The Truth About Diamonds
What you need to know before you even touch your wallet. Are You Looking for the Truth About Diamonds? I was too many years back, and at that time, there was no Internet – so information was limited. But there was also no Ebay – so fake sales were also few! I love stones and collect them from all places – from pebbles on the beach to meteorites from outer sky. To me diamonds fall in the middle of the spectrum, even though their market price per gram is sometimes the highest!
Diamonds have a mystique about them; they are stunning to look at, they are cut beautifully to enhance any piece of jewelry, and when the sun catches them, they flash like miniature suns. However, if you are planning a diamond purchase, you need to know the truth about diamonds. All TV ads that portray diamonds as the ultimate gift of love, and magazine ads that tell us that a diamond is the only gem that is the perfect gift can mislead us. The truth about diamonds is a little more complicated than this image – and this note is to help you get more clarity.
Learning the Truth about Diamonds
Please read this basic info about diamonds before you take out your credit card.
First, make sure what you are purchasing is really a diamond. This is especially true of diamonds sold on eBay and estate auctions!! Before you buy, insist that a certified gemologist examine the gemstone. This is certification will tell you the stone’s carat weight, its color and clarity, and its flaws, if any. A seller who will not do this for you may not be telling the truth about the diamond you are hoping to purchase.
What looks like a diamond is not always a diamond. In the Depression era, many people were too poor to buy a diamond. Instead, rings made of fine crystal served as engagement rings. If you happen across one of these rings, the seller should inform you of its true composition. Crystal jewelry from the Depression years is quite beautiful, but make sure you know the truth about this diamond “substitute.”
Similar to the crystal jewelry of the past, cubic zirconium is quite lovely; only a gemologist can tell the difference between a diamond created by nature and a diamond created in a laboratory. The truth is that they are both diamonds; one is natural and one is artificial. So once again, just make sure you know what you are buying.
Another myth to keep in mind is that many diamonds are not clear stones. The gem’s physical and chemical make-up is what determines a diamond, not the color. Created by untold years by nature from carbon molecules, diamonds can be any color in the rainbow. The truth about these diamonds is not that they are “trash” diamonds as some believe, but are stunning in color and clarity. One of the most beautiful diamonds in the world is a large violet diamond bought by the late Richard Burton for the love of his life, Elizabeth Taylor, to match her eyes.
You may come across a rare diamond that has a tiny carbon fleck embedded in its center. The truth about these off-color diamonds is that they are not “junk stones.” On the contrary, many diamond collectors find this black carbon fleck fascinating and valuable. It serves as a reminder that diamond gems were once embedded in the earth, made from ancient carbon. They are treasures of the earth to be appreciated for their history as well as their beauty.