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A diamond is a crystal made up entirely of carbon atoms that are arranged in an

isometric, or cubic, matrix. A cubic crystal arrangement is one in which the crystal
essentially expands outward at the same rate in all directions during its initial growth;
the ideal result, when the crystal forms without any interference, is a pure and perfectly
formed octahedral shape.

However, most diamond crystals encounter varying heat or pressure, other elements, or
even other diamond crystals during their growth, and t his can alter their form
somewhat. The resulting form and characteristics of the crystal, once it emerges from
the earth, help to determine what shape, color and clarity the polished gem will have.

The combination of diamond's molecular composition and it s crystal structure is what

makes it so unique and gives it all the qualities that we think of when we think of a
diamond.

Consider this: The graphite that you commonly find in pencils is also made of pure
carbon, but because the carbon atoms are arranged differently, the result is a soft gray-
black substance that is very unlike hard, colorless diamond. And iron pyrite (known more
commonly as "fool's gold") grows in an isometric arrangement, but because it is not
made of pure carbon, it also lacks the spectacular qualities of diamond.

The unique characteristics of diamond go far beyond what you can see with your eye. In
addition to their superior brilliance and dispersion, diamonds are the hardest natural
substance on earth.

Diamond rates a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, which means that it is extremely
resistant to scratches; it is several times harder than the next-hardest substance,
corundum, which is more commonly known as ruby and sapphire.

Diamonds are also very tough, meaning that they do not easily break, chip or crack. And
even more interestingly, they are extremely resistant to heat and chemicals: it would
take a temperature of at least 720° Celsius in air, or 850° Celsius in a vacuum, to burn a
diamond; and sulphuric and hydrochloric acids, w hich are capable of completely
dissolving the skin and bones of a person, have no effect at all on diamonds (in fact,
these acids are actually used to clean the oil and dust off polished diamonds after they
have been cut).

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Diamonds are made up of pure carbon atoms that exist deep in the ground, exposed to
intense heat and pressure over billions of years. Over time, this pressure builds up and
forces the diamonds and rocks up toward the surface in a volcanic-like explosion. The
explosion creates a very deep, wide hole called a "pipe" into which most of the diamonds
settle; these deposits of diamonds are known as primary deposits. Other diamonds are
washed away by water or erosion, and often settle into the coastal waters of nearby
bodies of water; these are alluvial deposits. These deposits occur in many places around
the globe; however, the largest commercial deposits exist in Angola, Australia,
Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Russia and Zaire, which produce 80% of the world's
diamonds.

Walking through the aisle of a jewelry store, you may not think diamonds are especially
rare. But consider this: 250 tons (500,000 pounds) of ore must be mined and processed
to produce just one carat of rough diamond. Since a rough diamond typically loses 40%
to 60% of its weight when cut, that means that all these efforts are necessary to
produce just one of the .50 carat polished diamonds you find in the store's display
counters. When you also consider the fact that only about one quarter of all rough
diamonds are actually suitable for gem cutting, you can begin to appreciate the rarity
and uniqueness of each diamond.

A quick, fun fact: The first diamond deposits were brought to the surface of the earth
approximately 2.5 billion years ago. The most recent deposits are roughly 50 million
years old. Your diamond is a truly unique piece of history.

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A newly mined rough diamond looks more like a piece of glass washed up on the beach
than like the polished gems sold in jewelry stores. Bringing out their beauty requires the
skill and art of a trained diamond cutter.

While incredibly precise, computerized machinery is now used in some parts of the
cutting process for some diamonds, most of the work is still performed by hand using
exacting and meticulous techniques passed down over the generati ons.

As a first step, cleaving or sawing is often used to separate the original rough into
smaller, more workable pieces that will each eventually become an individual polished
gem. Next, bruting grinds away the edges, providing the outline shape (for exa mple,
heart, oval or round) for the gem. Faceting is then done in two steps: during blocking,
the table, culet, bezel and pavilion main facets are cut; afterward, the star, upper girdle
and lower girdle facets are added.

Once the fully faceted diamond has been inspected and improved, it is boiled in
hydrochloric and sulfuric acids to remove dust and oil. The diamond is then considered a
finished, polished gem.

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The "Ideal Cut" is a cut based on a specific set of proportions for a round brilliant
diamond proposed by gem cutter Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919. While Tolkowsky's original
theories presented only one particular combination of proporti ons for creating the best
balance of brilliance and dispersion, today the American Gemological Society recognizes
any diamond falling within a narrow range of proportions and finish quality as being an
"Ideal Cut" (also called an "AGS 0" or "AGS triple zer o").

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Finding the rough diamonds is only the first step. Once diamonds have been mined and
processed out of the 'overburden' (that is, the kimberlite rocks in which they are
imbedded), the rough crystals are sorted and categorized according to their size, color,
shape and other characteristics. At this point, a diamond can follow one of two routes.

The most common route is through the channels of DeBeers' Central Selling Organization
(CSO). Many people are familiar with DeBeers mainly because of their advertisements
and commercials and because of the famous motto that they coined in the early half of
the 20th century: "A Diamond is Forever."
While DeBeers' market influence has decreased somewhat over the last few years, they
still control the majority of the world's diamond production (an estimated 30% to 40% of
annual diamond production). The purchasing arm of the CSO not only buys diamonds
from member mines around the world; it also finances mining technology for
governments which do not have the means to mine their own deposits. Most of what is
bought through the CSO is sent to London to be offered to buyers through DeBeers
marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Corporation (DTC).

The DTC holds ten week-long selling sessions called 'sights' each year. These sights are
by invitation only, and only a handful of diamond manufacturers from around the world
(called 'sightholders') are allowed to attend. These sightholders may chose to cut the
rough diamonds they buy themselves, or they may chose to sell some of the rough
diamonds to smaller manufacturers.

These smaller manufacturers cut the rough diamonds and sell the polished gems either
to jewelry manufacturers (who set the diamonds into finished pieces of jewelry and then
sell the jewelry to jewelry retailers), or to diamond wholesalers (who then, in turn, sell
the diamonds to diamond retailers).

In the less common route from mine to market, some independent miners elect not to
sell their mine production to the DeBeers cartel. Instead, they offer newly mined
diamonds directly to other world buyers. These buyers, in turn, may chose to cut and
sell the diamonds themselves, or pass the diamonds along within the industry in a
manner similar to that described above.

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The answer depends on whether you are investing in the diamond itself, or in what a
diamond represents.

Diamond prices have been steadily increasing for the past 20 years, and diamonds tend
to hold their value. Given this, it is extremely unlikely that di amonds will ever entirely
lose their value, in spite of how the market may change in the future. However, no one
can predict, with absolute certainty, which way the market will swing and, in general, we
do not recommend buying up high -quality diamonds as a main part of a
financial/retirement plan.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a source of beauty and a symbol of eternity and
everlasting love, there are few objects you can choose that will surpass a diamond's
perfection. Diamonds have inflamed man's passions since the first moment at which they
were discovered, and their power over our emotions and desires has only grown since
then. As a timeless and beautiful gift to yourself or as an emblem of your commitment to
another, a diamond is an excellent investment.

Ultimately, whether you choose to consider it an investment, a symbol, or a unique work

of art, you can be certain that by buying your diamond from Mondera, you are always
getting a beautiful diamond and an excellent value for your money.

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There is no physical difference between a diamond that is certified and one t hat is not. A
certificate does not change the nature of a diamond in any way. The difference between
a certified and an uncertified diamond is that, with the certified diamond, you have
tangible, legal assurances as to the particular nature and quality of the diamond you are
purchasing.

A certified diamond comes with a diamond grading report guaranteed by an accredited

gem lab. This report assures the customer that the diamond is independently recognized
as possessing all the qualities specified by that report. All the diamonds featured in the
Diamond Store on our site are certified by either GIA or AGS. When you buy a certified
diamond, you are getting a diamond with beauty and pedigree. Try our loose diamonds
database to find GIA certified diamonds.

On the other hand, an uncertified diamond has is not accompanied by a diamond grading
report, and therefore its stated quality is based only on the word of the seller.

An uncertified diamond is not necessarily a bad diamond; certainly, it can be as beautiful

as its certified counterpart. However, we encourage our customers to buy certified
diamonds for the following reasons:

Shopping for certified diamonds allows you to make an informed ch oice about your
selections, and to comparison shop. You can compare one diamond with a particular
weight and quality with other diamonds of similar weight and quality to determine which
is the better value. With uncertified diamonds, it is difficult to det ermine whether the
quality assessments of one jeweler will be as stringent and precise as the judgments of
other jewelers; that is, not all jewelers may agree about the quality of an uncertified
diamond.

A diamond grading report adds value to a diamond. T he quality assessments made by

independent labs, such as GIA or AGS, are recognized worldwide. These quality
assessments are used by appraisers to determine the insurance or replacement value of
your diamond. If you purchase an uncertified diamond, there i s no guarantee that the
appraiser will appraise your diamond at the same level at which the jeweler who sold it
to you did. A quick note on how reports from various independent labs compare with one
another: GIA and AGS are considered the industry leaders, and the final word on gem
quality, among diamond dealers worldwide. While plenty of other independent labs exist,
some are a bit lax in their assessments of diamond quality and do not command the
same respect for consistency and quality of grading that GIA and AGS do. For this
reason, if you are in the market for a diamond, make an effort to buy only GIA - or AGS-
graded diamonds.

A diamond grading report adds an increased comfort -level to your purchase. Because the
quality of your purchase has been indepen dently verified, you can feel assured that you
have made a wise purchase and that you have received exactly what you have paid for.

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Yes and no. It is safe if the diamond jeweler uses insured carriers (e.g., FedEx and UPS)
to ship its packages and all shipments are insured for the full value of their contents.

Before buying a diamond online, find out what the store's policy is in case of lost
shipments. A professional diamond jeweler should have no objection to providing either
a replacement or a refund.

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