Diamonds are forever

If you are choosing a wedding ring take a second to think about diamonds.
Every diamond is formed deep below the earths surface, more than 100 miles deep.
Yes, it is really made of pure carbon but very high temperatures and pressure has
turned it into a beautiful crystal.

Diamonds are incredibly hard. In fact they are the hardest natural substance in the
world. They can only be scratched by another diamond. This makes them suitable
for a ring that will be worn everyday while other gemstones eg emeralds are
relatively soft.

When choosing your diamond, you may hear jewellers talking of the 4Cs. Colour,
clarity, cut and carat. What do these mean?

Cut:

This is the most important of the 4Cs as this ensures itws sparkle. Experts
carefully assess a raw diamond to ensure that it is cut in such a way that its sparkle is
maximised.
Colour. Very few diamonds are absolutely transparent. The diamond may have a
yellow or brownish tinge. Even those that appear clear may not be to the
professional eye. There are also some lovely fancy coloured diamonds in pinks or
blues.
Carat. this refers to the weight rather than the size of a diamond.
Clarity. Every diamond is different. Each diamond will have tiny imperfections.
These may be on the surface or internally. This is probably the least important of the
4Cs.

One of the most famous slogans for marketing diamonds comes from the huge diamond
company De Beers. The story goes that Frances Gerety a young copywriter had been
working day in day out to come up with a slogan. Exhausted before retiring to sleep she
scribbled ‘diamonds are forever’. Thus in 1947 one of the greatest slogans was born.
When you buy your diamond think of the expertise that has gone into finding it and
preparing it for sale. Every diamond is different and has its own story. The one you
choose will become part of your story.