Background
Diamonds are natural gemstones which are developed deep in the Earth where they have been formed in high pressure and temperature conditions. Thus diamonds have the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any natural material here on Earth. Every diamond also has a crystal lattice which is the symmetrical three-dimensional arrangement of atoms inside a crystal. With intense heat and compression, essentially all diamonds contain ‘birthmarks’ within the crystal lattice formally called inclusions. These birthmarks are small imperfections inside the diamond. There are also birthmarks on the diamonds surface that are properly called blemishes which more commonly appears during cutting or even waring of the diamond.
Why we value them
Not only are diamonds regarded as the strongest and most precious stones, they also symbolize spiritual attributes such as the exceptional power of everlasting love and eternal commitment. Accordingly, diamonds represent truth and perfections because of their indestructibility.
How we value them
We value diamonds as a result of its rarity, as no two diamonds are alike. Rarity is determined by the diamonds particular characteristics measured by the ‘Four Cs’; those being Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat Weight. No single characteristic outweighs another; together they all contribute and influence the final retail value.
Cut
The cut refers to a style or model used when shaping a gemstone for polishing. The quality of cut is a prerequisite for the sparkling light in the gemstone. Cut does not refer to shape, rather the symmetry, polish and proportioning of a diamond. One can find different cut forms such as oval, marquise, heart, emerald, depending of shape and size of the gemstone. At ENNUI we use brilliant cut for maximum sparkles.
Colour
Diamonds naturally have different colors that were formed depending on their chemical composition and inclusions; the birthmarks inside the diamond within in the crystal lattice. There is a range of diverse colours that diamonds can be, which are divided in two main groups- fancy colours and traditional colours. Here at ENNUI Atelier we use both fancy and traditional colours, those being white diamonds, brown or champagne coloured diamonds, and black diamonds.
More about the colours we use
The white diamonds that we use are bright white, untreated diamonds and have no chemical elements that could affect the colour. We work with white diamonds in the colourless and near colourless range on the colour scale. In addition we use brown or champagne coloured diamonds. These brown coloured diamonds are irradiated to create a warm translucent hue, also referred to as Champagne or Cognac. The colour is created through increased amounts of nitrogen in the diamond, and the shade may vary between each. Lastly we have black diamonds. The dramatically opaque black diamonds are irradiated and sourced globally. Featuring a smooth sparkling surface when cut and polished, they may contain tiny white or grey inclusions, making them unique.
Clarity
Clarity by definition means ‘a gemstone’s relative freedom from inclusions and blemishes’. Meaning that the fewer the inclusions and blemishes, the higher the quality and retail value of the diamond. Both inclusions and blemishes emerge at different stages of a diamond formation. Inclusions appear in the inside of the diamond during its creation meanwhile blemishes are found on the outside of the gem that come as a result from cutting and wearing the diamond. Both of these clarity characteristics can cloud the brilliance of a diamond, although are invisible to the naked eye.
Carat
The carat of the diamond is the fourth and last characteristic of the diamond. Carat is synonymous with the weight of the diamond, which amounts to 0,2 grams. It is a unit of measurement that has been used for centuries. Coming from the Italian word ‘caracto’ meaning carob seed, they used carob seeds in the middle ages for measurement of weight because they thought the seed had low variability in mass. Thus the unit of weight became the criteria for the gemstones’ value.
