Everything you wanted to know about diamonds.

Diamonds are the hardest substance known on Earth and are good conductors of heat but poor conductors of electricity though some rare forms, particularly the grey-to-blue ones called type IIB, are semiconductors, and are somewhat conductive.

The force of being buried under great pressure and heat is what causes carbon to form into diamonds. These are then pushed up to the surface in a rare type of magma called kimberlite and forced out from a diatreme or pipe type of volcanic vent.

Due to the tightly compacted atoms and electrons in the composition of a diamond, it has the ability to reduce the velocity of light that passes through it. This is what gives a diamond its unique lustre.

It was not until 1796 that people found out diamonds were a form of carbon, and it was over 150 years later that finally a method of synthesising diamonds was created.

Since diamond is so hard that only a diamond can cut other diamonds, it has many uses in industry. Diamond is a fundamental industrial material that is used to cut, grind, and polish most hard substances and therefore is used mainly in the cutting heads of industrial rock drills. Diamond, however, is also a high-tech super material for our technological age and will be showing up in more and more products in the future, probably in your home electronics, appliances, and automobiles.

Diamonds are also one of the most popular stones used in jewellery. Jewellery made from diamond is deemed to be classic jewellery and is used from weddings, engagements, anniversaries, right down to celebrity award ceremonies.

Diamond jewellery is made using 18KT of gold because gold must have certain hardness for setting diamonds.

Diamonds have been recognised as a symbol of love, joy and romance since the 15th Century. This all came from a romantic gesture by Archduke Maximilian of Austria giving Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring on their engagement. Since this time, all forms of diamond jewellery have been deemed to show everlasting love and affection. Diamonds are also used to portray great wealth, status and success and are worn to show this.

Although diamonds are measured by carat, unlike gold, this is not the main factor in deciding the cost of the diamond. Diamond prices can differ quite a lot based on color, clarity and cut.

There are often impurities in diamonds that cause them to have a hint of color rather than being clear. These diamonds are generally less expensive than a clear diamond, however, depending on their cut may still demand a reasonable price. Cutting colored diamonds requires that the diamond is cut to enhance the color. In the case of a clear diamond, it can be cut with a deep cut, shallow cut or perfect length. This is the only human contribution that helps determine the price of the diamond.

A diamond displays the maximum amount of reflectance for a transparent substance, displaying what is called an 'adamantine' lustre. However, it cannot be polished again and again as it loses its properties.

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