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 gem stones?

The answers are likely to be found in the make-up of this particular birthstone. 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 which puts the diamond gem stone in a league all its own.

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.

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.

Out of all the mined diamonds in the world, only about twenty percent are actually used in jewelry because most are unsuitable. 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.

Let's face it, diamonds are important, especially when it comes to wedding engagements in North America. You see, other parts of the world don't have the same affinity for diamond engagement rings that we do. Instead they choose from a variety of birthstones and gem stones when selecting an engagement ring which we think is pretty darn cool!

We have lots more information on diamonds throughout this site. Visit our pages on  the 4Cs of diamonds and diamond shapes to learn more.

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