| It
dazzles us with rainbows of light blue, white,
yellow, orange, and red, when exposed to ultraviolet
light.
The chemical composition of diamond is pure
Carbon, having many defining characteristics.
Diamond is the hardest known substance anywhere,
the best conductor of heat, has the highest
melting point, and the highest refractive index
of any known mineral.
It could be said that diamonds most surprising
characteristic is the cold sensation it offers.
Being such a fabulous conductor, heat passes
through diamond very quickly, making this the
coolest stone available.
Four types of raw diamond:
Ballas - A
mass of tiny diamonds compacted together.
Bort - Darkly
colored, and imperfectly crystallized, translucent
to opaque.
Carbonado (black diamond)
- Dark grey to black, and
opaque, with no cleavage. It has a specific
gravity measurement.
Hexagonal diamond
(Lonsdaleite) - A rare polymorph
of diamond with extraterrestrial origins. Believed
to have formed when meteoric graphite falls
to earth, Lonsdaleite retains the hexagonal
structure of graphite, but extreme heat, pressure,
and stress transforms the foreign graphite into
diamond. It is currently found only in the famous
Barringer Crater in Arizona.
This versatile gem is most
commonly found in jewelry, but only 20% of diamonds
mined are suitable as gemstones. The rest are
used in abrasives, thermal insulators, optics,
and electronics.
Naturally occurring diamond is found in the
cores of specifically deep volcanoes, called
Kimberlite pipes. Eruptions quickly bring diamond
to the surface, where it often gets washed into
rivers and streams, collecting in deposits near
waterfalls, and rapids.
Mined in, Russia, India, Brazil, Australia,
South Africa, famous for its Kimberly Mine and
coastal deposits, and the U.S.A. (Arkansas boasts
a diamond pipeline, but it's comparatively insignificant
to findings in other parts of the world.)
Diamond Imposters:
Cubic Zirconia - Sparkles more than true
diamond, but is much less dense.
Moissanite - Noticeably
different due to its commonly green tint. The
clear, lustrous versions of: Zircon, Topaz,
Beryl, Sapphire, and Spinel.
Choose
your own gorgeous birthstone jewelry at JeGem.com
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