19 Jun

Diamond Color – Four C’s

Generally, when we think of diamonds we do not associate color to them. However, one of the four major “C’s” is diamond color or lack thereof. According to GIA, the foremost authority on diamond grading which Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers uses for their engagement rings, “a chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of clear water, and consequently, a higher value” (GIA).

Diamond Color

So EXACTLY how does a diamond not have color and how can a diamond inherit color? The most common occurrence with clear diamonds is the varying degrees of yellow/brown hues. This is graded on the universally accepted GIA scale from D – Z under very controlled lighting and viewing conditions. In fact, some of the color distinctions are “so subtle that they are invisible to the untrained eye; however, these distinctions make a very big difference in diamond quality and price” (GIA).

Colored Diamonds

However, jewelry auction house will place a premium on diamond color because they know they add value, just look at these incredibly expensive diamonds that have been sold lately! And while color can take away from the value of a normal clear diamond, it can also add tremendous value when the color is outside of the normal range of D – Z (delete color) grading. These colors can exist in the shades and hues of: red, blue, green, pink, yellow and even white and grey diamonds. As we mentioned before, these tend to occur because of one of two conditions.

Scientists know that chemical imperfections found in the diamond can cause color. Chemist believe high levels of hydrogen cause grey diamonds. They also know that a presence of boron can create blue diamonds, which are some of the rarest and often the most expensive.
Structural imperfections to the normal diamond lattice arrangement of carbon atoms can also lead to inclusions of color. Scientists believe green diamonds get their color from “radiation displacing carbon atoms from their normal positions in the crystal structure” (GIA).

In some cases, scientists are not even sure what causes the hue of a diamond. Pink diamonds are so rare that scientists can’t make a conclusion on the hue’s causation. However, it will likely be a matter of time before they discover a similarity among them.

Interestingly enough, GIA uses a separate scale to grade colored diamonds. The scale takes into consideration 27 hue varieties and saturation hue of 9 descriptors ranging from faint to fancy vivid.

Read more on Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers regarding the 4Cs and how to pick the perfect diamond for an engagement ring.

05 Jun

Diamond Cutting | Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

As we have looked at the incredible scarcity of diamonds, we decided to dive deeper, beyond the 4 C’s and into the process of diamond cutting. Diamonds, are one of the hardest objects found on earth. In fact, Diamonds top the Moh’s scale of hardness at a 10. There are entire industries dedicated to making industrial tools that use diamonds for cutting through other materials. In fact, when cutting a diamond, diamond cutters will either use other diamonds or specialized lasers.

That being said, this presents diamond cutters an enormous challenge and tedious effort to bring it from a rare rough stone to the beautiful, valuable finished diamond! In this process, there is no room for error; every step must be meticulously scrutinized because one mishap and the profitability of the diamond will be affected.

The Process:

Determining Cut, Proportions and Size:

Being the most important C of the 4 C’s, the diamond cut refers to the diamonds proportions, symmetry and polish. This, according to Lumera, is the most important factor when determining the “beauty of a diamond”. The balance between the optimal cut (a combination of brilliance, fire and scintillation*) and carat weight, is crucial. Cuts too deep or too shallow will lose light entering the diamond. This light tends to escape through the bottom of the diamond.

This is where proportions come into play; the size, shape and angle of each facet of a diamond. Light entering the diamond in the forms of refraction and dispersion, will bounce within the diamond and then exit. The result, is white light separating into the visible color spectrum. Combining the shapes, angles, culet size, polish, symmetry and facet effects determines the cut grade. Please note, that this only refers to round diamonds which the GIA attributes a cut grade.

Cleaving or Sawing:

Once the diamond cutter has planned and mapped out the cut of the diamond (usually mapped with 3D imaging), the rough diamond must be cut into smaller, more manageable sizes. Cleaving, generally refers to cutting the diamond into smaller pieces along the diamond’s tetrahedral plane, the point where the diamond is the weakest. When no plane is present, due to odd shaped rough diamonds, cutters will use either a laser or a phosphor-bronze blade rotating at roughly 15,000 rotations per minute (How Stuff Works). It is at this point, where the diamond begins to take on its initial appearance.

Bruiting or Cutting:

This step is when the diamond truly takes form into its final product. This refers to the meticulous cutting (either by hand, bruiting, or mechanically with a lathe). As we mentioned before, it takes another diamond to cut a diamond. The first step, known as girdling, uses two diamonds spinning in opposite directions to create rough round stones.

Polishing:

The process of blocking and brillianteering will form the facets of the diamond (Beyond 4 C’s). During the blocking stage, diamond cutters add 8 pavilion mains, 8 corns, 1 cutlet and 1 table facet. They will add the remaining 57 facets during the brillianteering stage. By placing the diamond on a rotating arm and using a spinning wheel coated with an abrasive material made up of diamond dust, the diamond cutter determines the diamond’s fire and brilliance during this stage.

Inspecting:

Next, the diamond is inspected and graded. At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we use G.I.A. certified diamonds for our diamond engagement rings.

For a deeper insight into the diamond cutting process, we recommending checking out the video below. Call Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers at one of our locations to schedule a consultation with one of our G.I.A.-certified gemologists. Check our the diamond cutting video below. Diamond cutting is the most important part of the pricing a diamond. Poor diamond cutting can damage the structure of a diamond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDFKRySInVs

Notes

Brilliance refers to the brightness created by the combination of all the white light reflections from the surface and the inside of a polished diamond (Lumera)
Fire is the dispersion of light into the colors of the visible spectrum, seen as flashes of color (Lumera)
Scintillation are the flashes of light and dark, or sparkle when a diamond or light source is moved (Lumera)

09 May

Diamonds Throughout History | Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

Two monumental diamond sales already slated in 2017, so we decided to take an in-depth look into diamond history. We are going a step further and examining stories behind some of the more famous stones as well.

The Origins – Diamond History

The G.I.A., the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones and pearls, states diamond history can be set as early as the 4^th century BC in India, when diamonds were given value. (G.I.A. – “Diamond History Lore”). Various trade routes, helped diamond appear in countries like France and Italy. By the 14^th century, diamonds had become the fashion norm across Europe, and the importance of diamond cutting emerged in Venice (CBS – “Diamond History”). The supply source in India declined, due to demand, which caused the value to increase. This demand obviously led explorers and entrepreneurs to venture elsewhere. And in the 1700’s, Brazil became a powerhouse in the diamond industry. They dominated the market place for over 150 years (G.I.A.)!

The Modern Diamond Industry

In 1866 miners discovered a large deposit of diamonds in Kimberly, South Africa. This began the modern diamond industry. Hence the name Kimberlite tunnels. One of the most famous diamonds, Star of South Africa, was unearthed three years later. Originally an 83.5 carat rough diamond, was cut to a 47.69 carat pear-shaped diamond, and traded for “500 hundred sheep, ten oxen and a horse” (Famous Diamonds – “Star of South Africa Diamond”). Then, in 1888, a young entrepreneur named Cecil Rhodes established the De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, which at one point “controlled up to 90% of rough diamond production in the world”.

De Beers

“In the 1870’s, annual production of rough diamond was well under a million carats. By the 1920’s, the figure was around three million carats. Fifty years later, annual production approached 50 million carats, and in the 1990’s it surpassed 100 million carats per year”, (G.I.A.). Prior to 1947, engagement rings rarely used diamonds. It wasn’t until the De Beers hired N.W. Ayer (an advertising agency) to come-up with the world-famous slogan, “A Diamond is Forever”, that the diamond marketplace changed forever. This slogan was so effective that Ad Age deemed it the slogan of the century. According to The Atlantic, in the proceeding 40 years, “De Beers’ wholesale diamond sales in the United States increased from $23 million to $2.1 billion (U.S.D.)”.

Current Market

Australia, Botswana, Russia, Congo Republic, Canada, South Africa and India produce the majority of natural diamonds. For more incredible stories behind many famous diamonds, we recommend checking out this site. In the meantime, we invite you to take a look at Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ expansive diamond jewelry selection and G.I.A. certified diamond engagement rings. Rings that reflect the beauty of your true love.

This link is a brief timeline of the history of some very famous diamonds.

Hope you enjoyed!

20 Apr

Making of a Diamond |Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

With the DIAMOND being April’s birthstone and used is almost every engagement ring mounting, we thought it would be only fitting to share with you, “The Making of a Diamond”.

In fact, this past month, we witnessed the largest internally flawless diamond the GIA has ever graded sold for $71.2 Million (USD)! The Pink Star was cut from a 132.50 carat rough diamond back in 1999 and then polished by master diamond cutters for over two years. The end product produced a 59.60 carat diamond that was fancy vivid pink color.

The Making of a Diamond

Despite popular opinion, most natural diamonds are, in fact, not made of compressed coal. We will call that the Superman Theory.

In fact, “Almost every diamond that has been dated was formed during the Precambrian Eon – the span of time between Earth’s formation (about 4,600 million years ago) and the start of the Cambrian Period (about 542 million years ago). In contrast, the earliest land plants did not appear on Earth until about 450 million years ago. Moreover, this is nearly 100 million years after the formation of virtually all of Earth’s natural diamonds.” – Geology.com

How do diamonds form?

In fact, the formation of natural diamond requires very specific conditions. According to Live Science, nature’s recipe for diamonds is the following:

Bury carbon dioxide 100 miles into the Earth
Heat to about 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit
Apply pressure of 725,000 pounds per square inch (hence Superman)
Quickly rush towards Earth’s surface to cool.

There are two places on earth that meet those conditions; in the lithospheric mantle (right below the continental plates) and at the site of a meteorite strike.

Deep Source Eruptions

The most common way diamonds are formed are from “Deep Source Eruptions” – a process that can take upwards to 1 billion years!

The mantle produces immense pressure and heat to form diamonds. After forming, deep volcanic-like eruptions violently thrust the diamonds towards the crust. These produce kimberlite and lamproite pipes.
- Kimberlite pipes (named after the city where the Star of South Africa was discovered) are the most important carrier of diamonds and garnets, forming in a carrot shape between 93 and 280 miles beneath the surface. These pipes allow exotic minerals from the mantle to surface (Science Daily).
- Lamproite pipes are a far more common occurrence yet rarely prove to be a reliable source for diamonds. Scientists say the difference between Lamproite pipes and Kimberlite pipes are that Lamproite are shaped like champagne flutes and shallower than Kimberlite pipes.
There are three other ways that scientists have discovered diamond creations but are far rarer than Deep Source Eruptions.
- Subduction Zones:
  - Scientists believe that minerals, previously subducted by an oceanic plate going under a continental plate due to plate tectonics are another form that may actually involve coal as a source of carbon! However, this is also incredibly rare.
- The other two deal with extraterrestrial objects entering the Earth’s atmosphere and the rarest!
  - Asteroid Impacts
  - Meteorite Fall

Next time you are looking at diamonds remember the amount of time and extraordinary circumstances needed to create them. Explore some of our extraordinary diamond jewelry, and stay tuned as we look into the history of diamonds in the modern world!

15 Oct

Unique Engagement Rings

Gold or Platinum Diamond solitaire rings are the traditional choice for engagement rings, but what if you’re for unique engagement rings? An engagement ring is one that may be worn for a lifetime, so it’s important that you carefully consider what would be most loved and enjoyed by the wearer.

Unique Stones

Diamonds are the traditional choice for engagement rings, but diamonds don’t have to be white. Colored diamonds like yellow, pink, or even chocolate diamonds can add an unconventional twist to a conventional choice. You might opt for a non-diamond engagement ring, like Emerald, Ruby, or Sapphire. Another option would be to incorporate the birthstones of the couple into the ring. Schwanke-Kasten has a wide range of non-diamond engagement rings

Unique Metals

Platinum and Gold are traditional choices. However colored metals like tri-color gold or rose gold rings can add a unique twist.

Custom Designs

Don’t feel restricted to choosing a design off the shelf. An engagement ring is a very personal purchase. The wearer will love and appreciate a custom design ring for the time and effort put it. Working with a jeweler to create a custom engagement ring can often result in a ring as unique as the bride.

29 Jul

Diamond Jewelry – Rahaminov Engagement Rings

Moshe Rahaminov left Russia for Israel as a young man and soon found himself cutting diamonds to make diamond jewelry and to help support his family. He soon discovered his natural talent for cutting diamonds. Moshe – and his older brother – then decided to move to Italy were they thought they’d have a chance to succeed using their diamond cutting skills. They were correct in their thinking! It was here Rahaminov Diamonds was born. The brothers found their talents in demand and soon developed a stellar reputation for superior customer service and the highest quality cut stones. For over 70 years, Rahaminov Diamonds has continued that reputation worldwide.

Tamara, Moshe’s daughter, continues the Rahaminov Diamonds tradition. With her husband, Amir, she opened the Los Angeles office of Rahaminov Diamonds in 1989. Amir’s personal relationships with customers and Tamara’s remarkable designs have skyrocketed their brand to new levels of success. In fact, Rahaminov Diamonds has evolved from purveyors of loose diamonds to a jewelry design house. Tamara’s passion for jewelry design has made Rahaminov Diamond Jewelry known for its chic and highly collectible jewelry that today’s women want to wear.

This fantastic Rahaminov engagement ring shown below is one of their superior rings. It has .55 ctw diamonds on the split shank surrounding a 1 carat Forevermark round brilliant diamond, G/VS2. This engagement ring has a total carat weight of 1.55 and a platinum mounting.

Learn more about Rahaminov engagement rings on our Schwanke-Kasten website.

05 Apr

Eternity Band with Black Diamonds

The Black Diamond Eternity Band is a beautiful masterpiece from Spark Creations. It has a .59 ctw black diamond and is set in 18 karat white gold. This wedding band looks fantastic with a white gold band, a band with diamonds, or with other colored stones.

Schwanke Kasten Black Diamond Eternity Band for weddings

Source: Schwanke Kasten

Spark Creations is a leader in the creation of beautiful, precious diamond jewelry and they have been industry leaders for over forty years. The unique selling point of all Spark Creations designs is the cut of the diamonds and stones. Spark Creations has its stones especially faceted for all of its designs. (Read more about Spark Creations).

Furthermore, diamonds can come in different colors and, like with most colored diamonds, natural black diamonds are extremely rare. They appear opaque because of their “polycrystalline” structure which prevents them from reflecting light. In fact, the diamonds are real and are filled with dark inclusions (namely graphite) to give them the blackened look.

Black diamonds are extremely popular these days and are often paired with white diamonds. While the price of black diamonds was fairly low in years past, they are now seen as more valuable.

Explore the Black Diamond Eternity Band from Schwanke Kasten on the Schwanke Kasten Jewelers website today for more information.

15 Mar

Spark Creations – Wedding Bands

Diamond Band by Spark Creations on Schwanke Kasten

Source: Schwanke-Kasten.com

Spark Creations has been a leading creator of beautiful, precious jewelry for over forty years, including wedding bands.

Spark Creations began with in New York, NY with two brothers (Eli and Beny Aviram). The brothers focused on colored gemstones and fashion jewelry. With its unique collection of jewelry and versatile designs, Spark has emerged as one of leaders in the fashion industry. While every season their innovative new collections take signature jewelry icons into a modern dimension, they continuing to offer classic, timeless, pieces for the sophisticated woman.

Moreover, Spark Creations’ unique selling point is how they cut their diamonds and stones. They facet their stones solely for their unique designs, unlike many others who use stones off the shelf.

Schwanke-Kasten invites you to learn more their wedding bands on Schwanke-Kasten.com. In addition, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers is a proud to retail this impressive brand.

01 Mar

The 4 C’s of Engagement Rings: Carat

The final post in our Schwanke-Kasten series exploring the “4 C’s of Engagement Rings,” we now turn our attention to “Carat.”

The weight of a diamond is measured in the unit called carat weight. As the weight of a diamond increases so does its rarity, and its price. Fewer than one in one million mined rough stones are large enough to produce a finished 1 carat diamond.

Source: Diamond Council of America

A metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams and every carat can be subdivided into 100 ‘points’ so a one carat diamond equals 100 points and a diamond of 75 points weights .75 carats. A diamond’s carat weight is written in decimal numbers, but it’s often expressed in fractions (a .70 – .83 is expressed as 3/4th of a carat).

Carat weight is often the most objective grade of all the 4Cs.

Read about the other “C’s” in our series:

15 Feb

The 4 C’s of Engagement Rings: Clarity

Schwanke-Kasten encourages you to consider the third installment in our 4 C’s series, a diamond’s clarity.

In fact, the diamond clarity refers to the presence, or absence, of tiny inclusions or birthmarks which occur during the forming period of the diamond. A lot of inclusions in a diamond can result in less light passing through, which reduces sparkle.

The G.I.A. created an 11-point clarity scale to grade diamonds, meaning they take into account size, color, number, and position of every flaw that is seen under a 10 x magnified lens:

FL: Flawless – No inclusions or blemishes. Extremely rare, in fact, the G.I.A. rates less than 1 in 5,000 diamonds as FL.

IF: Internal Flawless – No inclusions; blemishes are only visible under a 10 x microscope. Shockingly, the G.I.A. rates less than 3% of diamonds as IF.

VVS1/VVS2: Very, Very Slightly Included – Inclusions are very difficult to detect, even under magnification. Their appearance to the naked eye is extremely similar to IF graded diamonds

VS1/VS2: Very Slightly Included – Inclusions are clearly visible under 10x magnifications but are very hard to detect with the naked eye.

SI1/SI2: Slightly Included – The lowest grade of flaws that are typical invisible to the naked eye.

I1/I2/I3: Included – Inclusions are almost always visible to the naked eye. They are very obvious under 10 x magnification and often affect transparency and brilliance.

Anyways, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers encourages you to come to our Whitefish Bay location to view our full selection of diamond engagement rings.

Schwanke Kasten - Wedding Rings

From Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

Category Archives: Diamonds