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Welcome to: DIAMONDS NEWSLETTER Issue: 2000-11
The diamond, gems and fine jewelry information resource for clients and friends of Diamond Source of Virginia, Inc. http://www.DSOURCEVA.com (unsubscribe instructions at bottom of this newsletter) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you know of someone who will be getting engaged or celebrating a special event such as a anniversary, birthday, or baby's birth forward this newsletter to them so they will know where to save money on a diamond or fine jewelry! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS ISSUE'S TOPICS Topaz: November's Birthstone Girdle Diamonds and Grease Natural Famous Diamonds The Great Diamond Hunt Roundness AGS Introduces Laser Inscriptions Diamond and Jewelry Books Internet Marketing ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TOPAZ: NOVEMBER'S BIRTHSTONE ============================= True topaz, symbol of love an affection, aid to sweetness of disposition, and birthstone of November, is one of nature's most wonderful and least-known gemstone families. The true topaz is rarely seen in jewelry stores. Unfortunately, most people know only the quartz (citrine) topaz. In the past, almost any yellow stone was called topaz. Topaz occurs not only in the transparent yellow, yellow brown, orangy brown, and pinky brown colors most popularly associated with it, but also in light to medium red, light to medium blue, very light green, violet and colorless. Blue topaz has become very popular in recent years, although most of it is treated and there is no way to determine which is treated and which is natural. Some of the deeper blue treated topazes have been found to be radioactive and possibly a health hazard. In the United States, all blue topaz must be tested for radiation levels. However, be very careful when buying blue topaz outside the United States, since it probably has not been tested. GIRDLE =============== The girdle is the diamond's setting edge. It needs to be just thick enough to let the stone be set securely. If it is too thin, it is vulnerable to chipping; too thick, and it can be unattractive and difficult to set. A thick girdle often creates large, fuzzy gray reflections in the stone, especially if, as is often the case, it accumulates dirt and grime. On a step cut like an emerald, the girdle should be uniform in thickness around the stone. On a round, oval or cushion-shape brilliant, it should undulate slightly between pairs of mains and girdle facets and be thicker between the points of opposing mains. The girdle of a marquise, pear or heart is often slightly thicker at the points to reduce the possibility of chipping. Hearts have thicker girdles in their clefts. Although slight variations in girdle thickness are usually disregarded, sizable variations can pose setting problems. DIAMONDS AND GREASE =================== If you wear a diamond, you probably have been surprised how quickly a dirty film collects on the surface. This is due in large part to the fact that diamonds adhere to grease. Put your hands in dishwater and the grease quickly coats your diamond. The same thing happens with hand cream, body oils and any other form of grease. The fact that diamonds adhere to grease led to the invention of the grease table in the late 1800s to separate diamonds for the ore they are mined in. The concentrate recovered from the washing pans, pulsators, or heavy media separators is washed over tables coated with thick grease. The diamonds will adhere to the table and then the resulting mixture is periodically scraped off and melted down to remove the diamonds. Today, the grease belt is more common. Grease is automatically applied at one end of a conveyor belt, the concentrates are washed across it, and the resulting diamond-studded grease is scraped off at the other end. The amount of blueground (diamond ore)which has to be processed is enormous. Although figures differ for each mine, it takes about 250 tons of blueground to produce a single one-carat polished stone. NATURAL =========== A natural may not be a fault. It's actually a piece of the natural surface of the diamond crystal. In cutting, a cutter may decide to leave part of the "natural" rough surface in order to get as large a diamond as possible from the rough stone. If this natural is no thicker than the thickness of the girdle and does not distort the circumference of the stone, most dealers consider it a minor defect at worst; if it extends into the crown or pavilion of the stone, it is a serious fault. Sometimes, if the natural is somewhat large but slightly below the girdle, it will be polished off. This produces an extra facet. FAMOUS DIAMONDS =============== Name: The Lesotho Weight: 601.25 carats (rough) Color: Brown Lesotho is an isolated, landlocked mountain kingdom, poor in natural resources and entirely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho was considered too remote to allow profitable diamond mining. In 1960, when the government opened 30-square-foot claims, there was no shortage of local prospectors seeking a big strike. On May 26, 1967 Ernestine Ramaboa, working the claim she shared with her husband Petrus, discovered a brown diamond of extraordinary size. The diamond, weighing 601.25 carats, caused a sensation. Eventually sold to Harry Winston who had the diamond flown to New York and invited the Ramaboas as his guests. On March 5, 1968, on live TV, the stone was cleaved at the precise point where nature left a crack in the surface. It was eventually cut into 18 polished stones totaling 242.50 carats, the largest a 71.73 carat emerald cut. THE GREAT DIAMOND HUNT ========================= Diamonds have been found in India for at least 3000 years. For centuries, in fact, India was the world's only major source, although there is no record of systematic mining before about 1000 AD. The Indian mines are no longer significant producers. Through the ages, however, new sources are constantly discovered as older ones are depleted. In the 1970s, gold miners in Brazil began finding shiny pebbles which they tended to keep because they were beautiful. Most had no idea of what they were worth, and better-informed prospectors bought them for pocket change. Over a hundred years later, diamonds were discovered in South Africa, where the first alluvial (water carried)finds let prospectors to the kimberlite pipes which had originally brought these treasures to the surface. This in tern led to greater understanding of the geology of diamonds, and transformed prospecting from a haphazard venture into a scientific enterprise. Today, diamonds have been found on every continent, although not everywhere in commercially viable quantities and qualities. It is becoming clear that diamonds are much more widely distributed over the entire globe than people once thought. Prospecting technology is also increasingly sophisticated-the independent prospector with his shovel and pan is being replaced by electromagnetic mapping techniques and helicopter-mounted infrared cameras. As a result, three out of five of today's major sources have been discovered in the last quarter-century. There is no likelihood of running out of gem quality diamonds in the foreseeable future. ROUNDNESS ============= A round diamond is not perfectly round and its roundness will affect value. The measurements of a round diamond include the highest diameter, the lowest diameter and the depth. Recognizing the rarity of truly round diamonds, some deviation is permitted, and the stone will not be considered "out-of- round" unless it deviates by more than the established norm- approximately 0.10 millimeter (one-tenth of a millimeter) in a one-carat stone. In other words, the difference between the two diameters should be less than 0.10 millimeters for a one carat diamond, 0.12 millimeters for a two carat and 0.14 millimeters for a three carat. AGS INTRODUCES LASER INSCRIPTIONS ================================= The American Gem Society lab is now offering a laser inscription service-similar to that offered by many of its competitors-that "writes" on a stone's girdle. The new system an inscribe any type of gemstone, including colored gemstones and can be used to inscribe words and/or logos, and is experimenting with bar codes. The AGS has become the premier grading laboratory for round exceptionally well-cut diamonds. When wholesalers buy stones that have great cut they send them to the AGS for grading even if they have been previously graded at another lab. The wholesalers hope to attain the AGS Ideal cut grade which means the diamonds has Ideal polish, Ideal symmetry and Ideal proportions. These AGS Ideal cut diamonds are priced at a premium but are in high demand by customers who want the best of the best. DIAMOND AND JEWELRY BOOKS ========================= One of the best ways to be a better shopper for diamonds and fine jewelry is to read one or more of the great books listed at the following web page: http://www.dsourceva.com/books.htm INTERNET MARKETING ========================= If you or any of your friends have a web site and want to know how to get more visitors, check out some of the tools we have found to help with internet marketing at: http://www.dsourceva.com/internetmarketing.htm TOPICS FOR FUTURE NEWSLETTERS ============================= If you have any topics, questions, or issues you would like to see addressed in future DIAMOND NEWSLETTERS, please send us an email. Thank you. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter, simply reply to this email and in the subject line put only the words: unsubscribe diamonds +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Denny & Anne Reinke Denny@DSOURCEVA.com 1-888-477-8385 (toll free) Diamond Source of Virginia, Inc http://www.DSOURCEVA.com
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