The blue diamond is a very rare and unusual stone. No more than 1-2 stones of this color are found per year, and most of those on sale are synthetic, made by human hands. There are also many legends about this diamond. Let's learn more about such beautiful stones as blue diamonds.
Characteristics of the stone
Diamonds are considered the hardest stones in the world. On the Mohs scale, this indicator is 10 points. In addition, these minerals are the most expensive and transparent. A blue diamond when cut reflects light, shines brightly and is characterized by a play of color shades.
Due to the fact that blue diamonds are rare in nature, and the demand for them is constantly increasing, they began to be grown in laboratory conditions. Artificial minerals do not differ in properties from natural ones and look just as beautiful. But they cost significantly less.
It is impossible to distinguish the analogue from the original on your own.
The Legend of the Blue Diamond
According to legend, the blue diamond was the all-seeing third eye of Buddha and was located in an Indian temple. He was kidnapped by an unknown Frenchman and handed over to Louis XIV. The thief himself soon died due to a curse for theft, and the king of France ordered the diamond to be processed. After cutting, the resulting diamond was 67 carats. The king did not part with the jewel, but it brought him complete troubles. He himself died of gangrene, and his wife tragically died on the guillotine. Afterwards, the diamond passed from businessmen to jewelers, from bandits to million-dollar rich people, but all the owners of the stone either died or spent the rest of their days in poverty, loneliness and depression. Since then, the blue diamond has been considered a strong and mystical creature capable of shaping human destinies.
Possible shades
The shade of minerals varies. The color varies from pale, light to deep dark. Bright blue stones are especially prized. In nature they are extremely rare. There are also diamonds with the following shades:
- gray;
- black;
- purple;
- green.
Depending on the tone, gems are divided into the following categories:
- slight tint, almost unnoticeable;
- very light;
- average tone intensity;
- deep shade;
- dark colors;
- the brightest.
In addition, if the mineral contains nitrogen in addition to boron, it acquires an unusual tint of yellow color. More often, weakly colored stones and gems with admixtures of other shades are found. Intense, bright blue diamonds are much less commonly discovered.
A little about the formation process and properties of blue diamond
A blue diamond begins to acquire its color shade and physical properties over hundreds of years. Due to its specificity, each mineral is unique and has no analogues. Even the presence of impurities that add one nanogram more or less color can give a unique shade that will never be seen again.
For example, cognac blue diamonds are formed in completely different ways. The latter acquire their bluish tint due to the presence of boron compounds in the crystal lattice.
As a result of this, atoms and molecules of the precious carbon compound and boron enter into symbiosis, and the sample radically changes its properties, becoming a natural chemically active semiconductor element.
Unique reflective properties are also achieved due to the presence of inclusions of boron elements. As a consequence of this, a blue diamond ring also does not particularly like exposure to direct ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Unique specimens
Among the most famous blue minerals are the following:
- Empress;
- Blue Emma;
- Eye of the Idol;
- Wittelsbach;
- Hope Diamond (also known as French blue, blue hope and blue devil);
- Josephine's blue moon.
Every blue diamond is shrouded in legends. For example, the owner of Blue Emma lived during the Second World War. The mineral saved the life of its owner more than once and was named after her. Emma repeatedly hid the stone in her mouth. The woman even had to swallow it.
She ended up in the Auschwitz camp, where she was left to die, but the woman survived. Emma attributed her poor health to the fact that the mineral was stuck in the intestines. The precious gem was later removed by surgeons during an operation to remove appendicitis. This blue diamond was sold at auction. Its cost was 6 million dollars.
The history of the Hope Diamond is no less interesting. The mineral, with its deep sapphire blue hue, was believed to bring trouble to its owner. It was named after the first owner, Henry Philip Hope. According to legend, this stone was removed from the crown of the French king and was then re-cut. The last owner of the gem was Harry Winston. He donated the gem to an institute located in the United States.
The history of the Wittelsbach mineral begins in the 18th century. It is named after the family to which it belonged. Its distinctive feature, in addition to its unique color, is its large size (35.56 carats). It was purchased by a jeweler named Graff. He paid more than 24 million dollars for the blue gem.
Josephine's Blue Moon stone was discovered in South Africa relatively recently (in 2014). No defects are visible on it even at tenfold magnification. The blue color surprisingly borders on purity and transparency. The diamond was sold at auction for more than $48 million. It received its name in honor of its owner's daughter.
One of the largest specimens is considered to be the Eye of the Idol.
Its weight is 70.2 carats and its cost is estimated at 375 thousand dollars. Its last owner was a jeweler who also bought the Wittelsbach stone. This flat, pear-shaped mineral was found in India. However, according to another version, the gem was discovered on the territory of Libya. There it was installed in the eye of one of the idols.
What is a diamond?
Diamond is found in nature in a transparent form and amazes with its pristine beauty. The structure of the mineral helps it glow and play different colors in the sun. Not all minerals react equally to solar radiation, so not all are used to make jewelry.
Diamond is a rather rare mineral, but its deposits are scattered all over the world. The origin of the diamonds is not known for certain. Scientists believe that they formed underground at a depth of more than 200 km. This happened about 2.5 billion years ago. They came to the surface of the earth during volcanic eruptions. There is a theory of extraterrestrial origin, when they came to earth with meteorites from other planets.
A blue diamond has a high value; purchasing jewelry inlaid with such a stone is a great success. Especially when it comes to those crystals that are naturally blue. The cost of diamonds that have undergone the refining procedure is significantly lower.
But not only processing affects the price of precious stones; the following is also taken into account:
- The purity of the stone or the so-called defectiveness. This concept is widely used by jewelers and means the presence or absence of inclusions in the crystal structure.
- Size. Naturally, the larger the stone, the more expensive it is; the weight of a diamond is estimated in carats, and those crystals that weigh more than five carats are incredibly expensive.
- Mining place. Blue diamonds are mined only from one mine, which belongs to and is located in South Africa.
- Color. The most expensive ones are not blue diamonds, but red ones; there are very few such gems, they are rarely large in size and are mined only in Australia.
A blue diamond can increase in value significantly after it is cut to turn it into a diamond.
As a rule, stones of this color are cut in several ways:
- Give the mineral a circle shape.
- They use a classic diamond cut.
- The stone may be heart shaped.
- Marquise cut.
- In rare cases, rose cut is used.
- Fancy cutting methods are also rarely used.
As for diamonds that are distinguished by their rare color or large size, they are cut in such a way as to minimize costs. Stones are processed depending on their natural characteristics, taking into account the purity of minerals, the presence or absence of inclusions, small points and cracks in their structure.
Diamonds are used in various types of human activities: industrial production, electronics, watch making. The main use of the mineral that has brought it such fame is jewelry.
A cut diamond is already a diamond (from the French “sparkling”). There are several types of cuts that are used in jewelry. It depends on the shape of the stone and its color.
The cut is:
- It is given a round shape with 57 edges.
Cutting of colored minerals:
- oval;
- pear;
- marquis;
- princess.
When processing stone, 50-60% of its weight is lost. Cutting is hard, responsible work. High-class specialists are engaged in this. Small diamonds are cut in India and China. Large diamonds are cut in the USA, Russia, and Belgium. This is due to payment for cutting work, which costs a lot of money.
Fancy diamonds occupy a special place. This is a rare phenomenon in nature. Minerals have yellow, pink, blue, red colors. Such diamonds are considered works of art and are worth their weight in gold. They are sold through auctions and are found in museums and private collections.
Magic and astrology
Diamond jewelry can be beneficial. This is a powerful amulet that has the following effects:
- allows you to think soberly and make the right decision even in the most difficult situations;
- gives longevity;
- enhances power qualities;
- improves health.
True, the mineral does not always bring benefits. If a stone is obtained illegally, then it will only harm the owner.
According to the horoscope, blue gems are suitable for everyone except Scorpios. Maximum compatibility is noted with the following zodiac signs:
- Aries;
- Libra;
- Sagittarius;
- Capricorns.
Blue topaz with diamonds
Natural topaz is a rare mineral designed to adorn the owner and delight millions of eyes. Just one glance at a piece of jewelry with topaz is enough to feel its chic. This is a mineral with a cold shine and the amazing property of emitting light. Among all topazes, it is the blue one that occupies the most important place, as it is distinguished by its rarity and high cost. It is a particularly hard mineral, which in nature is found close to fluorite, tourmaline and morion. Deviations in the structure and arrangement of the chemical elements that make up blue topaz give it a beautiful multi-colored radiance.
Interesting Facts
In India in the 17th century, the blue mineral was considered the eye of the god Rama. People believed that the gem brought numerous sufferings and misfortunes to the owner. Despite this, he was revered, because he was considered one of the stones of the gods.
The Hope Diamond is shrouded in mysticism. According to legend, all its owners died under mysterious circumstances. For example, when he got to France, a plague epidemic began there.
The owners of the mineral were also a family that traveled on the Titanic and died after the ship collided with an iceberg. The last victim of this mineral was the messenger who took it to the Washington Institute. The man fell under the wheels of a truck.
There are very few blue diamonds in the world. They attract the attention of collectors, jewelers and ordinary people, because this mineral is not characterized by such an unusual color. In addition, many unexplained events are associated with blue stones, so they always remain in the spotlight.
Mystical meaning
Such a mysterious stone could not help but occupy a special place in the hearts of lovers of mysticism. They talk about its extraordinary properties. For example, it is believed that a blue diamond gives the owner a bright, but not very happy life.
Diamond is a gem with character; it can even harm a bad owner. At the same time, the stone gives the beloved owner self-confidence and an abundance of vitality. In a blue diamond, these properties are somewhat softened, since the stone carries the energy of water. But blue diamonds have a particularly good effect on health.
It is believed that this stone is most suitable for Aries, Libra, Capricorn, and Sagittarius.
Diamonds are magnificent crystals that captivate with their beauty. Many people like blue diamonds even more than classic transparent ones. The extraordinary radiance of the sea depths contained within it always attracts attention.
Read also about yellow diamond →
Jewelry from Bulgari
The stunning ring, which features two diamonds, is considered unique not only because of its $15.7 million price tag, but also for a number of other reasons.
First of all, it should be noted that both stones are triangular in shape. The weight of one of them is 10.95 carats, the second - 9.87. In addition, this jewelry was made by one of the most famous and largest companies in the world. Its value is explained by the fact that a report from the American Gemological Institute confirmed: the weight, color, purity and flawlessness of both stones.
Empress Blue Diamond
Not long ago, a blue diamond was shown to the world in the capital of Great Britain to attract the attention of the international community. The stone, owned by the Geneva-based Steinmetz group, was the centerpiece of an exquisite ladies' piece of white gold necklace.
The name of the diamond emphasizes its rare blue hue, as well as its exclusivity. It has an absolutely symmetrical pear-shaped shape, and its exceptional quality gives it every right to bear the name “Empress”. People often call it the blue imperial diamond.
In the world ranking of blue diamonds, the Empress blue diamond ranks 17th in descending weight. An exhibition was held at London's Millennium House in 2000, where visitors were presented with eleven extremely rare blue diamonds. Among them was the Empress's diamond.
Today, the Empress Blue Diamond is the most expensive stone that once existed in European jewelry stores. According to the data, there is already a buyer who wants to buy it for 9 million US dollars, but the owner himself is ready to sell the stone for only 17 million dollars. This price could increase sharply, so it is not yet known whether the diamond will be sold at all.
Buying Blue Diamonds
How beautiful is the blue diamond! The photo in the article shows us its grandeur and luxury. What woman does not dream of jewelry with this rare stone? If you decide to purchase it, then you should pay attention to the quality and authenticity of the product. The store must provide you with certificates of authenticity and legality of trading in such stones. It is also necessary to pay attention to accompanying documents such as a jeweler's or craftsman's appraisal. There is no need to buy such goods in dubious places, as they say, “from under the counter.” After all, its cost is very considerable, and many of us can afford such a purchase only once in our lives, and then at best. Therefore, it is necessary to approach this issue with all seriousness and responsibility.
