Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend… or Soon Could Be!

It’s a good time of year to talk about ice, isn’t it?  August is, for people living in the Northern Hemisphere, the hottest month of the year, and there is nothing cooler to think about than ice.  Or for this discussion, diamonds.

Just like the rest of us, diamond vendors have been suffering through this recession.  Various companies can be seen on the Internet, discussing their loss of profits as prices declined in the recessionary economy.  It’s interesting, isn’t it?  The price of gold increased because investors were uncertain and wanted the stability and certainty of gold in choppy financial waters.

But by the same token, they have pulled back from buying diamonds.   Prices declined, and so one of the world’s hardest substances has been hard for investors to gauge as well.

A certain amount of that is because of the system of buying diamonds in use.  The majority of the world’s diamonds are sold through the DeBeers company, which until a few years ago, tightly controlled the market through use of a cartel.  These days, things are a little looser on the market, but nonetheless, it’s a secretive and private industry which doesn’t like to open its doors to share information nearly as much as it likes to open doors to let well-heeled buyers in for a purchase.

Be that as it may be, when the recession deepened, many buyers at the retail level (where demand is generated) were simply buying smaller diamonds or not making the purchases at all.  So the prices have declined.  A few diamond mining companies have teetered or even gone into default because of the market slowdown.

DeBeers has been no different in this downturn.  The company has long-standing debt, and asked lenders for leniency (which was granted) for those debts.  But the slowdown continues to worry.  DeBeers is now restructuring its debt and its ways of doing business to address the concerns.

So what does this mean for consumers?  If the demand continues to decrease, the price of diamonds may fall accordingly.  There seems to be a recent feeling of hope in the markets that the economy is beginning to turn the corner.  But the trickle-down will be long in coming.

If an upturn in diamond sales is not soon realized, then consumers may see deflation come into play.  The prices of diamond jewelry could actually decrease and some real deals in diamonds be seen.

Which means that what has been a painful economic recession could turn out to have a bright spot.  Or rather in this case, a bit of unexpected sparkle.

Why A Diamond is Forever

In 1947, a marketing staff for DeBeers coined the phrase  “A Diamond is Forever” and it went on to become the best advertising slogan of the 20th century.  The message it conveyed could not have been as effective if it referred to something less deserving of the title; the phrase flourished and made its mark because everyone knew, nothing could be more true.

The earliest mention of  diamonds in history was between the 3rd and 4th century BC, in a Sanskrit text that related to the diamond trade. The most prized gem in the world, the diamond, came from the Greek word “Adamas” which means indestructible or invincible, and adamantly so. Only another piece of diamond can scratch and cut another diamond.   In fact, it has registered a “10″ on Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness, a quality that made this gemstone a worthy possession indeed. Ancient Chinese even utilized this particular characteristic to cut another prized gemstone, the Jade. But in those days, the Diamond was only available in India, and even then, it was popular both as jewelry as well as a kind of cutting and engraving tool for practical applications.

Diamonds are basically made of carbon compressed under extremely high pressure, about hundreds of kilometers deep into the Earth’s surface, with temperatures not lower than 1,000 Degrees Celcius, and most importantly, it had to be molded for millions of years!  These conditions need to be present to achieve a gem like the Diamond. Otherwise, it would just be another piece of charcoal.

The depletion of India’s diamond resource circa the Middle Ages prompted entrepreneurs and bounty hunters alike to look for alternative deposits; which they found in Brazil (1725) and Kimberley in South Africa (1867). The latter proved to be a goldmine for diamond deposits where the business and geopolitical implications of this gem are very much alive.

Meanwhile, the aesthetic value of the Diamond lies in the absence of any color in its crystal. While other gemstones are valued for the amount and quality of color they possess, the Diamond is measured otherwise.  But still, diamonds can be found in a wide variety of colors and in great range of shades.

To date, the gem’s popularity will always go back to the year 1477 when the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as a symbol of his engagement, offered Mary of Burgundy a diamond engagement ring. Over the centuries, the gem has symbolized a few more significant events. It is proudly the April birth stone, as well as the perfect gift to celebrate Jubilee and sixty-year anniversaries.

The 4 C’s of Diamonds: Which C Matters Most?

If you’ve ever purchased a diamond, you are likely familiar with the phrase “the four C’s.” But even if you can name them all, understanding the difference that each of the C’s makes on the diamond is a much more complicated affair. Many people wonder which one of the four C’s is the most important, and which is the least important in creating a truly beautiful diamond. Our guide to the 4 C’s will not only give you descriptions of each category, it will also help you determine which C matters most for the diamond you are looking for. Read on, and consider yourself schooled in the C’s.

Cut

A diamond’s cut refers to the angles and facets on the gemstone. Well cut diamonds must have particular proportions and angles in order to internally reflect the light off the stone. If the diamond is cut too deep or shallow, it will cause the diamond to lose its sparkle and brilliance. Interestingly, cut is the only part of a diamond’s beauty than can be controlled, since the cuts are man-made. A perfectly cut diamond requires immense skill from the cutter, for a single wrong cut can impair its sparkle and shine.

Cut also refers to the shape of the diamond. The most common cuts on the market are round, princess, marquis, emerald, pear, oval and heart. The round diamond is the most brilliant of all diamond shapes since the angles of the cuts cause it to reflect the most light.

Why Cut Matters: The cut of a diamond is one of the most important of the four C’s. A perfect cut can hide blemishes and will make a diamond pop and sparkle brilliantly. An improperly cut diamond, no matter how clear or large it is, will lack fire and brilliance.

Color

Diamonds’ color is graded from D-Z on a color scale. They can range from completely colorless (D) all the way to yellow (Z). A diamond’s color is also a big determinant of its value and cost since colorless diamonds are much more rare. However, the naked eye isn’t a good judge of a diamond’s color, and most people cannot differentiate between a D and an F.

Why Color Matters: Color can alter the type of light and fire that a diamond reflects. However, many people like ‘warm’ tones in their diamond or even prefer the yellow hue to a colorless diamond. It’s mainly a personal preference, and if you don’t care about the color grading you can save a lot of money by getting a diamond of lower color quality.

Carat

A carat actually doesn’t refer to a diamond’s size – it refers to the weight. Carat impacts diamond size dramatically since larger diamond are much harder to find. However, you can buy a very large carat diamond with poor cut and clarity for less than a much smaller, more flawless diamond.

Why Carat Matters: Going up only slightly in size can make the diamond’s price jump exponentially. Try buying a carat size that is just under the next highest carat to save big. For instance, if you want to buy a one carat diamond, buy a .9 carat diamond instead. You can’t tell the size difference with a naked eye, but you can save hundreds (if not a thousand) of dollars for staying under 1 carat.

Clarity

Clarity is a measure of how flawless the diamond is. Almost all diamonds have internal flaws, called inclusions. The more flawless a diamond, the less inclusions it has, and the more expensive it is. Clarity is measured on a scale that ranges from Included 3 (the most inclusions) up to Flawless. Most likely, a good diamond will fall in the range of Slightly Included to Very Very Slightly Included.

Why Clarity Matters: Inclusions, even if they are not visible the naked eye, obstruct the light from reflecting evenly off the facets of the diamond. This reduces the sparkle and brilliance. However, almost all diamonds have inclusions; as long as they are slightly included or better the inclusions aren’t visible to the naked eye.

So, which of the four C’s matters most?

In a nutshell, the importance of each C is dependent upon the recipient’s personal taste. If all a person wants is a huge diamond, they can sacrifice color and clarity to afford a bigger carat.  Many people want a diamond that sparkles brilliantly, and should focus on finding a diamond with a perfect cut and least amount of color (light reflects best off colorless diamonds since color absorbs the light). Determine what is most important in your diamond, and shop around to compare the difference that each of the 4 C’s make. This, along with the information in our handy guide above, should enable you to pick the perfect diamond to suit your taste and price range.

Once Upon A Jewelry

There is a treasure trove of historical information regarding jewelry of the bygone days. We all know about rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants because they are very much in existence today. But do you know that there is at least one kind of jewelry that was so much en vogue in the 17th century?  This was the kind worn by high society and the nobility and were often featured in their life-sized paintings by the grand master painters of centuries past.  Unfortunately for us, these pieces have not been worn publicly beginning in the early 18th century and has since been relegated into the closets of museums and auction houses.

We are talking about stomacher jewelry or stomacher brooch jewelry. It was first introduced in Spain in the early 1600 and was quickly adapted as a fashion trend in the whole of Europe. Wikipedia defines a Stomacher as :

“… a decorated triangular panel that fills in the front opening of a woman’s gown or bodice. Stomachers were often embroidered, or covered in pearls, diamonds and other jewels.”

In many instances, a stomacher is created in interlocking sections (see photo at left), which could be worn together or individually depending on the occasion and the wearer’s whim. It could also be part of a set of jewelry that includes a ring, earring, bracelet and a pendant.  Originally designed with beautiful embroidery, it was during the renaissance period that precious stones, pearls and diamonds were incorporated through sewing onto the stomacher fabric.  The design is very  ornate that usually extends from the neckline to about 10 inches deep into the waistline. The workmanship, the details and the amount of jewelry set into it is awe-inspiring, to say the least.

Moreover, stomachers were not permanently affixed to the dress; it was simply held together by pins, usually under the bustier, and can be removed to pair with another dress that matched it. It was a must-have accessory for a woman who wanted her wealth and status affirmed.

No one really knows why this fashion did not take off like every other piece of jewelry still in use today. We could only surmise. But the more important thing is once upon a time, history lent us a period when man’s creativity, and to some extent its profligacy, reached the degree that it did during the trend of the Stomachers.

Black Diamond Jewelry

Black Diamonds are genuine, natural diamonds that have been heat and pressure treated to obtain their black color. This makes them not only unique, but also high affordable! You can get a full 1.00 Carat or 2.00 Carat Black Diamond Solitaire Ring in the hundreds of dollars, not thousands.

Then there’s the ever-popular, but now slightly over-saturated three stone diamond ring. How about a Black Diamond Three Stone Ring instead to bring a new twist to a favored classic?

But our most popular black diamond piece? By far, it is the 1/2 Carat Art Deco Black Diamond Ring, available only at Apples of Gold Jewelry. It makes a perfect gift for that unique individual in you’ve been thinking about.

View our entire selection: Black Diamond Rings and Black Diamond Pendants.

View black diamond jewelry from Apples of Gold Jewelry.