Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The Exciting World Of Colored Diamonds

The history of diamonds is quite intriguing. Diamonds are thought to have been first recognized and mined in India and are believed to be discovered over 3000 years ago. Diamonds are the rarest and most precious types of stone. The most familiar usage of diamonds today is for adornment, which dates back into antiquity. The dispersion of white light into spectral colors is the primary gemological characteristic of gem diamonds. In the twentieth century, experts in the field of gemology have developed methods of grading diamonds and other gemstones based on the characteristics most important to their value as a gem. Known informally as the four Cs, they are the basic descriptors of diamonds: carat, cut, color, and clarity.

Diamonds of all colors can be found in nature. From pink to black, spanning all the colors of the rainbow including blue, red, yellow, green, gray and brown. Over 300 colors have been identified so far, however these come in an infinite number of shades and hues. Some colors are more attractive than others, and in particular the colors whose names evoke a strong image - red, pink, blue, green, orange. In such cases, the price depends not only on the rarity of the color, but also on the demand for it: the greater the demand, the higher the price. Conversely, beautiful gray diamonds are rarer than many other colors, but cost a lot less as the demand for them is much weaker. Similarly, colors that laboratories have defined with composite names (orange brown, gray or grayish-blue, yellow orange, orange pink…) are less sought and relatively less expensive, in spite of their rarity.

One of the most famous diamonds, The Hope, a deep blue sapphire colored diamond, is currently held at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Several hypotheses have been put forward concerning its origin. History tells us that Louis XIV had the Hope stone cut and set in the crown jewels, which subsequently became the richest gem collection in Europe, possibly in the world. The diamond stayed in the hands of the Kings of France until the unfortunate reign of Louis XVI, who was decapitated in 1793 during the French revolution. The Hope had been stolen several months earlier, while it was being kept in the Garde-Meuble in Paris.

Very little is known of its whereabouts between the time it was stolen and the time it was bought by the English banker Henry Philip Hope (hence its name) not long before 1825. After this, the diamond changed hands together with its owners' changes of fortune, until 1949 when it was finally purchased by the famous American jeweler Harry Winston. He offered it to the Smithsonian Institute with the intent of starting a new collection that would, he hoped, rival with that kept in the Tower of London.

Today colored diamonds remain a symbol of beauty and tradition, sought after for all of their magnificent and unique qualities that we have cherished for centuries past and will cherish for centuries to come.

As published on:
https://www.bluelakejewelry.com/index.asp?ID=38&PageAction=Custom

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The Exciting World Of Colored Diamonds
posted by Rare Colored Diamonds on Wednesday, March 19, 2008