Diamonds and gemstones are two important terms that are commonly used in the jewelry world. Most people are not still aware of the differences between these two terms and use them interchangeably. Hence, we provide a brief note regarding diamonds and gemstones to give you better knowledge about them.
What are Gemstones?
Gemstones can be defined as precious stones that have the following characteristics:
- Durability
- Beauty
- Rarity
If these qualities are met, a stone can be called as agemstone. These stones are mined from the earth and they are then cut and polished for using in jewelry. They go through different processes to become the stones that we see on pieces of jewelry.
If said more precisely, gemstones are made of minerals which are developed naturally under the earth’s crust and will have a defined chemical composition along with a clear atomic structure. In addition to natural gemstones, now you can also get synthetic gemstones that are made artificially.
Are Diamonds Gemstones?
Based on the above definition, diamonds can be also considered as gemstones. They have all the qualities required for a gemstone, hence they also fall in the same category.
This makes the situation even more confusing. So, are diamonds and gemstones the same? The answer is no. Even though they have all the characteristics of gemstones, diamonds have some additional features that distinguish them from gemstones.
The main difference is found in their color. Usually, most diamonds are colorless, whereas gemstones are characterized by their colors. Gemstones are generally called as colored stones. They come in a variety of colors including red, blue, yellow, brown, orange, etc.
But there are also colored diamonds. So where do they fit in this definition? Can they also be called colored gemstones?
Diamonds with colors cannot be called as “colored gemstones”, instead they are known as “colored diamonds”. Even though they are colored like gemstones, their all other features are the same as colorless diamonds.
Color in Diamonds
The GIA has developed a grading scale to grade the color of diamonds. This scale involves grades from D to Z. A pure colorless diamond is given the grade D whereas a heavily tinted diamond will fall in the Z category. The amount of tint increases through the grades D to Z.
But fancy colored diamonds are categorized differently. They have a color range beyond Z. The color intensity of these stones can vary from very pale to much darker shades. The darker shades of many colors like purple, orange, green, etc. Are very rare and considered to be very valuable.