Diamonds Rings

Diamond rings - yesterday, today and forever

Diamonds are considered some of the most expensive stones and are used for the insert into the rings, the necklace, the link other adornments.
The ringlet, decorated with large stone, will gladden any girl. Ring with the diamond is the best means of the demonstration of seriousness of feelings - not without reason precisely such rings traditionally present by young people to those loved as the engagement.
Diamonds during many centuries preserve supremacy among many precious stones. Millions of nuances of scattering or mysterious tints in the one- only stone- - diamonds invariably use love and acknowledgement among the weak representatives of humanity. And this is explained not only by the fact that the qualitative adornments with the diamonds are always splendid, but also fact that the jewelers select not less noble faceting - by white, black gold so forth
The ring with the diamond, utilized as the symbol of the conclusion of marriage, is used already for a period of centuries. Why enamored ones did select precisely the form of ring? Everything is very simple. Ring locked auto on itself symbolizes infinity of feelings.
Tradition to bear ring rises from its in ancient Egypt. Was also accepted to present to the parents of bride ring in ancient Rome, when young person was betrothed with the girl. But only during the origin of Christianity of ring they became the fully authoritative symbol of inviolability marriage bonds.
And to this day engagement ringlet stores its force - as talisman and adornment. Changed only one from the ancient times - today this adornment can be daring, very bright, and the main thing - unique.
Someone follows the impulses of soul or the command of mode, giving preference to rings from different metals, with the adornment from the precious and semiprecious stones. But on the mysterious beauty, the elegance with the ring, inlaid by diamond (or several stones), no another will be compared.
Ring with the diamond always remains out of the mode. This adornment - it be modest or luxurious, it is appropriate both on the knob of young girl and on the finger of business woman confident in itself.
The jewelry matter today reached such heights, that, besides the large assortment of rings in the stores and [butikakh], there is the possibility to purchase diamond and to order the individual production of adornment. Of course individual approach will require large financial investments, but the nonaging beauty of stones will gladden you for many years. In addition to this, you can be calm, if you want such ringlet, similar to which more not whom will have.
Present diamonds, as if a good wine, with the years they become only more excellent…



Identification

Early diamond identification tests included a scratch test relying on the superior hardness of diamond. This test is destructive, as a diamond can scratch diamond, and is rarely used nowadays. Instead, diamond identification relies on its superior thermal conductivity. Electronic thermal probes are widely used in the gemological centers to separate diamonds from their imitations. These probes consist of a pair of battery-powered thermistors mounted in a fine copper tip. One thermistor functions as a heating device while the other measures the temperature of the copper tip: if the stone being tested is a diamond, it will conduct the tip's thermal energy rapidly enough to produce a measurable temperature drop. This test takes about 2–3 seconds.[95]
Whereas the thermal probe can separate diamonds from most of their simulants, distinguishing between various types of diamond, for example synthetic or natural, irradiated or non-irradiated, etc., requires more advanced, optical techniques. Those techniques are also used for some diamonds simulants, such as silicon carbide, which pass the thermal conductivity test. Optical techniques can distinguish between natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds. They can also identify the vast majority of treated natural diamonds. "Perfect" crystals (at the atomic lattice level) have never been found, so both natural and synthetic diamonds always possess characteristic imperfections, arising from the circumstances of their crystal growth, that allow them to be distinguished from each other.
Laboratories use techniques such as spectroscopy, microscopy and luminescence under shortwave ultraviolet light to determine a diamond's origin. They also use specially made instruments to aid them in the identification process. Two screening instruments are the DiamondSure and the DiamondView, both produced by the DTC and marketed by the GIA.
Several methods for identifying synthetic diamonds can be performed, depending on the method of production and the color of the diamond. CVD diamonds can usually be identified by an orange fluorescence. D-J colored diamonds can be screened through the Swiss Gemmological Institute's[99] Diamond Spotter. Stones in the D-Z color range can be examined through the DiamondSure UV/visible spectrometer, a tool developed by De Beers Similarly, natural diamonds usually have minor imperfections and flaws, such as inclusions of foreign material, that are not seen in synthetic diamonds.

Information about the diamonds and the diamonds
“But still there are no descriptions of the indescribable beauty of diamond”.
Diamond - this is the crystalline modification of pure carbon, formed in the deep depths of the Earth, in the upper mantle at the depths more than 80-100 kilometers, with extremely high pressure and to temperature. These are the very precious stone, the most solid and most wear-resistant mineral, most shining and not subjected time gem. The history of diamonds counts thousands years; however, in our time diamonds draw millions of people by their magic beauty.

In always this casting a spell and unique stone attracted man. “It [ostaetsya] unharmed in the strongest fire, this is the light of the sun, which was thickened in the earth and [okhlazhdennyy] by time, it plays by all colors, but [ostaetsya] itself transparent, accurately the drop of water…” - they wrote about the diamond in the antiquity. The first references about the use by man of diamonds relate to India and they appeared approximately in three thousand years to our era. Diamonds are passed as the sparkling thread through the cloth of existence, through the history of humanity, disappearing to the period and again appearing in order to illuminate the most improbable and most whimsical legends by its mysterious radiance. “The most great price between all human things, but not only between the precious stones, has the diamond, which long time only to tsars, even then very few, was known” - he wrote the ancient-Roman scientific [Pliniy] elder in 79 of A.D. in its treatise “about the natural history”.
Greeks called its “[adamas]” or “[adamantos]” - invincible, indestructible, insurmountable; Romans - “[diamond]”; Arabs - “[almas]”, [naitverdeyshiy]; ancient Jews - “[shamir]”; Hindus called its “Farias”. Old-Russian literary monument, “the anthology” of 1073 g., to the equal degree uses terms “[adamas]” and “adamant”, and “walking in three seas” of Afanasy Nikitin (1466-1472 g. g.) for the first time, and forever, “legalized” in the Russian language name “diamond”. In ancient India they considered that the diamonds were formed of five beginnings of nature - the earth, water, air, sky and energy. In India the diamond was [obozhestvlen] and [prevrashchen] into the fetish. It they allotted many mythical possibilities, such, as healing from the diseases, protection from the evil perfumes are simple enemies, from the injuries, [sglaza], spoilings; they declared clairvoyance, ability to predict that granting…

For measuring the weight of diamonds is accepted the metric karat, 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams. Diamonds by mass are more than 15 carat - rarity, with mass into hundred carat - most great rarity. Some stones obtain proper names, world reknown and durable place in the history. It is in more detail about the historical diamonds. At present the world-wide volume of the output of diamonds is order 130 million carats. It is in more detail about the output of diamonds. The main use of natural diamonds - in the jewelry matter, but far from of each diamond it is possible to make a diamond. As the unconditionally jewelry are considered about 15% of obtained diamonds, 45% more are considered near-jewelry they are, i.e., inferior to jewelry according to the size, color or cleanliness. To the end of the 19th Century only highest classes managed diamonds, but in [KHKH] century were opened the large layers of diamonds, and an increase in the output made their more accessible for the buyers. Nevertheless and today diamonds are accessible to far from each, and people as before consider the possession of diamond as belonging with the most successful part of the society.
Sparkling and beauty of diamond are entirely revealed only after faceting. Long time was considered that By [l]. van [Berkem] from the bruges at the end of 15 v. developed the method of precise symmetrical faceting (utilized, until now,), which is consisted in the grinding of stone on the iron circle, to which is brought the mixture of diamond powder and oil. Now existence of this master is brought into question. They assume that the method pointed out above was developed in India. They previously proposed also that diamond faceting invented the Italian lapidary Vincenzo [Perutstsi] at the end 17 v., but also this opinion proved to be erroneous. Therefore among the historians there is no unanimous opinion, where and when appeared diamond faceting.

Diamond (from the French of brillant - shining), the diamond, to which by means of the working is attached the special form, the so-called diamond faceting, which maximally reveals the optical properties of stone. Diamonds cutters for a period of the centuries of tests and errors learned thus to use a refractive index of stone in order to re-reflect on the faces of pavilion the light, which entered the stone from the side of crown, and to scatter to the different sides. Because of the dispersion of light, inherent in diamond, it is possible to observe the game of the diamond in the form of the rays of all colors of rainbow. It is in more detail about the diamond faceting. Word “diamond” in reality - this is the name of the form of faceting, but not material. But in the case, when the speech of [idet] about the diamond, [ogranennom] from the diamond, the designation of material can be omitted. In this case “the diamond” indicates substance, and the form of faceting. Word “diamond” is used, when is intended material itself, substance, or when the discussion deals with the diamond raw material.

The unprocessed diamond - this raw material, from which the diamonds cutters will make a diamond, and master of the jewelry matters - luxurious article. Diamonds, as fingerprints, unique - it is not two completely identical stones. However, diamonds on the contrary, are made according to the strictly defined rules. Are diamonds, for example, the yellow or black, author's forms of the facetings, which are subjected to mode, and demand on them is variable. But classical diamond stands above the mode, and demand for it does not change with the years. The statement “Diamond is of forever”, i.e., “diamond - this forever " not only illustrates the invariably high place of diamonds in our society and the connection of these stones with eternal human feelings, but also their inconceivable ancient age. The fact is that the scientific methods, utilized for dating of minerals and rocks, give for the diamonds age from one-and-a-half to three and one-half billions years. It is possible to say, that the diamonds are older anything which surrounds us, and their age is commensurate with the age of our planet.

Diamonds as the carriers of the unique hardness and other interesting properties are the objects of close attention of scientists, are appeared as the subject of a study, so also valuable material for the use in the technology. There exists and specialists - [gemmologi], or experts on the precious stones. [Gemmologi] for a period of recent decades develop the scientific methods of determining the authenticity of diamonds and diamonds, the objective systems of their estimation, recommendation regarding the faceting of diamonds. It is in more detail about the examination of diamonds. However, to potential buyer complex to be oriented among this large volume of knowledge, especially if it searches for the simple recommendations, which would allow it to be oriented in the world diamonds and to manufacture the correct line of behavior on the market. Many information, which make possible for professionals to earn at sale of diamonds, is long-standing operating times and are commercial secret. However, today, into the century of information texnologies, information becomes much more accessible, and for any person, who desires to become expert, qualified by user, there does not exist [bylykh] limitations.  Councils to users.
Truly, the diamond does not have competitors - this is the [bezuslovnyy] favorite in the world of precious stones and intricate adornments. However, diamonds did not possess how many excellent properties, acquiring articles with this stone, ever it cannot be hope for the case. The unprepared person, dealing concerning the precious stones, is frequently doomed to the failure. To approach the purchase of so serious a stone stands by that by well prepared. Future buyer can learn to understand stone as “personality” and to evaluate his such important characteristics as color, cleanliness, faceting, its game and luster, weight, and to learn to correlate this all with his price. Diamonds are very in many respects similar to the people. Practically each of them has deficiencies, which only necessary to know how to examine (there is no ideal practically), and some its individual advantages, for example, the high quality of faceting or polishing, unique the colored individuality of diamonds remains in spite of the standards, by which the diamonds cutters are guided, since this individuality is inherent in diamonds - unique natural creations. Understanding the individuality of diamonds makes it possible to select the most suitable stone. The process of search and selection of diamond must not be reduced to the visit of the nearest jewelry store, it can become captivating event, journey, in which each expects new knowledge, new impression and new experience. To pass into the forum.
are used photographs de Bierce the journal “around the light”

Where and as obtain the diamonds
Diamonds are formed in the geologically stable regions of continents, at the depths of 100-200 kilometers, where the temperature reaches 1100-1300[oS], and the pressure of 35-50 kilobars. Such conditions contribute to the passage of carbon from graphite to another modification - diamond, which has the tightly packed by atoms cubic structure. After staying billions years at the large depths, diamonds will be carried to the surface by kimberlitic magma during the volcanic explosions, forming in this case the radical layers of diamonds - kimberlitic tubes. The first of such tubes was discovered in the south of Africa in Kimberly's province, on the name of this province they began to call tubes kimberlitic, and the species, which contains precious diamonds - kimberlite. Today are throughout the world found thousands of kimberlitic tubes, but only several ten of them are industrially diamond-bearing, in which to profitably conduct output.
At present diamonds obtain of two types of the layers: radical (kimberlitic and [lamproitovye] tubes) and second - scattering. For the first time diamonds were discovered in India even to our era in the scatterings and were developed for a period of many centuries. The legendary mines Of [golkondy] gave to peace almost all known from the earliest times diamonds, such as “Of [kokhinur]”, “Shah”, “Orlov” et al.
To the 18th Century Indian mines were wasted to, and the country lost leadership in the delivery of diamonds for the World Market. But “diamond fever” began to cover other countries and continents. In 1725 alluvial layers were discovered in Brazil, and more than to the century the center of the world output of diamonds moved to South America. They began to fall after the discovery of the numerous scatterings in Brazil of price on the world diamond market for that time and for the support stability on the World Market were required rigid administrative measures to export and output of diamonds. The overwhelming majority of Brazilian diamonds - first-class crystals of the highest quality. Brazilian diamonds are small in the sizes, although are encountered large. Six of them in the world are most widely known: “The star of the south”, “the star of Egypt”, “the star Of [minasa]”, “[Minas]-[Zherays]”, “English diamond of Dresden” and “President Vargas”.
The leadership of Brazil on the output of diamonds lasted relatively not long. In 1867 in the Southern Africa on the shore river orange was found the first diamond, which changed the motion of the development of south African state and subsequently many African countries. The obtained crystal was faceted into the diamond by weight 10.75 carat, was called its own name “[Evrika]” and it entered into the history as the first-born of south African [almazodobychi]. Specifically, in the bed of river for the first time was at this time found the rock, which contains precious material diamond, subsequently named kimberlite. From this point on, begins the epoch of development and searches for radical diamond layers, connected with Africa.
In those times in the region of river orange worked about 2000 independent prospecting cooperatives, including on the mines of the Kimberly regions and de Bierce (ruined large landowner farms, named on the surname of the former owners). British kingdom controlled south African colony, and the powerful flow of diamond raw material went to London, and through it to the large center of faceting and trade - antwerp. 
In 1880. two Britons Of [rods] and [Radd] bought up the sections of prospectors near the farm de Bierce, after establishing the company De Of beers Of mining Of company Of ltd. - the embryo of the future diamond empire De Of beers.  But already by 1888. the basic diamond mines, which gave almost 90% of world output, were purchased by owners to the drawn money of the financial house of Rotschilds and united into the company De Of beers.
In 1902. in the Southern Africa near Pretoria the mason on the name Of [kullinan] opened the new layer of radical diamonds - tube “premier”. On this layer was subsequently found the largest in the world diamond “Of [kullinan]” with the mass of 3106 carat, named in the honor of original discoverer and owner of mine “premier”.
It is later no longer only in the south, but in other regions of Africa the discoveries of diamond layers continue. Thus, in 1912. were opened the richest coastal- oceanic scatterings in the east of Africa in the German colonies (at present Namibia), which give to 20% of world output, which were not worked out, until now.
They were practically divided to the middle of the twentieth century of the sphere of influence in the diamond industry. By the main center of output remained the south African countries secondary - Brazil. The diamond mines of India are practically worked out. At that moment our country was in no way considered as the serious diamond-mining power, although in the middle of the 19th Century the infrequent scatterings of diamonds in the Urals were opened. However, in the enormous territory of our country there were many prerequisites of the search for diamond layers, and Soviet geologists did not lose the hope to find layers in Siberian Yakutiya. The first diamond was found in 1949 in the pond r. Of [vilyuy], and in August 1954 Leningrad geologist Larissa [Popugaeva] it opened the first layer of radical diamonds in the USSR - tube “summer lightning”. In year the force Of the [amakinskaya] expedition [YU].[I]. Of [khabardina] revealed kimberlitic tube “Mir”, and the group of geologists under the management [V].[N]. Shchukin - tube “successful”. In these completely wild and uninhabited to that edges, in the zone of permafrost modern cities grew peaceful and successful. Were next opened many diamond layers - tube “[Aykhal]”, “Komsomol”, “anniversary”, “international”, etc, from which and at present the company [ALROSA] produces the output of diamonds. The leading position to the beginning of 2006 on the output of diamonds (on the cost) occupies Botswana, the second - Russia.
The search for diamonds they are conducted also on other continents. Thus, in the 70's of last century was opened the large radical layer of diamonds in Australia - tube “[Argayl]”.  Are later, in 1990[e] years, were found the radical layers on the north of Canada, which are now neglected in the operation.
On the African continent the layers of diamonds are opened in Botswana, Angola, Sierra Leone, Namibia, democratic Congo (former Zaire) and number of other countries. In our country and in the European part are opened the layers in the Arkhangyelsk province - [im]. OF [M].[V]. of Lomonosov (uniting 6 diamond-bearing tubes), output on whom began in 2004. and [V]. [Grib] [V]. layer.
Output of diamonds - complex and labor-consuming process, which requires significant financial investments in the initial stages. On the average of one ton of species are obtained about 1 carats of diamonds from the radical layers and 3-5 of the alluvial. But not only the extraction of useful component from the total volume of the obtained material is energy-consuming and expensive process. Layer must be first found. From the moment of the beginning of the searches for layer before its discovery is passed not one year, and sometimes also not one decade. In this time thousands of people work for the good of future discovery. Then it will pass still several years, until the first diamond is obtained, in this time it is necessary to affirm reserves, to prepare the area of layer for the development, to create infrastructure, to stock up technology and all possible expensive equipment, to construct the concentrating plant, where the crystals of diamonds will extracted from the species, and hire professionals, who operate all stages of the process of putting out the diamonds.
Peter [Pisarev], the department of the mineralogy of MGU. Photographs are given by the press service [AK] “OF [ALROSA]”
Africa - world leader for the output of the diamonds
At present Africa is the main world supplier of diamonds. The stones, obtained here in 2006, composed 53% by the volume and 62% on the cost from the world-wide diamond production.
Coming out at the second annual conference “the diamonds of Africa 2007” in Johannesburg, [Frayder] Of [raykhkhardt] /Frieder Reichhardt/, the chief geologist of the company MSA Of geoservices, he stated, that into 2006 for the reconnaissance of new diamond layers in Africa to year was spent by 900 million dollars, this it reports Mineweb.com.
Main African countries -[almazodobytchiki] - Botswana, south African republic the Congo (the Democratic Republic).
Output of diamonds in Africa 2006 (according to the data Of [kimberliyskogo] process)
  in ct
 in i
 mean price,
$/ct

Botswana  34 293 401,00
  3 207 570 684,00
 93,53

Congo (OTHER)   28 990 241,43
  431 931 171,00
 14,90

Republic of South Africa 14 934 706,23
  1 361 816 225,26
 91,18

Angola   9 175 060,73
  1 132 514 825,77
 123,43

 Namibia 2 402 477,34
  900 977 934,05
 375,02

 Zimbabwe  1 046 025,45
  33 853 837,81
 32,36

 Ghana   972 647,88
  30 910 703,33
 31,78

 Sierras Leon   603 556,07
  125 304 842,46
 207,61

 Guinea   473 862,25
  39 884 880,00
  84,17

 [TSAR]  419 528,35
  59 066 866,49
 140,79

Tanzania     272 161,41
  25 553 133,25
 93,89

 Lesotho   112 408,46
  83 545 876,40
  743,23

 That   28 176,00
  3 221 570,00
 114,34

 ALTOGETHER   93 724 252,60
 7 436 152 549,82
  
 Portion of the world output  53%
  62%
  

According to the data Of [kimberliyskogo] process, in 2006 precisely Botswana became leader on the cost of diamonds not only among the African countries, but also in the entire world. In this case by the volume of diamonds Botswana occupied the second place. In the country were obtained 35,1 mln. carats of raw material (20% of the world-wide output) by total cost $3,2 of billion (27%).
Let us note that in Russia in 2006 arrived large part (22%) of the obtained diamonds in the natural expression - 38,6 mln. carats. Their cost composed $2,5 billion (21% of the world output).
By the greatest and smallest in the world mean cost were in 2006 characterized also African diamonds. Thus, most expensive became the diamonds, obtained in Lesotho, $743,23 for the carat. In many respects this connected with the fact that is recently on the local layer Of [letseng] obtained a number of the very large diamonds (see new diamond giant from Lesotho, 215-[karatnyy] diamond from Lesotho for $8.26 millions, largest in 21 century diamond, from the diamond “promise to Lesotho” it will not come out one enormous diamond).
By the smallest cost were in 2006 characterized the diamonds of the Congo (OTHER) - $14,9 for the carat.
At present reconnaissance and mining works in the territory of Africa are conducted by the large number of multinational companies. Thus, in one Angola alone their number exceeds 15. And according to the estimations of experts, by 2010 output in Angola will reach 12 mln. carats of diamonds per year.
The peak of output already passed in many African countries. Thus, in 60-70- X yr. in Sierras Leon and Tanzania yearly were obtained 2 mln. and 1 mln. carats respectively. Now geologists return here in order to estimate the remained diamond reserves.
In the opinion [F]. [Raykhardta], through to [desyat]-[dvadtsat] years the center of the output of diamonds will move from the Southern Africa into the center section of the continent, since the diamond production in the Southern Africa acts already more than 100 years.
According to the information of the Reuters News Agency, in the southern, central and western parts of Africa at present the production of diamonds is evaluated at $5,1 billion, $2,2 billion and $0,34 billion respectively.
IN Republic of South Africa were found two largest diamonds - “[Kullinan]” (3106 carats) and “[Ekselsior]” (995,2 carats), while in the Sierras Leon was obtained diamond “the star of Sierras Leon”, the weighed 969,8 carats.

Where and as obtain the diamonds
Diamonds are formed in the geologically stable regions of continents, at the depths of 100-200 kilometers, where the temperature reaches 1100-1300[oS], and the pressure of 35-50 kilobars. Such conditions contribute to the passage of carbon from graphite to another modification - diamond, which has the tightly packed by atoms cubic structure. After staying billions years at the large depths, diamonds will be carried to the surface by kimberlitic magma during the volcanic explosions, forming in this case the radical layers of diamonds - kimberlitic tubes. The first of such tubes was discovered in the south of Africa in Kimberly's province, on the name of this province they began to call tubes kimberlitic, and the species, which contains precious diamonds - kimberlite. Today are throughout the world found thousands of kimberlitic tubes, but only several ten of them are industrially diamond-bearing, in which to profitably conduct output.
At present diamonds obtain of two types of the layers: radical (kimberlitic and [lamproitovye] tubes) and second - scattering. For the first time diamonds were discovered in India even to our era in the scatterings and were developed for a period of many centuries. The legendary mines Of [golkondy] gave to peace almost all known from the earliest times diamonds, such as “Of [kokhinur]”, “Shah”, “Orlov” et al.
To the 18th Century Indian mines were wasted to, and the country lost leadership in the delivery of diamonds for the World Market. But “diamond fever” began to cover other countries and continents. In 1725 alluvial layers were discovered in Brazil, and more than to the century the center of the world output of diamonds moved to South America. They began to fall after the discovery of the numerous scatterings in Brazil of price on the world diamond market for that time and for the support stability on the World Market were required rigid administrative measures to export and output of diamonds. The overwhelming majority of Brazilian diamonds - first-class crystals of the highest quality. Brazilian diamonds are small in the sizes, although are encountered large. Six of them in the world are most widely known: “The star of the south”, “the star of Egypt”, “the star Of [minasa]”, “[Minas]-[Zherays]”, “English diamond of Dresden” and “President Vargas”.
The leadership of Brazil on the output of diamonds lasted relatively not long. In 1867 in the Southern Africa on the shore river orange was found the first diamond, which changed the motion of the development of south African state and subsequently many African countries. The obtained crystal was faceted into the diamond by weight 10.75 carat, was called its own name “[Evrika]” and it entered into the history as the first-born of south African [almazodobychi]. Specifically, in the bed of river for the first time was at this time found the rock, which contains precious material diamond, subsequently named kimberlite. From this point on, begins the epoch of development and searches for radical diamond layers, connected with Africa.
In those times in the region of river orange worked about 2000 independent prospecting cooperatives, including on the mines of the Kimberly regions and de Bierce (ruined large landowner farms, named on the surname of the former owners). British kingdom controlled south African colony, and the powerful flow of diamond raw material went to London, and through it to the large center of faceting and trade - antwerp. 
In 1880. two Britons Of [rods] and [Radd] bought up the sections of prospectors near the farm de Bierce, after establishing the company De Of beers Of mining Of company Of ltd. - the embryo of the future diamond empire De Of beers.  But already by 1888. the basic diamond mines, which gave almost 90% of world output, were purchased by owners to the drawn money of the financial house of Rotschilds and united into the company De Of beers.
In 1902. in the Southern Africa near Pretoria the mason on the name Of [kullinan] opened the new layer of radical diamonds - tube “premier”. On this layer was subsequently found the largest in the world diamond “Of [kullinan]” with the mass of 3106 carat, named in the honor of original discoverer and owner of mine “premier”.
It is later no longer only in the south, but in other regions of Africa the discoveries of diamond layers continue. Thus, in 1912. were opened the richest coastal- oceanic scatterings in the east of Africa in the German colonies (at present Namibia), which give to 20% of world output, which were not worked out, until now.
They were practically divided to the middle of the twentieth century of the sphere of influence in the diamond industry. By the main center of output remained the south African countries secondary - Brazil. The diamond mines of India are practically worked out. At that moment our country was in no way considered as the serious diamond-mining power, although in the middle of the 19th Century the infrequent scatterings of diamonds in the Urals were opened. However, in the enormous territory of our country there were many prerequisites of the search for diamond layers, and Soviet geologists did not lose the hope to find layers in Siberian Yakutiya. The first diamond was found in 1949 in the pond r. Of [vilyuy], and in August 1954 Leningrad geologist Larissa [Popugaeva] it opened the first layer of radical diamonds in the USSR - tube “summer lightning”. In year the force Of the [amakinskaya] expedition [YU].[I]. Of [khabardina] revealed kimberlitic tube “Mir”, and the group of geologists under the management [V].[N]. Shchukin - tube “successful”. In these completely wild and uninhabited to that edges, in the zone of permafrost modern cities grew peaceful and successful. Were next opened many diamond layers - tube “[Aykhal]”, “Komsomol”, “anniversary”, “international”, etc, from which and at present the company [ALROSA] produces the output of diamonds. The leading position to the beginning of 2006 on the output of diamonds (on the cost) occupies Botswana, the second - Russia.
The search for diamonds they are conducted also on other continents. Thus, in the 70's of last century was opened the large radical layer of diamonds in Australia - tube “[Argayl]”.  Are later, in 1990[e] years, were found the radical layers on the north of Canada, which are now neglected in the operation.
On the African continent the layers of diamonds are opened in Botswana, Angola, Sierra Leone, Namibia, democratic Congo (former Zaire) and number of other countries. In our country and in the European part are opened the layers in the Arkhangyelsk province - [im]. OF [M].[V]. of Lomonosov (uniting 6 diamond-bearing tubes), output on whom began in 2004. and [V]. [Grib] [V]. layer.
Output of diamonds - complex and labor-consuming process, which requires significant financial investments in the initial stages. On the average of one ton of species are obtained about 1 carats of diamonds from the radical layers and 3-5 of the alluvial. But not only the extraction of useful component from the total volume of the obtained material is energy-consuming and expensive process. Layer must be first found. From the moment of the beginning of the searches for layer before its discovery is passed not one year, and sometimes also not one decade. In this time thousands of people work for the good of future discovery. Then it will pass still several years, until the first diamond is obtained, in this time it is necessary to affirm reserves, to prepare the area of layer for the development, to create infrastructure, to stock up technology and all possible expensive equipment, to construct the concentrating plant, where the crystals of diamonds will extracted from the species, and hire professionals, who operate all stages of the process of putting out the diamonds.
Peter [Pisarev], the department of the mineralogy of MGU. Photographs are given by the press service [AK] “OF [ALROSA]”
Africa - world leader for the output of the diamonds
At present Africa is the main world supplier of diamonds. The stones, obtained here in 2006, composed 53% by the volume and 62% on the cost from the world-wide diamond production.
Coming out at the second annual conference “the diamonds of Africa 2007” in Johannesburg, [Frayder] Of [raykhkhardt] /Frieder Reichhardt/, the chief geologist of the company MSA Of geoservices, he stated, that into 2006 for the reconnaissance of new diamond layers in Africa to year was spent by 900 million dollars, this it reports Mineweb.com.
Main African countries -[almazodobytchiki] - Botswana, south African republic the Congo (the Democratic Republic).
Output of diamonds in Africa 2006 (according to the data Of [kimberliyskogo] process)
  in ct
 in i
 mean price,
$/ct

Botswana  34 293 401,00
  3 207 570 684,00
 93,53

Congo (OTHER)   28 990 241,43
  431 931 171,00
 14,90

Republic of South Africa 14 934 706,23
  1 361 816 225,26
 91,18

Angola   9 175 060,73
  1 132 514 825,77
 123,43

 Namibia 2 402 477,34
  900 977 934,05
 375,02

 Zimbabwe  1 046 025,45
  33 853 837,81
 32,36

 Ghana   972 647,88
  30 910 703,33
 31,78

 Sierras Leon   603 556,07
  125 304 842,46
 207,61

 Guinea   473 862,25
  39 884 880,00
  84,17

 [TSAR]  419 528,35
  59 066 866,49
 140,79

Tanzania     272 161,41
  25 553 133,25
 93,89

 Lesotho   112 408,46
  83 545 876,40
  743,23

 That   28 176,00
  3 221 570,00
 114,34

 ALTOGETHER   93 724 252,60
 7 436 152 549,82
  
 Portion of the world output  53%
  62%
  

According to the data Of [kimberliyskogo] process, in 2006 precisely Botswana became leader on the cost of diamonds not only among the African countries, but also in the entire world. In this case by the volume of diamonds Botswana occupied the second place. In the country were obtained 35,1 mln. carats of raw material (20% of the world-wide output) by total cost $3,2 of billion (27%).
Let us note that in Russia in 2006 arrived large part (22%) of the obtained diamonds in the natural expression - 38,6 mln. carats. Their cost composed $2,5 billion (21% of the world output).
By the greatest and smallest in the world mean cost were in 2006 characterized also African diamonds. Thus, most expensive became the diamonds, obtained in Lesotho, $743,23 for the carat. In many respects this connected with the fact that is recently on the local layer Of [letseng] obtained a number of the very large diamonds (see new diamond giant from Lesotho, 215-[karatnyy] diamond from Lesotho for $8.26 millions, largest in 21 century diamond, from the diamond “promise to Lesotho” it will not come out one enormous diamond).
By the smallest cost were in 2006 characterized the diamonds of the Congo (OTHER) - $14,9 for the carat.
At present reconnaissance and mining works in the territory of Africa are conducted by the large number of multinational companies. Thus, in one Angola alone their number exceeds 15. And according to the estimations of experts, by 2010 output in Angola will reach 12 mln. carats of diamonds per year.
The peak of output already passed in many African countries. Thus, in 60-70- X yr. in Sierras Leon and Tanzania yearly were obtained 2 mln. and 1 mln. carats respectively. Now geologists return here in order to estimate the remained diamond reserves.
In the opinion [F]. [Raykhardta], through to [desyat]-[dvadtsat] years the center of the output of diamonds will move from the Southern Africa into the center section of the continent, since the diamond production in the Southern Africa acts already more than 100 years.
According to the information of the Reuters News Agency, in the southern, central and western parts of Africa at present the production of diamonds is evaluated at $5,1 billion, $2,2 billion and $0,34 billion respectively.
IN Republic of South Africa were found two largest diamonds - “[Kullinan]” (3106 carats) and “[Ekselsior]” (995,2 carats), while in the Sierras Leon was obtained diamond “the star of Sierras Leon”, the weighed 969,8 carats.

the famous diamonds
“Hope” of
“Centi-Neri” of
“the Koch-and- burrows” of
“The regent” (“[Pitt]”) of
Hope

Diamond Hope (Engl. Hope - hope) - one of the most known historical diamonds. At present it is stored the Smithsonian national museum of natural history (Washington, the USA).
The mass of this dark-blue diamond is 45,52 carats. Geometric dimensions of the stone: 25,60 X of 21,78 X of 12,00 mm. diamond is faceted in the form pillow - [kushona].
According to the examination Of the [gemmologicheskogo] institute of America (GIA) dated 1988, the cleanliness of diamond Hope - VS1 (it is present whitish [greyning], characteristic for the blue stones). Color - [fantaziynyy] greyish- dark-blue (Fancy of dark of grayish-blue).
Diamond Hope is faceted from the diamond of the type Of iIb. The boron-containing diamonds carry to this type. Boron specifies the blue color of diamonds and their semiconductor properties. Blue diamonds frequently possess the property of phosphorescence (variety of luminescence) - by the ability to shine during irradiation by the source of ultraviolet lighting, moreover glow continues for a certain period of time after turning off of the lighting source. Color of the luminescence of Hope - red.
Dark-blue diamond Hope decorates the diamond necklace, author of which is Pierre [Karte]. Central stone is surrounded by 16 colorless diamonds of faceting pear and [kushon]. In the chain of necklace 45 colorless diamonds are fixed.
From the history of diamond Hope

Dark-blue diamond with the mass of 112 3/16 carats (side view, from above and from below). Figure To [taverne].

The history of famous diamond Hope begins from the middle of the 17th Century, when well-known French merchant Cambric To [taverne] acquired large dark-blue diamond with the mass of 112 3/16 carats (about 115 carats in the contemporary certificate). This stone was unskillfully faceted and on the form it resembled triangle. Specialists concur in the opinion, that the diamond was obtained, most probably, on [Kolloe] layer in [Golkonde] (India).
In 1668 [Taverne] sold this stone to the king of France Ludovik XIV. In 1673 the court jeweler of his [pereogranil] into the 67-[karatnyy] diamond (about 69 carats in the contemporary certificate). In royal [inventorii] the color of diamond is described as the saturated steel- itself dark-blue (intense of steely-blue), and stone itself is registered by the name “dark-blue diamond of crown” (Blue Of diamond of of the Of crown), or “French dark-blue” (French Of blue). With Ludovik THIS XV stone decorated royal suspension with the order of gold fleece. Furthermore, of the initial stone To [taverne] were faceted still somewhat smaller in the size of the diamonds, one of which there is no time decorated the ring of empress Maria [Fedorovny], and now it is stored in the diamond fund.
In 1792 the treasures of French royal surname were stolen and disappeared. In first quarter of the 19th Century dark-blue diamond appears in London. Supposedly its way lay through Amsterdam (where it was [pereogranen] and acquired its present form and size - 45,52 carats).
According to some data, stone acquired the King of England Georg IV, after death of whom in 1830 the diamond was sold.
By its new owner became Henry Philip Hope. Specifically, stone is obliged to him by its name, known now to the entire world. After death of Henry Philip Hope in the course of long judicial lawsuits the stone passed into the possession of his nephew - Henry Thomas Hope, and in the consequence - great-grandson.
In 1901 lord Francis Hope, the great-grandson of Henry Philip Hope, obtained the permission of the British [Kantslerskogo] law court to sale of the diamond on account of the payment of his numerous card debts. The stone several times resold, until in 1909 it is acquired by famous jeweler Pierre [Karte] for 550 thousand francs.
The well-known secular lady from Washington Of [evelin] Walsh MLEAN, having for the first time seen treasure, did not at first too interest herself in stone. Pierre [Karte], after placing diamond to the center of luxurious necklace, persuaded MLEAN to take treasure for hire, in order to flash during Week -[enda]. And soon MLEAN it acquired adornment.
In 1949 jewelry collection MLEAN (already after death of its owner), acquired the company Of harry Of winston. Besides Hope, into collection entered other large diamonds: Star Of [vostok] (94,8 carats), the star of the south (15 carat), 9-[karatnyy] green diamond and the 31-[karatnyy] stone, named late MLEAN.
For the following ten years the diamond was demonstrated on different exhibitions and exposures. On November 10, 1958 the company Of harry Of winston presented Hope to the Smithsonian national museum of natural history (Washington, the USA).
Diamond left Smithsonian museum only four times: for the demonstration in [Luvre] (1962), Johannesburg (1965) and New York (1984). In 1996 necklace with the diamond Hope was transmitted Harry Of winston in New York for cleaning and insignificant restoration works.
In the beginning of 2010 were carried out studies of two famous blue diamonds - Hope and [Vittelsbakh]- Graff.
It is in more detail about the results of studies of >>>
Centi-Neri 
 
 Photos from the archive Of diamond Of promotion Of service 
For the first time stone was demonstrated on March 11, 1988 at the method in the honor of the century of company de Bierce. It is completely naturally, stone was called name “Centenary” that indicates “the century”. Diamond was found in Republic of South Africa, in the tube premier, which in 1905 gave to peace the diamond - [Kullinan] largest in the history.
The command of diamonds cutters under the management Of [gabi] Of [tolkovskogo] spent three years on the study of stone, its preparation for the faceting and development of special [ogranochnogo] equipment, since usual did not befit. Work was conducted in the situation of a strict secrecy in the special bunker in [Yogannesburge]. Were selected 13 possible forms of diamond, on basis of which were prepared hundreds of plastic models. As a result three models were presented to board of directors de Bierce, who in March 1990 made a final selection of the form of diamond - somewhat modified form of heart, without the traditional deepening between the portions. Then began very process of faceting, which continued until April 1991.
On May 1, 1991 owner de Bierce Nicholas Oppenheimer demonstrated finished diamond in London [Tauere]. The mass of stone after faceting was 273,85 carats, The [gemmologicheskiy] institute of America appropriated to it the highest group of color D and the highest group of cleanliness Fl (unblemished). Since then and on the present time the diamond of centi-Neri - largest stone in the world with the high of the possible by color and the cleanliness.
Experts assume that the diamond was sold and de Bierce more it does not manage, but today's owner of stone is unknown. The policy of company is such, that similar facts do not give self up to publicity. Is unknown also the price of transaction, it is known only that the insurance cost of stone was in 1991 one hundred million dollars.
the Koch-and- burrows
On the famous diamond of Koch-and- Nora ([Gor] light) and the majority of large historical precious stones, there is a set of legends. It is considered that it was discovered in the mines Of [golkondy] in South India and in the protoplastic form it weighed 800 carat. Stone fell into the hands of the founder of the dynasty of great [Mogolov], then Shah, belonged and decorated his ceremonial peacock throne, being arranged accurately overhead ruler.
In 1739, during the administration of the Shah of Mohammed, into North Western India [vtorglis] the Persian troops headed by Shah [Nadir]. In the number of other the Shah took peacock throne; however, diamond there it did not prove to be. After learning, that the stone is hidden in the turban of Mohammed, nadir went to the craftiness. After proposing to Mohammed peace, nadir invited it to the feast, during which he proposed, on the old custom, to exchange turbans. After developing cherished turban, nadir exclaimed: “The mountain of light!”. Thus, on the legends, diamond acquired its present name.
In 1747 nadir was killed, its empire was decomposed, and during the disorders the possessor of famous diamond became the Afghan of Akhmad [Abdali]. He drove away all treasures into Kandahar, where he established Afghan state and royal dynasty Of [durrani]. After its death in 1773, its son Timur transferred the capital to Kabul and he there transported its treasures. The long period of disturbance in 1793 followed after death of Timur. Finally in the course of internal fight throne took one of the sons of Timur - [Shudzha]-[ul]-[Mulk]. Fearing for its life, in 1813 it ran to Lahore, after taking with itself treasures. Refuge to it granted rajah It [randzhit] Singh, but he instead of required all treasures, including Koch-and- Nora.


Glass copy Koch-and- burrow after [pereogranki]

Famous diamond remained in [Toshakhane], near Lahore, until 1849, when treasure passed into the possession to east-indian company; in 1850 stone was presented into the gift Queen Victoria. In 1851 it was demonstrated on the large exhibition in London. Initial Indian faceting by this time still remained; however, was in 1852 accepted the solution to [pereogranit] stone into the flatter, so that it “would begin to play in a new way”. Unfortunately, with the loss of original form stone lost the high portion of attractiveness, after ceasing to be so interesting historical an object (to say nothing of 42%- noy to the loss of the mass: with 191 to 108,9 carats).
After death Queen Victoria Koch-and- Nora it was added to the royal regalias, it was fixed in the state crown, which at first belonged to queen Alexander, and then to queen Maria. Late stone fastened in the new crown, prepared by company “[Garrard] and [K]°” for the coronation of its majesty of queen Elizabeth (queen- mother). At present the royal crown, decorated Koch- and -[norom], is stored in London [Tauere].
The diamond, from which was subsequently faceted diamond, equally well known under the names “[Pitt]” and “the regent”, was found in 1701 in South India, in the pond r. [Kistna]. The mass of diamond was 410 carats.
The diamond, from which was subsequently faceted diamond, equally well known under the names “[Pitt]” and “the regent”, was found in 1701 in South India, in the pond r. [Kistna]. The mass of diamond was 410 carats.
There is a legend about the fact that the diamond was found by the slave, who hid it in the deep wound of foot under the bandage. After completing flight, it hid aboard the ship and agreed with the captain about in half subdividing of gain from sale of stone. But captain, after obtaining diamond, killed unhappy slave, and its body rejected outside. Ship captain sold stone to the English commandant of the fort of holy Georgiy in Madras to William To [pittu].
On the return to England Of [pitt] it for long searched for the specialists, who would facet stone. Finally, London diamonds cutter Joseph [Koup] after two-year-old work converted diamond into the diamond of the faceting of [kushon], whose mass was 140,5 carats, and work itself managed To [pittu] into 5000 thousand pounds. Abraham Nathan acquired the splinters for 7000 thousand pounds remained from the diamond, part of them was subsequently faceted in the form rose and it was sold to Russian emperor Peter [Velikiy].
[Pitt] was in a constant fear, fearing the theft of diamond, and the course of several years it attempted to sell it. In 1717, after long tradings stone was acquired for the regent of France Philip THE II Orleans for the enormous sum - 135 000 pounds. In the honor of new owner, to diamond was appropriated the name “regent”.
At the beginning of the 18th Century the royal regalias of France were the richest collection of precious stones. In 1721 Turkish ambassador at the method to Versailles king Ludovik THE XV met in the bow with the diamond “regent”, the mantle with the diamonds and the pearls, to the hat, decorated with another famous diamond - “[Sansi]”.
In September 1725 king Ludovik OF THE XV was married Maria Of the [lezhinskoy], the daughter banished king of Poland. Diamond “regent” decorated its diadem. The tastes of the following queen of France - Maria Antoinette, the husbands of Ludovik XVI - differed; therefore royal adornments were altered. In the period of the administration of this king many precious stones underwent [pereogranke], on the happiness, this did not touch “regent”.
During the French revolution royal regalias were transported from the Versailles palace in the depository of the royal treasures Of [gard]-[Mebl] in Paris. But in 1792 practically all treasures from the depository were stolen, into [t].[ch]. and “regent”.
However, already year the later stolen diamond “regent” was found with the agents of French government and returned into the hands of French monarch - already Napoleon. In the last decade XVIII v. Napoleon used this diamond, in the number of other large precious stones, as the guarantee for guaranteeing its military marches with all with necessary. In 1804 stone decorated the sword of Napoleon with his emperor coronation.
Its widow Mary- Louise [Avstriyskaya] exported stone from France. Subsequently Habsburgs returned stone to Napoleon OF THE III, who ordered to set “regent” into the diadem of his husbands Eugene.
In 1887 many royal treasures were put out to sale, into their number it did not fall to the happiness “regent”. Taking into account the enormous historic importance of stone, it was included in exposure in [Luvre]. In 1940 during the intrusion of German army into Paris diamond was sent for the lock Chambord and it was hidden after the panel of the marble fireplace, where it was located up to until 1945. At present stone again is located in [Luvre].

The estimation of the quality of the faceting

Ideas about the diamond faceting

At the beginning [KHKH] of century (1919 g.) Marseille [Tolkovskiy] published work “Diamond Of design”, where the motion of light ray in the diamond traced. As the initial form was accepted round diamond with 57 faces as most common. [Tolkovskiy] calculated proportions and angles, with which the diamond is characterized by maximum luster and game: the size of area 53%, the angle of crown 34.5%, the angle of pavilion 40.75%. Calculations coincided well with the parameters of the real diamonds, which [Tolkovskiy] considered well faceted.
For a period of several decades the diamond the parameters Of [tolkovskogo] was considered ideal. However, diamonds cutters attempted themselves to maximally preserve the mass of diamonds with the faceting and for this reason they stepped back from the calculated parameters. In the second-half [KHKH] of century were formed the systems of the estimation of diamonds, and it became understandable that the faceting - characteristic, which most with difficulty yields to estimation. They began to evaluate the quality of faceting, dividing off into the component parts: proportion, symmetry and polishing. In this case each of these parts corresponds its estimation of diamonds. The estimation of the quality of polishing is produced via the search for external characteristics, the determination of their sizes, position and the like with respect to symmetry idea rules, that any the deflection of the ornament (pattern) of diamond from the symmetrical visually worsens the quality of faceting. Proportions are evaluated differently. One of the approaches to the estimation of proportions (GIA) lies in the fact that sizes and angles are not evaluated, but simply they are transferred in the expert conclusion. Another approach to the estimation of proportions (AGS, HRD) consists in the determination of the ranges of the proportions, inside which the quality of faceting is considered identical. For different ranges are appropriated the classes of the quality of faceting or description “good”, “very good” and so forth [pri] this for the best proportions starts faceting with the parameters Of [tolkovskogo] with some admittances. The more the parameters differ from the parameters Of [tolkovskogo], the lower the class can be appropriated for the faceting in accordance with such systems. The different systems of the estimation of diamonds (in the world them more 20) propose the most different proportions to consider best, and unanimous opinion there does not exist. In Russia for determining the group of faceting are used the parameters of the faceting of round diamonds on Tu-4.2009.
With this approach the estimation of diamonds (proportions) is reduced to the definition of the parameters of faceting, the task, which [gemmolog] can solve with the aid of the measuring devices, such as [leveridzh] and [proportsionoskop]. However, a question, how diamond is well faceted, and a question, what in it angles and the parameters, these are different questions. The stones, which have “good” parameters from the point of view of the existing systems of estimation, are in practice known, but they appear worse than stones “poor”. The imperfections of the existing systems of the estimation of faceting and the need of developing the more correct approaches of the estimation of diamonds are hence clear.
Therefore special studies of the influence of the parameters of faceting on the exterior view of diamond in recent years are conducted. Understanding the fact that there is no single bond between the linear and angular dimensions of diamond and the human perception of this diamond, they led to the appearance of another approach to the estimation of faceting, which can be named optical, in contrast to the geometric (proportion, symmetry, polishing).
Optical approach assumes that the diamond has such characteristics as “scintillation”, “[brilliantsiya]” and “game”. Studies of diamonds with different parameters made it possible to establish that a variation in some parameter, for example, of the angle of pavilion, leads to a significant change in the exterior view of diamond, but this change can be compensated by a variation in another parameter, in this example of the angle of crown. The knowledge of such relationships allowed diamonds cutters more rationally to process diamond raw material and in this case to obtain beautiful diamonds. The appearance of computer models of diamonds made it possible to use mathematical calculations for the analysis of diamond faceting. In this case computer sorts out many sets of the parameters of faceting and searches for the maximums of the functions, which describe the optical characteristics, such as “the recovery of light” and “game”. Under the actual conditions it cannot be faceted the huge amount of diamonds with different sets of the parameters for the search for the best; therefore this sorting is possible only for “virtual” diamonds. Calculations showed that the optical functions have not one maximum in the field of the parameters of faceting; different functions, for example, “the recovery of light” and “game” have high values for the different sets of the parameters. The values of functions sharply change in the dependence on what luminous source it is used for the illumination. This means that there does not exist one set of the parameters of the diamond, which would be better than everything else. If we consider that good diamonds - these are such diamonds, whose high recovery of light, then we must cut with some parameters, if we solved, that the most beautiful diamond has strong “game”, then it is necessary to select other parameters of faceting. It turned out that diamond with the parameters Of [tolkovskogo] is a good compromise it, i.e., has simultaneously high “the recovery of light” and “game”. However, it is possible to find such parameters of diamond, with which the value “of the recovery of light”, “games” or other functions will be higher than in the diamond Of [tolkovskogo].
The estimation of diamonds, quality of faceting is tightly connected with the human perception of stone, since the well faceted stone is received by man as beautiful and are caused positive emotions. Man will more badly receive the dim, badly playing or low-contrast diamond (this of the characteristic of diamond, connected with the fact, as it redistributes light into the surrounding space). Besides this, men can have the previous work experience as the diamonds cutter, the dealer or [gemmologa], and then he has prejudices against the stone, which has such effects, as superfluously thick [rundist], “fish eye” (reflection of [rundista] in the faces of pavilion, visible through the area), “Nail Head” (relative darkening of the center section of the diamond), “Necktie- butterfly” (darkened section in the form of necktie- butterfly in the center section of the diamonds of the forms of marquises or pear). All these factors set their limitations with the faceting of diamonds with the nontraditional parameters or the search for the new fantaziynykh forms of faceting.

EXPERT ESTIMATION OF THE DIAMONDS
Expert estimation - procedure of the estimation of stone via its comparison with other diamonds on the specific criteria. The totality of such criteria composes the system of expert estimation. Usually the expert estimation of stone is accomplished from four parameters (4 “[s]”):
The first “[s]” - carat of weight (weight in the carats). In this stage occurs the precision determination of the weight of stone via weighing on the weights or calculation according to the formulas, if diamond is fixed in the article. The weight of diamond is expressed in the carats (1 ct = 0.2 grams).
The second “[s]” - color (color). Completely colorless diamonds are encountered sufficiently rarely, and practically all stones have nuances of different colors and intensities. Into the task of expert enters the precision determination of intensity and color of diamond with the standard illumination with the use of standards of color and awarding estimation according to the color.
The third “[s]” - clarity (cleanliness). All internal imperfections (defects) of stone are revealed in this stage. On the cleanliness the estimation is appropriated to stone.
The fourth “[s]” - cut (quality of faceting). The characteristic of the form of diamond, quality of faceting and finish machining is given in this stage.
On the basis these parameters it is possible to judge how this diamond it is separated among other diamonds, on the basis what it can be more expensively, or it is, on the contrary, cheaper.
1. SYSTEM OF THE EXPERT ESTIMATION
In the world practice different systems of the estimation of diamonds are used. Most common is estimation system, developed By the [gemmologicheskiy] institute of America (GIA), and with this system they are familiar the experts of the entire world. Other known systems of estimation are the system of the highest diamond council of Belgium (IDC or HRD), system CIBJO, Scandinavian nomenclature (Scan D.N.), sometimes are used ancient terms, especially for describing the color.
In Russia the Russian system of estimation is used (TU 117-4.2099-2002). In this material primary attention is paid to the systems GIA and TU. Western systems, with exception of the rare cases, are easily transferred by one into another, while they all they cannot be unambiguously transferred into the Russian system.
2. ESTIMATION OF MASS (WEIGHTS) OF THE DIAMONDS
The mass of the [neopravlennogo] diamond is determined weighing on the [karatnykh] weights. Weighing is produced with the accuracy at least to the third sign after comma, mass is written to the second sign, the third sign is rejected, if it is not equal to 9. it is allowed the simultaneous weighing of the party of diamonds. Small diamonds frequently are scattered through the mesh gauge to the dimensional groups and in this case are sold according to the sizes. During association and splitting of the parties of diamonds the certain possible change in the mass, indicated in the documents.
If diamond is set right into the jewelry article, its mass can be accurately established only after [vykrepleniya]. Therefore imperatively one should weigh stones to the mounting into the articles. The mass of the set right diamonds can be approximately calculated by formulas. For example, the formula of the calculation of the weight of the diamond of the standard round faceting:
[M]=D2[kh]H[kh]0,0061
Where M mass in the carats, D - diameter, N height.
In the case of thick [rundista] depending on its thickness coefficient of 0,0061 increases to 0,0067.
The error of the calculation of mass according to the formulas is of about 10% for the correctly faceted diamonds and can be still more for the stones with the distorted geometry, the ancient and nontraditional facetings.
With the determination of the weight of diamonds from the formulas necessary to indicate the fact that weight it was calculated method.

The estimate of the cost of the diamond
Prices of the diamonds traditionally are counted in the US dollars for 1 carat. Mass, color, cleanliness, quality of the facetings, known as 4 “[s]”, are the basic factors, on which depends the price of diamond. On the basis these factors it is possible to determine the price list cost of diamond. The price lists, created on the basis of statistical analysis of supply and demand on the diamond market, abroad are price indicators, and therefore price of the diamonds from the price list it is basis for the negotiations about the final sum of transaction. In Russia acts the price list on the diamonds dated 2002, affirmed by public organs. On the basis price list prices the salesmen of diamonds establish the prices of proposals. Among the foreign price lists the greatest reputation obtained the price list Of [rapaporta]. The price list Of [rapaporta] is the summary of the retail prices of the proposal of diamonds on the market of New York with the condition of payment with available currency, regularly obtained on the basis of data of the interrogation of dealers. Price list reflects the opinion of the experts Of rapaport Of corporation about the level of prices of the diamonds, without being proposal for the purchase or sale.

With an increase in the mass of diamond the price of it grows also in the dollars for the carat; therefore the doubling of mass does not indicate the doubling of price for the stone. For example, if we fix for the diamond color H and cleanliness SI2, then the difference in the cost between the [polukaratnym] and [karatnym] diamonds will compose 2,38 times for the carat or 4,76 times for the stone. If we analyze, as cost for the carat it grows with an increase in the mass, then it is possible to see the jumps of the prices, when stone reaches mass 0,30 ct, then 0,50 ct, 1 ct, 2 ct, 3 ct, 5 ct. And vice versa, if in the price lists are indicated the same prices for the size and weight group, for example, from 1,00 to 1,49 ct, then the price of stones for the carat inside the group does not depend on mass, but it depends on color, cleanliness and faceting.
The influence of the group of color on the cost of stone is very interesting. If we examine so-called [zhelty] a number, i.e., stone line from the completely colorless to [nasyshchenno] of yellow, then most expensive will be completely colorless. Least, hardly the visible residue reduces cost, and further, with each following group of color, cost falls approximately to the group M along the international system. To M and from Z the price varies to the side of reduction, but to the insignificant degree, the price list Of [rapaporta] does not contain prices of the stones, on the color of worse than M. after the end of the scale D- Z the stone already has not a nuance, but color, is considered [fantaziyno] yellow, and price again begins grow. Depending on saturation to stone can be appropriated such groups of color as “intensive”, “thick”, “dark”, and this affects price. The greatest cost from [fantaziyno] of the painted yellow diamonds, that is approached a cost of completely colorless stones, has Fancy Of vivid Of yellow, i.e., [fantaziynyy] thick yellow colored.
On the cleanliness all stones also can be arranged on the scale “without the starts - numerous starts”. It is understandable that the less the starts, the less their size, the higher the cost of stone. However, if we take two stones, which appropriated the identical group of cleanliness, then their price list cost will be identical, but market value it can differ. For example, dealer can inquire higher price for the stone of the fifth group of cleanliness, if cleanliness is nearer to the fourth group, and lower price, if the nature of starts is nearer to the sixth group.
Faceting has an enormous effect on price. Diamonds with the poor quality of the facetings, flat, with the high crown and by pavilion value considerably lower than the diamonds with a good quality of faceting. Price information in the price lists relates to the stones with a good quality of faceting. While stones with the average quality of faceting frequently sell with comparatively small reductions with respect to the stones with the excellent quality of faceting, diamonds with the poor quality of faceting can be sold with the significant reductions. Prices of the [fantaziynye] forms also depend on the quality of faceting, and on “the fantasy” with the poor quality of faceting are done high reductions. Furthermore, form and the quality of the faceting “of fantasies” is very difficult to describe in the uniform form. As a whole in the price lists the dependence of price on the quality of faceting is not prescribed. The influence of faceting on the price is extremely specific for the separate stones and the buyers. All this frequently bears subjective nature and can vary in accordance with the conditions of market. The complementary factors, which influence the estimation of faceting, include: the displacement of [kaletty], asymmetrical edges, clearly wavy [rundist], large [nayfy], relationship between the overall height, the value of area, the height of crown and the depth of the pavilion
Each price list is cmbined with the specific system of the estimation of diamonds. Thus, on the Russian to price list we can learn the cost of the diamond, whose characteristics are determined according to TU, and according to the price list Of [rapaporta] - if characteristics are determined according to the system GIA ([Gemmologicheskogo] institute of America). For the stones with the mass more than 6 carat does not exist any price indicators, and merchants with the determination of prices of the especially large diamonds are oriented either to the results of international auctions or they sell on such price, which the buyer is capable to pay.
For example, if we accept for the basis Russian the price list of prices, then with respect to it is necessary to make several corrections:
1) prices of 2001 are considerably lower than today's prices, moreover they changed differently to the different dimensional groups, the groups of color and cleanliness. The large clean diamonds of high color characteristics became dearer in this time much more than the small stones of low characteristics;
2) price list it was released to the wholesale prices, retail must be above;
3) price list does not consider [dilerskuyu] commercial increase;
4) price list does not consider VAT
5) price list does not consider expenditures for certification, this approximately 60 US dollars for the diamond with the mass of 1 carat
On the portal “of Mir of diamonds” works the pricer of the diamonds, which makes it possible to determine the range of retail prices of given moment of time in Moscow. In this case the following assumptions start:
- price is established on the natural [neopravlennyy] diamond;
- prices are retail (it is assumed that the user desires to purchase one diamond);
- the transaction of purchase - sale is achieved in accordance with the legislation, dealer manages diamond on the law foundations;
- diamond has certificate or [gemmologicheskoe] expert conclusion;
- certificate guarantees, that the characteristics of diamond are not intentionally distorted;
- price includes VAT;
- characteristics can be defined both according to the Russian and according to the international system of estimation.
The cost of diamond grows as it travels from the [ogranochnogo] enterprise and to the end user. Diamond as the part of the wholesale party stands less than the same diamond by retail. If dealer wants to purchase the party of diamonds, it pays on one price, while if he wants to select one stone of this party, price another is, as a rule, higher. The price of stone in the article in the jewelry store can several times differ from price list. And there were repeatedly the cases, when expert reported the price list cost of diamond to client how he shocked client, who knows only that price, which it paid in the jewelry store, although it is understandable that the magazine increases can be completely justified, just as many other expenditures for the way of stone to the end user.
The special features of market are such, that are encountered the proposals of diamonds on the prices, which can be both lower than the minimum prices of calculator and higher than maximum. The price lower than minimum does not compulsorily mean that the stone of poor faceting or the salesman overstated characteristics. Accurately also, the price of higher than the maximum price of calculator does not compulsorily mean that this price is justified in no way. For example, the majority of the set right diamonds will have a price, higher than the maximum, calculated by calculator. In all such cases it should be consult with the salesman for obtaining the individual information with the stone.
Finally, it is possible also to touch the extended practice of trading with purchase and sale of diamonds. Experimental merchants know how to interpret the numerous specific features of diamonds as increasing, or vice versa, that reduce its cost. This there can be the special feature of proportions, symmetry and polishing, optical effects, current situation on the market, level of the current demand for similar stones, how is important to conclude precisely this transaction, and much other. Fluorescence, [greyning], presence of improvement also can influence market value. It is important, what documents accompany stone. Before the final purchase the buyer and salesman discuss stone and his specific features, they deal and as a result price can differ from the price of proposal. Probably, therefore certificates and expert conclusions to the precious stones do not usually contain the reference about the cost, giving buyer and salesman the right to determine the price of each stone by itself.

The colored diamonds
The colored diamonds of jewelry quality are encountered much more rarely than colorless. While colorless diamonds is obtained several million pieces per year, colored diamonds of bright clean colors - first ten. Their painting can be yellow, orange, cognac, purple, green, pink, red, blue or turn blue.

In the diamond fund in the Kremlin are exposed two [fantaziynykh] diamonds: by blue weight 7 carat and pink - 3.36 carat, and also represented several yellow and brown diamonds. The diamonds of such colors, as red, pink, orange, violet, dark-blue, blue, green frequently stand more expensively than the colorless diamonds of highest group of color. High cost makes such stones accessible to the exceptionally small circle of very rich buyers. Therefore it is not surprising that in the entire world there are a total of several firms, which specialize in the diamonds of [fantaziynoy] painting. In 2003 The [smitsonianovskiy] institute of natural history in the USA demonstrated the unique exposure of [fantaziynykh] diamonds, stones for which it was necessary on one to loan of the collections of the most important firms.
 In the center the colorless diamond Of millennium Of star (203.04 carats). From left to right: Steinmetz Of pink (59.60 carat), Heart of Of eternity (27 carat), Pumpkin Of diamond (5.54 carats), Moussaieff Of red (5.11 carat), Ocean Of dream, Allnatt (101.29 carat).

The owner Of millennium Of star and Heart of Of eternity is the company De Of beers. Steinmetz Of pink belongs Steinmetz Of group and is named in its honor. Moussaieff Of red was faceted to order the company Of moussaieff Of jewellers Of ltd. Diamond on the name Of allnatt is named in the honor of its owner, well-known Maecenas of Alfred Ernst [Alnat]

The cost of colored diamonds is immeasurably high and can reach $1 mln. for the carat, if stone has natural painting. This enormous cost [fantaziynye] diamonds have first of all because of their rarity.  Colored diamonds are so specific that many laws of the market for usual diamonds do not work for them. They must be cut according to other rules, evaluated according to other systems and sold otherwise, than usual diamonds. To [fantaziyno] the painted diamonds there does not exist price lists or price lists, t to transactions with them it is too small for the statistical processing of prices. Furthermore, small variations in the painting lead to the significant jumps of cost. For example, for the red and pink diamonds the sharpest possible reduction in the cost, if in them is manifested brown nuance. And vice versa, if primary color - brown, then cost can run up upward, if orange nuance is manifested. For the dark-blue and blue diamonds gray nuance is undesirable, while for the green - yellow nuance.
In order to obtain idea about the levels of the prices, which were established on the market for colored diamonds, dealers and [gemmologi] usually collect information about the real transactions with these stones, first of all on the sums of auction tradings to Sotheby's and Christie's. Sometimes in the catalogs of these auctions with the preparation for sale of any colored diamond the prices of transactions with other similar stones are given.
The most expensive [fantaziynye] deep yellow (vivid) diamonds

In the different time different colors of diamonds enjoyed one or other world popularity or another. In the nineteenth century and at the beginning of past century dark-blue diamonds enjoyed the greatest popularity. Famous dark-blue 42.5-[karatnyy] diamond “Hope” is considered as the most expensive small object in the world, it is evaluated in $200 mln., i.e., only it is less than $5 mln. for the carat. It is at present complicated to say, what color of stone is more popular. Thus, for instance, beginning with 1970- X of the years, when were opened diamond layers in Australia, for the market they began to move pink, “cognac”, “wine”, violet and red diamonds from [Argayl] layer. Now the cost of such stones reaches $100 thousand for the carat. The price of red, green and dark-blue diamonds varies between $400-$500 thousand for the carat. In December 2001 the red diamond of round faceting by the weight of 1.92 carats and qualities VS2 was sold for $1.65 mln.

Are the black diamonds fantasy ?

Situation with the black diamonds requires separate consideration. Until recently raw material for their production ( the black diamonds ) was considered as the exceptionally technical, i.e., such diamonds they sorted out into the position “board”. The cost of this raw material did not exceed 10 dollars for the carat. However, some part of this raw material is suitable for the faceting, namely those crystals, in which black color is evenly distributed throughout entire volume. Far from all specialists are agreeable with the fact that faceted black diamond can be called diamond, indeed it is opaque, he does not sparkle and not “does play”, and it is capable to reflect light only by surface. However, it is understandable that the commercial term “black diamond” has a right to exist in the sense that the use of this term it cannot be pursued in the judicial order.

The black diamonds it is much less than colorless (or almost colorless); therefore black diamonds and adornments with them began to be positioned as unique and rapidly was filled their market niche. They are popular, in particular, in the men, many of whom are distant from the thought to decorate itself with colorless diamonds and in this form to appear at the society. The cost of the black diamonds is much lower than colored, and there is a category of the buyers, who can allow themselves blacks, but cannot make it possible (and even find on the market) colored. Furthermore, because of the low cost of raw material operations with the black diamonds are more profitable for the diamonds cutters, the dealers and the jewelers, than work with the colorless diamonds.

However, besides the described positive sides, the market for black diamonds has negative. Since many experts relate to them skeptically, the owner of black diamonds can feel himself deceived, if it learns, that “purchased the board”, either “it overpaid”, because these are “not at all diamonds” and “they relate to the quite last group on TU, or not at all they correspond THAT”. The second problem - this that the black diamonds can damage of the high market reputation of colored diamonds, since they pretend to their role. Third problem - improvement. An increase in the popularity of black diamonds caused the new turn of the technologies of improvement, and in particular, appeared the firms, which can “blacken” low-quality, defective diamonds via irradiation or annealing. In turn, [gemmologicheskie] laboratories search for the ways of diagnostics of the tracks of the improvement of such stones and publish the results of studies in the scientific [gemmologicheskoy] periodicals. One additional problem - under the guise black diamond to buyer they can slip artificial black moissanite.

Special features of the estimation
What it is necessary to know in order not to be that deceived with the trade in colored diamonds? Is first, great the probability that the stone can be synthetic or refined. To synthesize the large crystal of the diamond of thick yellow-brown painting is simpler than colorless. Therefore any yellow, yellow-brown or brown diamond must be checked against the object of natural origin. The technologies of an artificial change in the painting existing today make it possible to change the color of natural crystal to the more attractive, for example, green or the brilliant yellow. Since the improvement does not leave in stone- obvious tracks, are necessary special equipment and diagnostic procedures. Therefore the problems of diagnostics usually are solved in the [gemmologicheskikh] laboratories, and the expert conclusion of the acknowledged laboratory - guarantee of the authenticity of stone and its painting.
After it did not remain doubts about the authenticity of stone and its painting, it is necessary to be determined with its characteristics, most important of which it is the colored acting in Russia technical requirements complex to use for evaluating the color. Such rarely meeting colors, as pink, blue or green according to TU relate to the first group of color, and this is incorrect, because the cost of the stones of such colors substantially exceeds the cost of the diamonds of the first group of color.
With respect to yellow diamonds in TU there is the indication that they can be related to [fantaziynym], if they are more saturated than special stone - model (standard of color 8-5). In the international practice the color of usual diamonds is characterized by letter designation from D to Z, depending on the saturation of yellow, and the color of the stones, yellower than standard Z, is described with the aid of the term of fancy ([fantaziynyy]).  In this case standard 8-5 can not correspond to last color in the international scale of the estimation of colorfulness.
Depending on nuance and saturation to [fantaziynym] stones are appropriated the colors: light of yellow (bright yellow), yellow (yellow), intense of yellow (intensive yellow), vivid of yellow (thick yellow) and the like upon transfer of one gradation to another cost sharply runs up upward. But if the primary color of diamond is not yellow and is not brown, but, for example, is blue or is pink, then stone can be considered [fantaziynym], if its saturation is higher than in the model of color k.
On studies of the publication Of cNN/Money the second place among “the objects of the desire” of millionaires occupy jewelry articles with the precious stones and, in particular, most fashionable recently articles with the colored diamonds. The faceting of colored diamonds is advantageous and promising activity. The chain, on which moves the stone from the layer to the user - is minimum. Companies try to sell all obtained colored diamonds, which obtain to directly lapidary enterprises, after obtaining with sale the maximum of profit and without leaving to its mediators. Lapidary enterprises, in turn, try to find the buyer of diamond, and in the majority of the cases it already there is, and under its demand is achieved the search for raw material and is carried out faceting.

On the certified diamonds Rings

It did not occur from the point of view of users, large revolution, t to diamonds and to this moment were accessible to them for the purchase as the component part of the intricate adornments. The majorities of users either did not know that it is possible to make with the [neopravlennym] precious stone or they were not informed, that its acquisition is lawful. Moreover the salesmen of the jewelry stores, into which entered the certified stones, obtained no additional preparation in the region of the demonstration of stones and aid to buyers for their selection. The first salesmen of diamonds in Russia, after adding to the prime cost of the stones of the price increase/increase/the taxes/of expenses were obtained the retail prices, compared with the price of stones in the articles. Therefore stir on the market for diamonds it did not arise, [ogranochnye] enterprises continued to produce diamonds for the export, and the number of firms - dealers on by diamond could be recounted on the fingers.

The producers of intricate adornments estimated by the first of the advantage of the certified diamonds, moreover not mass, but it is faster individual. The fact is that in the certificate the characteristics of stone are indicated, and on the market frequently are encountered the situations, when man without the appropriate preparation cannot independently estimate some characteristics, for example, color and cleanliness. This use some dishonest merchants, who propose to sale diamonds, overstating their characteristics. But since diamond frequently penetrates several hands, with each it at once grows probability that characteristic they will be overstated. The jeweler, who usually also does not know how to determine color and purity of stones, occurs by the hostage of this situation: it can propose stone with the nonobjectively specific characteristics to client, actually selling goods with the quality, not corresponding to that declared. In this case the jewelers, who operate their produced clientele, are held for their clients and the certified diamonds are used for this reason. Therefore such jewelers became the first buyers of the certified diamonds, and then for the [neopravlennymi] diamonds began to be turned and other categories of buyers, including end users.

The second advantage of certificate is concluded in the objectivity of those estimations for this diamond, which in it are indicated. If we arrive into the domestic jewelry store, which sells adornments with the diamonds, and to present the question, is there diamonds with the certificates in the store, then often salesmen give this answer: “certificates are accepted in other countries, in each article compulsorily must be the label, in which everything about the stone is indicated”. Actually, labels are present, and in the certain degree their content resembles the content of certificate to the stone. But of what does consist a main difference in the certificate and label?   A main difference in the certificate in the fact that it is extracted by the independent laboratory, whose colleagues are interested neither to overstate nor to understate the characteristics of stone. Label is extracted by the colleagues of store, who usually take characteristics from the agreements of the delivery of jewelry articles. The jewelers, who manufacture articles and set right in them diamonds, in turn is not determined the characteristic of stones, but they inquire them in dealer, dealer - in diamonds cutter and so forth Therefore in the jewelry store frequently and they do not know, who estimated those diamonds, which they sell, and how it is objective. It is difficult to in practice prove to user that to it sold goods of irrelevant quality, t [k] for the examination the stones necessary to [vykreplyat], and it is then difficult to prove that this - the same diamonds, which were purchased in this store.

The development of the market for the certified diamonds in Russia encountered one underwater stone: many clients search for only diamonds with the highest characteristics on the color and the cleanliness, i.e., demand it is concentrated in the range from 1/1 to 3/3. such stones in nature are very rare, and if we evaluate color and cleanliness honestly, to reach such stones is very difficult. Experts constantly encounter the cases, when declared by 3/3 occur in practice 5/6. mentality of buyer it is such, that it is ready to take stone 3/3, but it is not ready 5/6, although the difference in the color and the cleanliness by the naked eye it is not evident. Therefore is created impression, which among the proposed stones without the certificates is more than stones with the high characteristics, and in reality this is simple the reaction of salesmen to the demands of buyers. It is in more detail about the groups of color and cleanliness. Abroad, where the scales of color and cleanliness of diamonds not [numericheskie], and literal, such problems does not appear, and stones H/SI1 enjoy the deserved demand in users, although in Russia the same stone will be evaluated as by 6/6 and in this form of characteristic they will frighten away many potential buyers. Although the recommendations of experts are reduced to the fact that the color of the diamond of the 6-[oy] group of color is not distinguished in the diamond in the article, and the starts of 6[oy] of the group of cleanliness are visible only with an increase and do not worsen the exterior view of diamond.

In the latter several years are observed the reanimation of demand for the certified diamonds. This is evinced by a yearly increase in the quantity of certified stones, quantity of dealers, which propose the certified diamonds, the number of rotation into the jewelry stores of buyers, which ask certificates and quantity of diamonds cutters, who in spite of general retention of orientation on the expert of the majority of the produced by them diamonds are ready to listen to demand from the side of the domestic market.

For users it is necessary to know that certificates - this first of all the measure of the protection of their rights, and also protection of honest merchants from the unconscientious competitors. Among the different documents, which accompany this goods as diamond (guarantee of producer, the label of store, expert conclusion, certificate) for users it is necessary to inquire the first of all independent documents, i.e., such, which are given out not by producer and not salesman, but independent experts - [gemmologami] or laboratories. It is in more detail about the [gemmologicheskoy] examination.

Reality of market is such, that on the developed consumer markets, for example, in the USA, there are such finished mechanisms of the protection of the rights of user, that the salesmen certify stones for two reasons: in order to conquer the confidence of user and in order to avoid the legal prosecutions, which will arise, if salesman itself determines the quality of diamond and this quality it will prove to be overstated. Although the certification is the voluntary matter, on the developed markets it already became required, if the discussion deals with the sufficiently valuable stones, for example, larger than 0,5 carats or even smaller, if diamonds I have high qualitative characteristics. In our country it is possible to certify the stones of any sizes up to the small since the certificate has the juridical force: the [neopravlennyy] diamond without the certificate cannot be to [prodanam] to citizens (physical persons).


We make the correct selection
All 4 characteristics influence the cost of diamond: mass, color, cleanliness and the quality of faceting. The system of estimation according to these characteristics received wide propagation it throughout the world and makes possible for buyers to be oriented among the diverse proposals of diamonds and to as a result make a correct selection. The best selection - this is the correct balance between all four characteristics.
Mass and size - this not one and the same
If we examine only one form of faceting, for example, round, then the greater the mass, that, mainly, the greater the size of stone. However, this not always so, because, changing the proportion of the faceting of stone, it is possible to obtain the diamonds of one form and one mass, but different diameter. For example, increasing the thickness of [rundista], crown and pavilion, it is possible to obtain the diamond, which has larger weight than the weight, by which it appears. It is important to avoid such stones or, at least, to inquire on them reduction, since the price is calculated in the dollars for the carat, but not for the size in the millimeters, and, buying a similar diamond, we overpay for the excess weight in order to avoid error, it is possible to estimate the overall height of diamond in % to the diameter, or the thickness of [rundista]. Overall height usually must not exceed for round diamond 62-62,5%, and it [rundist] it must not be very thick.
The greater the size or the surface area of stone, the greater the size of faces, the brighter the flashes of light, which go from the stone, the better the game of different colors is manifested. But price grows with the mass, and it is not simple for the stone, but for the carat, and in a number of cases are experienced jumps, i.e., in the diamonds there exist the transitional masses: for example, 0,30 ct, 0,50 ct, 1,00 ct. However, our eye does not have the built-in instrument for the precise measurement of linear dimensions, and therefore we by rule of thumb cannot distinguish diamond with mass 0,95 ct (with diameter of 6,3 mm), and diamond by mass 1 ct (with diameter of 6,5 mm), but price can differ one and a half times.
What characteristics are more important?
If characteristic or in other words the criterion of quality would be only one, then it would be much more simply be oriented among all existing proposals to sale - it is simple to select the best characteristic, which is entered in the budget existing for the purchase. For example, with the budget of 1000 dollars we would find the largest stone of, for example, 0,5 carats. But since cost influence simultaneously several factors, to search for and to select is necessary differently, t to largest among the diamonds for the fixed price, it will most likely, have the lower quality: start, undesirable residue or poor faceting.
Since the price of diamonds influence four factors - weight, colors, cleanliness and faceting - to potential buyer it is necessary to be determined with the fact, which of these factors for it are more important, and what can be disregarded. Frequently the salesmen of diamonds encounter the situation, when buyers require exclusively the stones of 1/1, i.e., first group of color and first group of cleanliness. It is possible that such clients do not understand the principles of the definition of the characteristics of diamonds and transfer to the diamonds their experience, obtained with the collision with the systems of the estimation of other goods. For example, with the purchase of food products people became accustomed to be oriented in essence to the first type - as is known, sturgeon cannot be the second freshness. And from the school bench to us are inoculated the specific stereotypes: five - the best estimation, four - is worse, rest - are still worse. And these ideas automatically are transferred to the classification of the diamonds: of nine groups of the color (for the diamonds of more than 0,30 ct) only first is seen by acceptable, everything else with the second on the ninth - unacceptable.
It is understandable that the first group is better than the second, and word combination “fifth quality” sounds so that any it can force to think. However, the classification of diamonds is built according to other principles, than school estimations or the quality of food products. This demonstrate the given below examples and the illustrations of different classification positions of diamonds.

How to determine the individually acceptable groups of color and cleanliness?
It is important to remember that the groups of color and cleanliness in the Russian system of estimation (TU) differently are advanced for the small stones (with mass to 0,29 ct) and for all rest. For example, the third group of color for the small stone can become the sixth, if this stone weighs from 0,30 ct. Conversion tables. Therefore a question, is diamond with characteristics 5/5 good or poor, it does not have sense without the indication of the mass of stone. These are very mediocre characteristics for the small diamond, while for the large - very good. Further in the text the groups of color and cleanliness along the Russian system are indicated for the diamonds with mass from 0,30 carats.

Sometimes professional merchants distinguish inside one group of color or inside one group of cleanliness several subgroups. For example, about some diamond it is possible to hear that “this stone has the fifth group of cleanliness, but starts are so small that it is close to the fourth group”. If this stone is sold on the same price, as all other stones of the fifth group of cleanliness, then the buyer has chance to complete only more advantageous purchase. Finally, there are the stones, which have a color or a cleanliness of On the Border two groups, and experts cannot arrive at the unanimous opinion, to what group carry such stones. This is understandable, since the criterion of the subjectivity is laid into estimation systems: the group of cleanliness, for example, depends on how to expert it is easy, or vice versa, it is difficult, to see one or other start or another.

For the majority of the users, who see stone in the mounting, under the lighting environment of store or the conditions of daily carrying, with the observation from the side of crown, the boundary of the visibility of yellow nuance lies between 6 and 7 groups of color along the Russian system and between H and the I on the international. The special features of sight can somewhat displace this boundary, it is individual for each person.
In the [gemmologicheskikh] laboratories usually evaluate color in the [neopravlennykh] stones, from the side of pavilion, under specific conditions the illumination and observations, in the comparison with the models according to color. Under these conditions the difference between the color positions is manifested much more clearly.

How to select of two diamonds one
Part is encountered the situation, when it is complicated to select for buyer between two diamonds. But there are methods, which cover this selection, and also specific considerations, which can be had in mind.
The buyer, xwho has the possibility to see both stones simultaneously, is the unquestionable advantage, namely the possibility to compare stones side by side. In this case one should examine both stones simultaneously, using such lighting environment and observation, which give advantages not to one of them. First of all stones compare in the position “by area - to the observer”. It is possible to change distance from the eyes to the stones, drawing near them up to the distance, at which the man became accustomed to read and to examine different objects, i.e., 25 - 35 centimeters, and vice versa, moving aside stones up to the distance of the elongated hand. It is possible to still increase distance from the eyes to the stones, to the distance of 2-3 meters, on which the people examine the adornments, put on on other person, but practice shows that at this distance stones it is small [otlichimy] from each other.
Interesting effects can be seen, rocking stones from the side to the side. The picture of the distribution of light specks of light in the stones during the motion, the rocking or the turning begins to change as in the kaleidoscope, in the diamonds newer and newer flashes of light appear, and the color of many-colored flashes also changes. This phenomenon in [gemmologi] is called scintillation and is observed, when stone, eye or luminous sources move. It is considered that the better the faceting of stone, the stronger its scintillation; however, it is difficult to in practice measure quantitatively it, and observer must rely on his sensations, selecting the stone, which the better sparkles and plays from its subjective point of view. 
With the visual comparison of two stones in a number of cases it is possible to see not only the positive, but also negative optical effects, which on the market reduce the cost of diamonds. These are, for example, the total reduction in the brightness or the partial reduction in the brightness, which creates into the stone- dark zones; effects “fish eye”, “necktie- butterfly” and others. Contemporary dealers with the reductions deal in the diamonds of the ancient faceting, which can be recognized on large [kalette], broken geometry, small area, small wedges of pavilion. Reduction can be inquired, also, for the diamonds, faceted for the purpose to extend more than mass, and having very thick it [rundist] for this reason. Some consider negative effect the nonstandard figure of stone, which appears with the deviation of proportions from conventional, but other experts, being based on contemporary studies of optics of the faceted stones, they consider that among the stones with the nonstandard proportions there are the stones, which are not inferior to standard on the brightness, to sparkling and to game.
If there is no possibility to compare two selected stones visually, then analysis of existing information of the, including given expert conclusions and certificates helps. People, which examine diamonds as the investments, select stones with the characteristics of color and quality best of the accessible at the given moment - it is considered that the prices on them grow most dynamically. People, which search for the most effectively appearing diamond, can into some of degree endow by color and cleanliness, especially if residue and starts are not visible with the naked eye, but to win in the size of stone. Experts recommend more than attention the turning of to the quality of faceting, i.e., the data about the faceting in the accompanying documents, the value of proportions, symmetry and polishing. Of two stones with approximately identical data the preference is worth returning to that, which better is faceted.
If accompanying information it is insufficient or for any other reason final selection, it is possible to use the services of professional expert - gemmologa, to show it both stones and to listen his opinion.

the secrets of the successful purchase
The councils given below are based on the experience of real purchases and sales. They helped many people to make a correct selection, to pose correct questions to salesmen, to find the best proposal on the market, to acquire interesting experience both with the search for goods and with the contact with the consultants, and to in the final analysis obtain the maximum of satisfaction from the purchase of diamond. Movement to the recommendations indicated, certainly, is not required, and each is right to select its own method of purchase.
Stage 1. that we do buy? It is at first necessary to be determined with the form of the goods: finished jewelry article with the diamond, the [neopravlennyy] diamond for the purpose of the order of jewelry article or diamond by itself. To select the method of the purchase: jewelry store, the Internet - store, the office of dealer.
Stage 2. we gather information about the diamonds. To spend time for the accumulation of necessary information. To reserve time for the search, the stone (article). To be determined with the budget for the purchase, to establish acceptable price range. To solve for itself, which of the characteristics (size, form, the quality of faceting) are most important, by what it is possible to endow, and in what limits. For example, three-carat diamond 7/7 can cost two times of cheaper two-caratfoot 4/4, but such differences in the groups of color and cleanliness will not be noticeable for the naked eye. But if, for example, the group of cleanliness - the ninth, then starts become those seen with the naked eye, and although stone will be still cheaper, many this fact stops. It is in more detail about how to work with the characteristics with the purchase. To study the maximum number of proposals on the market. To select 2-3 proposals, which are best.
Stage 3. we gather information about the salesmen. To study information about the company (dealer) both official and entire accessible, including the opinions of other clients. To select one or two companies, which have in the presence necessary stones, and to explain the conditions of conducting of inspection and transaction itself. It is always convenient, if in the company works the special colleague-consultant on the diamonds, who has [gemmologicheskoe] formation, he knows and understands stones, knows how to listen client and to help it to make correct selection. Sometimes consultant can show, what specific features this stone has. For example, on some stones into the magnifier or into the microscope it is possible to see [nayfy] - the remainders of the natural surface of diamond, located usually in the zone of [rundista]. It is necessary to understand for the stones with the low groups of cleanliness, in what measure for start and other internal special features influence the passage of the light through the stone, and thus to its sparkling and game.
Stage 4. we look stones “on the spot”. Specialists - [gemmologi] do not recommend the buying of the stone only on the basis of the information, which is contained in the commercial proposal of salesman and in the expert report. The important condition of successful purchase is the inspection of stone, and is possible its comparison with other stones, including in the different positions and under the different lighting environment both in the static position and during the motion (rocking). Stone must please future owner. If diamond is intended to use as a gift, if this gift must not be the unexpected surprise, one should to the purchase show several stones that, this gift is intended to whom so that the final owner (or owner) they would participate in the selection and they could stop their selection at the most pleased stone-. In the election process individual tastes and predilections of people are manifested. For example, if we compare [polukaratnye] round diamond and diamond, faceted “by princess”, then in the round will be less than light flashes, but these flashes - larger (see material about the properties of the correctly faceted diamond). It is noticed that the ability of man to distinguish fine details is dulled with the age; therefore people of different age differently will relate to the size of the bright flashes of light, which appear in the diamond. Young people can select “princess”, and more elders - round diamond.
If you plan to purchase the [neopravlennyy] diamond, to and then order the production of adornment, it is necessary to select the companies, which allow this possibility. In this case before the trip better to agree, that you will not only select diamond, but also discuss the order of adornment, t to often these questions relate to the scope of different specialists, but to you it will be encountered necessary with them by both.
Before the purchase it is necessary to be certified in the authenticity of stone and its correspondence to the declared quality coefficients. It is simpler to make this, if there is expert conclusion or certificate to the diamond. In this case it is necessary to compare data of certificate and stone in order to ascertain that this document is given out precisely to this stone. It is possible to ask salesman to weigh stone or to grant tenfold magnifier for studying the microscopic special features, which are documented in the expert conclusion.  If the independent examination or certification was not conducted, it is necessary to pose to itself question, how it is possible to entrust to firm - salesman, which independently declares about authenticity and correspondence of goods.  If the price of stone appears too attractive for its mass, color and cleanliness, read this material. We do not recommend the acquiring of stones both in the [neopravlennom] form and in finished adornments, without the conclusion of the independent examination, with exception of the cases, when buyer has necessary knowledge and habits in order to conduct the estimation of diamond independently.
Stage 5. it is important to think over security concerns:
- to be convinced of the lawful nature of the bargain (see material about the legislation). All companies, which trade in diamonds and articles of them, must have the registration certification of test supervision, the realization of transactions with the precious stones and the intricate adornments giving right;
- to explain, as inspection and selection of stone will occur, is there for this special accomodation or office;
- the guarantee of the authenticity of diamond and correspondence of quality can be obtained through the independent [gemmologicheskuyu] examination (certification) or through the expert tracking of transaction;
- safety of payment. One should buy stones only in dealers. Important role play such facts, as the time of the work of company, membership of company in the professional organizations, including in the diamond chamber of Russia, presence of a constant office and the like the list of the dealers, which work with our portal.
- to what moment to transaction it is possible to give back stroke? There are whether the guarantees of salesman? Is there a possibility of recovery, during which period and on what conditions?
Stage 6. purchase. You will ascertain that you obtained entire necessary to you information about the diamond. You will explain, the price of final does appear. In a number of cases the dealer can declare price of the diamond without taking into account the cost of certification, and when you will select stone, it will be explained that it still must be certified, and payment will be for your calculation. In this case you will agree about how the price of stone will change, if experts place other characteristics to it, than this was declared by salesman.
If you plan to order the production of adornment in the same firm, from you they can ask [predoplatu] for the stone. From this point on, stone - your, but it remains in this company and is transferred to jewelers. Therefore it is important to study expert conclusion to the stone and stone itself so that after the work will be finished, you could themselves ascertain that this - the same diamond. With sale, besides the cashbox check, together with the diamond the original of expert conclusion is transferred (certificate). If stone is concluded in the special plastic packing together with the data of certificate, you remember that this packing is specially intended for averting the replacement of diamond. If you buy this “laminated” diamond, you will be convinced of the safety of packing. After purchase you can reveal packing themselves.
Learn in salesman, is provided the recovery of stone and means, and if yes, then during what period and on what conditions.
Stage 7. after purchase. Councils for care of diamonds are reduced to the maintenance of its surface in the cleanliness. The microparticles of mud, fat, fingerprints, dust, certainly, nothing they will make to diamond itself, but they will lead to the fact that the sparkling and the game of stone will decrease in the course of time. In order to return to diamond initial luster, it suffices to wash stone or article in pillar in the solution of food soda. Dealers for the washing of diamonds use alcohol, for the rub - pileless rags, approximately the same as for the rub of optics (glass of glasses).
We request buyers to share our impressions about the diamonds, and also about the successful or unsuccessful experience of purchase on the forum of my later portal.

How to use search according to the base of data of the diamonds
The form of search is located in the right upper part of the screen and is intended for the convenient search for diamonds with the assigned characteristics in the data base, which contains the proposals of dealers, that achieve trade in the The form of search is located in the right upper part of the screen and is intended for the convenient search for diamonds with the assigned characteristics in the data base, which contains the proposals of dealers, that achieve trade in the neopravlennymi into the jewelry articles diamonds into the jewelry articles diamonds

Form of faceting. Select the interesting you form of the faceting of diamond from the falling out list in the field “form”. Search system permits implementation of a search for diamonds only with one assigned form of faceting.

Mass of diamond. Indicate the interesting you mass range for the diamond (in the carats) with an accuracy to of the second sign after comma in the appropriate fields of the form of search (field “weight (penalties.)”).

Group of the cleanliness of diamond. Indicate the interesting you range of the groups of cleanliness for the diamond in the appropriate fields of the form of search (falling out lists in the field “cleanliness”).

Color of diamond. Indicate the interesting you range of color for the diamond in the appropriate fields of the form of search (falling out lists in the field “color”).

Certificate. If only certified diamonds interest you, note “by mark” field “certificate”.

Price of diamond. The interesting you price range the diamonds in the appropriate fields of the form of search (field “price (i)”). Price range is indicated in the US dollars for 1 diamond.

For the search for diamonds in the data base for the assigned criteria press button “to find diamond”.

If in the data base at given moment of time there are proposals, which satisfy the conditions of search, the list of diamonds with the indication of their parameters and dealers, which achieve trade in the data by stones will appear on the screen. The inventory number of diamond is the active reference, which makes it possible to open the window, which contains detailed information about this diamond.

The data base regularly renews and is in urgent state. Did not if you succeed in finding the diamond, which satisfies your criteria of search, we recommend to enlarge range for one/several parameters of diamond or to be connected directly with the dealer

Purposes and the task of the examination of the diamonds

Principles of the operation of the [gemmologicheskikh] laboratories

Certificates and the expert conclusions

Procedure of the examination of the diamond

Purposes and the task of the examination of the diamonds

On the market for diamonds there is a need of affirming the quality as for any other goods. However, diamonds - this is specific goods, and one of the most significant for the user properties is his authenticity, i.e., user it must be confident, that to him they propose present diamond. The certification, understood as the confirmation of the correspondence of product (in our case of diamond) to what - or to standard, in this view of market is not very necessary, t to does not exist International standards on the diamonds and their classification. Rather are necessary not certificate, but confirmation to authenticity, estimation of quality and consumer properties, made by the independent experts.

The documents, issued by the independent [gemmologicheskimi] laboratories, are [gemmologicheskimi] expert conclusions or [reportami]. But call these documents differently: report, report about the quality, laboratory report, document about the quality, the dossier, passport or certificate. Some of these names are the registered commercial stamps, i.e., by the property of various laboratories. However, in the trade all these documents are frequently called “certificates”, in particular because this word is known to user, and also because to a considerable extent the content of [reportov] - this is information about authenticity and quality of diamond as goods. However, it is necessary to keep in mind, that in Russia the concepts “certificate” and “expert conclusion” have different values, and in more detail about this read below. The report to the [gemmologicheskoy] laboratory, which is been the independent third side, that certifies authenticity and quality of diamond, plays important role in shaping of consumer confidence, and also important role in shaping of the price of diamond.

Therefore the presence of [reporta] to the diamond in the stage of retail trade is “the competitive advantage” of diamond in comparison with the diamond without [reporta]. [Report], or report about the diamond - special document, in which is certified the authenticity of stone, are recorded mass, color, cleanliness, form and degree of the perfection of faceting, and also the distinguishing features of diamond, determined in the course of special [gemmologicheskikh] tests. [Report] guarantees to buyer the authenticity of the acquired diamond, and also the correspondence of his characteristics, on the basis which is determined cost. The data, represented in [reporte], make it possible to identify stone and, thus, give to owner additional advantages in the case of loss, embezzlement, during repair and alteration of jewelry articles, facilitate sale, storage, estimation, insurance and other operations. Usually in [reporte] is not indicated the money cost of diamond. If necessary the determination of cost and its documentary confirmation is created another document - report about the estimation. Services to laboratory for the analysis of diamond and the delivery of [reporta] - this of the action of the third side, independent from the salesman and the buyer, the producers or the trade. The objectivity of the work of laboratory is ensured by independence.

Principles of the operation of the [gemmologicheskikh] laboratories

Already several decades the need for regulating the activity of different laboratories was ago realized, and for purposes of the creation of united standards and methods at the Amsterdam congress of 1975 the world federation of diamond exchanges (WFDB) and the international association of the producers of diamonds (IDMA) manufactured a number of recommendations for the laboratories, which are occupied by the expert estimation of the diamonds:
• the juridical and financial independence of laboratory from the production and trade organizations;
• scientific approach;
• use by one of the widely known systems of estimation;
• acknowledgement in its country.

Each laboratory manufactures its own policy with respect to that, to issue or not reports to the synthetic, refined and composite stones. There are two the basic versions: if in the laboratory defined stone as artificial, refined or composite, it or they return to the client without the delivery of [reporta], or reveals [report], in whom is given complete information about nature of stone. In 2004 the world federation of diamond exchanges WFDB extended turning to all laboratories with respect to work with the synthetic diamonds, and also the diamonds, refined by the method HTHP. It is proposed to issue the forms of the reports of another color to the synthetic and refined diamonds, and to also make more than efforts so that the information about the synthetic origin or improvement would be arranged at the most visible place.

Certificates and the expert conclusions

According to law “about the technical regulation” the certification of precious stones in Russia is voluntary.
The organizations, which achieve a certification of diamonds, must work in one of the systems of certification registered in state standard. Their certificate - this is the confirmation of the correspondence of diamond acting in Russia TU. Other existing in our country expert services, without having a right to issue certificate in the juridical sense, according to the results of diagnostics and evaluating the diamonds issue the documents, analogous in status to foreign [reportam], i.e., expert conclusions.

And certificates, and gemmologicheskie expert conclusions will not hold in control information about the cost of stone. This information they can contain documents of another type - reports about the estimation, issued by organizations and individual owners, who have license to the estimated activity.

Procedure of the examination of the diamond

Inspection of stones to the examination.
The diamonds, which are subject to estimation, are recorded and are weighed with an accuracy to by 0.0005 ct. Takes shape the report of inspection - the transfer of values with the record of the mass of the diamond and its other characteristics, which will be brought in and are stored in the base of data of laboratory.
The number, which makes it possible to identify the stone at the end is appropriated to diamond of the process of examination, and to owner is extracted calculation for the services to laboratory. In order to ensure anonymity, from this time on and to the end of conducting examination, the personality of client is not revealed.

Diagnostics. In order to establish the authenticity of diamond, usual identification is carried out, for example, with the aid of the instrument for thermal conductivity measurement. Further, checking with the aid of the microscope is achieved, stone is not artificial moissanite. In the case of doubts about the natural origin of diamond or its painting, the stone is directed to spectrophotometric and [spektroflyuorimetricheskiy] analyses.

The expert estimation of diamond implies assignment to information about the cleanliness, symmetries and the quality of finish machining, and also putting roughness values on the special diagrams for this form of faceting. In this stage with the stone independently work two experts, each of which preserves obtained data on the computer; these data are compared, then final result is obtained.

The estimation of faceting consists of the estimation of proportions and estimation of finish machining. Are determined any deviations of symmetry, which influence the exterior view of stone. Are used [proportsioskop], micrometer, microscope HRD. The estimation of proportions is produced only for the round diamonds, the proportions are measured for other forms of faceting; however, final estimation is not accomplished, since working standards for evaluating the [fantaziynykh] forms of faceting there does not exist. The last step of quality control of faceting is its estimation with the aid of the magnifier- triplet of 10[kh].

Estimation of color. On the color the diamonds can be related either to a series “Cuyp”, characterized by yellowish residue or to diamonds with the [fantaziynoy] painting. The diamond of a series “Cuyp” visually is compared with the laboratory collection of the stone- standards under the conditions of standard illumination. In the determination of the color characteristics participate two experts, which independently of each other compare the color of stone with the diamond- standards. The third specialist, who issues final result, studies these data. The estimation of the diamonds of [fantaziynykh] paintings is produced by the method of visual comparison with the use of color tables.

Fluorescence. The fluorescence (it luminescence) of diamond is evaluated at special installation with the long-wave source of UV light, and then is compared with the fluorescence of stone- standards.

Estimation of cleanliness. Diamond is investigated under the increase: in the tenfold magnifier and into the microscope. In a number of cases the sizes of the internal characteristics of diamond with the aid of the grid, substituted to the microscope eyepiece, are determined. During the estimation of cleanliness are considered a quantity, the size of starts, their brightness, position, number of faces, through which they can be observed. The group of cleanliness is selected according to the table, in which are considered all these factors, degree of transparency, structural and [povekhnostnye] defects. Then diamond is investigated with the aid of the multiple of ten of magnifier- triplet for checking the correspondence of the group of cleanliness to International standards. The estimation of cleanliness is carried out the minimum by two estimators independently of each other.

The expert conclusion, which contains the following information, is comprised at the end of the described procedures: the dimensions of diamond, its weight, proportion, the quality of polishing, characteristic of color and cleanliness, and also diagram for this form of faceting as the illustration of the cleanliness of diamond. Stone returns to owner together with the expert conclusion in the packing, in which it was delivered into the laboratory.