A Brief Look at the Formation of Loose Diamonds

When it comes to loose diamonds, there are many things you should know. These stones are not only precious decorations for jewelry, they are also pretty interesting little rocks given to us with love from Mother Nature herself. 

 

It takes billions of years for diamonds to form. It all begins over one hundred miles into the earth. This location of the earth is home to some pretty extreme conditions no human could ever live through. With so much heat and pressure, it is safe to say there is no life there. However, there are carbon atoms. When these atoms are subjected to such extreme heat and pressure, they bind together tightly. This is the beginning of the formation of loose diamonds. After the diamond forms, volcanic eruptions hurl the stone toward the surface of our planet. This makes it a lot easier for miners to excavate these beauties.

You may think the certified loose diamonds you see in your local jewelry store came out of the earth looking this good, but that is not the case. When they are retrieved from the earth, they are not so impressive. Professionals have to cut and polish the loose diamonds in order for them to look like the ones in the jewelry store display cases.

Loose Diamonds: Famous Diamonds on Display

There are several famous loose diamonds in the world today. One of the most famous is located in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. People have called this diamond the Hope Diamond for many years now. While it has had a few different names in the past, the current name probably won’t change again. The Hope Diamond is incredibly large, weighing in at a striking 45.52 carats.  However, this diamond is said to be cursed. Many of its owners were murdered, were executed, or committed suicide. This may just be a coincidence, but the Smithsonian seems to be doing just fine having possession of the monster diamond.

Another famous diamond is the Taylor-Burton diamond. Weighing in at over 69 carats, this diamond boasted one of the biggest price tags the world had ever seen in jewelry. Richard Burton purchased this expensive diamond for Elizabeth Taylor in 1979, when they simultaneously announced their engagement. After his passing, she sold the diamond for 2.8 million dollars (over twice the original cost).

The Hortensia is a peach-colored diamond that is on display at the Louvre in Paris. It was named for the queen of Holland – who was the stepdaughter of the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte – and weighs twenty carats. Another remarkable diamond that can be seen at the Louvre is the Regent diamond. This 140.50 carat monstrosity has donned the hilts of Emperors' swords and was a coveted member of the French Crown Jewels. Although there are many large diamonds on display, there are also a number of gems that have gone missing or simply have not been discovered.

Loose Diamonds are a Safe Investment

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I know a better way for you to invest your money. Remember what Will Rogers said about investing in land and that no more of it will be made? Well, there are two problems with that. First of all, they are. I personally live on an island that is twice as big as it used to be, thanks to man-made fill. Number two, there are other things that not only are in a limited supply and always will be, but they are also highly cherished and always in demand. That would be loose diamonds.

Obviously these aren’t the type of things you can just pick up while at the department store. You need to find a professional jeweler who has the access to the finest certified diamonds from around the world. Depending on how much money you have to invest, they can help you find the class and quality of diamonds that is affordable for you. Don’t just rely on them for the fine jewelry you love so much. They can also help you invest your money in as safe a place as possible. Plus they are certainly much prettier to look at than anything else.