A
diamond is pure or nearly pure carbon, and has three wonderful qualities:
1) It has unique powers of reflecting light.
2) It is the purest gemstone, being composed of a single pure element.
3) It is the hardest transparent substance known to man.
When shopping for a diamond there are four characteristics to be considered
cut, clarity, color, carat. These are often referred to as the 4C's.
CUT
The cut of a diamond is the only human element and more than any other
quality, cut determines the brilliance of a diamond.
CLARITY
every diamond is unique and each one possesses its own individuality.
There are some imperfections in almost every diamond; tiny feathers
and clouds called "inclusions" that formed when the diamond
was created. The fewer the inclusions, the rarer it will be graded,
and the more light it will reflect, making it more valuable. Truly
flawless diamonds are extremely rare.
COLOUR
The purest and rarest of diamonds are virtually colourless. Although
many diamonds may appear colourless to the eye, most show very slight
traces of yellow, brown or grey. Colour differences from one grade
to the next are so subtle only someone with a trained eye can see
them under laboratory light.
CARAT
A diamond's weight is the easiest characteristic to measure. Size
alone is almost meaningless unless YOU consider Cut, Clarity and Colour.
However, increase in size does increase the value of a diamond simply
because large stones are rarer than small ones.
Did
you know?
The colourless Cullinan, the biggest diamond ever found, weighed 0,62kg
(one and a quarter pound) uncut.
Dog may be man's best friend, but diamonds are a girl's best friend.
And as an ad for the De Beers diamond group states: "Sorry boys.
Size does count."
The tradition of a diamond engagement ring started in 1477 when Archduke
Maximillian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy.
Diamond is the birthstone for April and the anniversary gem for the
10th and 60th years of marriage.
The Greek word adamas is the base word for diamond. It means "unconquerable.”
…on
stone-studded jewellery, that is. While diamonds dazzle the eye and
gold glitters glamorously, other, less costly gems are also making a
huge splash in the fashion world. Let's face it: not everyone can actually
afford to indulge in these costly creations. It is the consideration
to the budget of the average buyer, as well as the need to find new
ground in expressing their ingenuity through their craft that more designers
are rediscovering the charm of semi-precious stones.
Semi-precious stones have been popular
in their use of ornamentation throughout history. The Egyptians pharaohs
had their headdresses adorned with lapis lazuli and wore amulets made
of amber. The Chinese used to (and still do) go crazy over jade, believing
in its ability to bring luck to the wearer. Author Wilkie Collins
made the epistolary style of writing familiar in his novel "The
Moonstone", which was about the mystery surrounding the theft
of a moonstone necklace. The list of examples is endless. Jewellery
stores around the city are now sporting collections of ornaments made
with semi-precious stones.
One
place to check out cool jewellery in semi-precious stones is Mayasir.
The collection there is inspired by the antique traditional jewellery
of Bengal, with a twist. The ornaments on display are an exotic combination
of designs of the ancient Bengal with trends in the Western world
of fashion. Designer Maheen Khan has combined silver and wood with
both cut and uncut stones to create a totally different effect. She
has also blended semi-precious stones such as garnet, feroza, tiger's
eye, amethyst, and amber, etc. with silver to create modern designs.
Another
place to check out amazing jewellery is Stone n' String, at Gulshan.
They have some amazing ornaments using gems like garnet, jade, amethyst,
lapis lazuli, as well as materials like hematite, coral, crystal,
onyx and sandstone. From cufflinks to earrings to complete sets, the
ornaments at Stone n' String come in a variety of unique designs that
look good on just any occasion.
These are just a few places where
you can find extensive collections of semi-precious stones. Most large
jewellery stores around the city now offer pieces and sets made from
various semi-precious stones. What more do you need? Just grab your
purse and go get those stones.
brilliant best
friends…
‘DIAMONDS!
Diamonds! Diamonds! Are a girl's… best… friend!' If you've seen Moulin
Rouge, then I'm sure you've heard Nicole Kidman sing these lines as
she slowly descended on the cancan crowds wearing a dazzling white
stone-studded corset. Why go that far? Movies, soaps, music videos
and ads always promote how precious and priceless diamonds are: how
diamonds are forever.
It is true though. Diamonds are forever.
A diamond is the hardest transparent substance known to man. That
says it all about its lasting forever. But they are also 'forever'
because women throughout the ages and eras have felt themselves drawn
to the brilliance of this stone.
Why?
That's the most asked question (and don't be surprised if it's coming
from a man). You see, with men, there are things that they are fascinated
by. Things. Plural. Things like hot rods, baseball collectible cards,
gadgets, or even matchbox cars. But for women (leaving out the 2 or
3 out of billions) there is only one thing that they covet. Diamonds.
To women, a diamond really is forever because it looks good when they
are wearing one at sixteen and it looks good when they are wearing
one at sixty. Not only does the stone look good on its own, it enhances
the whole get up of the wearer. It's true. If you are at a party,
you will notice that if you are talking to a person who is wearing
diamonds, invariably your eyes will be drawn to it and invariably
before you can stop yourself, you will ask about it. That's the special
quality that diamonds have.
These days women in our country are
becoming more keen on acquiring diamonds because they too, like the
rest of the world, are starting to grab onto what I call the 'Forever
Theory'. Moreover with diamonds coming in from India, prices are much
more affordable and people can now easily acquire them from different
dealers who are now promoting diamonds. While the selection is still
limited, customers are still getting an opportunity to easily find
diamond jewellry around town.
Diamonds are like milestones. They
should be given on milestone occasions accordingly. For my fellow
brethren out there, don't ever question the 'forever theory' or the
'best friend theory'. The explanation will go over your head and seeing
that, your beloved's sentiments will be bruised. Don't make that mistake.
You'll grow out of your mid-life craving for hot rods and other boy
toys but your beloved will never grow out of wanting a diamond.
So for your next milestone event,
get her a diamond. After all diamonds are forever a girls best friend!
By Tahiat-e-Mahboob
