Rarity of Diamonds
Are Diamonds Really Rare?
Whenever you go into a jewelry store you see hundreds of different diamonds in varying styles of jewelry. It can be hard to understand that diamonds are in fact rare. A lot of people neglect to understand what it took for that diamond to end up in that particular store. A lot of work has to be done before a diamond can be sold. Think about a one carat diamond. For a one carat diamond to be mined there are roughly one million diamonds mined with it. Tons of material is mined just to find one small quality diamond. Furthermore, eighty percent of the diamonds that are mined are used for industrial use, like glass cutters. Now when you go to the jewelry store look at a one carat diamond and appreciate its uniqueness.
How Diamonds Are Mined
Diamonds are mined from the earth like many other metals and gems. With diamonds though there are two methods used, pipe mining and alluvial mining. With pipe mining diamonds are mined by the use of volcanic pipes. These pipes are naturally occurring and through the pipe mining method, shanks are placed next to the pipes. Tunnels are then driven into the pipes and large stones that are full of diamonds are brought out to remove the diamonds. Alluvial mining is done in rivers and on beaches. The sand of these places is excavated and carried away so the diamonds within can be sorted. That is just about all there is to diamond mining.
Colored Diamonds
Colored diamonds are very popular, and gemologists have perfected a way to create colored diamonds. These colored diamonds are not very expensive and affordable for a normal person. They start off by choosing a less desirable diamond and treating it with a solution of irradiation and extreme heat. This method produces beautifully colored diamonds and is near permanent. Repairs to the diamond could cause them to lose their color if heat is added. Now then, naturally colored diamonds are extremely rare and very expensive. The price is a sure fire way of knowing whether or not a diamond is naturally colored or treated. When purchasing a colored diamond request a lab report to verify its authenticity. Another choice is synthetic colored diamonds, real but man made type real. Natural colored diamonds get their color from different elements within the stone. Nitrogen can produce a yellow diamond whereas radiation causes green diamonds. A fancy diamond is one that has color to it and they vary in color and shades. Some of the most famous diamonds are in fact colored diamonds like the Hope diamond and its blue color. The tiffany diamond is also very famous and it is yellow. Colored diamonds have not lost any value at all within the last thirty years so they are a safe investment to make.
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