G.G.Garbis guide to diamonds

About diamonds

The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to the earth. Some even said that they were tears of the Gods. The truth is that the exact origin of Diamond is still something of a mystery - even to scientists and geologists.

Diamond is pure crystallized carbon, formed beneath the earths surface millions of years ago under extreme pressure and temperatures. Most of these rough stones were brought near to the surface by the eruption of volcanic pipes filled with the blue diamond-bearing rock:- Kimberlite. On average 250 tons of Kimberlite must be extracted to produce a 1 carat polished diamond of gem quality, and only 10% - 20% of rough diamonds are of gem quality.

Diamond is the hardest known natural substance and displays a higher dispersion of light than any other naturally colourless gemstone.

With this very high dispersion and it's high 'adamantine' surface lustre, diamonds are extremely unique and desirable, however, man must reveal the brilliance of the stone by cutting and polishing.

Throughout the centuries, techniques for cutting were constantly improved and now there are a variety of cuts which allow the true beauty, the brilliance and the fire to be released and shown to the maximum.

The 4 C's
G.G. Garbis has the knowledge and expertise to choose the most precious of stones due to their membership in the Gemmological Association and Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain, and the Gemmological Association of Greece.

Whether you are buying a diamond for the first time, or you have purchased diamonds before, we are here to help you. There are many things you must take into consideration, most importantly the quality of the stones which is referred to in terms of the 4 C's. Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat Weight. These characteristics determine the quality and therefore the value of each stone.

Cut
The cutting of a diamond is a very skilled process which must be done with precision and care. It is this skill that unlocks the fiery beauty and incredible life which lies within. The brilliance and fire of a diamond are maximized if it is cut well and to good proportions. If it is cut poorly it will either be too deep or too shallow, therefore light will escape from the stone, reducing the overall reflection of light.

Colour
Most diamonds will appear to the untrained eye to be white, but in fact they range in colour between colourless and tinted yellow. The more colourless the stone, the higher value it will have. The top colour for a diamond is 'D' on the colour scale and goes down to 'Z'. There are also coloured diamonds, i.e. blue and pink, these are called 'fancies'.