Be Informed / Natural Diamonds
Natural Diamond Facts
Your diamond is exceptional and distinctive. No two diamonds are alike. Yet all diamonds have certain features in common that allow experts to compare and evaluate them.
The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek “adamas” meaning unbreakable, untamed and unconquerable. Diamonds have been treasured as gemstones ever since they were discovered. In our modern age the word “diamond” continues to evoke images of elegance, style and glamour.
Diamond sparkles and dazzles. Diamond symbolizes purity and strength. And the story of your diamond is uniquely yours.
Volcanic delivery
Your diamond was forged between one and three billion years ago deep beneath the earth’s surface. A powerful process called subduction, where ancient land masses moved against each another, produced enough pressure, friction and heat that fragments of carbon crystallized and grew into our planet’s supply of natural diamonds.
Diamonds have been discovered on nearly every continent.
The most abundant gem-quality deposits are mined in Africa, Russia, Austalia and Canada.
Rough to polish
Diamond cutting is the art, skill and science of transforming a raw crystal into a polished, faceted diamond. As the hardest material known to man, cutting and shaping a diamond requires specialized knowledge, tools and skill.
Planning
This rough octahedron crystal is studied and its growth directions and inclusions are mapped.
Marking
Once the plan is determined, the crystal is marked for primary sawing.
Sawing
A carbon-fiber blade coated with diamond-grit makes the first cut. It will take several hours to saw this crystal into two pieces; each of which will become a polished diamond.
Bruting
The two pieces spin in opposite directions, grinding against each other to smooth the edges and create a round outline.
Polishing
A spinning wheel coated with diamond-grit is used for blocking, crossworking and brillianteering, the process of placing, shaping and smoothing all facets to final polish.
Inspection
Once finished, the diamond is thoroughly boiled in acid and examined to ensure that it meets the producer’s expectations and quality standards.
Diamond Grading
Following the diamond cutting process and prior to being sold loose or mounted into jewelry, diamonds are typically submitted to gemological institutions such as IGI for quality assessment. Four main factors are considered when judging a diamond’s quality and value. They are the diamond’s 4C’s: Carat weight, Color, Clarity and Cut.
IGI screens every diamond using state of the art technologies to determine naturally mined, laboratory grown or simulant origin. Experienced graduate gemologists conduct further assessment in controlled conditions, detailing relevant gemological characteristics according to the strictest international system
Learn with Videos
The 4 C’s
Learn more about the 4 C’s with IGI’s E-learning tools
IGI's supreme position in the gemological world is no coincidence. It is the result of continuous research, support and synergy with professionals and consumers alike. IGI is the largest organization of its kind, operating 20 laboratory locations around the world grading finished jewelry, natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds and gemstones - and 14 schools of gemology graduating thousands of new jewelry professionals each year.
