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Diamond cutters use this attribute to cleave some stones, prior to faceting. [ 13 ] [ 14 ] Ballas and carbonado diamond are exceptional, as they are polycrystalline and therefore much tougher than single-crystal diamond; they are used for deep-drilling bits and other demanding industrial applications. [ 15 ]
A collection of gemstone pebbles. Most of these stones, except four rough ones, were tumbled and polished. Tumbling of rocks as a lapidary technique for rock polishing usually requires a plastic or rubber-lined barrel loaded with a consignment of rocks, all of similar or the same hardness, some abrasive grit, and a liquid lubricant.
The clarity, or purity, of a diamond refers to internal inclusions of the diamond, and is one of the 4-Cs in determining a diamond's value.Common inclusions that appear inside diamonds are black carbon spots and small cracks, commonly referred to as fractures or "feathers", due to their feathery whitish appearance when viewed from above or through the side.
The number, size, color, relative location, orientation, and visibility of inclusions can all affect the relative clarity of a diamond. A clarity grade is assigned based on the overall appearance of the stone under ten times magnification, which is the standard magnification for loupes used in the gem world.
A diamond simulant is a non-diamond material that is used to simulate the appearance of a diamond, and may be referred to as diamante. Cubic zirconia is the most common. The gemstone moissanite (silicon carbide) can be treated as a diamond simulant, though more costly to produce than cubic zirconia.
A diamond with facets cut only a few degrees out of alignment can result in a poorly performing stone. For a round brilliant cut, there is a balance between "brilliance" and "fire". When a diamond is cut for too much "fire", it looks like a cubic zirconia, which gives off much more "fire" than real diamond. A well-executed round brilliant cut ...
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This has two meanings in relation to diamonds. The first is the shape: square, oval, and so on. The second relates to the specific quality of cut within the shape, and the quality and price will vary greatly based on the cut quality. Since diamonds are one of the hardest materials, special diamond-coated surfaces are used to grind the diamond down.