Industrial Diamonds | Raw Natural Rough Diamond Jewelry

'Industrial Grade' Diamonds

Approximatly 80% of natural diamonds are not of the gem-quality (gemmy) variety found in most jewelry. Most of these lower-quality diamonds are found as irregular-shaped stones such as ballas, cubes, and macle, or as die stone, boart and carbonados. Discolored, included, and/or semi-transparent diamonds, die stone, boart, and carbonados are useful however, in industrial applications [1], where their extreme hardness is ideal for cutting and grinding very hard materials, including other diamonds.

Rough industrial diamonds are quality-graded based on shape, surface quality and internal cracks, fissures or other flaws. The highest quality rating is "select" followed by AA, A, O, TA, B, and C.

Once thought to be of little value, the gemmy versions of these flawed, off-colored diamonds (I1 to I3 clarity or worse) are emerging as popular candidates for use in contemporary jewelry. Industrial-grade diamonds can be particularly appealing when set in their natural rough state (above, left by Michael Zobel).

Natural and artificial Black Diamonds, once used exclusively for industrial applications, have become quite popular when mixed with colorless diamonds for a "black and white" contrasting effect (above, right by Bez Ambar).

Jewelry designer Todd Reed challenges the notion of "perceived value" by mounting raw, unpolished, and uncut diamond next to their faceted counterparts (above, left). In celebration of their "perfect geometry," Todd features larger rough stones in their natural octahedral and macle shapes (ring: above, right), or cubic shapes.

Taking this concept a step further, Canadian jewelry designer Niki Kavakonis incorporates colorless uncut diamonds into her creations. Niki's "Tip of the Iceberg" ring (below, right) showcases a rough 2.78ct octahedron-shaped diamond from the Ekati Diamond Mine.

Diamond Fashion Trends

Rough gemstones have a primordial quality, and a feeling of antiquity that their faceted counterparts have lost. As the "bling bling" look of recent decades [2] has waned, a more natural, earthy look is beginning to emerge in popular culture.

Mass production, or high-volume Jewelry manufacturers like Diamonds in the Rough are now mainstreaming the 'natural look' by selling rough, unpolished diamond jewelry to upscale retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.

Raw Diamond Bibliography and Links

1. Citco, Industrial Diamonds . www.citcodiamond.com

2. Victoria Gomelsky, Rough diamonds and Art Nouveau jewelry beat out bling . International Herald Tribune

3. Michael Zobel . www.toddreed.com

4. Todd Reed . www.toddreed.com

5. Diamond in the Rough www.diamondintheroughjewelry.com