As you may know, diamonds come from mines deep underground; but not everyone realizes the steps and processes each individual stone must go through to make it into a finished piece of jewelry. We are going to explore those processes that take the diamond from a rough, unattractive chunk of stone to a glistening gem that is marveled at by all.

Diamonds are naturally formed in the shape of an octahedron, or eight-sided crystal and are made solely of the element carbon. A mixture of excessive pressure and high temperature formed the diamond billions of years ago deep underground and it was subsequently brought closer to the earth’s surface by volcanic eruptions that occurred eons ago. A “flawless” diamond had a chemical makeup of only carbon. Impurities in the chemical composition are responsible for giving most diamonds their color. Nitrogen is the most common impurity and is the cause of yellow or brown color found in the stone, whereas the presence of the element boron will make a diamond blue.   Pink diamonds do not attain their hue due to impurities, but rather, it is a structural defect in the crystalline makeup of the diamond that reacts with light and produces those shades. Green diamonds are formed by neither of these; they are colored green through a type of natural radiation within the earth. They are very rare and usually just faintly colored green. The most valuable diamonds are either completely colorless or vivid shades of yellow, pink, or blue. Most diamonds have some amount of color in them, usually a tint of yellow or brown.

Diamonds are primarily mined in Africa, although some smaller caches have been found in Russia, India and North America. When they are mined they go through several sorting procedures to organize them by size. They are then examined by experts to determine whether they are classified as “gem quality” or “industrial quality”. Being that diamond is the hardest natural material known to humankind, industrial quality diamonds are used in applications such as the manufacturing of diamond bit drill parts, abrasives, and saws. Gem quality stones are sold to cutters, primarily located in India, Belgium, Israel, New York, London and Amsterdam where they begin the next step in the transition.

When a stone begins its journey to be a cut gem, it must first go to a “planner,” who carefully studies the natural shape of the rough stone and any inclusions, or flaws, that it may contain, in order to determine the best cut to maximize beauty and profit. Once that person has concluded the analysis, it is onward to the cutting process, where the diamond gets its preliminary shape, and then it’s off to be polished and faceted. The cutting and polishing process is a tedious one, and due to the hard nature of the diamond, it must be polished with diamond abrasives. The polishers will then facet the stone according to proportions, traditional shapes, and practiced methods, taking into consideration any imperfections that remain. Proper faceting techniques maximize the way light travels inside the diamond, producing the sparkle and beauty that we value in a diamond. Once the stone has its shape, facets and polish, it is ready to wholesale to a jeweler who will then set it into a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Before a diamond is set into jewelry it will oftentimes be sent to a grading laboratory, such as the Gemological Institute of America, for a grading certificate. Once there, a professional Gemologist will evaluate all aspects of the finished stone and provide its owner with a report of his or her findings in relation to that stone. It will always include the cut, carat weight, color and clarity. It also provides the proportions and features of each stone, including a plotted map of inclusions present or laser inscriptions, if any. These reports are frequently utilized by anyone trying to market the stone, or for a consumer who wishes additional assurances about their purchase.

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When a graded stone is purchased by a jeweler, he or she must determine how to set the stone. Drawings are rendered, measurements and proportions are taken and metals are melted for production. Whether the setting that is chosen is cast or hand-forged, there is still much work that must be done before the project will reach completion. After the jeweler has the basic setting intact and all of the metal has been polished, it is time to set the stone. The jeweler will again measure and drill out a “seat” for the stone to rest in, then carefully bend the prongs over to secure it in place. A final polish and re-check will complete the diamond’s journey from a piece of rough stone from the mine to its new appearance as a finely cut and polished jewel to be enjoyed in all its beauty for years to come.