INTRODUCTION

For centuries diamonds have been the most highly sought after gems in the world. Once only the prized possession of Royalty, diamonds are now the universal symbol of eternal love, success and fashionability.

COMPOSITION

Diamonds are pure crystalline carbon - the atoms of the crystal are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure called a crystal lattice.It is the strength and uniformity of the atomic bonds between the carbon atoms that make a diamond the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man - so hard that only a diamond can be used to cut and shape another diamond. In order to form into a crystal the deposit of carbon has to be subjected to extreme conditions of immense heat and pressure. Fortunately Mother Nature created the ideal conditions many millions of years ago during the violent volcanic eruptions that shaped the earth in prehistoric times.

SOURCE

Diamonds are have been found in deposits in many countries including Africa, Australia, Russia and more recently Canada. The rough gems are either mined from deep below the earth's surface in or less frequently in alluvial deposits washed up by rivers.In both cases many tonnes of rock and earth are processed in order to produce a single carat diamond crystal and an even smaller quantity of all the diamonds mined are of gem quality.

REFINEMENT

Once rough diamond crystal have been released from their tomb deep in the earth's crust they pass through many hands before reaching the jewellers showcase. Once processed though the mining stage the rough material is sorted according to quality and size into parcels containing several hundreds of carats of diamonds. These parcels are divided and resorted into smaller amounts which are sold via a silent tender process to the world's leading diamond houses at diamond 'sights' held in the major diamond centres of Antwerp, New York and London. It is only then that the diamond takes it next step to becoming a spectaculer gemstone