Albane M. selects her diamonds with the greatest care in Antwerp.
The purity
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).
The colour
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 weight
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
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).
What are the physical 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 crystalline 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.
What are the main diamond 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 do I care for my 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.
What are the virtues and benefits of diamonds?
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.
