How Diamonds are Made: A Step-by-Step Guide
Even with diamond prices higher than ever, diamonds are still one of the most popular gemstones in the world today. But where do they come from, exactly? Contrary to popular belief, diamonds aren’t actually made in special labs or by secret scientists—they’re created deep within the earth, right here on our planet! This guide will walk you through how diamonds are made, from their creation to their sale and use.
The majority of diamonds are found in South Africa, Botswana, Angola, and Russia. Diamond Planning requires several steps of complex machinery, from digging them out of the ground to polishing them into gemstones. Read on to find out what it takes to mine these beautiful gems and why it can sometimes take so long to get them on the market.
The 4 C’s
To understand how diamonds are made, it’s helpful to know all about their unique characteristics and qualities. From clarity to carat weight, there’s a lot that goes into each diamond. The 4 C’s—cut, color, clarity and carat—are widely considered to be the most important factors when it comes to buying diamonds. By looking at your needs and lifestyle, you can narrow down what makes sense for you in terms of quality and budget.
Mining
All diamonds start in one place, deep underground. Mining involves removing all of that loose rock, often by blasting it with explosives and then digging it out of the ground with heavy machinery. It’s a dirty and dangerous job, but after diamonds have been excavated from beneath mountains and buried riverbeds, they’re still not ready to be worn on anyone’s ring finger just yet. In fact, most people never see a mined diamond; instead, they are sent straight to cutting centers where their rough facades will eventually be transformed into something worthy of being put on display.
Cutting
When rough diamonds are first pulled from mines, they’re very small and contain a mix of large and small minerals. The process begins with cutting, which separates these minerals to reveal as much as possible of each diamond scanner. This is where some of a diamond’s imperfections will be revealed, so cutters must carefully evaluate their selections for flaws or signs of wear. Once selected, diamonds that don’t make grade are sold off in bulk (along with other precious metals) to jewelry manufacturing firms.
Coloring
The first step in making a diamond is to transform carbon into graphite by using immense pressure and heat (the most intense of which occurs at 2,732 degrees Fahrenheit). Next, diamonds are cut and shaped to become what they were always meant to be: The world’s most brilliant jewels. If a colorless diamond is being crafted, then no special care needs to be taken. However, if a colored diamond is being produced, great care must be taken so that one color doesn’t overwhelm another or strip it entirely away. It takes years of training and experience to properly sort out how different shades can complement each other; only then can technicians face up a colored stone with its optimal combination of hues.
Setting
To successfully make a diamond, you need access to extremely high temperatures and very high pressure. These extreme conditions can only be found deep in Earth’s crust, where temperatures reach at least 1,650 degrees Celsius (3,000 degrees Fahrenheit) and pressures around 350 times that of our atmosphere are exerted on solid rock. Also Check for the World Largest Diamond Scanning Services. That’s why diamonds can only be created deep below ground in places like South Africa—and it explains why they’re so valuable. In order to extract them from their natural state, miners dig deep into Earth’s crust and locate kimberlite—the volcanic rock formed when magma is trapped inside solidified rock.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is not an easy process to extract diamond out of rock, which makes them so much more valuable. If you’re looking for a beautiful piece of jewelry, think about how that diamond was made and decide if it’s worth it to you. You’re just looking for value without any concern for aesthetic or sentimental reasons, then by all means go ahead and buy a stone that’s been cut and polished—but keep in mind diamonds aren’t really worth what they used to be. If cost savings is your primary goal (as opposed to investing in a meaningful piece of jewelry), consider synthetic diamonds as an alternative. As with many aspects of life, being educated about what you’re doing will help protect both your heart and your wallet!
