Archive for September, 2007
Diamond Rings
September 18th, 2007. Published under Pastor Geneve Investing, Pastor-Genève, Pastor-Genève bvba. No Comments.
By: M. John
Diamond is a mineral and is the hardest known substance to man, but one of the simplest being composed of carbon. Throughout history diamonds have been associated with mystical power, great beauty and more recently great value and wealth. The word comes from the Greek meaning ‘adamas’ meaning unconquerable and they have been worn throughout the ages by men going into battle as a sign of strength, courage and invincibility.
They are not as liquid as traditional investments. Searching the globe for the most exquisite and rare diamonds has traditionally been the preserve of the fantastically rich and famous, but apparently, things are changing. We were very fortunate to acquire a selection of coloured diamonds.
Most diamonds still originate from central and south Africa although there have been other significant finds in Canada, Brazil, Australia and the biggest diamond mine is in Siberia. The diamond market is very much dominated by De Beers to control the supply and price of diamonds across the world by what some would say are monopolistic practices.
Some of the worlds largest and most valuable diamonds are in the Tower of London in the British Crown Jewels.
Diamonds are indeed very desirable objects and are worn throughout the world set in precious metals in many different types of jewellery. One of the most common pieces of jewellery is still the ladies diamond engagement ring and many women still choose to have a diamond as a symbol of love to wear on their engagement finger whether it be the traditional solitaire or three diamonds which some believe signifies ‘I love you’. Diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend and it is said that Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds because they possess a magic that nothing else has equalled.
Diamonds vary enormously in price according to size and quality so when choosing diamond rings it is important to consider your budget.
Diamonds are graded according to the 4 c’s which refers to cut, clarity, colour and carat. The cut of a diamond is very important as it affects the reflective qualities, which will determine the brilliance of a diamond and how it looks to the naked eye. Cut should not be confused with shape such as pear, emerald, round etc.
Clarity refer to the number of flaws known as inclusions in the stone and the stones which have fewer inclusion are more highly prized and valuable because they have greater brilliance. Remember though that a diamond doesn’t have to be flawless to look absolutely stunning.
Diamond colour usually refers to whiteness or colourlessness in white diamonds with those with least colour being more valuable because of their ability to pass more light giving more sparkle and fire. Coloured diamonds do occur naturally ranging from blue to green but they are rare and very expensive.
How to choose a Diamond
September 18th, 2007. Published under Pastor Geneve Investing, Pastor-Genève, Pastor-Genève bvba. No Comments.
By: Mark
Tips to collect a diamond.
Clarity
The greater a diamond’s clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is. Virtually all diamonds contain identifying characteristics, yet many are invisible to the naked eye. Under the scrutiny of a jeweller’s 10X magnifier, natural phenomena called inclusions may be seen. These are nature’s birthmarks.
The number, colour, type, size and position of the birthmarks affect a diamond’s value. Major inclusions can interfere with the path of light that travels through a diamond, diminishing its brilliance and sparkle and therefore its value.
Carat
Carat is the measurement of a diamond’s weight.
One carat is equal to 0.2 gram or 100 points. Because large diamonds are found relatively infrequently in nature, diamonds’ worth go up almost exponentially with their weight.
Colour
Diamonds can be classified into “colourless diamonds” and “fancy coloured diamonds”. Colourless diamonds are graded by colour, starting at D and continuing through the alphabet. Truly colourless stones, graded D, are treasured for their rarity and value, and are highest in quality. Fancy coloured diamonds in well defined colours that include red, pink, blue, green and canary yellow are particularly rare and very highly priced.
Shape
Diamonds are cut in many fancy shapes. As the shape and distribution of inclusions vary with each raw stone, diamonds are cut into different shapes in order to avoid flaws and to minimize the wastage. People often choose different shapes according to their own preferences. The following are the most popular shapes in the market:
Round Brilliant
The round brilliant cut diamond is by far the most popular shape, and accounts for about 3 out of 4 diamonds purchased today. It is designed to produce the greatest brilliance and reflection of light.
Princess
Princess cut is the second most popular shape on the market. Its table appears as a square-like rectangular shape. The pavilion of princess shape is cut according to that of the round brilliant, which increases the brilliance of the diamond but also increases the use of materials.
Oval
The Oval shape is an extension of round brilliant, it looks larger than its actual size because of the elongated shape. Rings set with oval diamonds are suitable for ladies with small hands or shorter fingers.
Heart
Heart shape is a symbol of romance. It bears some similarity to the pear shape. To avoid significant inclusions, the cutter often prefers cutting the heart shape to the pear shape. This shape is seen frequently in pendants, but is suitable for most any purpose.
Emerald
The Emerald cut is not a brilliant cut, but is called a step cut. Step cuts are comprised of larger facets, which act like mirrors. Because of the angle, size and shape of the facets, the emerald cut shows less brilliance and fire than the brilliant cut diamonds. However, the emerald cut stone reveals a classic and aristocratic elegance and beauty not seen in other cuts. Because of the open and large nature of the facets, it is highly recommended that you consider staying at higher colour and clarity grades.
Marquise
An elongated shape with 2 pointed ends just like the eye of a horse. This special shape is especially suitable for people with unique style.