Getting to Know Blue Diamonds

Where do diamonds come from and where do colored diamonds like blue diamonds come from? To answer these questions, we look at atoms. Diamonds are made up of carbon atoms, and if there are no other types present, the diamond will be clear. However, this clarity is affected whenever there are nitrogen atoms present and though the diamond's structure is the same, it looks different.

If you look at a pair of blue jeans, the color comes when light shines onto them. Most of the light is absorbed, but light at the right wavelength, which would appear blue to us, is reflected back to us. The same holds true with diamonds and light reflected off the nitrogen in them so that the color increases with the amount of this substance there is.

Diamonds like the Hope Diamond can be very rare because their blue color doesn't actually come from nitrogen, but rather from Boron that replaces some of it. This substance reflects blue light and gives the diamond a degree of color which can be graded on the standards set by the Gemological Institute of America's (GMA) chart to determine just how strong and rare it really is.

The Hope Diamond is located in Washington DC and is famous for its huge, 45. 54 carat size. It is prized for its rarity and beauty, which you will appreciate if you ever get the chance to see it. Even much smaller diamonds are harder to find, but when you look at the Hope diamond, it makes sense that these objects cost as much money as they do.

Before coming to Washington, the Hope Diamond traveled the world in the hands of all sorts of buyers and thieves, many of whom cut it from the condition it was found in originally in Golconda, India. Over a billion years old, it has seen all the history of the world and in addition to the beauty, there really is something overwhelming about it.

The Hope Diamond, which once saw so much of the world, is now unlikely to leave its current home. It is too big an asset to its owners and too appreciated by the world for what and where it is. This same principle holds true for the other famous blue diamonds in the world, such as the Regent Diamond, the Queen of Holland, and the Blue Empress.

No matter what its story, a diamond's value is judged at least in part by its shade. There are about six tones which are considered to be the guidelines for good diamonds, and the price you'll have to pay for something that fits into one of these color areas will reflect that, though sometimes you will also set out with a specific shade of blue set in mind.

Along with the many colors these diamonds can come in, there are nearly as many possible cuts. A diamond is already beautiful, but it becomes even more so when a professional cuts it into an exquisite shape. If you're ever so lucky as to buy or get blue diamonds, you should realize not only how valuable, but also how fascinating, they are.