Diamonds reflect the emotions of one’s soul. They are believed to have divine powers. No marriages are likely to take lace without their presence.Mostly, the wedding rings are made of diamonds. Diamonds studded in Platinum metal is the latest trend. Coloured diamonds are also much sought after these days. The core designs of the diamonds are traditionally Indian or Italian , but the styling, finishing and the metal used are purely American. More than plain gold ornaments, diamond studded gold ornaments are becoming more popular. Read my previous hub on Precious Gems Stones / BirthStone Therapy according to Zodiac Signs

Diamonds and Elizabeth Taylor

Cartier Diamonds are 69 Carat diamonds which were purchased at a record price by Cartier. These were then presented to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton. So was nicknamed as Taylor Diamonds. In 1978, Elizabeth Taylor sold them to build a hospital in Botswana.

here are 4 factors to determine the purity of Diamonds- the 4Cs.

1. Carat: The carat is the weight of the diamond .. Large Diamonds are very rare and costly.

1 Carat = 200 mg

2. Clarity: Clarity differs for each diamonds. This is noted on a scale ranging from F to I. The less the defect (or more the clarity), the more the cost of the diamond. Clarity actually refers to the internal and external imperfections of the diamond (How clear It is ).

Grade of Clarity of Diamonds

• FL or IF - Flawless or Internally Flawless - meaning that it is perfect.
  
• I-1, I-2 or I-3 means that the diamond is imperfect,
  
• I-3 being the worst.
• VVS1 and VVS2, which means that the diamond is very, very slightly imperfect
• VS1 and VS2, meaning the diamond is very slightly imperfect
• SI-1 and SI-2, which means that the diamond is slightly imperfect.

3. Color: Diamonds vary in Colors. But most popular are the white colored diamonds. The color scale ranges from D to Z. The D type is more costly. Blue, green, yellow, orange and rare red colors are also available.

4. Cut: Only an expert cutter can create the radiance or brilliance of the diamonds. The internal reflections in the faces of the diamond will radiate out to the outer faces. This is the brilliance in a diamond. The cuts can vary in shapes from a oval, pear, or round.and so on.

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

Even professionals have had difficulty determining if a diamond is real or not.But try to do following steps before buying a diamond

• Diamond Certificate -Ask for certificate for the diamond(Certificates are issued from Gemological Institute of America, Jewellers Association of Australia or American Society of Appraisers)
• Diamond Tester -You can use a diamond tester to test the purity of diamonds
  
• NewsPaper Test -Try to read newspapers through the stone ,If you can't read then it is a fake diamond .Look at the stone from above and if you can see all the way to the bottom, it could be a real diamond
• Fog test- Real diamonds clear away quickly when exposed to fog .If the diamond you have just fogged is taking a bit longer to shed off its fog, then it must be a fake.
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• Observe the reflection of light through the diamonds
  
• Put the diamond in water. If it is real it will sink, and if it is fake it will float in water.
• After purchasing a diamond, take it to another jeweler for appraisal.

Major Diamond Mining Countries

1. Australia
2. Botswana
3. South Africa
4. Angola
5. Namibia
6. Brazil
7. Central African Republic
8. China
9. Other

Top Diamond Producing Companies

1. Alrosa
2. De Beers
3. Harry Winston
4. BHP Billiton
5. Rio Tinto

Diamonds are safest investments .Buying diamonds is both an investment and luxury. But protect yourself from fake diamonds