Most of the jewelry which is sold on the market today uses diamonds, making it the world’s most popular gemstone. This is a fact that most of us take for granted, but it raises an interesting question: how and why are diamonds so often the gem of choice when it comes to jewelry placement?

Diamond Origins And Properties

One reason why diamonds are chosen is due to their exceptional hardness; they are one of the hardest materials known to man. This makes them a perfect match for metals such as platinum, silver or gold. Although diamonds are rare, what is even more so are diamonds which are jewelry grade. You see, not every diamond is suitable for jewelry.

The ore is dug from underground, and afterwards will be crushed so that the gem grade stones are separated from those which aren’t. The diamonds which are not suitable for jewelry making are usually reserved for industrial applications instead. Once selected gem grade diamonds will be sliced and then polished. Diamonds can be found all over the world, but the countries where they appear the most are Russia, Australia (Eastern), Canada and various parts of Africa. South Africa has historically been the continent’s largest producer of diamonds. Most of the diamonds which are sold in jewelry shops only appear in very small sizes of a few carats. Even big stones, such as the famous Hope Diamond, aren’t that large compared to other gemstones.

Why Diamonds Are Usually Chosen Over Other Gems

Aside from their incredible hardness, diamonds don’t scratch easily. This means they can be combined with the precious metals which are typically used in jewelry, without damaging them. Once a diamond has been cut it is simple to set it within gold without the gold sustaining any damage. This is impressive given the fact that both high karat silver and gold are quite soft and are known for the ease with which they can be scratched. While other gemstones can and have been used with precious metals, it is often more difficult and costly than is the case with diamonds.

Most jewelers will tell you that cut diamonds are a joy to work with. The precious metal that it is to be combined with, whether it be platinum, silver or gold, merely has to be molded around the diamond with a shape that fits it. This process is often customized but diamonds may also be set in other jewelry pieces which have lost their own stones, based on the dimensions that the original jewelry uses.

Diamonds also have incredible longevity, and as such are often passed down from one generation to the next. In the event that a diamond with jewelry is lost, there are many options available, which may not necessarily be the case with other types of gems. Precious metals missing their diamonds can be sold to brokers both online and offline for a reasonable fee.