WHAT DOES A ROUGH DIAMOND LOOK LIKE?

An extremely coveted stone, the diamond fascinates and is regularly used to set jewelry, especially engagement rings. Symbol of purity, this stone is expensive, coveted in all jewelry stores and is sometimes confronted with imitations that harm its essence….

This natural diamond finds its source in the four corners of the world, mainly in deposits in Africa. Created millions of years ago, this mineral created from carbon and heat has come to the surface of the Earth through volcanic paths and is now the king of a gemstone market. This stone with exceptional characteristics and maximum hardness, is regularly used to crimp engagement rings, wedding rings but also during a tailor-made jewelry experience.

A rough diamond, in its natural state, that is to say uncut and as it was found in nature, is regularly confused with cubic zirconia (a natural mineral). A rough diamond usually has an octahedral shape. It should not be confused with moissanite, pyrite or cubic zirconia. Indeed, moissanite looks like a diamond because this stone is almost colorless at first sight. Moissanite is mainly composed of silicon carbon unlike diamond, which is composed of pure carbon.

Maison Bäumer helps you recognize this crystal of pure carbon that we call diamonds.

The different shapes of the uncut rough diamond

To recognize uncut rough diamonds, you must pay attention to their shape. There are four crystal forms for rough diamond:

• Octahedron and must have eight triangular faces, twelve edges or six vertices
• Cube with six square faces, twelve edges and eight vertices
• Dodecahedron, with twelve pentagonal facets, thirty edges and twenty vertices
• Rhombododecahedron with twelve rhombic faces, twenty four edges and fourteen vertices
• Octahedron with eight triangular faces with twelve edges and six vertices
• Six-sided square cube with twelve edges and eight vertices
• Dodecahedron with twelve pentagonal faces with thirty edges and twenty vertices
• Twelve-sided rhombic rhombododecahedron with twenty-four edges and fourteen vertices.

To recognize it, try to read through it. If you can do it, clearly distinguishing the characters written on the sheet, then it is not a rough diamond, conversely it is a diamond. Also, a diamond reflects light. Indeed, diamond is one of the natural stones with the highest refractive index. This refractive index varies from 2.417 to 2.419 unlike water which rises to 1.33 or quartz, 1.46.

The hardness of diamonds is also an exceptional characteristic of these natural crystals. Indeed, the diamond resists everything unlike other stones such as quartz, ruby ​​or emerald, which are more vulnerable.

What are the different types of rough diamond?

The diamond can come in different forms. Indeed, it can be in the form:

• Rough cubic: this is the rough shape of the diamond, the one in which it is found in the mines.
• Polished: this shape is obtained after working the diamond in the laboratory. Once polished, the latter can be used to be set on jewelry.
• Slice: rough diamond slices

The different colors of the rough diamond

The color of the diamond in the rough varies according to the impurities it presents in its crystalline structure. For this, the color palette is multiple: it extends from yellow to black, through brown, green or blue. This mineral is most often found in the color black. Moreover, in the raw state, the diamond does not shine. Indeed, the latter shines once it has been polished making it an incredible gem that is often mounted on engagement rings.

Or make the appearance of the rough diamond work?

The rough diamonds are then transformed into precious stones in the laboratory. They are born in the depths of the earth, and rise to the surface through volcanic chimneys. Once the people working in the mines harvest them, the diamonds are broken up, washed and pre-sorted during a specific process. Stones suitable for jewelry are sold in diamond purses by distributors and then arrive at diamond cutters who will work the stone, polish it and cut it in order to make it ready to be set on jewelry in jewelry. . The price of diamonds will vary according to what is called its “4Cs” (size, weight, color, purity).

What is the price of a rough diamond?

This stone is extremely sought after for its beauty and high value. The price of a diamond once polished and worked in the laboratory is determined by the criteria relating to the weight of the diamond which is expressed in number of carats, the color of the stone but also, the purity of the stone (if this one contains inclusions or not).

The price of a rough diamond is obtained based on its crystalline form which determines the percentage yield of rough stone. However, the price of a rough diamond is difficult to assess because the criteria are numerous and different. It will really depend on the color of the rough diamond, its clarity but also the inclusions it has. Indeed, if the stone only has inclusions and cannot be worked, then the price of the diamond will necessarily be lower than a rough diamond with very few inclusions and likely to create an important stone. , of a certain number of carats.

The price of the diamond continues to evolve over the years. In other words, they increase in value. On average, a one-carat diamond can be worth between 2,000 and 30,000 euros. Sometimes it can be more, sometimes less. As explained above, it will really depend on the 4Cs of the diamond, its origin, etc. It is obvious that a diamond having more carats than another will be more expensive. In other words, there is no fixed and universal price.

How do you go from rough diamond to polished diamond?

Processing rough diamonds is not an easy task. Indeed, the diamond is a hard and robust stone. In addition, some rough stones are found with many defects or inclusions, making the exploitation of this stone almost impossible.

To be able to become a diamond that can be used in jewelry, this rough diamond must go through several transformation phases. First, the rough diamond undergoes treatments to change its color and optimize its purity by removing as many imperfections as possible and having a better brilliance. In other words, during this transformation phase, the diamond will change its appearance to become an exceptional diamond, which can be set on jewelry.

To improve its purity, rough diamonds are often worked with a laser to remove impurities and inclusions as best as possible. Also, in the laboratory, diamond dealers will play on the weight of the diamonds in an attempt to maximize it. Indeed, the greater the weight of a diamond, the more it gains in value and will therefore have a high price. It is the same with the treatments carried out on the rough diamond to optimize its size. Indeed, the size of the diamond allows it to reflect its light on all of its facets and therefore make it shine more. In this sense, techniques exist to give this rough stone the ideal shape. For this, the diamond is cut, refined, faceted, polished from every angle during several processing techniques (cleaving, sawing, roughing, cross cutting, brillianting, etc.).

Finally, treatments are performed on the rough diamond to change its color. Indeed, the color is one of the most determining criteria of the value of a diamond. There are several techniques to modify its color and optimize it. For example, the technique of irradiation is done by bombarding particles which give a color to the diamond or improve the existing one by the nature and intensity of these particles. With heating, the color of the diamond is immediately changed. Then, the stone undergoes a treatment to stabilize and maintain its color.

For diamonds of poor quality, there is a technique of filling with a dye, a diamond in its fractures to modify the color or shade it. Also, a technique called "coating" makes it possible to cover the diamond with a thin colored layer, but these techniques are only reserved for stones of insufficient quality.

A diamond is always provided with its certificate of authenticity. This "identity document" of the stone is unique. Thus, if you buy a diamond at auction or a jewel set with a diamond, you will always have its certificate of authenticity drawn up by the laboratory (GIA) where the stone was worked. This certificate gathers crucial information for your diamond such as its number of carats, its size, its origin etc.

These natural minerals and crystals that have come to us from the ground for millions of years are full of exceptional qualities that are highly appreciated in jewelry. Regarding the maintenance of your diamond, we recommend that you clean it with soapy water. This method is the most effective and the one that will be more likely to respect your diamond as well as your jewel, especially if the latter is made to measure.

Here is how these rough diamonds, which are found all over the world, mainly in African deposits, are worked to become real precious stones that are extremely coveted in the world of jewelery and jewelry.