The Kohinoor Diamond

According to some sources, the Koh-i-noor diamond was found in the Godavari river in central India 4,000 years ago. Tradition associated with it states that its owner will rule the world, but that to possess it is dangerous for any but a woman. This may have been a delicate piece of flattery to Queen Victoria, who once owned the gem.
The authentic history of this jewel begins in the 14 c. when it was reported to be in the possession of the rajas of Malwa. It later fell into the hands of Baber, who founded the Mogul dynasty in 1526. During the next two centuries the diamond was one of the most prized items in the treasure of the Mogul emperors.

In 1939, Nadir Shah of Persia invaded India and all of the treasures of the Moguls fell into his hands except the great diamond. Nadir Shah was told by one of the emperor's harem women that the stone was hidden in the emperor's turban. The conqueror then invited the conquered to a feast and offered to exchange turbans as a gesture of friendship. The emperor had no choice but to agree. Later, in the privacy of his tent, Nadir Shah unrolled the turban, the gem fell out, and Nadir is supposed to have exclaimed "Koh-i-noor", mountain of light.

The stone continued in the possession of the Persian dynasty, although many attempts were made to gain ownership of it. The Persian king was assassinated, and his son Shah Rukh, was deposed. In an effort to discover the whereabouts of the diamond Shah Rukh´s eyes were put out, and boiling pitch was poured on his head, but he refused steadfastly to reveal its hiding place. Later, a Persian king fled with it to the Sikh court, and Ranjit Singh, the Lion of the Punjab, took the stone and wore it as a decoration. It was later placed in the Lahore treasury. After the Sikh wars, it was taken by the East India Company as part of the indemnity levied in 1849, and was subsequently presented to Queen Victoria at a sparkling levee marking the company's 250th anniversary.
Weight: 108.93 carats
Cut: round brilliant cut diamond

The jewel was displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851 where it was thought to display insufficient fire. It was decided to recut it from its original Indian form, and a member of the Amsterdam firm of Costar was called to London to cut the stone. A steam-driven cutting wheel was set up, and Prince Albert se the stone on the wheel, while the Duke of Wellington started it. The cutting took 38 days, but did not add much to the stone's brilliance. It was rather believed that the historical value of the diamond was diminished by the cutting. Queen Victoria continued to wear it as an ornament, then left it to Queen Alexandra, who wore it at Edward VII´s coronation. In 1911, the jewel was used in a crown made for Queen Mary, and in 1937, in another made to be worn by Queen Elizabeth at the coronation of her husband, King George VI in 1937. The Queen Mother's crown with the Koh-i-noor is in the Tower of London.

The Ideal-Scope

The Ideal-scope is based on a principle discovered by Mr Okuda in the 1970’s. A 10x lens with a hot red / pink reflector in front of the diamond has a central viewing hole, which allows you to see just how much of the red/pink light refracts back from the diamond.

The instrument is a simple brilliance gauge; white areas in a diamond show light transmitted from behind the diamond; often called leakage - the enemy! The blackness of the lens mimics an observer's head blocking out the light. The most brilliant diamonds look bright pink/red with a black star and minimal white or pale areas. Most ideal cuts have small ‘V’ shaped white leakage features at the girdle.

Invented originally for brilliance assessment, the ideal-scope shows a diamonds symmetry. Diamonds with perfect symmetry and good proportions show a black eight-pointed star. Hearts and Arrows (and H&A’s viewers) are a by-product of Mr Okuda’s discovery.

Sarin Technologies

Sarin Technologies is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacturing of advanced planning, evaluation, and measurement systems for diamond grading & gemstone production.

Sarin products include diamond cut grading tools (for round and fancy shapes), rough diamond optimization systems, gemology tools, diamond color grading, and laser marking machines.

Sarin systems have become an essential tool in every gemology laboratory and manufacturing plant, and a must for diamond dealers and retailers.

Branded Diamonds

There are different branded hearts and arrows diamonds on the market. All of them are excellent and you really couldn't go wrong purchasing any of them.

The AURIAS Select diamond consistently receive extremely high marks on the Brilliance Scope i.e they are rated on all 3 counts as VH and higher. They are cut to within very tight tolerances and they all have extremely well defined 'hearts and arrows' patterns.

Another excellent diamond is referred to as EightStar diamonds. These branded H&A diamonds have their very own unique style of cutting.

Another excellent brand of diamond is the SuperbCert Diamonds. I highly recommend these as well.

You can learn alot about the opinions of these brands from consumers within the Braded Diamonds Forum at DiamondChitChat.com

Jewelry Care Basics

* Store your jewelry in a clean, dry place.

* Keep your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewelry case, or in a box with compartments and dividers. If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper.

* Don't jumble your jewelry pieces in a drawer or jewelry case. Pieces can scratch each other.

* Be careful when removing your jewelry to wash your hands. Do not leave your diamond ring or jewelry on the rim of a sink where it can easily slip down the drain.

* See your jeweler at least once a year to have your diamond ring, earrings or other jewelry checked for loose prongs, worn mountings, and general wear and tear. Visit your jeweler every six months to have your jewelry professionally cleaned.

* There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean jewelry in a matter of minutes using high-frequency sound. These machines are called "ultrasonic cleaners" and are available in many different models and prices. They can be a convenient way to quickly clean your jewelry at home. However, ultrasonic cleaners can damage some jewelry. Your local jeweler can tell you if an ultrasonic cleaning machine is right for your jewelry wardrobe and, if it is, recommend an appropriate model.

Diamond Insurance

RE: Insurance..
Insurance companies are similar but yet different. There are three types of basic policies ( depending on your state and the company this also varies).

All policies covering diamonds are Marine type insurance policies. I know this sounds strange but this is how they work.

ACV ( Actual Cash Value)
in the event of a loss the item is replaced by the insurance company at the current cost to replace less depreciation. ( Not that common for jewelry, but there are some states that this type is written.)

REPLACEMENT

This is the most common type of insurance available. The appraisal amount represents two results.

1) It sets the LIMIT regardless of anything, that the company is obligated to pay.

2) It establishes the amount upon which your premiums are based. The rate varies from location to location. The more dangerous your area is, the higher the rate.

Most insurance companies can replace the stone for less than you paid for it, and at best at the same price.

If you insure the ring for $20,000. and they can replace it for $ 6,000.00 based on the description, then that would be what they would pay to replace the item. If you ask for a "cash out" - then they pay you the estimate given by their replacement source.

I have a huge disagreement with those who leave off this highly important value in insurance appraisals for THIS type of coverage.

Appraisals should state ALL the relevant information, but unfortunately very few appraisers seem to understand this concept.
They feel that reporting the insurance company's cost to replace would only anger consumers. However since the cost of the premiums paid by the consumer, are based on the valuation(s) most consumers would be outraged to learn that they overpaid their premiums for YEARS!

The amount that the item is insured for is NOT for anyone to decide but the insurance company and the client. The appraiser should have NO determination of deciding which value the item should be insured for.

Some companies base their rate on retail, and pay cost. Others will accept the lower value, and pay just that.

Using the insurance company cost to base the insurance coverage amount is very sensible and saves premium dollars, however, markets change and since these values are for close to what the item would cost, they have to be updated when there are changes in the marketplace.

You can't let an appraisal get too old that you're using for insurance if the value is sensible. Many argue that stones are always appreciating... BUNK! They vary and some do go up, but others also go down.

Your mentioning about getting paid for cost increases is untrue in most states for this type of insurance. MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT OFFER "INFLATION GUARD" on replacement policies.

Also carefully check with your agent about the type of policy as they are very different. HO is the most common series.

What Makes A Diamond So Special

The word alone conjures up a thousand images: rare, precious, desirable, beautiful, sparkling tokens of love. Created deep within the core of the earth more than 100 million years ago and brought to the surface by volcanic eruption, most of the diamonds sparkling on fingers today are more than 100 million years old!

Even before these magnificent creations of nature were mined in profusion toward the end of the 19th century, they were a source of fascination and value to early man. The Romans thought diamonds were splinters from falling stars, while the Greeks regarded the sparkling gems as tears of the gods. It is a derivation of the Greek word "adamas," meaning unconquerable, that gave the diamond its name.

Rare and fascinating, mysterious and magical, the diamond has ignited romantic passion throughout history.

The diamond claimed its place as the primary token of love toward the end of the 15th century, when Austrian Archduke Maximilian gave the first diamond engagement ring to his betrothed. It was placed on the fourth finger of her left hand, because that finger was believed to course with the vein of love that passed directly to the heart. Five centuries later, the diamond remains one of the most luxurious and desirable gifts for any romantic and celebratory occasion, a gem whose purity and brilliance symbolizes lasting love.

What Makes a Diamond Special?

Beauty - The colorless beauty and inner fire of the diamond has made this precious gem prized for centuries. Each stone's complex characteristics cannot be duplicated, and no two diamonds can ever be the same. Each stone, like its owner, is endowed with a personality and character uniquely its own.

Durability - A diamond is the hardest substance known to man, making it resistant to deterioration. When cared for properly, diamond jewelry can be worn every day and passed on as an heirloom to the next generation.

Purity - Although new resources for diamonds are being explored and discovered, the supply of these gems remains limited. This is understandable once you learn that more than 250 tons of ore need to be blasted, crushed and processed to yield just one carat of rough diamond. Further, only 20 percent of all rough diamonds are suitable for gem cutting.

Enduring Value - Like many precious products, diamond prices fluctuate. But it is important to know that these sparkling gemstones still retain value after years of being worn and enjoyed.