Price: How expensive is jade? Gram, carat and kilo

Jade is the name given to a group of different gemstones. How expensive a jade stone is depends on the color intensity and whether it is jadeite or nephrite. Nephrite has been losing its place on the market for a few years because there are many imitations and is accordingly no longer as price-intensive. Jadeite with a pure, strong color is the most valuable and smooth, evenly colored stones are the most expensive. Especially the coveted emperor jade acts as a store of value for investors.

In fact, each stone is valued individually. The price is set by dealers, jewelers and auction houses. But if we consider the example from above, then you would have the following selling prices.

Example calculation (Jade Fund in Myanmar)

210 tonnes > 210 000 kg

170,000,000 / 210,000 kg

809,52 USD / Kilogram

4,05 USD / carat

0,81 / gram

Price comparison gold / jade

Tip, read more about buying gold here.

• Gold per gram: 61 USD
• Jade per gram: 0.81 USD

Jade production in the year

Here are official figures from Myanmar (Government):

Average price: export to China

Increase in value after export to China

Mexican name origin

The term jade is derived from piedra de ijada = loin stone. This comes from the fact that it used to be regarded by the indigenous people of South America as a healing stone for loins and kidneys. However, it received its name only in the 16th century, during the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. Jade, or yu, the term commonly used in China, is actually a generic term for two different gemstones: Nephrite and Jadeite.

Exceptional composition

Originally, it was assumed that all jade objects were made from the same material. However, in 1863, a Frenchman, Alexis Damour, discovered that the material known as “jade” could be divided into two distinct minerals: Jadeite and Nephrite. Because these two materials are difficult to distinguish, and because the word “jade” is so ingrained in the common language, the name jade is still commonly used in many societies, industries, and academic disciplines.

Designations of the materials

In this article, the word “jade” is used for undifferentiated materials. “Jadeite” or “nephrite” is used when the identity of the material is known. The word “nephrite” is also an imprecise term. It is used for materials composed of the minerals actinolite and tremolite.

Jadeite, Nephrite and Science

Jadeite and nephrite have distinctly different mineral compositions. Jadeite is an aluminum-rich pyroxene, while nephrite is a magnesium-rich amphibole. However, the two minerals have very similar physical properties to the eye of the average person. Only trained observers with considerable experience are able to reliably distinguish between them without mineral testing equipment. For this reason, jadeite and nephrite were not properly distinguished by scientists until 1863.

Origin of the distinction

Unknowingly, Chinese artisans had distinguished jadeite from nephrite and valued it enough to pay a high price for jadeite. However, they did not have the knowledge and equipment in chemistry and crystallography to formally distinguish them.

Rarely did Chinese artisans encounter fine-grained jadeite with a bright translucency and a rich, uniform green color. This beautiful material was given the name “Imperial Jade” and was considered the stone of the highest quality. At that time in China, the possession of imperial jade was reserved only for the emperor. Now, anyone who can afford it can own Imperial Jade. The best specimens can cost more per carat than high quality diamonds.

• Chinese craftsmen first found out the difference
• However, did not have tools and knowledge to further investigate him
• Imperial jade was only allowed to be owned by the emperor in China

Still in great demand: Jade in China

The Chinese value jade much more than any other people. For thousands of years, jade has been the most popular gemstone in China. Chinese emperors desired excellent specimens of jade, and they traded or waged war with distant nations to acquire them. In China, gifts of jade are given at almost every important station in life, such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and other celebrations. It is also a commonly used material for making religious art. China is the country where the importance of jade is the highest.

History of the green gems

Jade has been known since the Stone Age and was a highly sought-after mineral, especially in ancient China, where at times it was valued almost as highly as gold, but also worldwide. Since as early as 3,000 B.C. it has been regarded in China as a yu, a “royal gemstone”. It had always had a very special significance in the long history of art and culture. It was used for the finest objects and cult figures as well as for grave goods for high-ranking members of the imperial family. Even today, this gemstone is considered a symbol of the good, the beautiful and the precious.

Early use of jade in tools

People have been using jade for at least 100,000 years

The earliest items made from jade were tools. Jade is a very hard material and is used as a tool because it is extremely tough and breaks to form sharp edges. Most jade does not have the color and translucency that one would expect from a gemstone. However, when early humans found these special pieces of jade, they were often inspired to make them into a special object.

Toughness is the ability of a material to resist fracture when subjected to loads. Hardness is the ability of a material to resist abrasion. Early toolmakers took advantage of these properties of jade and shaped it into cutting tools and weapons. It was used to make axes, projectile points, knives, scrapers, and other sharp cutting objects.

• Used for 100,000 years
• Earliest items: Tools
• Very tough and hard

Tough, in the context of gemstones, means: Ability of a material to resist breakage. Hardness means: ability of a material to resist abrasion.

Today’s use of jade as a gemstone

Jade is a durable, colorful material that can be worked into shapes and polished to a high shine. These properties make it a highly desirable gemstone. Jade has been used to make a variety of jewelry items such as pendants, necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, beads, cabochons, tumbled stones and other items.

These jewels are often made of solid jade, combined with other gemstones or set in settings of gold, silver or other precious metals. In addition to jewellery, jade is also used to make small sculptures, ornaments, religious art and small functional objects.

Jade trade: Video

Danger of confusion!

Maw sit sit

Maw Sit Sit is a rock composed of jadeite, albite and kosmochlor (a mineral related to jadeite). It has a bright chrome-green color and can be polished to a bright finish. For these reasons, it is used as a gemstone. Maw Sit Sit was first correctly identified in 1963 near the village of Maw Sit Sit in northwestern Burma in the foothills of the Himalayas. This is the only place where it has been discovered so far. It is used for cutting cabochons and making small sculptures. Because of its scarcity and low production, it is rarely used in jewelry.

• Rock consisting of jadeite, albite and cosmochlore
• First identified in 1963 in the Himalayas, near the village of Maw Sit Sit.
• So far the only find
• Only rarely in jewellery

Similar materials

A number of other minerals and materials that are commonly cut and polished are easily mistaken for jade. All of these materials can have a color, luster, and translucency very similar to jade – so similar that the average person cannot recognize them. These materials are often used to make cabochons, beads, and other items in the same style as jade. They sometimes come on the market with and without disclosure. They are often labeled “jade” or one of many misnomers.

Chalcedony

Chalcedony is a translucent variety of microcrystalline quartz that comes in a range of colors similar to jade. Chrysoprase is a light green, chrome colored chalcedony that when cut into cabochons, beads and small sculptures looks very similar to jade. Chalcedony comes in a variety of other translucent colors such as black, lavender, yellow, and orange that can look like the color variations of jade. Chalcedony can look very similar to jade as a gemstone. It can be distinguished from jade by its lower specific gravity and by a variety of instrumental methods.

Serpentine

Serpentine occurs in a variety of wonderful translucent to almost transparent green and yellowish-green colors that look very similar to jade. It is a metamorphic mineral that often occurs in the same geographic areas and the same rock types as jade. Serpentine is much softer than jade and also has a much lower specific gravity.

Vesuvianite, also known as idocrase, is another jade-like mineral that is very difficult to distinguish from jade without laboratory testing. It has a similar hardness, specific gravity, and physical appearance. It is not nearly as tough as jade and breaks more easily – but that requires destruction of the sample.

Jade types, treatments and tips for purchase

For thousands of years, the people who make and sell jade objects have found many ways to improve their appearance. Heat, wax, dye, bleach, acid, polymer injection, and other treatments have all been used to improve the color, luster, and stability of jadeite and nephrite. Although many of these treatments are part of the traditional jade manufacturing process, today’s serious jade buyers want to know about all the treatments that have been used in the manufacturing process.

Classification into type A, B and C

Commercial jadeite objects are classified into three “types” depending on the treatments used during the manufacturing process. They are referred to as Type A, Type B and Type C jadeite.

A jade locket: the deep green color jumps right out at you:

Jadeite type A: Treatment with wax layer

Type A jadeite objects have been treated with a wax coating. This is the most traditional jadeite treatment. It is expected and accepted by serious buyers and generally does not affect the value of a jadeite object. In this treatment, manufacturers boil finished jadeite objects in water to clean and prepare them for wax application. The objects are then dried and dipped in melted wax. The wax fills all pores and fractures near the surface. When the objects have cooled, excess wax is removed and the objects are polished to a high gloss. The wax fills in surface imperfections and gives the surface of the object a smooth, glossy finish.

Jadeite type B: bleaching by hydrochloric or sulphuric acid

Type B jadeite objects were bleached by soaking in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. The acid removes oxidation stains and leaches sodium. This lightens the color of many materials. The jadeite is then impregnated under pressure with wax or a clear polymer resin. The impregnation fills all pores and fractures near the surface and gives the object improved smoothness, luster and color.

Unfortunately, the appearance of type B jadeite objects can deteriorate after only a few years. Acid treatment causes some jadeite to become brittle, and polymer resins can discolor over time or with exposure to heat and sunlight. Because of these problems, the treatment of Type B Jadeite should always be disclosed when an item is sold, but many items are sold without disclosure. This lack of disclosure is due to the fact that Type B Jadeite objects usually sell for a small fraction of the price paid for a similar Type A object. Sellers often get away with non-disclosure because Type B treatments are difficult to detect. Testing in a gemological laboratory is often required to detect Type B treatments.

• Bleached by soaking in hydrochloric or sulphuric acid
• Impregnated with wax or polymer resin under pressure
• Appearance may deteriorate after a few years
• Treatment should

Jadeite type C: Individual colouring

Type C jadeite usually has all the treatments of type B jadeite, but the object has also been dyed a more desirable color. The dyes may fade over time or with exposure to heat and light. For these reasons, Type C treatments should always be disclosed.

Color treatment can often be determined by examination with a microscope, spectroscope or gemological filters, but this examination should not be required – the seller should disclose the full extent of treatment for each object sold. Disclosure is not always made, as Type C jadeite sells for a small fraction of similar objects with Type B treatment.

Type C objects should be purchased at a price that assumes temporary use for a few years. Anyone spending the considerable money on jade should know the difference between jadeite and nephrite, have a good knowledge of jadeite treatments and how they affect value and future durability and appearance.

• More desirable colour than type b
• Type C treatments should always be disclosed
• Price that assumes temporary use of a few years

Diamond price (gram, carat and kilo)

The largest diamond producer by volume is Russia (mainly Siberia). But if you look at the value of the diamonds, Botswana (mainly Jwaneng Diamond Mine) wins. Both produce over 1 million carats a year, which sounds like a lot, but is actually only 200,000 g, or 200 kg per country per year. It is these small quantities that make diamond so valuable.

The most famous and legendary of all gemstones, diamond is very unique in many ways. It is known for being the hardest substance on earth, its sparkling fire, durability and rarity make diamond the most valuable of all gemstones. No gemstone contains as much attraction and interest as diamond. Most diamonds used as gemstones are colorless or very faintly colored. Colored diamonds, called “fancies,” however, can be extremely rare and valuable, and the most valuable gemstones ever known were fancy diamonds. In fact, fancy diamonds are the most valuable substances known to mankind, with colored diamonds selling for more than a million dollars per carat in the past!

What you’ll be most interested in now, of course:

How much does a diamond cost?

As described earlier, diamonds are weighed in carats.

One metric carat equals 0.2 grams

Diamonds are currently valued at an average of $7,116 per carat.

So one gram costs on average 35,580 USD

Diamond Price Current (08/20):

• 1 carat 7,116.17 USD or 5,990.54 EUR
• 1 gram 35,580.90 USD or 30,100.16 EUR
• 1 kilogram USD 35,580,170.34 or EUR 30,100,160.81

Gold price (gram, ounce & kilo) in comparison

How does the price of gold compare? Many investors who buy gold constantly keep an eye on the price. As an investor, you should too, because prices for precious metals are subject to fluctuations – even if the gold price is usually very stable.

Difference per gram currently: +35,519 USD or diamonds are 583x more valuable

Gold is currently valued at $61 per gram, compared to diamonds, which can fetch up to $35,580 as described, a huge difference that also makes diamonds interesting for investors.

Gold price current:

• 1 gram 61.14 USD or 52.47 EUR
• 1 ounce 1,901.77 USD or 1,631.90 EUR
• 1 kilogram USD 61,143.33 or EUR 52,466.80

So for one kilogram of gold you get only a fraction of diamonds!

Countries of origin and largest mining areas

Since the 1870s, most of the world’s gem-quality diamonds have been mined in Africa.

Top 7 producing countries over 1 million carats / year

These seven countries have been world leaders in the production of gem quality diamonds for over a decade.

Production over 1 million carats:

1. Russia
2. Botswana
3. Canada
4. Angola
5. South Africa
6. Democratic Republic of the Congo
7. Namibia

Russia leads the list of producers with its gigantic areas. A large part of the productive mines can be found in Yakutia.

Mine: Yakutia, Russia

Inside Yakutia: Russia’s largest mine – video

Yakutia in northeastern Siberia is home to huge diamond deposits, where the gems are mined in huge pits dug deep into the permafrost. The Mir mine in Mirny is 525 meters deep and one of the largest man-made holes in the world.

Production countries with 100,000 + carats / year

Apart from the dominant producers, numerous countries produce less than one million carats per year, but are regular, consistent producers. They all produce over 100,000 carats of gem-quality diamonds per year and have averaged at least that much over the past decade. This production comes from smaller mechanized mines or an enormous number of artisans in alluvial deposits.

• Australia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea
• Guyana
• Lesotho
• Sierra Leone
• Zimbabwe

Number 1 in the 2nd division is Australia. Tip. Read more about production and price of Opal here.

Mine: Australia (Argyle Diamond Mine, Lake Argyle WA 6743)

Inside Argyle: Australia’s Diamonds – Video

A look inside the unique Argyle diamond mine. Located in the spectacular East Kimberley region of Western Australia, the Argyle Diamond Mine produces over 90% of the incredible Pink Diamonds. See how they recover the diamonds from deep underground in their modern block cave mine.

Russia: The largest diamond producer in the world

Diamonds were found in Russia as early as the 18th century. The first significant production occurred in 1957 from the Mir kimberlite pipe and adjacent placers. Since then, numerous diamondiferous pipes and alluvial deposits have been found. Most of Russia’s diamond production to date has come from the open pit mines of the Mir and Udachnaya pipes in the Sakha Republic of Siberia.

Today, Russia is the world’s leading producer of gem-quality diamonds by carat weight and has held this position for over a decade. Botswana is the only country with a higher production value – mainly because its production includes a high proportion of large, high-quality diamonds.

• First finds in the 18th century
• First production facility 1957
• The majority are open-cast mines in the Republic of Sakha.
• Central is Yakutia (10 of 12 mines)
• World leading producer in gemstone quality
• Holds the title for over a decade

ALROSA as the largest export company

ALROSA, a Russian group of diamond mining companies, produces almost all of the diamonds mined in the country. ALROSA sorts and sells its rough diamonds to a number of polished diamond manufacturers located mainly in Russia, Belgium, India, Israel, Hong Kong and China. Most sales are made through long-term supply agreements, but the company also makes one-time sales and is developing methods for online sales.

Primary control of ALROSA is in the hands of Russian government authorities. The Russian Federation Agency for State Property Management owns approximately 44%, the Ministry of Property and Land Relations of the Republic of Sakha owns approximately 25% and the municipal district administrations of the Republic of Sakha own approximately 8%. The remaining approximately 23% is owned by individuals and legal entities.

Away from it all, a look inside the mine is nothing short of spectacular.

Number 1: Largest diamond mine in the world – Video

Botswana: Small country, huge yield

Course a look at Botswana as a country if you don’t know much about it yet.

• Capital: Gaborone
• Currency: Botswana Pula
• Population: 2.254 million (2018, source: World Bank).

Botswana on the map, Jwaneng Diamond Mine:

Botswana was one of the first areas to use bulk sampling and indicator mineral mapping to characterize and identify diamond pipes in a large and difficult geographic area. Exploration began in the 1950s and diamond mining started in 1971.

In the mid-1980s, Botswana had some of the world’s highest-yielding mines, and the tiny country was one of the world’s leading diamond producers.

For over a decade, Botswana has been the second largest diamond producer by carat weight and the leading producer by value. It holds this position because its average diamond size is larger than those produced by Russia and of generally higher quality.

• Diamond mining began in 1971
• 2. largest diamond producer (quantity)
• PS: Measured by value, even the leading producer

Number 1 mines: The most expensive diamonds

Botswana’s Jwaneng mine is often referred to as “the richest diamond mine in the world”. The mine has been producing about 10 million carats of high quality diamonds annually. The mine is owned by a company called Debswana, a joint venture company between De Beers and the government of Botswana – hence the name “Debswana”.

The diamond industry is the most important factor for economic activity in Botswana. Diamonds account for about 60% of Botswana’s exports and about 25% of its gross domestic product. De Beers is responsible for the sale of all of Debswana’s rough diamonds and has built the largest diamond sorting and sales facility in the world in Gaborone, the capital and largest city of Botswana. There, the stones mined by De Beers in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa are sorted and offered to diamond buyers and manufacturers from all over the world in De Beers’ famous “Sightholder Sales”.

• Most important factor for economic activity in Botswana
• 60% of Botswana’s exports are diamonds
• About 25% of its gross domestic product
• Garborone has the largest diamond sorting and sales facility in the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCEmCUdSnXc

Canada: The big surprise

Canada was the big surprise in the diamond industry. Geologists suspected that gem-bearing diamond pipes pierced the rocks of the Canadian Shield, but many of the world’s most experienced diamond explorers could not find them. Then in 1991, two geologists, Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson, found evidence of diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes about 200 miles north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The deposit proved commercial, and mining began there in 1998. Several other mines came on line in quick succession, quickly making Canada one of the world’s leading diamond producers.

Some of the Canadian mines have already been closed due to difficult mining conditions or ore bodies being worked out. However, the country’s position as the third largest diamond producer in the world has been maintained. Most of Canada’s mines are located in remote and cold places in the northern part of the country. Some can only get their heavy supplies by trucks traveling on ice roads that can only be traversed during the coldest months of the year. The mines must also have all the necessary facilities to house and support their workers for months at a time. The mines have proven themselves even in the face of these costly challenges.

• First diamonds were found in 1991
• In 1998 the dismantling began
• Mines mainly in the north, supply via ice roads

Popularity due to good production conditions

Canadian diamonds have been very popular with consumers. Some like them because they are produced away from conflict, because workers are well paid and because there are regulations to protect the environment. Diamond and jewelry manufacturers in Canada have advertised their national origin by labeling their belts with certificate numbers and trade logos. These include a maple leaf, a polar bear, CanadaMark symbols or the words “Ice on Fire.” These inscriptions assure consumers of the provenance of their diamond, link it to a certificate, and are a very successful marketing feature.

Mining of rough diamonds

Diamonds are mostly extracted from vents of extinct volcanoes. They are first mined in open pits, then underground. Extensive open-pit mining of this type is carried out in Botswana, Russia and Angola. In Namibia and South Africa, diamonds are also found inland in some river valleys and in submarine basins. For underwater mining, specially designed ships are used to wash the diamonds out of the sand that is sucked in.

World production of natural diamond is currently around twenty tons per year, which currently only covers around 20 % of industrial demand. Synthetically produced diamonds, whose properties such as toughness, crystal habit, conductivity and purity can be precisely influenced, are therefore increasingly filling this gap in demand.

Statistics: Development of the worldwide diamond production in the period from 2005 to 2020

You can find more statistics at Statista

Recognised grading system: The 4 Cs

A grading system introduced by the GIA was established to evaluate diamonds based on four aspects. These four grading systems are known as “the four C’s” in which all diamonds are graded:

1. Colour
2. Cut
3. Clarity
4. Carat weight(Carat weight)

Colour (Colour #1)

The color of a diamond is graded on an alphabetical scale, ranging from the letters D to Y. This scale measures color saturation, which ranges from absolutely colorless to deep yellow (or yellow-brown). D is completely colorless, with no hint of any other color. Y indicates intense deep yellow or deep yellow-brown. The letters between D and Y describe the color, depending on the degree of yellow saturation.

The color bar below shows the letter and the color saturation it represents. (The bar is not limited to yellow; it can also be yellow-brown and is not necessarily accurate, as monitor saturation can vary.) The letter Z in a diamond’s color grade can sometimes be used to indicate a fancy diamond.

Cut (Cut #2)

The cut, or facet, of the diamond is the shape and style in which it is cut. The most common cut is the brilliant cut, a facet specifically designed to bring out the most fire in the stone. Sometimes this cut cannot be given, either due to flaws or cleavage habits. A great deal of planning must be done before cutting a diamond, as a slight flaw in the facet can significantly reduce the value of the stone.

Brilliant cut and old cut

The brilliant cut is the classic cut for diamonds. The 57 facets of the brilliant cause the best possible light reflection.

The old cut is the precursor of today’s brilliant cut. This particular cut is mainly found in jewellery from private collections. Special features of this cut are a somewhat higher upper body and a smaller table as well as a cut calette. A perfectly round cut was not necessarily aimed for. This cut still enjoys particular popularity among connoisseurs today.

Purity (Clarity #3)

The brilliance of the stone also depends decisively on the clarity, which is of course very strongly reflected in the value of the diamond. Truly flawless stones are very rare and therefore also particularly valuable.

Carat / Weight (Carat #4)

The size of a diamond is measured in carats (abbreviated as ct). One carat is equal to 0.2 grams (about 0.007 ounces).

Another weight measurement sometimes used for small diamonds is the point measurement (abbreviated as pt). Each point is equal to one/one hundredth of a carat. For example, a stone weighing 34 pt weighs 0.34 ct. Larger diamonds are worth more than proportionally smaller ones, meaning that a 3 ct diamond exceeds the value of three 1ct diamonds.

Diamonds (as well as other precious colored gemstones) are often sold with a certification document that lists comprehensive details about the stone, specifically their 4 C’s. These certificates are usually authenticated by recognized organizations such as the GIA and the AGS (American Gem Society) and offer authenticity about the stone being purchased. Diamonds that are certified have a premium over non-certified.

Detect fake diamonds?

Since a diamond is real, it must have some inclusions! These inclusions are visible to the naked eye or under magnification. If no inclusions, black spots or milk spots, are visible in a diamond, then it is either a zirconia or a piece of glass.

Diamonds that have no inclusions under 50x magnification are very rare and can only be found by collectors. The small black specks that are visible in diamonds are crystals of graphite or other forms of carbon. These black specks glow under the light. Diamonds have an affinity for grease; the surface of a cut diamond generally has a film of grease when touched.

• Inclusions (naked eye or under magnification)
• No inclusions under 50x magnification = very rare
• Black spots are crystals of graphite or other forms of carbon
• Affinity for fat

Test methods for the authenticity of diamonds

The most important test of a diamond is that all light entering the front of the stone is completely reflected by the back facets, which form a series of mirrors. A well-cut diamond, when viewed from the back and held up to the light, will show only a pinpoint of light from the cult. Moreover, when you look down at a brilliant diamond, you don’t see the wearer’s finger under the stone, as you do with other stones. White light entering a diamond is scattered into a spectrum of colors, creating vials of different colors from the smaller crown facets.

Detect diamond imitations: Video

Various quartz shapes

There are many forms of quartz that can be called diamond. Many are locality specific and precede the word diamond with a locality name. Many of these names are rarely used or invented by dealers, but there are a few, such as Herkimer Diamond, that are used universally. Here are some names to consider that describe quartz varieties:

Names describing varieties of quartz:

• Arkansas
• Baffa
• Bristol
• Cape May
• Cornish
• Dauphine
• Herkimer
• Hot springs
• Marble Marsh
• Pecos
• Vallum
• Zabeltitzen

Other false names are also used which do not refer to quartz. They are as follows:

• Alaskan Black – Hematite
• Jourado – Colorless synthetic spinel
• Killiecrankie – Colourless topaz from Killiecrankie Bay at the northern end of Flinders Island, Australia.
• Matura – Colourless zirconia
• Strass – Colorless glass as gemstone simulant
• Swarovski – Highly polished form of glass

Production of synthetic diamonds

For many years, it was very legitimate to use the terms “diamond production” and “diamond mining” as equivalent – at least for gem quality diamonds. That has changed. The United States Geological Survey reports that in 2015, an estimated $52.4 million worth of gem-quality diamonds were produced in laboratories within the United States.

Already produced $52.4 million worth of synthetic diamonds in 2015

An unknown quantity is also produced in laboratories outside the United States. Most of these synthetic diamonds enter the gemstone market and are labeled as “lab-created” or “lab-grown” or “synthetic” at the time of sale to consumers. When this occurs, these man-made diamonds are generally sold at a price at least 25% below the cost of natural diamonds for stones of similar size and quality.

Still complicated and costly at the moment

It is extremely difficult and costly to distinguish man-made diamonds from natural diamonds, especially at the wholesale level when synthetic diamonds are inserted into large lots of very small diamonds. This infiltration of synthetic stones into natural stone stock has raised concerns among the gem and jewelry trade, as well as consumers. Is my diamond “natural”?

Most consumers still buy “natural diamonds” because the supply of lab-created diamonds is relatively small. However, a lower selling price attracts certain consumers to lab-created diamonds because they have the same chemical composition and physical properties and look exactly like natural diamonds to the eye. Time will tell how interested consumers will be in natural diamonds and how much of a discount they are willing to refuse.

For a layman not to recognize: The difference between natural and synthetic diamonds.

Biggest diamonds ever

In this chart you can see the biggest diamonds that were sold until 2010:

1. The Golden Jubiliee – 545.67 carats
2. The Cullinan I – 530.2 carats
3. The Cullinan II – 317.4 carats
4. The Centenary – 273 carats
5. The Millenium Star – 204.4 carats

Diamonds for investors

Investors should base the purchase decision on the “4 Cs” described above to ensure a minimum level of quality. In order to ensure successful resaleability at a reasonable price, it makes sense to keep the standards rather high.

Role of diamonds in the portfolio

In contrast to shares, ETFs or other forms of investment, the long-term price development of diamonds is characterised by a relatively steady rise. Therefore, diamonds are very well suited as a defensive addition to the portfolio to cushion strong downturns. A fundamental outperformance compared to stock indices such as DAX or MDAX, however, is usually not given.

Your motivation in buying diamonds as an investment should be to minimize risk by diversifying your assets.

This means that diamonds are not recommended in a small portfolio. If you have to exceed a maximum portfolio share of 5 percent to reach the minimum size and quality when buying diamonds, you should rather wait with the investment.

Diamond Cut: 21 Shapes & Types

Diamonds are known to have the unique property of refracting light in such a way that it sparkles intensely! So much so that diamonds continue to increase in value. Today, 1 carat (0.2 grams) will cost you 7,116.17 USD or 5,990.54 EUR. Besides the brilliance, the cut determines a large part of the purchase price. There are different shapes of cut diamonds, 21 of which I want to introduce to you today. To the cut forms belong for example round cut (also brilliant cut), heart, oval, marquise, radiant and princess (princess cut). The cut quality significantly determines the value of a diamond. When determining the value, it is all about how well the facets of a diamond interact with the light.

The cut of a diamond is crucial to the final beauty and value of the stone. Of all the 4Cs of diamonds, the cut itself is the most complex and technically difficult to analyze.

• Diamond cut: 21 types

Investing in diamonds: Yes or No?

Short-term speculation with diamonds is practically impossible due to the value added tax and the high spreads. This can also be used as a basic argument against diamonds as a value investment, because the investor is first of all in the red with 19 percent after the purchase and has to reckon with further discounts when selling. In addition, there is the lack of a global reference price, as it is available to potential gold investors with the London gold price.

These thoughts should not be understood as a fundamental recommendation against buying diamonds, but rather as an invitation to critically reflect on a potential purchase decision.

Diamond Cut: 21 Shapes & Types

The cut of a diamond is crucial to the final beauty and value of the stone. Of all the 4Cs of diamonds, the cut itself is the most complex and technically difficult to analyze.

These factors make it possible to evaluate how successfuly a diamond interacts with light to produce desirable visual effects such as:

Brightness

Inner and outer white light reflected from a diamond.

Sparkle (light refraction)

The scattering of white light into all the colors of the rainbow.

Luminosity

The amount of sparkle a diamond produces and the pattern of light and dark areas created by reflections in the diamond.

Infographic: 21 species at a glance

Tip! Further down in the article you will find every single cut shape in detail, with individual photo.

Brilliant cut: Most expensive cut form

Precise artistry and workmanship are required to shape a stone so that its proportions, symmetry and cut allow for the magnificent refraction of light that is only possible in a diamond.

Diamond cutter

This is how a Brilliant is created

All types: Examples of shapes

Round cut (Brilliant)

Cushion

Radiant

Princess (princess cut)

Asscher

Trilliant

Heart (heart cut)

Lozenge

Oval

Baguette

Emerald

Tapered baguette

Pear

Marquis

Half Moon

Rhomboid

Whistle

Trapeze

Bullet

Fan (Fan)

Kite (Kite)

New Submariner: Diver’s watch in royal blue and black

The Rolex Submariner is Rolex’s answer in the field of diving watches. The enlarged case and the dark dials make it easy to read the time even under water. In addition, the readability in the dark is helped by the Chromalight display. The versions with black dial and optional blue and green bezel show a new design. Rolex is adding five new models to its Submariner collection this year:

Submariner: Black in black

• Reference: 124060
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Black
• Material: Stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Black, unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduation and highly scratch-resistant ceramic Cerachrom dial, platinum-plated numerals and graduation
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3230, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 7.350€

Submariner Date: Black with green bezel

• Reference: 126610LV
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Black
• Material: Stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Green, unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduation and highly scratch-resistant ceramic Cerachrom dial, platinum-plated numerals and graduation
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3235, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 8.700€

Submariner Date: Black Oystersteel Dream

• Reference: 126610LN
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Black
• Material: Stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Black, unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduation and highly scratch-resistant ceramic Cerachrom dial, platinum-plated numerals and graduation
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3235, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 8.300€

Submariner Date: Royal blue elegance

• Reference: 126613LB
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and yellow gold
• Dial: Royal blue
• Material: Rolesor yellow (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat yellow gold)
• Bezel: Royal blue, unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduation and highly scratch-resistant ceramic Cerachrom dial, gold plated numerals and graduation
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3235, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 13.000€

Submariner Date: Royal blue meets black

• Reference: 126619LB
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, white gold
• Dial: Black
• Material: 18 carat white gold
• Bezel: royal blue, unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduation and highly scratch-resistant ceramic Cerachrom dial, platinum-plated numerals and graduation
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3235, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 36.200€

The new products at Datejust: Diamonds and white gold

The Datejust is a true classic model with real elegance and class. Three new models are also coming on the market, the highlight of these, is the Roman numeral VI set with diamonds, a real eye-catcher:

Datejust 31: Aubergine colors with diamonds

• Reference: 278384RBR
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold with diamonds
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold)
• Bezel: Diamond bezel
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 2236, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Enlarged diamond digit VI
• Price: 14.650€

Datejust 31: Mint green

• Reference: 278274
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold
• Dial: Mint green
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold)
• Bezel: serrated
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 2236, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Jubilee, five rows
• Price: 7.300€

Datejust 31: White

• Reference: 278274
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold
• Dial: White
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold)
• Bezel: serrated
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 2236, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Price: 7.100€

New Oyster Perpetual: Candy pink, turquoise blue and coral red

The Oyster Perpetual range will be completed in 2020 with the Oyster Perpetual 41 model. Other models of the Oyster Perpetual 36 with bright colors such as yellow or turquoise blue have been added. For optimization, an anti-reflective coating was applied to the back of the sapphire crystal on the following models. Six models now complement the Oyster Perpetual collection.

Oyster Perpetual 41: Silver

• Reference: 124300
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Silver
• Material: stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Crowned
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3230, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Price: 5.350€

Oyster Perpetual 41: Black

• Reference: 124300
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Radiant black
• Material: stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Crowned
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3230, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Price: 5.350€

Oyster Perpetual 36: Candy Pink

• Reference: 126000
• Case: Oyster, 36 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Candy pink
• Material: stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Crowned
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Caliber: 3230, Rolex manufacture movement
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Price: 5.050€

Oyster Perpetual 36: Turquoise blue

• Reference: 126000
• Case: Oyster, 36 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Turquoise blue
• Material: stainless steel Oystersteel
• Bezel: Crowned
• Movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
  Caliber: 3230, Rolex manufacture movement
  Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
  Price: 5.050€

Oyster Perpetual 36: Yellow

Oyster Perpetual 31: Coral red

New Sky-Dweller: Annual calendar on the arm in Everose gold and yellow gold

The watch for world travelers, the Sky-Dweller, also offers novelties in the watch market. This classic wristwatch features two simultaneously readable time zones and a yearly calendar. These indications are displayed on an eccentric dial, while the hands in the center indicate local time. The annual calendar is displayed through twelve viewing windows on the outer edge of the dial. Here too, the Chromalight display improves reading at night and in the dark.

Sky-Dweller: Black

Sky-Dweller: chocolate colors

Sky-Dweller: White

Datejust 31

The Datejust 31 is the little sister of the other two Datejust watches. With its 31mm diameter and the caliber 2236 it is in no way inferior to the other two.

The watch withstands the water up to a depth of 100m. The movement is a caliber 2236, a mechanical manufacture movement with automatic self-winding mechanism, which can be wound in both directions and has a perpetual rotor. Once the movement is set, the rate accuracy is +/- 2 seconds. The white rosor is a combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold

We have summarized the most important features for you here once again:

• Dial: 31mm diameter
• Material: 18 carat white gold (hands)
• Watertightness: up to 100m depth
• Caliber: 2236
• Manufacture movement: Automatic self-winding mechanism with perpetual rotor
• Accuracy: +/- 2 seconds
• Functions: Center hands for hours, minutes and seconds, automatic date change with secured quick correction at the 3 o’clock position
• Power reserve: 55 hours
• Rolesor: White (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold)
• Warranty: 5 years

In 2020, four new models of Datejust 31 Oyster Perpetual were launched:

Datejust new models 2020: Aubergine

• Reference: 278384RBR
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold with diamonds
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold), stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Aubergine color with diamonds and radial cut
• Lunette: Diamond bezel
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Enlarged diamond digit VI
• Price: 14.650€

Datejust new models 2020: Mint green

• Reference: 278274
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold), stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Mint green with radial cut
• Bezel: serrated
• Bracelet: Jubilee, five rows
• Details: With Chromalight indices and Chromalight hands
• Price: 7.300€

Datejust new models 2020: White painted

• Reference: 278274
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold), stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: White lacquered with radial cut
• Bezel: serrated
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Price: 7.100€

Datejust new models 2020: Dark grey painted

• Reference: 278274
• Case: Oyster, 31 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and white gold
• Material: Rolesor white (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat white gold), stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Dark grey lacquered with radial cut
• Bezel: serrated
• Bracelet: Jubilee, five rows
• Price: 7.300€

Datejust 36

• Dial: 36mm diameter, black
• Bezel: fluted
• Bracelet: five-row Jubilee
• Material: Oystersteel, white gold
• Watertightness: up to 100m depth
• Caliber: 3235
• Manufacture movement: Automatic self-winding mechanism with perpetual rotor
• Accuracy: +/- 2 seconds
• Functions: Center hands for hours, minutes and seconds, automatic date change with secured quick correction at the 3 o’clock position
• Power reserve: 55 hours

Here are three different variations of Datejust 36 for inspiration:

Datejust 36: Rosé with diamonds

• Reference: 126281RBR
• Case: Oyster, 36 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and Everose gold with diamonds
• Material: Rolesor Everose (combination of Oystersteel stainless steel and 18-carat Everose gold)
• Dial: Rosé with diamonds
• Bezel: Diamond bezel
• Details: Roman numerals VI and IX in 18-carat gold, set with 24 diamonds
• Price: 18.900€

Datejust 36: Dark Rhodium with Diamonds

• Reference: 126281RBR
• Case: Oyster, 36 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and Everose gold with diamonds
• Material: Rolesor Everose (combination of Oystersteel stainless steel and 18-carat Everose gold)
• Dial: Dark Rhodium with diamonds
• Bezel: Diamond bezel
• Details: Roman numerals VI and IX in 18-carat gold, set with 24 diamonds
• Price: 19.500€

Datejust 36: Silver

• Reference: 126200
• Case: Oyster, 36 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Material: stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Silver
• Bezel: Crowned
• Details: Very good readable Chromalight indices and hands with long lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 6.650€

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4sjYPJ9x5g

Rolex Datejust 41

• Caliber: 3235
• Manufacture movement: Mechanical perpetual movement, self-winding mechanism
• Watertightness: up to 100m depth
• Functions: Center hands for hours, minutes and seconds, automatic date change with secured quick correction at the 3 o’clock position
• Accuracy: +/- 2 seconds
• Power reserve: 70 hours

A small excerpt of the model selection of the Datejust 41 is shown here:

Datejust 41: Champagne

• Reference: 126333
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and yellow gold
• Material: Rolesor yellow (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat yellow gold)
• Dial: champagne colors
• Bezel: serrated
• Bracelet: Jubilee, five rows
• Details: Very good readable Chromalight indices and hands with long lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 12.100€

Datejust 41: Slate grey

• Reference: 126303
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel and yellow gold
• Material: Rolesor yellow (combination of stainless steel Oystersteel and 18 carat yellow gold)
• Dial: Slate grey
• Bezel: Polished
• Bracelet: Oyster, three rows, flat elements
• Details: Very good readable Chromalight indices and hands with long lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 11.400€

Datejust: Dark Rhodium

• Reference: 126300
• Case: Oyster, 41 mm, stainless steel Oystersteel
• Material: stainless steel Oystersteel
• Dial: Dark Rhodium
• Bezel: Polished
• Details: Very good readable Chromalight indices and hands with long lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 7.000€

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ergv7Jxrqx4

Datejust ladies

The exclusive model Datejust Ladies was created for the ladies. Introduced in 1957, this timeless, elegant and functional watch still impresses with its sophistication, style and technical performance today. The design reflects the personality of the wearer. There are various designs: the bezel can either be fluted, cambered or set with diamonds and match the different colored dials. The trend rose gold does not stop at the Rolex watches. In our own foundry, we produce a rose gold that is somewhat stronger than the traditional one and has bluish shimmering reflexes. Who likes it very noble, can also buy a Lady Datejust in platinum 950. The Datejust watches for ladies have a caliber 2236 built in.

Here you can find the different Lady-Datejust versions:

Lady-Datejust: Platinum with diamonds

• Reference: 279136RBR
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, platinum with diamonds
• Material: Platinum
• Dial: Rosé
• Bezel: Diamond bezel
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: On request

Lady-Datejust: yellow gold with diamonds

• Reference: 279138RBR
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, yellow gold with diamonds
• Material: 18 carat yellow gold
• Dial: champagne colors
• Bezel: Diamond bezel
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Price: 31.200€

Lady-Datejust: Everose with diamonds

• Reference: 279135RBR
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, Everose gold with diamonds
• Material: 18 carat Everose gold
• Dial: chocolate colors
• Bezel: Diamond bezel
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Price: 33.300€

Lady-Datejust: yellow gold

• Reference: 279178
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, yellow gold
• Material: 18 carat yellow gold
• Dial: champagne colors
• Bezel: serrated
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Price: 23.400€

Lady-Datejust: Platinum

• Reference: 279166
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, platinum
• Material: Platinum
• Dial: Rosé
• Bezel: Crowned
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Details: Very easy to read Chromalight indices and hands with long-lasting blue luminosity
• Price: 40.100€

Lady-Datejust: Everose

• Reference: 279175
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, Everose gold
• Material: 18 carat Everose gold
• Dial: chocolate colors
• Bezel: serrated
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Price: 25.500€

Lady-Datejust: Everose

• Reference: 279165
• Case: Oyster, 28 mm, Everose gold
• Material: 18 carat Everose gold
• Dial: chocolate colors
• Bezel: Crowned
• Bracelet: President, three rows, half round elements
• Price: 25.400€

Cartier – Master jewellers

Before Cartier became a major international jewellery brand, one man ensured its original success, Cartier himself. His jewels were so innovative and expensive that they were quickly traded in the highest circles.

King of Kings – Cartier the Jeweler

At the beginning of the 20th century, the English King Edward VII called Cartier “the king among the kings of jewelers”. It doesn’t get any higher than that, and so to this day Cartier is synonymous with exclusivity, luxury and the most filigree jewellery as the finest materials.

Edward VII’s appreciation was absolutely right. Cartier’s refined elegance, its innovations in manufacturing and workmanship, have been expressed in every piece of Cartier jewellery ever since.

Cartier today: State-of-the-art for Schuck

Not only Edward VII, but also the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, of course wore Cartier when she married Prince William. Everyone was enchanted by the royal family’s Cartier halo tiara, which Princess Kate Middleton wore. But she is also seen wearing Cartier in private, for example, a Cartier balloon bleu watch. Royals, celebrities, industry giants, many swear by the master jeweler.

As you would expect from a jeweller with an excellent reputation, elegance and fine taste, Cartier’s world famous jewellery is extremely sought after and this is reflected in the price of each piece.

Jewellery – The most expensive Cartier creations

$27.4 million for the Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace, $11.8 million for the La Peregrina necklace, and $7 million for the Diamond Panther bracelet! Want to see even more? We’ve rounded up the top 10 most expensive Cartier creations for you!

Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace – $27.4m.

This Cartier necklace, made of emerald green jadeite beads and secured with a ruby, diamond, platinum and gold clasp, was sold at auction to the Cartier Collection in 2014 for $27.4 million. This famous necklace was owned by Barbara Hutton, heiress to the Woolworth fortune, and Princess Nina Mdivani.

La Peregrina necklace: $11.8 million.

Is it art, is it jewellery or is it both? The La Peregrina necklace is a statement of timeless elegance. Cartier designed this necklace for one person to wear: Elizabeth Taylor. The embodiment of an enormous statement pearl, equivalent to 55 carats, is arguably Cartier’s best work. The fact that the pearl itself has a history of its own, having been worn by the Spanish queens Margarita and Isabel, adds to the mystique and beauty that surrounds this exceptional piece.

Diamond Panther bracelet: $7 million.

This Cartier-designed bracelet sold for a world record £4.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2010, becoming not only one of the most expensive Cartier items, but also the most expensive bracelet ever sold at auction. The onyx and diamond panther bracelet with its mesmerizing green eyes once belonged to Wallis Simpson, whose passionate affair with Edward VII led to his abdication.

Diamond Emerald Ring: $6.2 million.

Sold at auction in Hong Kong in 2017, this diamond emerald ring is the most expensive Cartier ring ever sold. The 5.31-carat diamond sits between two pear-shaped emeralds in a bed of 18-karat yellow gold. Like many of the items on our list, this one is one of a kind.

“Secret Watch” with Phoenix decor: $2.7 million.

This is a unique Cartier watch that is shaped like a phoenix. Although it is not noticeable at first glance, there is a watch somewhere. The watch is made of 18 carat white gold and coated with rhodium. The eyes are emeralds, and it features a 3.53 carat pear and portrait cut diamond. The whole is covered by 3,010 brilliant-cut diamonds with a total weight of 80.13 carats. The timepiece is part of the Merveilles du Nil de Cartier collection.

Diamond ring: $2 million

Giving a far more contemporary feel to the second ring on our list, this piece is simply stunning. A blue pear-shaped diamond sits between two heart-shaped pink diamonds. In total, the ring is set with 5.19 carats worth of diamonds. Like the Cartier Diamond Emerald Ring, this piece was auctioned in Hong Kong, this time in 2016.

Large Blue Balloon Tourbillon Diamond Watch: $1.07 million.

Time for another watch. Unlike the Cartier-designed diamond Panther bracelet, this time we can talk about something you could actually wear on your wrist – an extra-large Cartier Ballon Bleu Tourbillon diamond watch that sold for $1 million. Set with baguette diamonds, the slate grey dial of this sunburst satin-finished piece measures 46mm in diameter.

“Extra Large Platinum Watch” with complex mechanism: $500,000.

This timepiece is a limited edition as only 15 pieces were made. It has a platinum case with a length of 43 millimeters, a width of 34 millimeters and a thickness of 10.7 millimeters. It has a transparent case back and a black alligator leather strap with a folding clasp. The dial is silver-colored and guilloché, with Roman numerals and blue apple-shaped hands. It also features a perpetual calendar, chronograph and power reserve indicator. Sub-dials are located at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock, while the tourbillon is visible at 9 o’clock. The movement is hand-wound and the watch is water resistant to 30 meters.

Rotonde Tourbillon Chronograph Platinum Watch: $240,000

The Cartier Rotonde Tourbillon Chronograph Platinum is a limited edition watch of only 50 pieces ever made. The round platinum case measures 45 millimeters in diameter and 15.7 millimeters in thickness. It has a transparent case back and a black alligator leather strap with a platinum double adjustable folding clasp. The openworked slate grey dial has Roman numerals and blue sword-shaped hands. There are chronograph sundials at both 3 and 9 o’clock. Winding the timepiece is done manually. The watch is water resistant up to a distance of 30 meters.

Extra Large 47 MM Ballon Bleu Chronograph Diamond Watch: $233,000

This extra-large chronograph measures 47 millimeters in diameter and is 15 millimeters thick. Its case is made of white gold and weighs 18 carats. The case back is transparent and the bezel is set with two rows of diamonds. The bracelet is also made of white gold and set with diamonds. It also has a rhodium-plated opalin dial and diamonds with blue sword-shaped hands. The date display is at 9 o’clock, and the chronograph sundials are at 3 and 6 o’clock. It is self-winding and water-resistant to 30 meters.

The Patalia Necklace – Priceless?

The only way to end such a list is with the story of the Patalia without a necklace. One of the most exquisite pieces of jewelry ever made, the fact that Cartier produced it should come as no surprise. The necklace contained rubies, nearly 3,000 diamonds, and 7 huge diamonds ranging from 18 to 73 carats each. This alone would secure the Patalia necklace a spot on our list, but it also contained another diamond, a huge yellow diamond known as the Beers diamond. This is the seventh largest diamond ever recorded.

The story behind the jewel

In 1957, the necklace disappeared. One day, 40 years later, a Cartier employee found it in a second-hand jewellery shop – unfortunately, the diamonds and stones were missing. Fully restored to its former glory, it would be so expensive that even experts cannot put a price on it.

It’s a fascinating story, but just before you head off to check out your own jewelry, it’s worth noting that the Beers diamond resurfaced and sold at auction in the 1980s for $3.16 million.

Parts of a gemstone: crown, belt and pavilion

The crown is the upper part of the gem, from the top of the belt to the table. The average crown height is expressed as a percentage of the average girdle diameter. It can affect both the dispersion and brightness of a gemstone. The roundist is the area of the gemstone with the largest diameter. It surrounds the gemstone like a belt. If the roundel is too thin, it will have a negative effect on the stability of the diamond; if it is too thick, it will have a bad effect on the brilliance.

The pavilion is the lower part of a gemstone from the bottom edge of the girdle to the bowl. The depth of the pavilion is expressed as a percentage of the average girdle diameter. Too shallow or too deep a pavilion will allow light to leak out the side or bottom of the stone. A well-cut gemstone directs more light up through the crown.

On the crown of a stone, there are three different types of facets next to the tablet: eight star-shaped Star Facets, eight diamond-shaped Bezel Facets and 16 triangular Upper Crown Facets. The Pavilion features 16 Lower Girdle Facets, eight Pavilion Main Facets, and an optional Calette.

The culet is a small facet that forms the lower end of a gemstone. It has a great influence on its optical properties: if it is too large, much of the incident light will not be reflected. However, there are also stones with a pointed end without a culet. The tablet is the largest facet of a gemstone and is located on top of the crown. It is through it that light can enter the stone.

• Crown – upper part of the diamond
• Round list – outer edge of the gemstone
• Pavilion – lower part of the diamond
• Facets – three types of facets
• Calette – termination of the gemstone
• Table – largest facet of the gemstone

Cutting Process – Cutting, Ebouching, Faceting & Polishing

The cutter must first look at the raw stone and consider how to preserve as much of the raw substance as possible. In addition, he must take into account fracture lines and inclusions in the crystal, so that the stone does not break apart when cut. Once the stone is cut, it is given the raw form during ebouching on grinding wheels.

This is followed by faceting: In this step, flat surfaces, the so-called facets, are cut onto the stone. They are decisive for how the light refracts in the stone. The more precisely they are laid out and cut, the better a zircon, for example, will later reflect light rays and sparkle. Polishing is the final work step. The polisher has to hit exactly the surfaces that the cutter has specified. Many stone rarities have broken during this last step.

1. Cutting
2. Ebouching
3. Faceting
4. Polishing

Zircon Cut Types – Faceted Cut, Smooth Cut & Mixed Cut

Zircon is a popular gemstone that comes in almost every color and is often used as a diamond substitute. The color of zircon can be changed by heat and the gemstone is usually found as a round or oval faceted cut. Colorless zircon is sometimes used as a less expensive alternative to diamond. Zircon should not be confused with cubic zirconia, as cubic zirconia is a synthetically manufactured stone that is used in inexpensive costume jewelry. The hardness of zircon varies from 6.5 – 7.5.

If one starts from the optical appearance of the cut gemstones, one can recognize three main types of cut, the so-called cut types:

• Facet cut
• Smooth grinding
• Mixed grinding

There are four quality factors that determine the value of a zircon, namely color, weight in carats, clarity and cut. Here you can find the most common cuts of zircon gemstones:

1. Portuguese Rose
2. Magna Cut
3. Classic Cut
4. Royal Cut
5. Zinnia Cut
6. Split Brilliant
7. Trap Cut
8. Old European
9. Single cut
10. Swiss Cut
11. Sphere Cut
12. Zircon Cut

Portuguese Rose – Portuguese Rose

Magna Cut – Magna Cut

Classic Cut – Classic Cut

Royal Cut – Royal Cut

Zinnia Cut – Zinnia Cut

Split Brilliant – Split Brilliant

Trap Cut – Trap Cut

Old European – Old European Cut

Single Cut – Single Cut

Swiss Cut – Swiss Cut

Sphere Cut – Sphere Cut

Zircon Cut: Zircon cut

The most expensive diamonds in the world – Top10

Source: Top10 Diamonds, WP Diamonds

Koh-i-Noor Diamond

1st place: The “Koh-i-Noor” diamond – This diamond is so valuable that there is currently no measurement for the Koh-i-Noor. It belongs to the English Crown. But it is more valuable than place 2 and is therefore at least 2.1 billion. There’s a story about the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Most of the big old gems that still exist today have stories about secrets and terrible misfortunes. One of the most famous diamonds believed to have a deadly curse is the Koh-i-Noor, which is discussed in detail in this video.

• Name: Koh-i-Noor
• Current value: Unknown (private property)

Cullinan diamond

2nd place: The “Cullinan” diamond – Joanna Hardy, expert in fine jewellery and regular contributor to the Telegraph Luxury, introduced the Cullinan stone in this video – one of the largest rough diamonds of 3,106 carats, cut into nine foundation stones and 98 smaller stones.

• Name: Cullinan
• Current value: Up to $2 billion
• 3,106 carat (rough diamond) processed into 9 foundation stones and 98 smaller cuts

Hope Diamond

Third place: The “Hope” diamond

• Name: Hope
• Current value: $200-250 million
• 12.03 carat

Centenary Diamond

Fourth place: The “Centenary” diamond

• Name: Centenary
• Current value: $100 million

Pink Star Diamond

5th place: The “Pink Star” diamond – a breathtaking 59.6 carat diamond. In 2017 it was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong for 71.2 million US dollars. The Pink Star diamond thus set a new world record for all diamonds and jewels that were on sale, according to the auction house Sotheby’s.

• Name: Pink Star
• Current value: $71.2 million
• 59.6 carats

Winston Blue Diamond

6th place: The “Winston Blue” diamond

• Name: Winston Blue
• Current value: $23.8 million

Wittelsbach Diamond

Place 7: The “Wittelsbach” diamond

• Name: Wittelsbach
• Current value: $23.4 million

Perfect Pink Diamond

Place 8: The “Perfect Pink” diamond

• Name: Perfect Pink
• Current value: $23.2 million

Heart of Eternity Diamond

9th place: The “Heart of Eternity” diamond

• Name: Heart of Eternity
• Current value: $16 million

Moussaieff Red Diamond

10th place: The “Moussaieff Red” diamond

• Name: Moussaieff Red
• Current value: Up to $8 million

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AByVQIeSuGI

This is how diamonds are cut from rough stones

The biggest diamonds: Carat comparison – Top23

1st place: Tiffany Yellow Diamond

• Weight: 3.106,75 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Golden Jubilee diamond

2nd place: Golden Jubilee Diamond

• Weight: 545,67 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

The Incomparable Diamond

Third place: The Incomparable Diamond

• Weight: 407,49 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Chopard 201 carat clock

4th place: Chopard 201 carat watch

• Weight: 201,00 carat
• Current value: $25 million

Kahn Canary Diamond

5th place: Kahn Canary Diamant

• Weight: 185.02 (102.54 + 82.48) carats
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Donnersmarck diamond

6th place: Donnersmarck diamond

• Weight: 167,00 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Dresden Green Diamond

Place 7: Dresden Green Diamond

• Weight: 128,54 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Graff hallucination clock

Place 8: Graff Hallucination Clock

• Weight: 128,48 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Lesotho diamond

9th place: Lesotho Diamond

• Weight: 111,59 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Graff hallucination clock

10th place: Graff Hallucination watch

• Weight: 110,00 carat
• Current value: $55 million

Noor-ul-Ain Diamond Tiara

Place 11: Noor-ul-Ain diamond tiara

• Weight: 108,93 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Heart of Eternity Diamond

12th place: Heart Of Eternity diamond

• Weight: 101,29 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Golden Jubilee diamond

Place 13: Golden Jubilee Diamond

• Weight: 71,73 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Aurora Butterfly of Peace

Place 14: Aurora Butterfly of Peace

• Weight: 69,42 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

All diamond

Place 15: Allnatt Diamond

• Weight: 60,00 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

The Hope Diamond

Place 16: The Hope Diamond

• Weight: 45,52 carat
• Current value: $250 million

Earth Star Diamond

Place 17: Earth Star Diamond

• Weight: 41,00 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Wittelsbach Graff Diamond

Place 18: Wittelsbach Graff Diamond

• Weight: 31,06 carat
• Current value: $23.4 million

Shepard Diamond

19th place: Shepard Diamond

• Weight: 27,64 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Chopard 201 carat clock

Place 20: Chopard 201 carat watch

• Weight: 18,30 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Blue Moon Diamond

21st place: Blue Moon Diamond

• Weight: 12,03 carat
• Current value: $48.5 million

Moussaieff Red Diamond

22nd place: Moussaieff Red Diamond

• Weight: 5,11 carat
• Current value: $7 million

Star of the South Diamond

23rd place: Star of the South Diamond

• Weight: 4,25 carat
• Current value: Not specified (private property)

Back to the Capital Investment editorial.

Diamond risk assessment: advantages and disadvantages

Diamonds offer protection against inflation, bank failures, stock market crashes and currency reforms. Not only that, but anonymity plays a big role for many investors. There is no investor registration for diamonds, no government access. Diamonds are not only anonymous for buyers, they also offer the unbeatable advantage that they are worldwide, easily convertible.

Did you know? Diamonds are the only internationally recognized substitute currency that is valued the same in all countries.

Cartier jewellery (even the finest particles are used):

Why are diamonds so popular?

There are exclusive jewellery dealers and producers like Graff, Phillips but also De Beers. Nothing happens by chance, much of our life is subject to external influences. Here Alex Fischer gives many good examples. For example, the diamond ring, for the sweetheart.

De Beers is known worldwide for producing the finest engagement rings, wedding bands and other elegant diamond jewelry. In the 1960s, De Beers and its marketing team asked themselves, “How can we sell more diamonds? The idea, a marketing campaign that said, “If you’re a stickler and you really love your wife, give her a diamond ring.”

The campaign worked extremely well, so well that there was even a second edition: “Anyone who really thinks something of himself invests at least a month’s wages for his mistress.” This second campaign also worked extremely well. So De Beers went one step further: “If you really love your wife, you should invest 2-3 months’ salary!”

Since then, diamonds have arrived in society and are a part of pretty much every couple. This drove and still drives the value of diamonds even higher since then.

How is the value determined?

Every diamond is unique. They can be the same size, yet have extremely different values. The quality is measured by the 4C of the diamonds. This means that differences are formulated by “Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut”. They determine the quality and value of the diamond. Once you decide to actually buy diamonds, the tax-free appreciation also plays into it (check out our appreciation statistics later). The tangible asset with no maintenance costs is free of maintenance costs as long as safekeeping is solved.

Tip. Diamonds are excellent as part of your own portfolio. As we have described in the editorial Capital Investment XXL, a good portfolio should consist of one third each of fixed-income investments or securities, real estate and mobile assets, such as art, designer fashion or diamonds.

The advantages of diamonds as an investment:

• Protection (inflation, bank failures, stock market crashes and currency reforms)
• Anonymity of the buyer
• Worldwide convertibility
• Constantly available substitute currency
• Tax-free appreciation
• Investment in tangible assets without maintenance costs
• Prestige

Valuation & Diamond Certificate

When buying diamonds, you should always make sure that the investment diamonds have a certificate issued by a reputable and world-renowned institute:

Valuation

The performance potential of diamonds as an investment is generally influenced by the “4 Cs”.

Source: Wallstreet Online

The famous 4 Cs:

• Cut – the brilliant cut with 57 facets is considered the most beautiful.
• Carat – the heavier or larger, the better
• Clarity (purity) – the fewer inclusions, the purer
• Color – the rarer, the more expensive

Since the development of these four guideposts and criteria for the selection of diamonds as an investment, a fifth C has now also become established:

• Conflict – the more notorious, the more dangerous.

Statistics: Diamond production until 2020

Development and forecast of global diamond production from 2005 to 2020 (in millions of carats).

Source: Statista

Synthetic diamonds: Produced in the laboratory

Diamonds can be produced artificially by recreating the natural conditions of diamond formation as accurately as possible. The so-called synthesis requires extreme temperatures of 1,500 to 3,000 degrees Celsius and a pressure generation of approximately 55 to 60 kilobars. For comparison, your environment usually has around 1 bar. So diamonds need 60,000 times more pressure to form.

Temperature: 1,500 to 3,000 degrees

Pressure: 55 to 60 kilobar

The first synthetic diamond

Source: Alex Fischer Diamond as an investment

The first successful synthesis took place in the 1950s, but shortly after the turn of the millennium, diamonds could also be grown from the air for the first time with the help of a photon plasmatron. Initially, it was only possible to grow small diamonds due to the high costs involved. Thanks to today’s technology, however, it is now also possible to produce large diamonds in this way for little money.

Milestones:

• 1797: The scientific breakthrough
• 1926: Parson uncovers scientific error
• 1941: New experiments and first successes
• 1953: The first synthetic diamond

In Stockholm, the scientists of Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, or ASEA for short, independent of Hall and General Electronic Company, were also successful and were able to present their first synthetic diamond on February 16, 1953, after about four years of work. However, this achievement was not published until the 1980s.

The Korean company Iljin Diamonds entered the industrial market of diamond synthetics in 1988 thanks to a Korean employee who had formerly worked at GE and shared their trade secrets with Iljin Diamond and numerous Chinese companies.

Diamonds are considered the most precious stones in the world and have occupied mankind since their first discoveries far in the past. But although scientifically and historically a lot of information about diamonds has been brought to light, outside of connoisseur and enthusiast circles, few know anything about the formation and history of these precious stones. From the original from the earth to the synthetic diamond – here you will learn everything!

Diamond: Name Origin, Meaning & Synonyms

Diamonds as an investment, that is an extensive topic. First of all, at the beginning are asked pretty basic questions, questions like:

• What is the difference between brilliant and diamond?
• What is the cost of 1 carat diamond?
• How and where are diamonds created?
• What is a carat diamond?

Let’s get started! Diamonds as an investment, first the definition: The diamond carries numerous synonyms, even if most of them are ancient and rather unknown in today’s usage. The term has its origin in the Greek ἀδάμας – adámas – which means “indomitable” and refers to the hardness of this stone. Furthermore, the following terms are known:

• Adamant
• Adamas
• Anachites
• Diamas
• Ira’s
• Itam

Lyrically, the designation of the diamond as the “moon of the mountains” finds particular appeal. The smallest visible diamonds are called “grains of salt”, whereas precious stones with a color gradient from blue-white to yellow are known as “prernier”. Furthermore, there are special names for base diamonds, which are opaque in their transparency:

• Ballas
• Bort
• Carbonado

But diamonds are also subdivided in cut form. According to their cut form, a distinction is made between brilliant, diamond, pointed stone and table stone.

Mineralogy: The element diamond

From a purely scientific point of view, a diamond is the interaction of its properties. Important factors are, for example, the Mohs hardness – a relative hardness value used for minerals and named after the German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs -, the luminescence – the glowing of a substance at unchanged temperature – and opacity, i.e. light transmission, as well as its tenacity – the behaviour of minerals when scratched and bent. Incidentally, diamond is the record holder as the best known thermally conductive mineral in the world.

Classification, Structure & Crystallography

• Mineral Class: Elements
• Element: Carbon
• Chemical formula: C
• Mass: 100%
• Atoms: 1
• Atomic mass (u): 12.0107800
• Crystal system: cubic
• Common crystal faces: {111}

Physical properties

• Mohs hardness: 10.0
• Density (g/cm³): 3.515
• Fissility: {111} perfect
• Fracture: conchoidal
• Tenacity: brittle
• Colour: colourless, various foreign colours
• Line colour: white
• Opacity: transparent to partially transparent to translucent
• Gloss: Diamond gloss, grease gloss

Chemical behaviour:

• Graphite is formed when heated in the absence of air
• At high temperatures reactions with hydrogen, oxygen and fluorine
• Easily soluble in molten carbon-soluble metals

Other features

• Melting point (at degrees Celsius): 3,500
• Thermal conductivity (W/(m – K)): 1,000-2,500
• Luminescence: fluorescent
• Radioactivity: none
• Compression modulus (GPa): 442
• Unstable: Acids and alkalis

Raw stones: Direct from the mine

Colour variety due to additives & defects

Although the “real” diamond is colorless in its natural state, there is quite a variety of colors in the diamonds found so far. Various additional elements that can influence the growth of a diamond, for example nitrogen, sometimes result in many different shades of colour. Nitrogen produces a yellow hue, while the addition of boron produces a bluish hue. In general, all shades of yellow, gray, green, and brown, as well as color changes within a stone, are dominant and therefore most common. The diamonds with pure and intense colors are therefore considered particularly beautiful and especially rare. In English these color diamonds are called “Fancy Diamonds” or short: Fancys and it is distinguished between seven Fancys:

• Canary yellow & orange (addition of nitrogen)- famous example: the Tiffany
• Brown (defects in the crystal lattice) – famous examples: the Lesotho & the Earth Star
• Blue (addition of boron) – famous example: the Hope diamond
• Green (radiation defects) – famous example: the Dresden diamond
• Red (crystal defects) – famous examples: the Red Shield & the Red Diamond
• Pink/Pink (crystal impurities) – famous examples: the Daya-I-Noor & the Steinmetz Pink

In addition, there are countless color variations, for example, also gold, up to black. Structural features and irregularities within the structure of a stone can also cause color changes, in technical language these are also called “Grainings”. These can occur as lines, angles and curves in the crystal, but the most common are very fine lines about a few hundredths of a millimetre thick and brownish in colour. Due to special light refractions, it sometimes happens that the diamond takes on a pink color.

The biggest diamond mine in the world

Statistics: Diamond production until 2020

You can find more statistics at Statista

Diamond cut: 21 types

Diamonds are known to have the unique ability to refract light in such a way that they sparkle intensely, from all angles. When it comes to the cut of diamonds, there are different shapes. These include round cut (also known as brilliant cut), heart, oval, marquise, radiant, princess and many more. The cut quality determines the value of a diamond significantly. When determining value, it’s all about how well a diamond’s facets interact with light.

• Diamond cut (external)

The history of diamonds: from India to the world

The first confirmed discovery of a diamond is traced back to India and is estimated to have occurred around 4,000 BC. In the ancient writings and temples of India, there are repeated references to diamonds, their findings and their use. It is said that the priests of the time carried shields made of gold, each with a diamond embedded in the middle. On the basis of drawings and replicas, however, the size of this shield jewellery suggests, according to present-day knowledge, rather rock crystals. However, India is undoubtedly the origin of the diamonds. It is assumed that Phoenician ships brought the Indian diamonds to the wide world in the second century before Christ. The most beautiful, largest and most magnificent of all stones, however, remained for a long time in the possession of the local princes and adorned their treasuries. It was not until the beginning of the 18th century that the occurrence of diamonds in India slowly declined.

The first reported discovery of a diamond, on the other hand, came from Indonesia. In the 6th century AD, some diamonds were found there, but overall the yield was small and the transport was rather complex under the conditions of the time, which is why the stones were dismissed as insignificant.

Diamond rush in South America and South Africa

In South America, which was under Spanish and Portuguese rule in the 17th and 18th centuries AD, prospectors stumbled upon diamonds in the Amazon region of what would later become Brazil, just a few decades after the diamond deposits in India had subsided. Once knowledge of diamonds spread, countless adventures traveled to South America in search of wealth. For over 100 years, South America supplied the world with diamonds. Nowadays, Brazil still supplies diamonds to the world, but nowhere near as many as in the days of the so-called “diamond smoke”.

Around 1970, a new diamond deposit was discovered in South Africa and, after an initial frenzy, was brought under control in terms of mining and trade. In the first years after the turn of the millennium, further deposits were found in Africa, including Angola, Tanzania, West Africa, Zaire and Central Africa.

Other occurrences & the oldest Dimanant in the world

Diamonds were first mined in Russia in the 1950s. Furthermore, at this time there were diamond discoveries in Australia, Borneo, Guyana and Venezuela.

Australia made history in 2007 as the place where the world’s oldest diamonds were found. Researchers estimate the microscopic stones, which are invisible to the naked eye, to be more than 4 billion years old. Accordingly, these findings are almost as old as the planet Earth itself. Such an age allows conclusions to be drawn about the early history of the earth, but this is not the only reason why these Australian diamonds are controversial and hotly debated – until their discovery, the oldest diamonds were only dated back to about 3.3 billion years.

Emergence under natural conditions

In nature, diamonds are only formed under very specific conditions. The two decisive factors here are temperature and pressure. Science proves more precisely that diamonds can only be formed under temperatures of 1,250 to 1,500 degrees Celsius and in combination with extreme pressure of 100 to 150 kilobars. This limits the formation sites on earth to depths of 150 km in the upper mantle. Tectonic movements, i.e. the movement of the earth’s plates and crusts against each other, change the basic magma in the deeper layers of the earth. This in turn changes the deep rocks and produces new, metamorphic rocks, i.e. rocks whose shape has changed. Diamonds are an accompanying mineral of this transformation. Researchers have been able to narrow their guesses about the exact formation of diamonds within the tectonic process to three types of chemical reaction, the majority considering a simple reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to be the most likely.

Crystallization – the process by which crystalline structures form – is extremely slow, whereas the cooling of the freshly formed diamonds is extremely rapid. The rapid cooling prevents the diamond from turning into graphite. Under natural circumstances, the diamonds only reach the earth’s surface through volcanic eruptions, as the lava lumps take the surrounding deep rock with them. The mixture of lava and rock then forms kimberlite – diamond-bearing rock consisting of solidified volcanic material – and lamproites, which are where a diamond is found, although not its place of origin.

Synthetic diamonds – produced in the laboratory

Diamonds can be produced artificially by recreating the natural conditions of diamond formation as accurately as possible. The so-called synthesis requires extreme temperatures of 1,500 to 3,000 degrees Celsius and a pressure generation of approximately 55 to 60 kilobars.

The first successful synthesis took place in the 1950s, but shortly after the turn of the millennium, diamonds could also be grown from the air for the first time with the help of a photon plasmatron. Initially, it was only possible to grow small diamonds due to the high costs involved. Thanks to today’s technology, however, it is now also possible to produce large diamonds in this way for little money.

1797: The scientific breakthrough

For industry, the scientific breakthrough for the use of diamonds came in 1797, when it became known that diamonds are made of pure carbon. Attempts were made to reproduce the crystalline structure of diamonds by means of different, cheap carbon variants, until finally the first artificially produced diamond could be recorded. The Scottish chemist James Ballantyne Hannay thus made a name for himself in the late 1880s, closely followed by the equally successful chemist Ferdinand Frédéric Henri Moissan from France. Both scientists used different methods and there were many unsuccessful imitators in the 1890s. At the beginning of the 20th century, the British chemist Sir William Crookes was able to demonstrate his first successes based on Moissan’s findings, and Otto Karl Ruff from Germany followed his example barely 16 years later. Finally, in 1926, the American Dr. J Willard Hershey succeeded in producing his first diamond synthetically. This diamond can still be admired today in the McPherson Museum in Kansas.

1926: Parson uncovers scientific error

The Anglo-Irish scientist and engineer Sir Charles Algernon Parsons devoted almost 40 years of his life to the synthetic production of diamonds. He undertook numerous experiments and kept accurate records of his methodology and experiments based on the publications of Hannay, Moissan and Ruff. Then, in 1928, he had it published in his name that he was firmly convinced that not a single diamond had been synthetically produced up to that time and that the successes of his predecessors were merely synthetically produced spinel – a common, cubically crystallizing, transparent mineral. The fact that not one scientist in the world had succeeded in creating a synthetic diamond since 1926 certainly confirms this statement.

1941: New experiments and first successes

After Parson’s scandalous statement, diamond synthesis was not resumed until 1941. The American conglomerate General Electric Company (GE) joined forces with Norton and a few other companies and initially focused on the basic conditions for diamond formation in nature, namely high temperatures and extreme pressure. After the project had to be paused due to the First World War, the American Howard Tracy Hall and other scientists joined forces to form a team of experts in 1951. On December 16, 1954, Hall succeeded in creating the world’s first truly synthetically produced diamond, and after the process proved recipiable, Hall’s findings were published in the British science journal Nature. A few years later, Hall created new machinery that simplified the creation of diamonds and was awarded the American Chemical Society Award for Creative Innovation.

Scientists in the competition

In Stockholm, the scientists of Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, or ASEA for short, independent of Hall and General Electronic Company, were also successful and were able to present their first synthetic diamond on February 16, 1953, after about four years of work. However, this achievement was not published until the 1980s.

The Korean company Iljin Diamonds entered the industrial market of diamond synthetics in 1988 thanks to a Korean employee who had formerly worked at GE and shared their trade secrets with Iljin Diamond and numerous Chinese companies.

Differentiation between natural and synthetic

In general, natural and synthetic diamonds can be easily distinguished, because natural or “real” diamonds show an uneven growth, the growth conditions of diamonds in the laboratory, on the other hand, are extremely uniform. With the help of artificial impurities, however, nature can be imitated more and more, so that a distinction is nowadays hardly to impossible for laymen as well as experts without special measuring devices.

Use of diamonds in everyday life

Unlike the original occurrence of diamonds, the art of cutting the precious stones does not originate from India itself. It is assumed that first of all the Venetians dared to cut diamonds in the 15th century after Christ and brought the art of cutting from there to India. Via Paris, the knowledge about the processing of the valuable stones reached Antwerp and Amsterdam. Even today, Antwerp is one of the most important cutting centers in the world – it shares the top position with Tel Aviv and New York, while only smaller stones are cut in India.

Diamonds are generally used as abrasives and for setting drill bits and saw blades. Another large area of application is, of course, the jewelry industry.

Synthetically produced diamonds are used primarily in research, but also to a significant extent in special coatings, laser technology and electronics, or more precisely in the semiconductor sector.

Legendary diamonds

Throughout the history of diamonds, some individual pieces have left a special imprint on our timeline. Others are the subject of numerous legends and sagas. Many have been hotly contested or are found today as crown jewels in the possession of royal families.

Diamonds – We have collected the most expensive & biggest gemstones in the world for you here! The top 10 most expensive diamonds and the top 23 heaviest diamonds by carat. Which stone is the most expensive? Which stone is the most valuable? Large rough diamonds like the “Cullinan stone” has been cut from 3,106 carats to 9 foundation stones and 98 smaller stones. The current value is up to $2 billion. Stones like the “Koh-i-Noor” diamond is owned by the English monarchy and to this day is unmeasurable in value and still in first place.

• Article: The most expensive & biggest diamonds in the world

The blue Wittelsbacher

This blue color diamond is world famous and its personal history can be traced far back, to India in 1666. In 1722, the “Blue Brilliant”, as it was called at the time, became part of the imperial crown of Maria Amalie Josefa Anna of Austria. From 1806 to 1918 the famous blue diamond was in Bavarian hands as a crown jewel under King Ludwig III. In the winter of 2008, the at least 4-carat diamond was purchased at auction for a total of 18.7 million euros, making it the most expensive diamond purchased at auction until November 16, 2010. The buyer of the blue Wittelsbacher was the jeweler Laurence Graff, who had his latest acquisition directly recut in favor of the color intensity. A scandalous act which led to the stone being renamed the “Wittelsbach Graff”. By the way, the following diamond achieved the highest price within a campaign was a pink diamond for more than 46 million dollars – also paid from the wallet of Laurence Graff.

The cursed Koh-I-Noor

The colorless diamond Koh-I-Noor comes from an Indian legend that says that Koh-I-Noor brings death to all men who carry it with them. It passed through numerous hands until it became the property of the British East India Company in 1849. On the Company’s 250th anniversary, the then 186-carat diamond, which is still considered the largest diamond in the world, was honorably and formally presented to Britain’s Queen Victoria. She promptly had the stone recut, which reduced its size to about 109 carats. Since 1911, the Koh-I-Noor has been part of the Queen’s Crown and can still be seen today in the Tower of London along with the other British Crown Jewels.

The legendary Hope Diamond

This legendary diamond of about 45 carats also comes from India and is said to have been previously set into the statue of an Indian deity and is considered cursed. Between 1640 and 1667, the blue stone is said to have been sold to the country of France by a French adventurer; the adventure met its death shortly afterwards. In 1668 it was worn by the kings Ludiwg XIV and later Louis XVI. The Sun King had the stone re-cut and henceforth gave it the name “Le Bleu de France”. Legend has it that the diamond’s curse passed to its next owner, Queen Marie-Antoinette, causing her death. After the French Revolution, the stone was considered lost for years. Its next known owners were the English King George IV and the banker Henry Philip Hope, whose family remained in possession of the diamond for over 50 years, thus giving the Hope Diamond its name. The Hope diamond left the family after many disputes and finally came into the hands of the American Evalyn Walsh McLean, who kept the diamond with her until 1947 and left it behind after her own death after a total of over 30 years and many strokes of fate within her family. The new owner, an American jeweler named Harry Winston obtained the blue fated stone and promptly bequeathed it to the Smithsonian Institution. The magnificent stone can still be admired today at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D. C.

Pretty in Pink: the Darya-I-Noor

Pink and rose diamonds in particular are rare, but the Darya-I-Noor is perhaps the most famous of them all. The pink diamond Darya-I-Noor was recovered from the same mine as the colorless Koh-I-Noor and its name means “ocean of light” in Indian. It is said that many oriental rulers lost their lives because of it. Nowadays it is among the Iranian crown jewels.

Largest diamonds in the world by weight in carats

You can find more statistics at Statista

Diamonds in the magazine: More articles

1. Graff Jeweller: The Diamond Dealers
2. Tiffany & Co: Bracelets
3. Most expensive jewellery in the world

Graff Jeweller: The Diamond Dealers

Graff Jeweler – Finding the most valuable diamonds is part of their job. If you find a big diamond, you can get rich in one fell swoop. No way! Yes there is! The L’Incomparable diamond necklace contains one of the most valuable diamonds in the world. The necklace is worth $55 million with the L’Incomparable diamond, because it is the largest, inside flawless diamond in the world. Hard to believe but was. A little girl discovered the stone, amidst mining debris. In 1980, she found the L’Incomparable diamond in the overburden of the mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo: 407.48 carats. From it, the most exclusive pieces of jewelry are made, crafted by Graff. Right at the beginning we therefore show the cutting of the “Graff Lesedi La Rona”, you will see how a 1,109 carat rough diamond is transformed into an ultra-exclusive 302.37 diamond by Graff! The world’s largest, purest emerald diamond ever certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

• Graff jeweler

Tiffany & Co: Bracelets

Tiffany & Co. rings & bracelets – The luxury brand Tiffany & Co. has been making women’s hearts beat faster for over 180 years. With breathtaking engagement rings, sparkling pearls and charming necklaces, the brand enchants its customers anew every year. The brand, which once began modestly on the streets of New York City, can now be found all over the world. Its international success has also ensured that it now offers perfumes and other accessories in addition to sparkling jewellery. We have collected the latest creations of the brand for you here. At the end you will also get an exclusive insight into the private suite for VIP guests, where only the most expensive pieces of jewellery are sold.

• Tiffany & Co: Bracelets

Most expensive jewellery in the world

The most expensive jewelry in the world: diamonds, rubies, gold, platinum made by the best jewelers in the world. Graff, in particular, plays a huge role in the ranking of the most valuable jewelry. Diamonds are by far the most popular and well-known gemstone for lovers, jewelry lovers but also collectors. Diamonds are the hardest mineral on earth, so they can be used in jewelry for literally centuries without getting scratched. Did you know. The only mineral that can scratch a diamond is other diamonds! Diamond is therefore one of the most sought after mining products. Just like gold.

There is no precious metal in the world more sought after than gold. The famous “yellow metal” has been the standard by which wealth is measured for centuries, Even today, gold bullion is a primary means of private investment and wealth protection. Welcome to the world of gold, platinum, rubies and diamonds. The most expensive jewelry in the world: diamonds, gold & platinum!

• Most expensive jewellery

302.37 carat – How a diamond is created

How is a finished diamond created? The question is simple, the process is all the more complicated. It takes a lot of time to cut a diamond. Diamonds cut by real masters of their trade.

In the following video you can see the transformation of the 302.37 carat “Graff Lesedi La Rona”. This diamond is the largest square emerald cut diamond in the world. Not only that, it is also the largest, clearest and most colorful square emerald cut diamond ever certified by the GIA. The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) developed a system of diamond certification and is used worldwide.

Graff have taken the Lesedia La Rona rough diamond with 1,109 carats on an incredible journey.

Purchase, Planning, Cutting and Sale

The process – The rough diamond has an incredible 1,109 carats and is the second largest ever found on our planet. It was discovered over 100 years ago. Immediately after the purchase, Graff began with the design of the cut and planning. Graff first cut and polished 66 individual, exquisite satellite diamonds. In the second step, the main diamond, of unprecedented size, is cut and polished.

Graff’s world-leading team of gemstone developers and master polishers spent a full year and a half, or 18 months, expertly planning, cutting and polishing the rough diamond using groundbreaking technology.

• Rough diamond: 1,109 carats
• Diamond (after cut): 302.37 carat
• 66 satellite diamonds
• Processing time: 18 months

The result is a masterpiece, a truly historic moment, the Graff Lesedi La Rona with 302.37 carats. Take a look at the creation process here!

Graff Jewelry: History and manufacture

Graff is known for the quality of its fine and filigree jewellery. As described above, it takes up to 18 months to process a unique diamond.

Especially for diamond jewelry Graff is state-of-the-art, also for emeralds, rubies, sapphires and pearls. The worldwide network helps them to make spectacular purchases.

The Graff company was founded in the 1960s by Laurence Graff and is characterized by the production of magnificent diamonds. They obtain their rodiamonds from mines all over the world.

Experienced master jewellers, gemstone developers and master polishers cut and polish each stone to achieve its full beauty with a special sensitivity for yellow diamonds.

Laurence Graff has worked on some of the most important diamonds of our time. These include the seven-sided 187.82 carat Paragon and the 603 carat uncut Lesotho Promise. The jewels themselves also adorn Graff’s exquisite selection of luxury watches.

Tip! The most coveted and largest gemstones in the world in one list: Here are the most expensive diamonds

Graff diamonds

Windsor Yellows

The Windsor Yellows were acquired by Laurence Graff in Geneva in 1987 at the auction of the jewels of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.

The Duchess was often photographed with the Windsor Yellows, a pair of clips with chic yellow pear-shaped diamonds of 51.01 and 40.22 carats respectively.

• Purchase: 1987 in Geneva (auction)
• Carat: 51.01 and 40.22
• New grinding after acquisition

Paragon Diamond – 137.82 carat

The Paragon diamond was acquired by Graff in 1989. The Paragon is a 7-sided diamond of 137.82 carat (27.564 g), cut. In 1999, the diamond was worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell as a big highlight of the “Millenium” chain.

• Purchase: 1989
• Carat: 137.82

Lesotho Promise

The Lesotho Promise was acquired in 2006 as a rough stone with 603 carats (120.6 g) for 12.4 million dollars.

Such a giant is no longer processed by one person today. The Lesotho Promise was cut by a team of 35 people, with computerized lasers (as seen in the video above), into 26 flawless diamonds totaling 223.35 carats (44.670 g), the highest yield from a single diamond.

The finished stones were unveiled in July 2007.

• Purchase: 2006
• Purchase price: $12.4 million
• rough diamond: 603
• Carat (after cut) of all 26 stones: 223,35
• Carat, largest single diamond: 75

Letseng Legacy Diamond – 231.67 carat

The Letseng Legacy Diamond was found and excavated from the same mine as the Lesotho Promise in 2008. In its raw state the stone was 493 carats. The Letseng Legacy Diamond was purchased by Graff for $10.4 million. The rough stone was cut into 20 diamonds totalling 231.67 carats.

• Excavation: 2008
• Purchase price: 10.4 million
• rough diamond: 493 carat
• Carat (after cut) of all 20 stones: 231,67

Wittelsbach-Graff diamond – 31.06 carat

The Wittelsbach Graff diamond is a 31.06 carat diamond. Its exclusive properties make it one of the most sought-after jewels in the world. The Wittelsbach-Graff-Diamond is an extravagant, deep blue diamond with flawless purity inside the stone. Laurence Graff bought the diamond in 20018 for an incredible 16.4 million pounds, or 20.96 million dollars.

• Purchase: 2008
• Purchase price: $22 million
• Sold: $80 million (Royal Family of Qatar)
• Carat: 31.06
• Special features: Deep blue, flawless purity

Delaire Sunrise

The Delaire Sunrise is the largest square emerald-cut Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond in the world at 118.08 carats. The rough diamond from which the Delaire Sunrise was made weighed as much as 221.81 carats and was discovered in 2008 in an alluvial mine in South Africa. When Laurence Graff unveiled the finished diamond, he called it “Delaire Sunrise” [10].

• Carat: 118.08
• Carat of rough diamond: 221,81
• Characteristic: Largest square, emerald-cut Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond
• Origin: Africa

Constellation

At 102.79 carats, the Constellation is the largest round, D-shaped, internally flawless diamond ever evaluated by the Gemmological Institute of America.

• Carat: 102.79
• Special feature: Its size and its perfect flawlessness from the inside

Graff Pink

The Graff Pink is an absolute highlight from Graff. The Type IIa classification with modified emerald cut is estimated at $30-50 million. In 2010 the stone was bought by Graff, in November. For over 60 years, Graff Pink was in a private collection, now it is owned by one of the most prestigious jewelers in the world. Through the new cut, the re-cut 23.88 carat diamond shows new color, clarity and inner flawlessness. “The Pink Legacy”, as the gemstone is also called, was auctioned in Geneva in 2010, at Christie’s auction house.

• Carat: 23.88
• Purchase price: $46.2 million
• Purchase Date: 2010

Graff Sweethearts

The Graff Sweethearts were originally two rough diamonds of 196 carats and 184 carats, which were discovered in the Letseng Mine in Lesotho. After cutting, they produced a 51.53 carat D colour and a Type IIa and a 50.76 carat D colour, both heart-shaped.

• Carats of rough diamonds: 196 and 184
• Diamond (1, after cut): 51,53
• Diamond (2, after cut): 50,76

Sultan Abdul Hamid II

The Sultan Abdul Hamid II is a light yellow 70.54 carat, which was purchased by Graff in 1981. It is believed that this stone was cut from the “Ottoman I”, which originally belonged to Süleyman the Magnificent of Turkey.

• Carat: 70.54
• Date of purchase: 1981

Graff Lesedi La Rona

The Graff Lesedi La Rona, a high clarity emerald cut diamond with 302.37 carat D-colour. It is the main cut of the Lesedi La Rona, which was bought by Graff in 2017 and cut in 2019. The cut of the rough stone also produced 66 smaller stones.

• Sales price: $53 million
• Carat of the rough diamond: $302.37
• Cut in 66 smaller stones