The Rare Blue Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond Exhibition in 2010

By Woro Swasti

blue diamonds jewelry

Diamond jewelry stones are always have high price due to their value. Some of them have extremely high value and of course, very expensive. Rare diamonds usually belong to this group of diamonds. One of the rarest blue diamond jewelry in the world is Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond.

Now the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond is on display until August 2010. It is exhibited in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. No one knows when the diamond will be seen in public again after this exhibition, so this is the right time to watch this adorable rare blue diamond.

The Wittelsbach Blue diamond was in December 2008 auction, when Laurence Graff, a diamond dealer, paid more than $25m for this famous diamond. Graff repolished the diamond, made a reduction to it’s carat weight, and thus making it internally flawless. Now the diamond’s weight slightly over 31 carats and renamed Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond.

The Wittelsbach diamond originally weighs 35.56 metric carats. The diamond has an unusual pattern with 82 facets. The diamond was discovered many centuries ago at the diamond mine in India, the same origin as the Hope Diamond. Many believe that the two blue diamonds was fashioned from the same piece of rough French Blue Diamond.

In 1664, Philip IV of Spain gave the Wittelsbach blue diamond to his 15-year-old daughter, the Infanta Margareta Teresa, upon her engagement to Emperor Leopold I of Austria. The earlier history of the Wittelsbach was lost during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39.

The beautiful diamond was last seen in public in Brussels at the 1958 World Exhibition. Six years later, the Wittelsbach was acquired by private collector until the auction in 2008.

I wrote a guide you may be interested in reading: Oval Diamond and Canary Diamond

Diamond Jewelers

Executive Summary about Diamond Jewelers by Josh Riverside

diamond jewellers

Diamond jewelers manifest their genius in shaping the finest diamond jewelry whether they are diamond watches, diamond earrings, diamond bracelets, diamond necklaces, or diamond rings.

A diamond is basically comprised of crystallized carbon, a material that can generally be found in every animal, plant, and mineral known to mankind. The diamond is believed to be the hardest matter known to all.

Diamond jewelers enjoy working on the various colors of diamond. Most diamonds come in white, brown, and yellow. On the other hand, they also come in a variety of shades such as red, green, and blue.

Diamond jewelers rate the stone’s value regarding its cut, color, carat, and clarity. To further achieve perfection with regards to diamonds, diamond jewelers prefer to treat them.

Diamond jewelers can apply one of two treatments. O ne is fracture-filling, which masks visible cracks in the gem. A laser treatment, on the other hand, develops the entire appearance of the jewelry therefore making it flawless. Diamond jewelers are able to distinguish the real value of an untreated diamond as compared with that of the laser-drilled one.

The daily use of diamond jewelry makes its luster dim. Therefore, diamond jewelers advise owners to take care of such magnificent possessions.

Why You Should Consider Buying From Designer Diamond Jewelers

Executive Summary about Diamond Jewelers by Gregg Hall

Diamonds are beautiful and expensive no matter where you get them from.

Designers pride themselves on their product and service they provide to the consumer. Whether diamonds, clothing or ice cream, designers usually trust in the product they provide for others. Designers will tell you they still believe in the rule that customers always come first.

Designer Diamond Jewelry is generally guaranteed for a length of time sometimes for life. Designers will help you to change your jewelry as requested because they want you to return your business to them. Buying jewelry from a designer is an investment in the future of their products.

Diamonds are no exception. You will get what you pay for, so investing more in a designer who will stand by their product is really benefiting you too. Designers know that you can easily go to a chain store and pay a lot less but you won’t receive the person care in service you will receive from a designer.

The quality of diamond is generally better from a designer that at a chain store. Designers are usually more involved in the entire process from choosing and cutting the stone until it reaches the consumer.

The difference, a designer will do everything they can to make things right.

We have additional information on this subject you may be interested in reading: Oval Diamonds and Diamond Settings

Diamond Cutting - What Are the Steps in Cutting and Polishing a Diamond?

Executive Summary about Diamond Cutting by James Greene

cutting diamond

Many people may not know this but diamonds were not always the brilliant gemstones that they are often seen as today. In fact, prior to the 15th century, diamonds used to be worn in an “as is” condition, which means that they were neither cut nor polished.

For those who wish to know a bit more about the diamond cutting process, the following will describe this procedure in addition to the polishing aspect of this beautiful gemstone.

After the diamonds have been collected and sorted, it is at this time in which they are cut and polished. The first step is to cut the diamond.  The diamond is cut into various facet amounts. Once the diamond has been cut, the gemstone will be polished into a smooth diamond surface.

Some may wonder why it is so important to have a diamond undergo diamond cutting and polishing. The main reason is to produce the final result which is so coveted today, which is a bright and breathtaking gem.

When a diamond has not gone through the diamond cutting and polishing process, it is quite a dull and jagged edged stone which many may not deem as lovely as the final result seen in jewelry cases of jewelry stores everywhere. The diamond cutting and polishing process is done to make the diamond the beautiful gem that it is these days.

How The Diamond Cutting Style Originated

Executive Summary about Diamond Cutting by Mithun Rao

There was a time when cutting and polishing a diamond was considered sacrilege.  With the trade various methods of polishing and cutting the diamond were also shared between the countries.  The diamond cutting of these times was far less sophisticated as compared to the brilliance that we see today.

The journey of the diamond cutting industry, as we know today, starts with the point cut and ends at fancy brilliant cuts.  The point cut was the first cut that we are aware of today and it was the most popular cut in the fifteenth century.   The cut mimicked the rough octahedral shape of the natural diamond and this was accomplished by the use of stationary polishing surfaces covered with diamond grit and olive oil.

In the late 1400’s the table cutting style made its appearance. The top part of the natural octahedral shape was cut using the same tools present earlier ‘a stationary cutting surface with diamond grit and olive oil.  This cut ruled the diamond industry for the next couple of centuries and there were numerous variations like rectangles, tapered shapes and lozenges. This cut was not conceptualized for octahedral diamonds but a cut that aided in producing the largest cut diamonds from flattened roughs.

The rose cut has flat bottoms and triangular facets that become a point towards the top.  Though the cut gives a high level of brilliance, the fire that this cut allows is not too high.

Diamonds from Brazil were used to create the first brilliant cuts and thus was born the old mine cut, a cushion shaped cut with a deep pavilion, high crown and large culet.  Even though the number of facets in the old mine cut are similar to the modern brilliant cut, this first cut did not give as much brilliance since the pavilion was deeper.

The modern brilliant cut came onto the scene after more than 500 years of experimentation.  This cut was the first cut that brought out the true brilliance of the diamond that it is capable of.  The earliest of the modern brilliant cut can be traced back to the 1800’s.

The cutting establishment rejected the cutting style discovered by Henry Morse from Boston earlier, and stuck to the old mine cuts and European cuts.  The contemporary cuts allow for higher levels of artistic flair and the roughs can be cut and polished based on minimum loss due to cutting and polishing.

With the popularization of the brilliant cut, many fancy brilliant cuts started coming into the picture.  It was the success of the round brilliant encouraged cutters to try out other shapes along with the brilliant cut.

Other brilliant cut shapes like rectangle and square brilliants were also produced.

Other post you may be interested in reading: Oval Diamond and Baby Jewelry