Gems Dictionary

Ruby

Ruby

THE PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF RUBY

Ruby is the red version of a mineral called corundum, which also includes sapphire. The red, sometimes pinkish or brownish color of ruby ​​corundum is due to the presence of chromium. It is the fourth hardest mineral (index 9 on the Mohs scale), after diamond, lonsdaleite and moissanite. Its density varies between 3.97 and 4.05. It is an aluminum oxide with the formula Al2 O3. Its luster is vitreous, greasy, matte, and it is transparent to translucent. Its fracture is conchoidal, splintering. Of rhombohedral crystalline system, it occurs in crystals, grainy aggregates, and pebbles. Its pleochroism is red-orange and purple. Its fluorescence shows a carmine red.

THE COLORS OF RUBY

The ruby ​​used in jewelry ranges from red verging on pink (rubies from Burma) to slightly orange-red (like those from Tanzania). But the ruby ​​mineral can be shaded with brown or purplish. All other colors of corundum are categorized as sapphire.
red gradient ruby THE GENESIS OF RUBY AND ITS MAIN DEPOSITS

Ruby is a very rare mineral. It can be of magmatic origin or, most often metamorphic, that is to say that it results from the modification of pre-existing rocks under the effect of heat and high pressure. Its appearance requires the presence of aluminum, silica, and a little chromium for the color… Only 1% of the rubies found have the characteristics required to be used in jewelry.
Today, 90% of rubies come from Burma: they are of exceptional quality and have magnificent nuances. Sri Lanka and Thailand are also important suppliers. There are also deposits in Africa, America and Australia.

ADVICE FROM OUR GEMMOLOGIST: HOW TO CHOOSE A RUBY WELL? Several criteria can help you choose your gem, although the main one is your personal taste for a particular color!
Purity is an important criterion of value. All rubies have inclusions, this is not a defect, but the purest stones are obviously the most expensive, the price of ruby jewelry can fly off if the stone weighs more than 2 carats.
The most sought-after color is an intense and deep red, even if it does not belong to the "pigeon blood" category, which is very rare (a few tens of thousands of euros per carat). This term is often misused. Know that the brilliance and depth of the ruby ​​will appear even more in the evening, under the effect of the lamps, than in broad daylight.
The ruby ​​is generally cut in oval, sometimes in cushion or in pear, more rarely in round.
A common and totally accepted practice is to heat rubies to enhance their color. Without this, natural gems turn pink and are not very transparent. There is no downside to buying a stone that has been heated; moreover the naturally very intense stones have extremely high prices.

STORIES AND LEGENDS AROUND THE RUBY

The word ruby ​​comes from the Latin "ruber, red."
The rarity and beauty of ruby, brought to Europe by the Etruscans and Greeks around 500 BC, have made it an extremely precious stone since antiquity. She is often quoted in the Bible, as in the Book of Isaiah (54), which says, speaking of Jerusalem as the Lord's bride: "I will found you on sapphires, I will make you battlements of rubies, your gates of stones sparkling”.
In the Middle Ages, the ruby ​​symbolized the blood of Christ and kings wore it on their crowns as a sign of their faith. It is said that a ruby ​​crossed the centuries from the Roman Emperor Augustus, of whom it was the seal, to the kings of France...
The ruby ​​was an important gemstone in the Hindu religion. It was one of the nine stones representing the planets that influenced the world and was attached to the sun. In ancient India, the discovery of a beautiful ruby ​​gave rise to imposing ceremonies and the stone was consecrated to Krishna.

VIRTUES AND BENEFITS OF RUBY

From Antiquity, the ruby ​​was linked to the health of the heart, it was even believed to be able to protect against lightning!
Today, in lithotherapy, it is used to help treat heart and circulatory problems. Its action is so powerful that it should be avoided by hypertensive people... That said, it would also have the ability to regulate female cycles, and to fight against fever and infections, even against poisons.
Apart from its curative virtues against physical dysfunctions, the ruby ​​would provide many psychological and spiritual benefits. It would prevent nightmares and anxiety. It would bring good luck and suit energetic and ambitious people. It would darken or tarnish in case of danger… and it would even prevent infidelity in the couple!

In oriental wisdom, the ruby ​​is linked to the 4th chakra, that of the heart. It could promote the development of distance vision, facilitate meditation and spiritual enlightenment. In all traditions we find a common point, happiness in all its forms...

ASTROLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCES OF THE RUBY

Ruby is the stone associated with the sign of Leo (July 22 to August 23). Its flamboyant color reflects the conquering, passionate and proud character of Leo. In Chinese astrology, it would be the stone of the Dog and would symbolize courage, victory, love and happiness. The ruby ​​would bring good luck to people born in July, and the ruby ​​wedding designates the 35 years of marriage.

The Science of Ruby

Ruby is what gemologists consider to be the red brother of sapphire, for they have the exact same base composition – a form of aluminum oxide called corundum – and they differ exclusively on their coloration, being every red corundum considered a ruby, while corundum of any other color is labeled as a sapphire. Depending on the concentration of chromium, titanium, vanadium and iron in the stone, ruby ​​gets its pinkish to dark red tonality, and just like sapphires, these are some of the hardest substances on the Mohs scale.

Rubies are mined and traded mostly in Thailand and Burma, but recent discoveries in Madagascar made the country become one of the main exporters of rubies.
It has a trigonal hexagonal scalenohedral crystal system and a Mohs hardness of 9.


Ruby throughout History

Taking its name from the Latin word rubens , it literally translates as “red”, and rubies definitely are the kings of all red gemstones.
During the Middle Ages, rubies were considered the most effective shield against one's misfortune on all levels, be it related to love, finances or health – rubies would ensure that one's fate would turn in the most positive of ways.

While India was one of the most important locations for some of the best and more expensive rubies, it received the Sanskrit name of ratnaraj , meaning “The King of all gemstones”, for they believed it was created when Mother Earth's blood crystalized.

Those who'd have the financial power to offer rubies in honor of Krishna believed that in their next life they'd reincarnate as an emperor.
Like every great gemstone, rubies were mentioned and highly regarded in virtually all ancient religious texts, from the Christian Bible to the Hindu religious writings.

Ruby's healing properties

This fiery red gemstone gifts its bearer with love, self-respect, courage to pursue his dreams and loyalty to his loved ones.
Rubies are considered to be basilar for those who live exhausting and intensive lives and, therefore, find it extremely hard to keep a strong and clear focus on the tasks at hands, for their minds are working on full throttle and rational concentration only becomes possible when a ruby ​​enters their lives.

Being a stone of true wisdom and clear perspective, rubies ensure that one's path is not paved with countless bad turns and tremendous time losses due to wrong decisions.

A ruby ​​will make its bearer find a sincere increase in productivity and have a true will to let go of all destructive patterns that lead to problems in the past.
Those feeling like they're an easy target for the evil eye or others' harmful intentions can greatly benefit from ruby's powerful shield that guards its bearer against any mental or physical attack.

ruby care

Even without much profound care, a ruby ​​will endure for much more than a lifetime. However, a long exposure to a strong heat or light source can affect its delightful tonalities, so due care should be taken.
In order to wash a ruby, warm and soapy water (or a mild dishwashing detergent) and a soft brush should be all that's needed for its royal beauty to keep shining proudly.

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Sapphire

Sapphire

PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF SAPPHIRE

Sapphire, like ruby, is a variety of corundum. This mineral is an aluminum oxide with the chemical composition Al2 O3. Sapphire can come in many colors depending on the coloring elements it contains: iron and titanium for blue stones, iron for yellow and green stones, vanadium for violets, chromium for pink… Its crystalline system is trigonal. Its hardness is very high: 9 on the Mohs scale which includes ten grades, the highest of which corresponds to diamond. It has a density of 3.95 to 4.03, its luster is vitreous, its pleochroism is strong. Some sapphires have no luminescence, others have an apricot color.

SAPPHIRE COLORS

All varieties of corundum that are not red are placed in the sapphire category, including leuco-sapphire, colorless, and padparadscha, of an incredible hue between pink and orange: its name comes from a word sanskrit meaning lotus flower...
The blue sapphire is the best known. Light blue, gray blue, dark blue, all shades are possible. Royal Blue and Cornflower Blue have a deep hue and are very popular.
Pink sapphire ranges from pastel to bright pink, and the most valuable are the least purple.
Yellow sapphire is not the most sought after because it is often less bright and clear than the others.
Green sapphires are quite rare in radiant cut.
Orange sapphires are very rare, and you have to be careful: most of those found on the market are tinted stones, unless you have an adequate certificate.
Vivid purple sapphires are highly sought after because they are rare, especially in large sizes.

MAIN SAPPHIRE DEPOSITS

Sapphire is formed either in magmatic rocks, or in the boundary zones between pegmatites (main constituents of the Earth's mantle) and adjacent rocks, or finally in metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and micaschists. Sapphires that have resisted the erosion of the rocks that housed them can be found in the alluvial deposits.
The sapphire is more common than its twin the ruby. They are found all over the world, such as in Australia, Brazil, Madagascar. The most important deposits, and those which contain the most beautiful stones are generally in Asia: the mines of Kashmir, in India, in Sri Lanka where cornflower (color of blueberry) is produced, in the mines of Mogok in Burma...

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SAPPHIRE?

To choose the right sapphire, you must pay attention to several criteria:

- The color: the sapphire must be a beautiful intense and deep blue, without being too dark as this would reduce its transparency. You should also know that sapphires lose some of their luster under an incandescent lamp, while they reveal all their luster in sunlight.
- Transparency: sapphires generally have fewer inclusions than rubies. It is better to prefer a stone with great clarity, even if a light veil, which is called "silk", can have its charm.
- the Cut: it is difficult because the raw sapphire is rarely homogeneous. The lapidary must therefore decide in which part he is going to cut the gem so that it is the most beautiful. The oval cut or the cushion cut reveal all the brilliance of the sapphire, but there are also hearts, pears, circles...

Sapphires are often heated to 1300 degrees to intensify their color and lessen the visibility of inclusions.

STORIES AND LEGENDS AROUND SAPPHIRE

The word sapphire comes from the Hebrew sappir, which means “the most beautiful thing”. This word would find its roots in the Sanskrit "sauriatna", passing through the Chaldean, the Greek and then the Latin "sapphirus".

Sapphire has sometimes been confused with lapis lazuli. Thus, some think that the Tables of the Law received by Moses on Mount Sinai were in sapphire, others in lapis lazuli. This last rock was sometimes called sapphire in Europe, until the 12th century.
The Egyptians associated the sapphire with truth and justice.
Charlemagne wore sapphire jewelry given to him by a caliph in the ninth century. In filigree gold and adorned with precious stones, it was added in the 19th century to a large cabochon sapphire through which we can see what is considered a fragment of the True Cross. This treasure from Reims Cathedral is kept in the Palais de Tau.
From the 13th century, on the decision of Pope Innocent III, the cardinals of the Catholic Church began to wear a ring with a sapphire on their right hand, the one that makes the gesture of blessing.

VIRTUES AND BENEFITS OF SAPPHIRE

The sapphire would have virtues both physically and spiritually.
It would strengthen eyesight, fight fever and stop nosebleeds if applied to the forehead. It would have a beneficial action on the hair, the skin and the nails, fighting against baldness for example.
It would help to treat problems of nervous origin, rheumatism, gout, joint pain.
From a psychic point of view, it symbolizes honesty, truth, fidelity. It would help its bearer to carry out his meditations well, to rise on the spiritual level. The medieval saint Hildegard of Bingen claimed that by licking it frequently, one could become more intelligent!

ASTROLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCES OF SAPPHIRE

The blue sapphire is especially linked to the sign of Libra, by its night color which evokes the autumnal equinox. Others associate him with Taurus, helping him to come to terms with himself and listen to his intuition. In Chinese astrology, it is associated with the Tiger and is sometimes called the Third Eye, for its ability to increase intuition, as with Taurus. Sapphire is the birthstone of September children. Sapphire weddings correspond to the 16th wedding anniversary.

The Science of Sapphire

Sapphire is composed mainly of corundum, a form of aluminum oxide that is crystalline and that also makes up the biggest part of ruby's composition, making them highly related and differentiated mostly by their colors.
Being clear blue its natural and most associated tonality, if impurities are present while it was formed, it can adopt different colors, such as green, pink, white, black or virtually any other or combination of others.

It gets its blue color from iron and titanium and the most famous mining sources for sapphires are located in India and throughout the Asian continent, but they can be found all over the world.
It has a trigonal hexagonal scalenohedral crystal system and a Mohs hardness of 9.

fancy color sapphire

Yellow and green sapphires are also commonly found. Pink sapphires deepen in color as the quantity of chromium increases. The deeper the pink color the higher their monetary value as long as the color is tending towards the red of rubies.

Sapphires also occur in shades of orange and brown, and colorless sapphires are sometimes used as diamond substitutes in jewelry. Paparadsha sapphires often draw higher prices than many of even the finest blue sapphires. Recently, more sapphires of this color have appeared on the market as a result of a new artificial treatment method that is called "lattice diffusion".

Padparadscha

Padparadscha is a pink-orange corundum, with a low to medium saturation and light tone, originally being mined in Sri Lanka, but also found in deposits in Vietnam and parts of Africa. Padparadscha sapphires are rare; the rarest of all is the totally natural variety, with no sign of treatment.

Sapphire throughout History

Like most gemstones, sapphire takes its name from a Latin word – sapphirus – meaning “blue”, and virtually every ancient civilization in History fell in love with this luxurious stone.
Until the 11 th century, sapphire was considered a privilege for European kings and clergy, for it was believed that it could serve as a powerful shield against the jealousy that their people could feel given the gargantuan riches and powers that kings and clergy have.

During the Renaissance period, the wealthy elitist minority found in sapphire the best way to show their status and jewelry worth fortunes was a common gift to seduce lovers or increasing one's influence and connection with relevant members from that same elite.
Those who possessed sapphire gems believed that it was the most effective way to prevent their wealth and fate to ever change and to maintain their ever-growing prosperity.

In ancient Egypt, sapphire was seen as a protective talisman that could keep evil spirits and other haunting creatures of the night away from its bearer and, therefore, was the favorite stone of travelers and those that dealt with the occult world.
Sapphire's healing properties

This mesmerizing gemstone is said to drive its bearer to its own destination, bringing out from one's heart and soul the best possible qualities that can allow one's dreams to materialize.
Sapphire is connected to success in romance and to attract internal bliss and happiness, keeping its bearer always motivated to keep seeking his goals without ever letting go of his belief in himself and hope that a higher power will make sure that everything will go right.

Those facing serious depression and an undesired flow of negative thoughts, find in sapphire a magical cure that restores balance and aligns all planes of the individual's reality.
By attracting good luck and bringing dreams to a state of accomplishment, sapphire is known for its everlasting effect of calmness, serenity and joy.


Sapphire care
Being ranked so high in Mohs scale of hardness, sapphires don't require any special treatment when it comes to washing them.
A simple solution of warm and soapy water is enough to ensure that it's effectively cleansed, but those with ultrasonic cleaners and steamers might find in them the right tool to bring their sapphires to life.

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Tourmaline

Tourmaline

PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF TOURMALINE

Tourmaline designates a group of minerals belonging to Silicates, more precisely to cyclosilicates, of complex and very variable composition. The formula can be presented as: (Ca, Na) (Al, Fe, Li, Mg)3 B3 Al3 (Al3, Si6, O27). Tourmalines can be transparent, translucent, or even opaque. Their luster is vitreous and their fracture is uneven, conchoidal. Their crystal system is rhombohedral; they are found as six-sided prismatic crystals, grainy aggregates, compact, fibrous and radiating, like the characteristic "tourmaline suns". Tourmaline has a hardness of 7 to 7.5. It has a strong pleochroism, that is to say that its color changes according to the angle of observation and reveals a lighter shade and a darker shade.

TOURMALINE COLORS

There are many colors of tourmaline, some frequent like the elbaite variety (colorless, blue, green, pink) and others much rarer like the Watermelon variety (pink in the center, green on the edges, like watermelon …). Here are some examples :
Black tourmaline, although shiny, is opaque and sometimes has blue, green or brown nuances.
Rubellite, as its name suggests, is bright and deep red.
Afghan Tourmaline from the Kunar Valley is peach and soft green in color.
Indocolite is deep blue, while Brazilian Paraiba Tourmaline has a whole range of bright, even electric blue tones!
Pink tourmaline resembles pink sapphire but at a much more accessible price. Others are yellow, orange, and even gray...

THE MAIN TOURMALINE DEPOSITS

Pegmatites are rocks of magmatic origin, which were formed from the liquid residues of the formation of nearby granite. Their composition is therefore close to that of granite, but their richness in water has allowed a good diffusion of minerals and favored the appearance of large crystals. This is how many gems appear, and among them, tourmaline… It is found in the form of rods with a triangular base, with convex faces.
The majority of tourmalines today come from Brazil. But, depending on the colors and varieties, these stones can come from Afghanistan (indicolites), India, Madagascar (rubellites), Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Burma, Russia (siberites) or Thailand. There are even some crystals in France but they are not used in jewelry.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR TOURMALINE WELL?

The colors, shapes and prices of tourmalines are very varied, so you must above all rely on your tastes to choose your tourmaline jewelry . The intensity of its color and the quality of its size are the main selection criteria.
Tourmaline, was not too hard, is one of the gems quite easy to cut; however, it requires great skill to find the axis of growth and take into account the strong pleochroism of the stone. The color often varies within the crystal itself. All the art of the lapidary therefore consists in choosing the right place and common sense to cut, the shape that will best bring out the beautiful colors of the tourmaline. So, for example, the table should be parallel to the main axis for dark stones, and perpendicular for lighter stones. The cat's eye tourmaline is cut in a simple cabochon, whose base is parallel to the fibers, to bring out its shimmer.

TOURMALINE STORIES AND LEGENDS

The word "tourmaline" comes from the Sinhalese "thuramali", which means "stone with mixed colors" and which designated all the stones whose name was not specifically known. What a beautiful name for a stone that arrived on Earth by crossing a rainbow, imbued with all its colors, as the Egyptians believed!
Known in Europe since the very beginning of the 18th century, it was identified by the naturalist Buffon in 1759. The Empress of China Tzu Hsi, who reigned from 1860 to 1908, adored pink tourmalines and reserved the entire production of the mine in Stewart, Southern California!
Tourmaline has piezoelectric properties, that is, it becomes electrically charged under stress (pressure). It is also pyroelectric, meaning it charges with static electricity at its ends when heated. It is also called Ceylon magnet. That's why it's used in hair straighteners, whose purpose is to remove static electricity that causes frizz...
Its presence in the soil is sometimes the precursor to the formation of a gold deposit.
The tender pink tourmaline is often offered, mounted in a ring, on Valentine's Day.

VIRTUES AND BENEFITS OF TOURMALINE

It is undoubtedly its electrical properties that explain its use in geobiology. Tourmaline is reputed to protect habitats against bad waves, whether of technological origin (wifi network, mobile phones, etc.) or natural, such as the harmful zones of the Hartmann network, this electromagnetic grid that would cover the Earth.
The properties attributed to tourmaline vary depending on the type of gem. Black tourmaline would be particularly effective, placed in the four corners of a house, to protect it from a geobiological point of view. It would strengthen the muscles, especially the heart. The "watermelon" version would be effective against emotional problems. Rubellite would help keep the liver healthy, it would also protect the lymph and the joints, not to mention the circulatory system. Blue tourmaline has beneficial effects on glands such as the thyroid, while green tourmaline concentrates its benefits on blood problems (anemia, poisoning).

ASTROLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCES OF TOURMALINE

Tourmaline is associated with different astrological signs depending on its color. Thus, Aries will be helped by green tourmaline; the black one too, but she also has a good relationship with Scorpio. As for pink tourmaline, it keeps these two associations but adds an affinity with Libra. Tourmaline corresponds to the 52nd wedding anniversary, and it is the birthstone for October children.

The Science of Tourmaline

Tourmalines are an intricate mix of crystals of aluminum boron silicate with a highly complex and modifying composition, which gives it infinite natural possibilities of coloration.
Its color ranges from hazy clear with gorgeous inclusions of black tourmaline threads, to almost any possible color in the light spectrum, often being found having several tonalities in the same stone, and making none look alike.

Most of the tourmaline in today's market comes from Brazil, Madagascar and Sri Lanka, and it's considered to be one of the most broadly appealing gemstones in the world.
It has a hexagonal rhombohedral crystal system and a Mohs hardness of 7-7.5.

Tourmaline throughout History

This mineral's name comes from the Singhalese expression tura mali , literally meaning “stone with miscellaneous colors”
In the past, this beautiful mineral was considered extremely opaque to have any use as a proud gemstone, so only since the past two decades did tourmaline go from an exclusively decorative and

ornamental stone to a source of adoration from craftsman and jewelry designers from all over the world.
Particularly in its crystal clear with black threads coloration, tourmaline embodies the ultimate yin-yang energy, which made its demand ramp up over the past years.

In ancient Egypt, it was believed that tourmaline passed through a rainbow as it traveled all the way to Earth, making it absorb all of its colors.
Scientists have been amazed by its natural properties, for tourmalines can be effectively charged with electrical energy if strongly heated up and then allowed to slowly cool down. Tourmaline's healing properties

This mineral is said to allow its bearer to deeply get to know his own self, and to more easily understand other individuals' true colors.
By promoting responsible actions and increasing self-confidence, tourmaline reduces one's fear of experimenting new things. It's considered to be a stone that would fit every person, for it attracts and enhances human qualities that are fundamental, such as tolerance, compassion and creativity.
By balancing the spectrum of female and male energies within one's body, tourmaline frees the individual from tension and enhances one's natural energy.

Tourmaline is a stone of peace that boosts compassion, cooperation and reconciliations, while at the same time it attracts emotional and financial prosperity.
Tourmaline care
Given its hardness, this is one of the easiest minerals to care for. Still, jewelry made from it shouldn't be used when doing activities that have a high risk of making it suffer a strong bash that can damage It can be soaked in a solution of dishwashing detergent and warm water for ten minutes and then gently scrubbed with a soft toothbrush; after properly drying it, it's ready to be stored or used again.

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Diamond

Diamond

PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF DIAMOND

The formula is therefore C; its hardness is ten, the maximum index on the Mohs scale, which means that it is only scratchable by another diamond. This does not prevent it from being brittle. It is transparent with an adamantine luster, with a specific gravity of 3.52. Insoluble in acids and bases, it has a cubic crystal system, its fracture is conchoidal, its luminescence is blue to greenish and it has no pleochroism.
The different diamond colors

The most famous diamonds are the most colorless, but these magnificent gems also come in shades of blue, gray, pink, green, blue-gray, yellow-brown, and even black. This last type of diamond, very rare, would come from space where it would have formed about 3 billion years ago. Its chemical structure is different from land diamonds (they are polycrystalline aggregates) and it includes hematite.

GENESIS AND DIAMONDS-PRODUCING COUNTRIES

Diamond forms in volcanic magma, when carbon is subjected to very high pressures and heat above 5000 degrees. Since it consists only of carbon, it is said to be an allotrope of graphite, which is the natural presentation of carbon at ordinary pressure and temperature. The main diamond deposits are located in African countries located in the southern hemisphere, as well as in Brazil, Russia, China, India and Canada. Australia, Botswana, Russia, Congo and South Africa contain the largest mines exploited today.

HOW TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF A DIAMOND?

The value of a diamond is essentially based on four criteria:

The Color:
The color, from white to pale yellow, is evaluated by a letter from D to Z. The D, like "diamond" (diamond in English) designates a perfectly colorless gem. It is better to choose a stone classified between D and I.

The colour " D is therefore the best grade possible for a diamond: it will be totally colorless . The further down the alphabet (the color scale), the more pronounced the diamond will be. The colour " Z " East lowest grade and such a diamond will have a yellow tint. NZ area diamonds are not made to be sold as gemstones.

Canary yellow diamonds are called Fancy and are not diamonds in the NZ zone.

For colored diamonds the most intense color will be the rare and therefore more expensive.
The colors from the most popular to the rarest in order: black, champagne, yellow, pale pink, orange, blue, green, purple, the rarest is red.


Purity (Clarity):
The greatest purity corresponds to the absence of discernible irregularity at x10 magnification. Any impurities present in a diamond can take the form of tiny inclusions or microscopic fluff. A classification is established with the letters FL (absence of irregularity under the microscope x10), IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, SI3, P1, P2, P3 (numerous inclusions visible to the naked eye and affecting shine).

Weight (Carats)
It is measured in carats, knowing that a carat is worth 0.2 grams, and that the carats used for precious stones have nothing to do with those concerning metal alloys. A carat can be divided into 100 points, so we can speak of a 20 point diamond equivalent to 0.20 carat.

The Size (Cut)
It obeys very precise rules to reveal all the brilliance of the gem. The upper flat part is called the table, the other small surfaces are the facets and their angles are scientifically calculated to play in the most beautiful way with the light (reflection and dispersion).

MAINTAINING YOUR DIAMOND

Careful cleaning with water and dishwashing liquid, followed by rinsing with hot water, is generally enough to maintain your gemstone. If dirt has slipped under the set stone, you can boil it in water, with a drop of dishwashing liquid and a few more of bleach. The diamond fears shocks: its hardness means that it is difficult to scratch, but it is however not unbreakable.

HISTORY AND LEGENDS AROUND DIAMOND

The word diamond comes from the Latin "adamas", designating the magnet or any hard metal. The meaning comes from the privative “a” and from “domare”, to tame. The diamond, indomitable, inflexible, is eternal… If we take care of it! The first diamonds were harvested from Indian rivers three thousand years ago. It is cited in Buddhist, Hindu, Jainist and Tibetan religious texts. The pharaohs wore it as a symbol of the sun in the middle of the ankh, the cross of life. It is also the Egyptians who are at the origin of the engagement ring worn on the 3rd finger, connected to the “vein of the heart”. The Dravidians, non-Aryan or Himalayan peoples of India, used the carob seed as a standard to measure the mass of diamonds, and it is this unit of weight that the carat still represents today (from the Greek keration, carob tree). . Some exceptional diamonds are known: thus, the Regent, which weighs 27.4 grams and is kept in the Louvre, is the purest diamond. The Cullinan, in the Tower of London, is the biggest in the world: it weighed more than 620 grams before the size. In 2014, astronomers discovered a star, a white dwarf, essentially made of crystallized carbon… A diamond star, in short! Located in the constellation of Centaurus, 50 light years from Earth, it measures 4022 km in diameter and is perhaps the largest diamond in the entire galaxy!

VIRTUES AND BENEFITS OF DIAMOND

The diamond is obviously a great symbol of purity. It has the reputation of being very powerful, which implies that whoever wears it or uses it in lithotherapy must himself be pure and irreproachable, otherwise the forces present will turn against him. Diamond is an energy purifier and amplifier. It would be protective against harmful energies and anxieties that hinder action and clarity of thought. The blue diamond, placed on the skin at the level of a diseased organ, would accelerate its healing.

 

DIAMOND ASTROLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCES

The diamond is associated with Aries, a sign full of youth, impulsiveness and energy. It would promote love and understanding, and would also act on the signs of Leo and Taurus. It is a symbol of eternal love. In Chinese astrology, it is linked to the sign of the pig. This sign is reputed to be diplomatic, delicate and enjoying luxury.
Diamond is the gemstone associated with the birth month of April. Diamond wedding anniversary celebrates 60 years of marriage.

The Science of Diamond

One of the greatest geological marvels is, without any shadow of doubt, the formation and consequential exquisite aura associated with diamonds.
These are composed of carbon atoms surrounded by four adjacent carbon atoms arranged in a tetrahedral coordination, and for them to come to existence it's necessary that the most specific and unique conditions are occurring – an extremely high pressure of fifty thousand times the one present at the Earth's surface, and a relatively low temperature that is almost impossible to match such high pressure levels.

Out of the whole worldwide extraction and synthesization of diamonds, only 20% is then used in jewelry, for its physical properties are of extreme importance for industrial purposes.
Diamonds have an isometric hexoctahedral crystal system and a Mohs hardness of 10, making them the hardest minerals on Earth.

Diamonds occur in a variety of colors — steel gray, white, blue, yellow, orange, red, green, pink to purple, brown, and black, virtually in every color of the rainbow.
Colored diamonds contain interstitial impurities or structural defects that cause the coloration, whilst pure diamonds are perfectly transparent and colorless.

Diamond throughout History

Billions of years ago, long before dinosaurs ruled our planet, diamonds were formed at the harshest possible conditions, bringing their beauty and outstanding fascination out of ancient times and straight into present and the future.
Surviving a glorious journey in order to get to our hands, diamonds are some of the clearest examples of Earth's destructive and constructive powers, shaping itself while creating new realities. Since they were first discovered by ancient civilizations, diamonds were considered to be truly magical, for no man's strength, powerful tool or raging fire could affect their integrity a single bit. Considered to be the crystalized form of the tears of the Gods of Olympus, or even small shattered bits of the stars, throughout history they have been associated with good luck, banishment of negative energies and evil, and the greatest source of true wisdom.

Kings of old would never risk going to battle without an amulet made from diamond in order to come back victorious and alive.
Awakening some of the strongest emotions in human beings, diamonds were present in some of the most important tales of old and their mystery will forever resonate in our collective subconscious.

Diamond's healing properties

Known as the king of all gemstones, a diamond is known for unifying the body and the mind, thus eliminating duality and reducing one's sense of separation from the outside world.
Diamonds boost one's intellect and increase the control over one's thoughts, allowing negative thought patterns to simply vanish and supreme mental clarity to be obtained.

Diamonds are seen as the most effective shield against negativity from one's surroundings, while at the same time it strengthens every energy center of the person bearing it.
Ancient Hindu traditions regarded diamonds as a talisman that would ensure good health and proper functioning of the internal organs, for its positive vibrations could even repel nightmares and prevent dreadful depression states.

Ultimately, diamonds are a symbol of clarity and purity, a true talisman to guard its bearer during all the difficult trials in life.
Diamond care
Diamond is the most indestructible of all minerals, however it requires appropriate care in order to make its beauty last forever.

One should make sure to clean a diamond with some regularity, for the oil from one's skin can affect its brightness and look.
Leaving a diamond soaked overnight in a solution of water and ammonia-based household cleaning product and then cleaning it in the morning with a soft brush is enough to make all of its beauty pops.

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