Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! You know what they say, diamonds are a girl’s best friend so why not discuss my apparent BFF this week? P.S. don’t tell diamonds, but I like opals better! Diamonds can be a little clingy sometimes and I don’t want to hurt their feelings!
Now it might just be me, but when I think of diamonds I think of engagement rings, diamonds being the standard for such occasions since forever. The first record of a diamond being used for an engagement ring was in 1477 when Archduke Maximillian of Austria for Mary of Burgundy. This instance made diamond rings popular amongst European nobility and it surely has only ever taken off from there.
Diamonds are also used in various other ornamentation like necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and diadems as well. For centuries, many cultures believed diamonds had the power to ward off evil, provide protection in battle, and cure illness. No wonder diamonds became so popular with royalty; diamonds in crowns and tiaras are still popular to this day. By 1947 De Beers created the “Diamonds are Forever” campaign to convey the idea that marriage is forever with in the United States. Of course, this is only because De Beers found a diamond mine in Africa and were able to make diamonds more accessible, but I digress…
There are the “4C’s” of diamonds that you should keep in mind when looking at your shiny rocks, number one being Carat weight which is simply how much your diamond weighs. Number two is Color, where the absence of color is a good thing! The less yellow and the clearer the better! Number three is Clarity; the absence of blemishes and inclusions is better like most things. You wouldn’t pick a bruised apple, would you? Finally, number four is Cut. This doesn’t mean the shape of the diamond, rather the way in which the facets are cut. The facets should interact with light in a way the enhances the shine that people love about diamonds so much.
If you have diamonds but aren’t sure about value, you can send them to get GIA certified or bring them to your local jeweler to get appraised! Or if you are in the market for diamonds, make sure you check out our auctions because you might just find something you like!
