How are diamonds formed?
What do loose diamonds have in common with a pile of coal? More than you think; in fact, in geological terms, loose diamonds are nothing more than glorious lumps of coal. The difference are:
– the arrangement of carbon atoms
– how each material is formed
Even when it comes to diamond formation, the difference between the processes is one of grade rather than mechanical. Here’s some interesting information for potential wholesale certified diamond buyers.
Carbon is carbon
Some may recall an episode from the old 1950s television series “Superman” in which Clark Kent created a diamond by compacting a lump of coal in his fist. While it is doubtful that even the “Man of Steel” could exert such supernatural geological forces as those that take place deep within the earth, the illustrated concept was essentially correct: those loose diamonds that eventually end up in the diamond dealers who place them. sold to jewelers are made of carbon that has been subjected to extremely high pressures of 60 kilobars (by comparison, that’s 60,000 times normal air pressure at sea level) and temperatures of over 2300 degrees Fahrenheit (structural steel melts at around 1520 ° F).
The pressure and heat required to create a diamond are found only in the earth’s lithosphere where the crust meets the upper mantle, about 90-240 miles below the surface. Diamonds can also be formed when a meteor hits the earth’s surface, creating similar conditions, or is transported within the meteorite (some diamonds come from outer space!).
Coal, on the other hand, is formed from decaying remains of ancient plant matter that has also been compressed by geological forces, but much closer to the surface. In chemical terms, the carbon atoms that make up carbon molecules are arranged in a flat hexagonal pattern, making them much more brittle. However, in diamond, they are arranged in a tetrahedral or box-shaped structure. This is what explains the hardness of loose diamonds.
Can one become the other?
Eventually, if a coal deposit sinks low enough into the ground and is subjected to high pressure and temperature, it can turn into diamond. In theory, diamond could also be transformed into carbon, if it is kept free from chemical reactions that color gemstones and stabilize the surface, and then subjected to a vacuum. However, this is unlikely outside of controlled laboratory conditions.
Loose diamonds are made, they are not born
What we call loose diamonds does not occur naturally. Once the diamond is mined, it is classified into “industrial grade” and “gem grade”. The last category is that which is subject to diamond appraisal by diamond dealers.
The rough diamond is cut into loose diamonds, then carefully cut and molded by artisans into shapes suitable for decorative jewelry. This stage can have a major impact on the value of loose diamonds as determined by a diamond appraisal, and must be done with painstaking care and unusual skill.
Certified wholesale diamonds must also be analyzed and graded by a professional gemology laboratory. It is here that the karat, color and clarity of the stones are evaluated. Together with the results of the diamond appraisal that the cut assesses, they provide the basis for valuation.
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