Diamonds, The Ultimate in Luxury Jewellery
by Aidan
February 2021
Diamonds have been used in jewellery throughout history and are a personal favourite here at Cherrycore! Boasting a fire and sparkle few stones can match; Diamonds are currently the 7th hardest substance on the planet and also the most scratch resistant. This makes them not only a spectacular looking but also an incredibly durable option for the lifetime of your jewellery.
Another excellent quality of diamonds for body jewellery is their excellent heat conductivity. Because of this, a diamond will not fog like other stones. This is especially important for jewellery exposed to moisture, like in oral or nasal piercings. Because of this, your diamond jewellery will be cleaner, more sparkly and spectacular for longer with less cleaning and maintenance.
Diamonds can vary a lot in their appearance and price. Most of the diamonds offered in our body jewellery are naturally occurring diamonds which are individually graded based on aspects of their cut, carat, colour and clarity.
The following chart contains different grading information that you will fairly commonly see when comparing the quality of diamonds:
As this chart illustrates, the main points when comparing and grading diamonds are the clarity and colour. Being a naturally occurring stone, diamonds can form with small visible imperfections and impurities in the stone referred to as inclusions. Some impurities unseen to the eye can also tint the stone and add colouration. Generally speaking with white diamonds, the higher the clarity and more colourless the stone, the rarer it becomes which adds to the value. This is not always the case when it comes to coloured diamonds as some coloured diamonds are considered especially rare which can add to their value. Following these two points, the next defining characteristic is the carat. This is a measurement that pertains to the weight of the stone rather than its actual size. For example, when comparing VS clarity diamonds; two VS diamonds of similar carat weight that are both G-H in colour may differ in value. One may be a VS1 or VS2.
Another option to naturally occurring diamonds are lab created. These are man made in a lab over a process that takes usually at least 2 weeks. Lab created diamonds are often seen as fake or inferior to naturally occurring diamond, however this is not the case.
Chemically and structurally, both are the same. Lab diamonds are usually flawless in quality and the cost less than naturally occurring diamonds. Lab diamonds don’t tend to follow the same grading process as a natural diamond.
Our jewellery suppliers offer numerous diamond options to suit all needs and tastes. The following is a brief overview of the diamonds each company offer:
Body Vision (BVLA) Diamonds:
BVLA's diamonds predominantly originate from Africa and are ethically sourced following the Kimberley process, to be ethically sourced and conflict free. For more information on the Kimberley Process, please see the following link:
https://www.kimberleyprocess.com/
BVLA offer VS G-H diamonds in all their pieces, with the option for higher graded stones when requested. Lab created diamonds can also be offered on request.
Buddha Jewelry Organics (BJO) Diamonds
BJO offer VS1 G-H diamonds. Diamond stock sourced from Antwerp, Belgium, which is the global leader in conflict free diamonds. The AWDC (Antwerp World Diamond Centre) provides the Kimberley Process, a strict control method that systematically blocks conflict diamonds from entering the Antwerp market.
Alchemy Adornment Diamonds
All diamonds provided by Alchemy Adornment follow the Kimberley Process to be conflict free, and are from multiple origins depending upon their size. The diamonds are SI1 clarity for G-H diamonds, C3 for champagne and C6 for Cognac. Other diamond colours and clarity can be made available on request.
Anatometal Diamonds
Anatometal offer natural I1 and I2, G-H diamonds in 1-5mm round brilliant cut and 2-4mm Princess cuts.
The diamonds supplied by Anatometal are sourced from a New York based company, with offices around the world. They are conflict free/ethically sourced by use of the Kimberly Process.
Maria Tash Diamonds
All Maria Tash white diamonds are sourced from the Diamond Trading Company and all vendors within its network comply with De Beers Group's Best Practice Principles which require operating to specific ethical, legal, professional, social, and environmental standards. All vendors are 100% committed to the Kimberley Process.
We hope this information gives you some clarity and insight into our most popular natural stone option! For further information about the how diamonds can best suit your jewellery needs, feel free contact us at the Studio or book in a jewellery consultation online.