Are White Diamonds Truly Rare?
Where's the surprise?
Whether you agree that “diamonds are forever” or “diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” it isn’t difficult to see that the crystalline stone—deemed valuable for its scarcity—is actually quite ubiquitous, even plentiful. How then did white diamonds acquire their mystique as symbols of affluence and luxury if everybody has one?
Diamonds Through the Ages
Diamonds have been on our minds since the age of antiquity for their durability and utility even before they were considered for beauty. A “10” on the MOH Scale of Hardness, the first commercial diamonds were mined along the rivers of India in the 4th Century BC. As India opened up to the West, diamonds traveled to the aristocracy of Europe and became a staple of elite fashion by the time the Renaissance began.
With the late 19th century expansion of Dutch and British interests in South Africa came the modern diamond industry. In 1888, the De Beers Diamond Company was established in Kimberley, South Africa and quickly became the largest diamond provider in the world. Since De Beers released it’s cartel-hold on the industry more than two decades ago, African diamond mining has been big business for many of the continent’s nations, most notably South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Issues with Diamonds
Despite the global love affair with diamonds, the diamond story has some issues, not the least of which is the presence of unidentified synthetic diamonds in the market-place. While synthesized diamonds are accurately categorized and marketed, this does little to address the concerns of wholesalers, gem collectors and enthusiasts who fear the increasing discovery of these synthetics in production parcels, jewelry stores, estates and auctions.
Color: Choice of Royalty
Interestingly, over the centuries, royal families were more likely to choose a gem of color versus a diamond for important occasions and gifting. Colored gems hail from all corners of the world and along with their individual color and unique tonal dispositions, every gem carries with it the culture and history of the place from which it was unearthed. Diamonds on the other hand are from identifiable places too but De Beers made an effort to sanitize the diamond origin “story” by keeping it’s African mining and production communities at a distance from the luxury and affluence of diamond jewelry.
A recent New York Times article reminds us that 2018 is the year of purple. To start off your new year, look no further than our 6.41 un-heated cushion "Classic" (as per AGL certification) Madagascar purple sapphire. Unbiasedly evaluated and passionately represented exclusively at Cushion Gem.
Conversely, colored gems are often preceded by their origins especially when the origin is of a vaunted nature. Whether a Burma ruby, a Kashmir sapphire, a Colombian emerald or a Paraiba tourmaline, the rarest colored gems specimens wear their geographic origin names proudly. Having a place and community is a great start in establishing the visual travelogue every gemstones location evokes. That sense of being transported to another culture along with a caretakers sense of being part of something much bigger, even transcendent motivates some of todays most active storied collectors.
A Question of Color, Quality, and Meaning
While we acknowledge the expected norm of white diamond engagement rings, more and more individuals are being drawn to the allure of color! A beautiful gem of color is always a new sight to behold even for those of us who have spent a lifetime peering into their beauty. Life as we experience it isn’t black and white but a mixture of colors co-existing within the bandwidth we perceive as vision or sight. Color’s presence delivers deep emotions to which we routinely assign meaning.
Color evokes deep, meaningful emotions. A light show erupting to the masterful improvisations of legendary New York band Television when they appeared with the equally legendary Joshua Light show of San Francisco's 'summer of love' fame.
Look no further than color theory. Deeply ingrained in our subconsciousness, red implies passion/urgency, green represents nature and vitality and blue elicits a sense of tranquility and loyalty. Even diamond lovers are breaking free from the original constraints of their stones as they yearn for that strong emotion associated with color.
Colored Gems for Custom Engagement Rings, Every Occasion
A magnificent 6.69 carat sapphire 'signed & cut' by the trades masters, Reginald C. Miller lapidaries and then mounted in a ring designed by Cushion Gem.
Cushion Gem has always offered the highest quality gems and jewels in a discreet and secure manner. Browse our collection or schedule a conversation with us to begin your journey today.
Your ring project is a true collaboration with Cushion Gem as together, we select your ideal color, size, shape, and cut for your ring. Crafting a piece that truly embodies your story and spirit is our purpose. Let color tell your story today!