RARE BEAUTY !!! (THE PURPLE DIAMOND ) Diamonds come in several colors and shades. Natural fancy colored diamonds are exceedingly rare; out of the approximately 110 million carats of diamonds mined each year, only 2,000 carats are considered gem quality, large or pure enough to be shaped and polished for commercial sale. Of all of the natural fancy diamonds, perhaps the most rare is the pure purple diamond. Purple is the color of royalty, of courage and honor. For years, it was considered the color of kings, as only royalty could afford the cost of purple cloth for their clothing. Purple heart medals are given to soldiers killed or wounded in action, as a recognition of their bravery and sacrifice. With these lofty associations, it’s no wonder that purple diamonds are considered among the most precious of all diamonds. Pure purple diamonds are nearly impossible to find. Most natural purple diamonds are lightly shaded with hints of pink, red, blue, gray or even brown, tinting the diamond slightly and lowering the overall perceived quality of the gem. Purple diamonds are most commonly found in Australian mines, although they have also been found in several other areas around the world. It is believed that purple diamonds are created as a result of extra hydrogen in the stone as it is forming, although scientists are still unclear about how exactly the hydrogen is responsible for coloring the diamond. The actual color of a purple diamond can range from very light lilac or near-pink to a deep and vivid color. The color can also range from a pinkish-purple to one with a cooler blue tone. Even though natural purple diamonds are very rare, there is a growing interest in purple colored diamonds. The large demand and small supply has pushed prices up to several times the cost of regular diamonds, resulting in prices that are out of the reach of many interested consumers. This has led to an increase in the popularity of much cheaper, but inferior, synthetically colored diamonds. These natural diamonds are exposed to certain types of minerals, chemicals, or even ion beams to change their color. There are also some jewelers who choose to coat diamonds in color to give them the look of a fancy colored diamond.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 09:41:32 +0000
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