From time immemorial people strived to enhance their beauty with the help of different articles of jewelry and precious gemstones were a very welcome complement to any article of personal adornment.
But at the early stages of human civilization people were certainly not spoilt for choice in terms of the selection of gemstones. As far as diamonds are concerned, it took people a very significant deal of time to learn how to mine diamonds and refine them. Certainly there was then no extensive knowledge in terms of diamond cut and the means to reach the ultimately pure diamond color and clarity.
Besides, the materials used for jewelry production and the primitive processing methods did not create the conditions necessary for the elaboration of a multitude of methods of diamond cut and refinement. At early times a few simplest types of diamond cut prevailed and they were generally rather uniform.
Lucky for diamond fans the branch of industry responsible is very highly developed nowadays and this fact creates grounds for the manufacturing of a staggering diversity diamond cuts, assuring perfect diamond color and clarity. The span of color ranges is quite spectacular indeed.
In order to illustrate this point it might be useful to consider the multitude options in terms of diamond shape available today. They are the following: emerald shape, heart, marquise, radiant, princess, pear, oval and round diamond shape. Certainly, such characteristics as cut depth and cut table, points and girdle diameter are different from one diamond shape to another, nevertheless they should be well calculated in order to assure the greatest brilliance.
The universally accepted carat scale is used for determining the diamond carat weight.
Carat as a diamond measuring unit traces its roots to the times of antiquity. The curious fact is that according to the legend, this unit derives its name from the fruit named 'keraton', the seeds of which were believed to be approximately 0.2 grams in weight. One carat comprises a hundred points and therefore diamond carat weight can be viewed as a ration as well, a hundred being the denominator.
Generally, diamond carat weight is measured with the help of a rather complicated formula, the component parts of which are average diamond diameter squared and depth (both expressed in mm), cross multiplied with the conventionally accepted size-weight conversion factor which is 0.0061. It is diamond carat weight that has major impact on the value of some particular diamond. Other crucial factors are diamond color and clarity.
Speaking of diamond color and clarity, it seems necessary to point out that the latter it judged in reference to the presence of blemishes and the level of inclusion. These factors are different from one crystal to another. Such inclusions and blemishes that are invariably present in diamond, it being a natural material, don't bear, however, any negative connotation, being perceived as identifying characteristic features. It stands to reason that fewer and smaller inclusions are desirable, so that the diamond color and clarity remains untarnished.
Due to the different level of inclusion, it would not be an exaggeration to state that there are no exactly identical diamonds. In this respect diamonds can be associated with snowflakes.