Are Diamonds Really Forever? The Reasons Why They’re Hard to Break!

Diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth. This makes them a valuable mineral, not just for jewellery, but for industrial application as they can cut through many surfaces. In fact, it is probably the status of diamond as a rare mineral required in many processes that gives them their high value as personal jewellery items.

Of course, it is not only their scarcity, but diamonds look great in plenty of jewellery, from rings to earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. They can complement pale metals such as silver or white gold to make for a truly visually appealing piece of jewellery, and as the stone glitters in the light, others know that it is made from something truly special.

Why Are Diamonds So Hard to Break?

One of the questions being asked the most from reliable diamond wholesalers in Sydney is why diamonds are so hard. They certainly are the strongest gemstone, and this is due to the way they have been formed. Diamonds are made from carbon that has been under extreme pressure and heat. This process also gives diamonds their special shape, making them even harder and difficult to break.

Diamonds take a minimum of 1 billion years to form, with some as old as 3.3 billion years. The heat and pressure found deep within the earth’s mantle causes the diamond molecules to move closer together, making for an extremely dense material. Due to the proximity of these molecules they form a covalent bond, making the diamond extremely hard. Diamonds form a 10 out of 10 on the Mohs Scale.

Are Diamonds Unbreakable?

Despite being so durable and hard, it can be possible for diamonds to be chipped or broken. These minerals crystallize with certain cleavage lines, and if struck at the right angle and with the right amount of impact, diamonds will separate. This is how most diamonds are put into industrial applications or made into jewellery.

Diamonds are also still easy to chip, especially the edges. The weakest part of the diamond are the edges, called the girdle, which is thin and vulnerable to breakages. Any decent piece of jewellery should protect the girdle of the diamond, to prevent it from breaking. Some older pieces of diamond jewellery will display some fine fractures around the girdle, known colloquially as a bearded girdle.

Is it Possible to Fix a Chipped Diamond?

Whilst it is not possible to actually repair the chips (this would take a process of millions of years), there are a couple of options you could try to make your diamond jewellery look better and bring it back to life. One of the first choices is to have your diamond recut. However, this could in some cases lead to a 20% overall reduction in the size of your diamond.

Another option is to cover up the chip or crack. You can ask your jeweller to turn your diamond around so that one of the prongs covers the crack. You’ll need to be careful, though, as if you apply too much pressure on the crack, it may lead to further damage.

If worse comes to the worse, then it may be time to simply replace the diamond with a new one. Retain the jewellery, but upgrade the diamond to something newer. You will probably be able to get some value from old diamond by trading it in.

Whatever you decide to do with your diamond jewellery, hopefully now you can understand why they are so hard to break.

Hope you find this post useful. Until next…

Keepstyling! Keepsmiling!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MBA is my qualification and Fashion is my passion. I Embarked on this beautiful blogging journey to share my fashion space with everyone out there. Follow me on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER and find me on FACEBOOK