Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

[fahrquad]

I just saw a commercial for Levian Chocolate diamonds, and was thinking that the grading of diamonds was based on the "three C's", as in color, cut, and clarity.  A "Chocolate" diamond would be considered a low grade diamond suitable for not much more than industrial uses (i.e. abrasive) instead of a stone(s) on a $3500 band.

 

http://www1.macys.com/shop/featured/le-vian-chocolate-diamond/Product_department/Ring?cm_mmc=Google_DMA_Jewelry-_-Le+Vian+-+Exact_Le+Vian+Chocolate+Diamond+Rings-_-166565931053-_-levian%20chocolate%20diamond%20ring_e_c_kclickid_761ef947-700d-4583-b047-e0b1ee0ddff9&trackingid=411x48720&gclid=CO7GzcSRi9ECFcO3wAod1r0A_Q

[fahrquad]

The diamond on my wife's engagement band is a 1/3 carat white diamond that is a "mine cut" as in the bottom has a facet instead of being tapered to a point, so viewed in bright light it appears to have a black spot at the bottom due to the light refraction.  I spent about $600 for the ring with baguettes and resetting the stone.  Back in 1999, the ring was appraised at around $5600 (I am not going to dig up the paperwork to get the exact figure although it is not really relevant in 2016).  This diamond was on my grandfather's pinky ring and was cut somewhere between 1890 and 1920.  My father let me take it from the band, although the rubies and sapphires are still intact. 

Edited December 23, 2016 by fahrquad

[fahrquad]

If the wife and I ever split, the wife can keep the house and whatever else, but I want that stone back as a century (+/-) family heirloom.  I remember pappoús wearing that ring before he died back around 1968-ish (I was still a small child back then).   He was 91 when he died in the hospital of pneumonia (he was just in for some routine testing and the nurse left the window open in NYC in February), but I think that puts his date of birth around 1877 (+/-).

[fahrquad]

For our 20th anniversary (in 2019), I was briefly considering upgrading the diamond in the engagement ring to a 1/2 carat or bigger stone, but the historical and familial value would be lost.  I think that would be more symbolically significant than the amount of money I spent on flash.

[SaxonViolence]

Friend,

 

I have a fascinating book "The New Alchemists" talking about the early history of manufacturing synthetic diamonds. The book said that back in the 50s or 60s—don't remember which—it took some multi-million dollar facility to make diamonds—but back when the book was written (late 80s?) they said that anyone with a rather large basement and $50 000 to spare could create diamonds.

 

Historically most synthetic diamonds were small low grade industrial abrasive-sized diamonds. Gem sized diamonds can be produced but you spend much more time cooking a given batch. At the time, only the Japanese seem to have spent much effort on creating large gem quality diamonds.

 

A decade or more after the book was written the Soviet Union broke up and creating gem quality diamonds became a popular cottage industry in parts of Russia.

 

I'm a decade or two out of date but it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between man made and real diamonds. I can't see that it matters.        

Last account I had—man made diamonds have microscopic inclusions of Aluminum that can only be detected with X-Ray crystallography.

 

Check out Moissanite—gem quality Calcium Carbide. It is almost as hard as Diamond. It has a greater index of refraction and while it isn't dirt cheap, it is noticeably cheaper carat per carat than diamonds. I'd rather have a 2-carat moissanite than a -.5 carat diamond—or whatever the equivalent price would be.

 

 

Saxon Violence

[exchemist]

Friend,

 

I have a fascinating book "The New Alchemists" talking about the early history of manufacturing synthetic diamonds. The book said that back in the 50s or 60s—don't remember which—it took some multi-million dollar facility to make diamonds—but back when the book was written (late 80s?) they said that anyone with a rather large basement and $50 000 to spare could create diamonds.

 

Historically most synthetic diamonds were small low grade industrial abrasive-sized diamonds. Gem sized diamonds can be produced but you spend much more time cooking a given batch. At the time, only the Japanese seem to have spent much effort on creating large gem quality diamonds.

 

A decade or more after the book was written the Soviet Union broke up and creating gem quality diamonds became a popular cottage industry in parts of Russia.

 

I'm a decade or two out of date but it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between man made and real diamonds. I can't see that it matters.        

Last account I had—man made diamonds have microscopic inclusions of Aluminum that can only be detected with X-Ray crystallography.

 

Check out Moissanite—gem quality Calcium Carbide. It is almost as hard as Diamond. It has a greater index of refraction and while it isn't dirt cheap, it is noticeably cheaper carat per carat than diamonds. I'd rather have a 2-carat moissanite than a -.5 carat diamond—or whatever the equivalent price would be.

 

 

Saxon Violence

Er, you don't mean that. 

 

Calcium carbide is decomposed by water with the release of acetylene gas!!! So a wearer of calcium carbide jewellery risks blowing up in a rain shower.

 

You mean Silicon Carbide, SiC : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moissanite

[SaxonViolence]

Friend,

 

You're right. I had a momentary brain cramp.

 

When you can think far faster than you can type, sometimes the brain goes to sleep—at least mine does.

 

I had used silicone carbide sandpaper upon occasion for many years and I remember being surprised that it could be a gem.

 

A calcium carbide set might prove handy if you become lost in a mine. You could fuel up your miner's lamp with your wedding ring...

 

Saxon Violence