ON PINK DIAMONDS

There are News reports that a rare 12.76 Carat pink diamond was found in Argyle mines of western Australia  named 'Argyle pink Jubilee' as it was the first time a pink stone as big as 12+ carat was unearthed. The pink diamonds themselves are rare and to lay hands on such a big one happens once in a blue moon. The diamond was found  from the special pink diamond mines in the Kimberley region. The importance of the find can be gauged from the fact that in its entire life of 26 years the Argyle miners have not been able to lay hands on such a big pink diamond as the one got now. On an average a pink diamond appears for the take after a million ordinary gems and because of this rarity it attracts prices 20 times more than the ordinary ones.

  The diamonds are made of  pure carbon and the stale dark carbon molecules metamorphoses in to one of the most hardest and enchanting objects through  millions of years  inside the earth 150 or so Kms deep under high temperature. The heat and pressure makes the carbon molecules to stick firmly together giving the diamond its hardness.  The diamonds gradually reach up on the earth  by pressure of volcanic eruptions .

 A Diamond with no impurities is white or colourless and when impurities or elements like hydrogen, Nitrogen etc enter into it while its formation  it gets coloured. The Pink diamonds get its colour when nitrogen molecules are trapped inside while  its formation and the intensity of colour depends on the quantity of elements in it.  As it does not happen frequently coloured diamonds are not as much abundant as the uncoloured ones.

The famous 4Cs of a diamond determines its value. They are cut, clarity, colour and carat. The expert cutting and polishing are most important  for a diamond as it enhances the stone's light reflecting ability and gives it its characteristic sparkle. The clarity and colour are naturally got for a gem by birth and little can be done on it. The carat of a diamond is its weight and one carat is 200 Mg. ( do not confuse it with the karat of gold which tells its purity ) As stones of day-to-day dealings are normally below one carat, a carat is divided in to 100 points for convenience. The ordinary gems of minimal points are sold  usually for a few dollars whereas a pink diamond above 10 carat can fetch a million per carat and the carat factor is as important as that for a diamond.

The Pink diamond found now is 12.76 carat and it may lose a little weight after cutting & polishing. However it can be sold for any sum above $10 Million. Normally the Argyle miners sell  diamonds in its rough form  except the prized finds like this one which they themselves get cut and polished by outstanding experts and  send to auction houses. The Argyle pink Jubilee has already sent for cutting and after it the diamond would be exhibited in important cities before put to auction.The Argyle mine owned by Rio Pinto produce 90 percent of all pink diamonds in the world.

 There is an aura of mystery around  prized diamonds as it is not within the reach or even sight of a common man. There are many stories of murders surrounding diamonds both in history and in fiction and instances of suicides by swallowing diamonds. As diamonds are made of carbon it is not chemically fatal, but it can kill a person by inflicting cuts inside the body and the person dies  with severe  internal bleeding.

There are also stories of diamonds bringing  luck or curse. The 'Good hope' diamond brought misfortune and death in its trail. The diamonds with structural faults are considered inauspicious and the vice versa for the immaculate ones. The bringing of good luck or bad luck is not left to diamonds alone, the houses, vehicles etc. too carry a similar notion and it is difficult to brush off  them all as nonsense nor to explain why.

  It is romantically said that 'diamonds are for ever' and the saying has a special meaning especially when diamond rings are exchanged during engagements.  The couple cherish a  hope  that those diamonds would transcend their properties to  make everlasting love.



 Tail piece:  Some time back astronomers were reported to have found a spherical object  as big as moon made of diamond or made of carbon turned in to a diamond  by some mysterious process. Imagine a diamond of billions of carats. It proves that the Almighty has bigger surprises up in His sleeve than can one imagine.


Images from Google.