Natural diamonds are among the most coveted gemstones in the world and are valued for their beauty, rarity, uniqueness, and timeless appeal. Despite the increase in lab-grown diamond popularity, there will always be customers who will settle for nothing less than a natural diamond.  

At Gittelson Jewelers, we love natural diamonds. Given the diamond is the birthstone of April, it’s a perfect time to share a little more information about these gorgeous rarities.

What Are Natural Diamonds?

Learn the facts…

Natural diamonds are completely unique, much like a fingerprint. Diamonds are billions of years old, and in some cases, more than three billion years old. One in possession of a natural diamond may be blessed with holding the oldest thing one will ever one. They are made of almost pure carbon crystallizing under extreme conditions of high temperature and enormous pressure.

Natural diamonds are formed approximately 100 miles under the earth’s surface. They are transferred to the surface by volcanic activities. Many years later, the magma solidifies into a diamond-rich rock known as kimberlite. Mining starts from the surface level and digs down in a cone shape to extract the diamonds from the pipe.  

According to GIA (Gemological Institute of America), “The special combination of chemical composition, crystal structure, and formation process gives diamonds the qualities that make them extraordinary.”

Minerals are assigned a number between 1 and 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale to describe their resistance to scratching. Diamonds are given the highest number, a 10. There is nothing on earth that can scratch a diamond — except another diamond.

Natural Diamonds vs. Lab-Grown Diamonds

What’s the difference between natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds?

• A natural diamond is a gem material that crystallized (or developed) in nature without any human intervention.
• Lab-grown diamonds are man-made in a laboratory using either High Pressure/High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).

From Rough to Brilliant

The journey of a rough diamond to a brilliant one is time-consuming, and not all diamonds “make the grade,” so to speak. Diamonds flow from mines through cutting centers, and ultimately to jewelry store customers. The process of diamond cutting and polishing is an art and a science. Modern diamond cutting consists of planning, cleaving or sawing (sometimes both), bruting, polishing, and final inspection.

Brillianteering is the process of polishing the facets of the cut diamond so that it reflects and refracts the optimal amount of light. The polishing of the natural diamond determines how much fire, brilliance, and sparkle it will have.

Diamond professionals use a set of four values to describe and classify diamonds: clarity, color, cut, and carat weight. These are the Four Cs of diamonds. When used together, they describe the quality of a finished diamond, which is directly related to its value.

At Gittelson Jewelers, we offer an incredible assortment of natural diamonds in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, cuts, and clarity options. While a few of our diamonds are available to view in our shop, we can source, order and build into a custom-designed ring and diamond that you choose. Below are some diamond categories to consider:

Natural Melee Diamonds 

• We can source and offer 14 shape options plus a variety of matched pair options.

Precision Melee^™

• More size increments with tighter tolerances, better cut and make uniform girdles, and high symmetry.

Color-Enhanced Diamonds

• Enjoy the brilliance and strength of diamonds combined with the glorious colors of gemstones, featuring 12 shades.

Unique Cut Melee Diamonds

• Available in round rose-cut and single-cut, square princess-cut and step-cut, and oval rose-cut.

Unique Cut Large Diamonds

• Available in round rose-cut, square princess-cut, and oval rose-cut.

Contact Gittelson Jewelers

Whether naturally sourced or lab-created, Gittelson Jewelers takes diamonds seriously. Our mission is to help educate our customers on the 4 Cs and aid them in selecting the perfect stone for their budget. We also help many clients design the ring of their dreams to place their stones into.