Diamonds are Forever: The April Birthstone!
As the April Birthstone, Diamonds are one of the most sought after and valuable gems on Earth. For the lucky few that were born in April, you would be a fool to not have at least one piece of jewelry with your birthstone. Seen in more than just engagement rings and jewelry, the diamond is one of the most beautiful and usefull natural minerals we know of!
History and Formation of Diamonds
Diamond - coming from the Greek term "adamas" translates to invincible. This only makes sense as a diamond is the hardest of natural gemstones used in jewelry. The origins and creation of these birthstones helps validate their name. April's birthstone is formed deep within the mantle layer of the Earth and reach the surface through fierce volcanic eruptions.
While what we learned in elementary school is that Diamonds come from Coal, our middle school teachers were not quite accurate. We would like to note that carbon and coal, yet similar, are very different. What they were right about however, is that heat and pressure are the other elements necessary in the formation of these diamonds. Over 1,000 degrees celcius to be exact while under constant and immense pressure. This type of environment is located in what geoligists refer to as the "diamond stability zone" in the Upper mantle of Earth.
We do want to note that this is only one of the theories on diamond formation, but there are many other ways that diamonds can be created and found. Whether it be from subduction zones and more. Diamonds are still a bit mysterious, even finding literal "out of this world" diamonds formed in space and in asteroids.
Diamond Quality
While everyone knows the 4 C's, we tell all of our customers about the 5th 'C' that is often forgotten by other jewelers and the internet. Just to recap a little on the 4 C's that we all know:
Color - This actually refers to the absence of color in the diamond. Ideally, less color is more sought after. (Ask Tony)
Cut - This references 2 aspects of a diamond. 1) the Shape and 2) the proportions of the stone.
Clarity - Measuring the tiny imperfections within the diamonds. The less imperfections, the more flawless the diamond.
Carat - This is the weight of the stone itself. The higher the weight the bigger the stone.
Confidence in Diamond Buying - The 5th 'C'
Something that many jewelers forget to inform their customers about is the 5th 'C' - Confidence. We like to establish the relationships with our customers and take pride in finding the highest quality diamonds for them. We offer GIA Certified stones and promise to never sell a stone that may come from an unknown origin or from a conflict. We always like to ensure that there is no such thing as a "bargain diamond", but only diamonds of different value, dimensions and weight. While Distinctive Gold Jewelry can make this promise, unfortunately many online sources of diamonds can not.
Diamond Jewelry
While we absolutely love all jewelry, for DGJ we have always had a soft spot for diamond jewelry. A reason we feel that diamond jewelry has found it's home at DGJ is because of the precious moments that come along with the precious stone. We have seen Father's buying a diamond pendant for their daughter's April Birthday; Lovers buying a diamond engagment ring to celebrate their love. One thing that is true about the diamond is that it is so precious, not only becaouse of it's rarity, but because of the moments that are shared around it and the people involved.