Diamonds – the iconic precious stones
THE DIAMOND IS THE MOST ICONIC AND MYTHICAL OF ALL PRECIOUS STONES. AN ENGAGEMENT OR WEDDING RING STUDDED WITH DIAMONDS IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF LOVE.
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- Diamonds – the iconic precious stones
Diamonds have always been considered one of the most valuable things known to mankind. It is also the absolute hardest material we know of, and perhaps for these two reasons, through history it has represented strength and resistance.
The most famous – as well as the most mythical – diamond in existence is the Hope diamond, a large blue diamond found in India in the 17th century. In the 18th century it was owned by King Louis XIV of France, but it was stolen and disappeared during the French Revolution. Throughout history, many people have argued that the Hope diamond has magical powers, and the myth is that the beautiful blue-gray stone is cursed.
Beautiful sparkling diamonds have always fascinated us humans. Their admirers have included artists such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rihanna, who sang and talked about the beauty and special qualities of diamonds.
Created deep within the earth
Diamonds consist of the element carbon, which, under extreme heat and pressure deep within the earth, is compressed to form diamonds. When a diamond is found in a mine, it doesn’t look anything like what we’re used to. It takes a lot of work and expertise to produce beautiful cut stones.
Only a fraction of all rough diamonds that are found is of a high-enough quality to be approved for use in jewellery. The finished cut diamond is valued on the basis of the four Cs: Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut.
Carat
Carat indicates the weight of the diamond. A carat weighs 0.2 grams. But it’s important to remember that carat and size are not the same; depending on how a stone is cut, it can be perceived as bigger or smaller than another stone with exactly the same carat.
Colour
Colour indicates the stone’s colour. Completely colourless and translucent stones have greater value than those with a yellow, brown, or grey tone, for example.
Clarity
Clarity is about how clear the diamond is, or if there are streaks of discolouration or shadows in the stone. The clearer the stone, the more expensive it is. Finally, a diamond is judged according to how it is cut.
Cut
Diamonds can be sanded in many different shapes, and depending on which property you want to emphasize, the grinding is best chosen. The quality of the grinding is graded, depending on how many parts of the grinding work have occurred.
Advanced artisanal skill
When a rough diamond is to be processed for use in a piece of jewelry, it can be cut into many different shapes. Depending on how it is cut, qualities like color, brilliance, or clarity can be emphasized. Several of the shapes used today were developed as early as the 13th century. Popularity varies from shape to shape, and so prices differ accordingly.
Cutting a diamond involves advanced artisanal skill based on mathematical formulas to ensure exactly the right proportions between the different parts of the stone. It’s all about cutting the stone in a way that best reflects light. A perfectly cut diamond sparkles and shimmers in a completely unique way compared to other precious stones.
Iconic engagementring
The most classic diamond cutting is known as the brilliant, which gives a stone that is rounded at the top with a sharp point underneath. When it comes to weddings among celebrities and royalty, you’ll often see a beautiful solitaire with a big brilliant-cut diamond on the happy bride’s finger.
A brilliant-cut diamond is often called a brilliant, and it is also one of the more expensive cuts as only 40% of the undisturbed stone remains once the round shape is cut. Brilliants are also the most popular cut, which also translates into higher prices.
The Crown wedding ring is one example of our beautiful single-stone rings with a brilliant-cut diamond. Another classic cut is the princess, which gives a square diamond with pointed corners. With a princess cut diamond, it’s possible to use a larger part of the original stone, making it less expensive. Our Rock Star ring is an example of one of our rings with princess-cut diamonds.
Our diamond rings are all designed by Efva Attling herself, and the rings are made by highly experienced goldsmiths in our studio in Stockholm. Whether you choose an engagement ring with a large stone or an alliance ring with many small stones, you can be assured that you’re getting a very high-quality handmade ring. See our entire collection of diamond rings here.
Are you about to "pop the question"? Or are you thinking about looking at wedding rings for the big day? Find the ring that will make your heart beat a little extra.