The Diamond Gem Stone

What is it about the diamond gem stone that makes it so special? We've all heard that diamonds are a girl's best friend and it is the official birthstone of April but why does a diamond reign supreme above all the other beautiful gemstones?

Diamond Specifications & Colors

The answers to the question of why this particular stone is so special is likely to be found in its make-up . Diamonds are actually the hardest substance on the planet.

Think about that for a moment...no other substance on earth is harder than a diamond. Add to that, its natural beauty and that puts the diamond gem stone in a league all its own.

Color	Colorless, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Black. Sometimes Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple
Hardness (Mohs Scale 1-10)	10
Luster	Brilliant or Diamond-like

Another unique characteristic of the diamond is that it is more brilliant than any of the other natural gems. Brilliance from a gem stone standpoint, means the amount of light it reflects—how it basically explodes with light—it's "Bling!" factor.

Oh, and we girls do love our Bling!

Diamond's Unique Characteristics

Diamonds are special because they are the yardstick by which all the other gems are measured.

They sparkle with fire, which is the term used for those intense color flashes you see when someone waves their hand around. The fire in a diamond gem stone is caused by light refraction so that the light that enters the stone is split into the colors of the rainbow and reflected back out.

They are also the most lustrous of all gems and give their name to highest grade of luster: brilliant or diamond-like.

The most important thing about buying a diamond is the 4Cs and that the stone is officially graded by some authority like the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or an equivalent.

For additional information check out our tips on buying loose diamonds and our articles that outline what you need to know about diamonds for your engagement.

Let's face it, diamonds are important, especially when it comes to engagement rings in North America. In other parts of the world they don't have the same affinity for diamond engagement rings that we do. They allow themselves to choose from a variety of birthstones and gemstones to come up with a ring that is unique and better suits their style.