 Diamonds
are forever, they say. True love is forever too. Gift the love of
your life a diamond to commemorate the sacred bond. Diamonds have
mesmerized mankind for centuries. It is a belief that diamonds reflect
the innate flawlessness of the human soul and that it brings good
luck and prosperity.
According to both Roman and Greek mythology, a person shot
with Cupid's arrow supposedly fell in love, so the link between
hearts and arrows and love is obvious. To put it correctly, an ideal
diamond is one which shows eight arrows or eight hearts when viewed,
looking down through the pavilion and in the table-up position through
a magnifying viewer.
I n
the early 90's, in Japan, ideal cut diamonds were all the rage. In
India, the second biggest diamond market, where quality, status and
brand names are in vogue, consumers become big buyers of the ideal
cut. These diamonds are known in the trade as 'hearts and arrows'.
India imports diamonds from Belgium, which are distributed to
the site or mine holders. These are polished and given proper shape
at Bombay, to be supplied later to merchants all over the country.
The most important difference between diamonds cut to ideal proportions
and hearts and arrows is symmetry. The eight rows visible from
the crown side are the 8 pavilion main facets, while the eight hearts
visible through the pavilion side are created by reflections of 16
lower girdle facets in the table of the stone. Diamonds that show
just partial and not well formed hearts are not uncommon. Some diamonds
may show partial arrows, but no heart pattern. A true hearts and arrows
ideal cut is a very rare and beautiful thing to behold!
Here are some things one should always remember while buying diamond:
§ Always look for the Cut, Colour, Clarity and
the Caratage. Make sure the diamond is cut proportionately
and symmetrically. The reflection should be 100 percent and there
should be no loss of light as the lesser the shine the lower the value.
§ The colour of diamonds range from D, E, F, G…..and
so on. The whiter the diamond, the higher the price. Always make sure
you buy from a person who gives you value for your money.
§ Clarity in the diamond is important. A diamond gets more
price only if it is internally flawless. Small inclusion matters a
lot since the price is determined by this and it varies.
§ Caratage means the weight of the diamond. 1K has 100 cents
which is the measuring tool of the diamond
.  In
Bangalore, 3 diamond rings and 14 diamond earrings are in vogue.
These precious stones are available in all colours, shapes and sizes.
The price range of these precious stones ranges from 1,400 to several
lakhs of rupees! One more important thing to be kept in mind always
is, never take a seller's word when buying your piece. Always ask
for proof. If the diamond has a certificate, ask for a print out from
a Sarin Dia-mension machine using AGS or AGL software.
Only AGL (Associated Gemmological Laboratories of Japan) -Excellent
or AGS-O are acceptable.
Just like the finest wines or a luxury car, ideal diamonds are not
for everybody. But those who can afford to buy it have the most beautiful
and precious of gems to preserve for a lifetime!
Here are the names of some of the reliable diamond merchants of Bangalore:
Carbon
# 90, Koramangala Industrial Layout,
Bangalore- 560 095
Phone: 2552 0200 |
C.
Krishniah Chetty & Sons
# 35, Commercial Street,
Bangalore- 560 001.
Phone: 2558 8731
|
Jewels
Garden Pvt Ltd.
# 5, Cotton's Complex,
Residency Road,
Bangalore-560 005
Phone: 2221 2666/ 2224 3353
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-Aditi Kumar
Pictures by Somashekar DP
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