Diamonds

Comparatively, they are rare.

Only one in 200 geographic areas where indicator minerals show the potential presence of diamonds actually contain diamonds.

Eighty percent of all diamonds mined are not gem quality, but are industrial diamonds.

The remaining twenty percent of diamonds mined have the potential to be gems, but must be sorted, cut and polished to become gemstones. Then, those that are coloured, flawless and large become the multi-million dollar objects you read about in the news.

Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas is the only diamond-producing site open to the public. Visitors can search for diamonds in the 37.5-acre plowed field, and any diamonds found are theirs to keep. It is a popular destination for gemstone enthusiasts and tourists.

Assuming this is a loose diamond, not set in jewelery, or a raw diamond found in the wild, best practices dictate that you pick it up between your finger and your opposable thumb, unless it's too small. Then, you can moisten your finger with your tongue, press the diamond, then turn your finger over to see the diamond. If you have a long fingernail, you could also employ it to pick up a diamond from its spot.

This ultimately depends on personal preference and budget. Natural diamonds are formed over millions of years in the earth's crust, while manufactured diamonds are created in a lab using advanced technology. Both types have their own unique characteristics and value. It's important to consider factors like ethics, cost, and authenticity when deciding which type of diamond to buy.

The world's largest diamonds -- however you define as big, large, valuable and so forth -- are all kept safely away from potential theft.

There are times when 'big' diamonds are available for display. Often, you'll read about them in the news.

Diamonds are used in the jewelry industry. We see this all the time, and in any public place where women are about, many wear diamond rings. But gems are the minor use of the diamond. Most diamonds are used in cutting and abrasive operations. Industry depends on them. Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance, and it is used to cut and grind metals, stone, ceramics and other very hard things. This "behind the scenes" use of this amazing mineral is lumped under the heading industrial diamonds.

You can easily find a diamond if you frequent areas where water flows over undiscovered diamond pipes. You're likely to see one in the riverbed and pick it up from there.

Otherwise, if you want to establish a diamond mine, you must first obtain permissions from the land owner to search for diamonds, hire a geologist who knows how to look for trace minerals for diamonds -- such as kimberlite, and test samples for years until you are convinced that you can find diamonds if you mine in a certain location.

Because this person probably picked up a shiny stone more than 6,000 years ago -- probably in India -- the name has been lost to history.

The Hope Diamond is a deep blue color due to traces of boron within the diamond's carbon structure. These boron impurities absorb red, yellow, and green light, resulting in the blue color that the diamond is famous for.

Carats is a weight measurement for gemstones. A whole gemstone weighs what it weighs, in carats. Carats are usually numbered using 100s, meaning that a diamond may weigh just over one carat and its carat weight is listed as 1.08 carats.

The value of a natural blue diamond can vary greatly depending on factors such as size, color intensity, clarity, and cut. Blue diamonds are typically more valuable than white diamonds, with prices ranging from thousands to millions of dollars per carat. Rare and high-quality natural blue diamonds can command premium prices in the market.

The April birthstone is the diamond, symbolizing love, purity, and strength. It is believed to bring clarity of thought and enhance relationships, making it an ideal gift for loved ones born in April.

An opaque white appearance under a black light may indicate that the diamond is not a true diamond but could be a simulant or synthetic stone. Natural diamonds typically do not fluoresce strongly white under ultraviolet light. It would be best to have the diamond examined by a professional gemologist for a more accurate assessment.

When a diamond is cut with a laser, it forms a precise incision or engraving. The laser is able to cut through the diamond's structure with high accuracy, creating intricate designs or patterns on its surface.

Estimates vary, and of course it will never actually be sold, but it's probably worth between 200 and 250 million dollars. A similar stone without the famous pedigree would be worth only about a fourth of the value of the Hope diamond, or around 50 to 60 million dollars.

Diamonds are formed deep within the Earth's mantle under high pressure and temperature conditions. Carbon atoms are arranged in a crystal lattice structure over millions of years, creating the hard and transparent properties seen in diamonds. Volcanic eruptions then bring diamonds to the surface where they can be mined.

Although 90% of women never get a diamond over 1 carat, there are many sizes and shapes that diamonds can be cut into. Jewelers can cut a diamond to any size or shape. The largest cut diamond in the world is the Centenary, which holds the record at 273 carats. Before it was cut, it weighed 520 carats.

Some human, about 6,000 years ago according to some estimates, picked up a shiny rock, probably an alluvial diamond -- washed away from its volcanic-pipe source by water -- and based on its look and the ultimate discovery that the stone was extremely hard, started the human love affair with diamonds.

The largest diamond ever discovered is the Cullinan diamond, which weighed 3,106 carats (621.35 grams) in its rough form. It was found in South Africa in 1905 and was later cut into several diamonds, with the largest being the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats.

The Hope Diamond is estimated to be about 1.1 billion years old.

It has been traced to having been mined in the Kollur Mine of Golconda, India.
Best tests on the diamond as to its type -- type IIb, coupled with historical records, indicate that the Hope Diamond was first picked up by a human in India.