. Color, Clarity, length and width is scrutinized by the professionals under the microscope. A diamond’s 4C’s represent the four main components of its beauty and structure: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.
From deep blues to the stunning red, diamonds are sparkling crystals which are a sign of royalism and capitalism.