A Diamond is Forever

Gemstones have been objects of desire since ancient times and are commonly seen as symbols of wealth and prosperity. The field of Gemmology aims to identify, classify and add value to gem material. Of all the gemstones identified, the diamond holds a special place due to various reasons. While already being the most sought after gem stone, efforts companies like De Beers have increased the value of diamonds even more. An example is, the De Beers advertising slogan "A Diamond is Forever". This slogan increased diamond sales to such an extent that a diamond was a part of almost every engagement ring. It was coined by Frances Gerety and is regarded as the best advertising slogan of the 20th century.

The value of a gemstone usually depends on its beauty, rarity and hardness. Although these are very vague terms and beauty is not quantifiable, the factors that contribute to beauty are colour and clarity. In gemstones like aquamarine, value generally increases with colour intensity. In blue saphire, the value is highest at a particular colour, termed the "optimum colour". Clear gemstones without any intrusions or impurities are usually cut so that they are faceted. translucent, opaque or sometimes clear stones with intrusions are cut with a convex top and are called "cabochons". Even opaque stones can be valued highly due to properties such as Chatoyancy (cat's eye) eg- Chrysoberyl. and Asterism eg. Star saphire. Among so many varieties of stones the clear, faceted diamond is the most sought after.

The other factor that contributes to the value of a gemstone is its rarity. while gemstones are naturally rare, the demand for it creates an increase in value. However in some cases the rarity can be increased by the producers or traders of gemstones by stockpiling and controlling the release of gemstones to the market, like what De Beers did when they held the monopoly in the diamond business at a certain period of time. These practices however, rarely take place today. Hardness is the other key property of a gem quality material. A high hardness value means high durability and therefore it stands the test of time. Whether it's the case of beauty, rarity or hardness, the diamond clearly stands on top.

image from : wikipedia