The Different Types of Diamonds Explained: A Helpful Guide
Share
The word diamond comes from the Greek word adamas, meaning invincible. People have shown their invincible love for hundreds of years by giving diamonds.
But did you know that there are many types of diamonds? This guide will dig deep and talk about diamond varieties you may not be familiar with.
Keep reading to learn about the different types of diamonds.
Natural Diamonds
Natural diamonds have fascinated people since the beginning of time. They are often cited in early folklore and superstition. It’s easy to see why these precious gems have been so mysterious once you learn a little behind the science of how they are naturally made.
The mystery of diamonds is part of their allure. A natural diamond is something of a small miracle. Created from compressed carbon a natural diamond is the hardest substance on Earth, and they are often used for cutting and polishing.
Natural diamonds take time to create. The diamonds that we mine from the Earth today were created somewhere between 1 and 3 billion years ago.
Diamonds are formed in the Earth’s mantle and are then delivered to the surface by volcanic eruptions. Movements from the ocean floor can also bring diamonds to the surface.
Most diamonds require 752 degrees Fahrenheit and 434,113 pounds of pressure per square inch to be formed. The most favorable conditions for creating a diamond are around 100 miles below the Earth’s surface.
Because of their high-value diamonds have been used is many not so legal ways such as money laundering, tax evasion, and as an alternative currency for drugs or guns. Regulation of the diamond trade to this day proves to be a difficult task.
The tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring dates back to the times of the Romans. The Victorians popularized ornate diamond varieties used in rings. They mixed diamonds with other gemstones in intricate designs.
Today diamonds still signify love and a union of two people. We have many different cuts that make our natural diamonds unique for diamond lovers.
Man-Made Diamonds
Man-made diamonds are also sometimes called synthetic diamonds. For decades, people tried to recreate the growth of natural diamonds and failed. Thye tried to grow them like rubies or sapphires but to no avail.
The secret was to recreate how diamonds are created in nature. Natural diamonds need high temperature and high pressure to grow underground. The first man-made diamonds were created using a similar process.
There are three basic steps in making High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) diamonds. The belt press uses an upper and lower anvil to generate over 1.5 million pounds of pressure at a very high temperature. This is where the carbon melts and begins to form a diamond.
In 1954 the first belt press was used to create a lab-created diamond. The diamond was tiny and not clear enough to be used in jewelry. Most man-made diamonds are produced today to be used in industrial applications like diamond blade saws.
Since that initial success HPHT technology has become much more advanced and now perfect gemstones are produced. The largest diamond produced using this method was 10.02 carats and was graded to be an E in color and a VS1 in clarity.
A man-made diamond can be an excellent choice. Just like natural diamonds they are graded on the 4 Cs - cut, color, clarity, and carat. The shades and inclusions vary with each stone and they still sparkle just as brilliantly as natural diamonds.
Colored Diamonds
Different diamonds can come in many different colors. These colored diamonds types are very rare. As more and more celebrities wear colored diamonds their awareness increased and so did the demand for them.
Now its commonplace to see these rare diamonds as fashion statements on the red carpet or given in an engagement ring. Out of all types of diamonds colors, pink and yellow diamonds are the most popular.
More than 90% of the world’s pink diamonds come from Australia. Only 1% of the world’s diamond output is pink in color which makes them extremely rare and hard to find.
Natural pink diamonds are also more difficult to cut and polish than white diamonds. The process can take hours longer to complete.
Yellow diamonds are also called canary diamonds. Yellow is a more common colored diamond making up about 60% of all colored diamonds. The most intense yellow diamonds come from South Africa but yellow diamonds can be found all around the world.
Yellow diamonds get their color from nitrogen when the carbon is being compressed. The intensity of the color depends on the amount of nitrogen that the carbon was exposed to.
There are hundreds of colors of diamonds including blue, purple, violet, red, gray, and black. The rarest color for diamonds is black.
Some diamonds are colored naturally and others are lab-created diamonds that were grown to be a specific color.
Enhanced Diamonds
Enhanced diamonds are another type of diamond. Enhanced diamonds go through treatments to enhance the natural beauty of the diamond and reduce any naturally occurring flaws that may affect transparency, sparkle, or color.
The clarity of a diamond can be enhanced by laser drilling or fracture filling. The color of the diamond can also be enhanced through a series of high-pressure high-temperature treatments.
These treatments can give the diamond a fancy color or make it appear colorless. Laser drilling injects chemicals or uses heat to make discolorations and small flaws less visible. Fracture filling is when the diamond has small cracks that are filled.
These techniques make it difficult to tell any imperfections the diamond has with the human eye.
There Are So Many Types of Diamonds
There are so many different types of diamonds it can be a bit confusing. If you have any questions about diamonds or are looking to purchase a diamond, Contact Diva Diamonds & Jewels.
We can help answer any questions you may have about the diamond buying process and help you select the perfect diamond for your budget and your special someone.