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Diamond FAQ

•  What Are Diamonds?
•  How Are Diamonds Made?
Diamonds are a form of carbon (technically an allotrope) created when carbon containing minerals are put under extreme pressure. This happens naturally at depths of many miles beneath the surface of the earth. Once mined, the raw stones are then cut and polished to turn them into gems.

•  How Are Diamonds Rated?
Diamonds are usually rated - and valued - according to the Four Cs: Carat, Colour, Cut, Clarity. Within each of these areas there are various rating schemes, for example the Gemstone Institute of America (GIA) has a clarity scale ranging from FL (flawless) down to I3 (included).

•  What Are Carats?
The term carat refers to the weight of a diamond. Don't confuse it with the gold karat which is completely different and refers to the purity of gold.

•  Why Are Diamonds So Expensive?
Raw diamonds are surprisingly common. However value is added according to the four Cs: a large, clear stone cut well remains rare. In addition clever marketing and supply side control has helped to boost prices.

•  What Are Fancy Diamonds?
The term fancy diamond usually refers to coloured diamonds, however it's sometimes used to indicate an unusual cut.

•  What Are Synthetic Diamonds?
Synthetic diamonds are stones that have been created artificially rather than naturally. They're normally used for industrial applications such as drill bits.

•  What Are Diamond Simulants?
Diamond simulants are stones that share some of the properties of diamonds and can often look the same to the untrained eye. Popular diamond simulants include cubic zirconia (CZ) and moissanite.

•  What Are Paste Diamonds?
"Paste" diamonds not really gemstones but are are cheap simulants made from materials such as glass or plastic.