Did You Know?

Source of the Word Diamond

The word “diamond” originates from the Greek word “Adamas,” which means invincible. This refers to the exceptional hardness of the material.

Source of the Word Carat

The term “Carat,” used to describe a diamond’s weight, comes from the Ceratonia siliqua, also known as the Carob Tree.
Before modern scales and units of mass, traders compared the weight of gemstones to the seeds of the carob tree. Each carob seed was thought to weigh approximately 0.20 grams (or 200 milligrams), which became the basis for measuring diamond weight.

Carat vs. Karat

Both “Carat” and “Karat” are used in the jewelry and gemstone world, but they have different meanings:

• Carat: A unit of mass used to describe the weight of diamonds and gemstones. One carat equals 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams.
• Karat: A term that indicates the purity of gold. One karat represents 1/24th of a whole; thus, 24-karat gold is pure gold. Since pure gold is very soft, it is often alloyed with other metals for durability and affordability.

Diamond Star in the Sky

A star named Lucy may appear to be an ordinary white dwarf star, but it is much more extraordinary. White dwarf stars form when a star has exhausted its nuclear fuel and dies, leaving behind a hot cinder composed mainly of carbon and oxygen.
In 1995, scientists used asteroseismology (stellar seismology) to analyze Lucy’s frequency spectra and composition. Their findings revealed that 90% of Lucy’s mass has crystallized. Since Lucy is predominantly carbon, this means she is the biggest diamond ever discovered!

Why Does the GIA Color Grade Start with D?

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) color grading scale starts with the letter D and continues to Z, representing the spectrum from colorless to increasingly tinted diamonds.
Before this system, inconsistent classification methods using letters, Arabic numerals, and Roman numerals caused confusion. When the GIA created its scale, they began with D—a letter not traditionally associated with top quality—offering clarity and consistency in grading.