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Why do Diamonds Sparkle?

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Diamonds – the strongest material in the world

Diamonds are the strongest material in the world (to the best of our knowledge) and can withstand great force, pressure and high temperatures. Diamonds are also an isotope of Carbon. Due to their strength, they are cut with a laser. Using Sparkling diamondsa laser ensures that each cut is super smooth and this allows more light to reflect through each facet due to the smoother surface.

One diamond – many facets (influence of the cut on the sparkle)

A round brilliant cut diamond is the most popular cut. It is the round diamond that we see most often. It has approximately 56 facets. As the light enters the diamond, it is reflect off of each facet and each facet is angled differently. Diamonds can be cut more than just the normal amount. Many jewelers offer special collections of diamonds where the Round Brilliant cut has 73 facets instead of the normal 56.

There are other cuts of diamonds such as the Princess cut which is a square. The Emerald cut which is rectangular in shape. The Baguette which is an extremely slim rectangle. The Pear which is a teardrop shaped cut. The Oval cut which is of course the oval shaped cut, and the Cushion which is square with rounded corners. There is also the Marquis cut which is in the shape of an eye.

The Marquise cut is the only one that has more facets than the Round Brilliant. This is due to the amount of the tiny facets required on both points to ensure the sharpest end point is achieved without compromising the round middle of the cut.

So why do diamonds sparkle?

Diamonds have a high refractive index which simply means that they can really bend those light rays! The light stays in a diamond longer than that it would in a similar shaped piece of glass or any other material that has a lower refractive index. Diamonds are also generally cut to maximize the light capturing effect. The sides and angles are painstakingly designed to keep incoming rays inside a long time and bounce off as many walls of the diamond as possible.

Simply put, when light enters a diamond, its stays there because the incident ray forms a critical angle which then allows the ray to reflect instead of going out by refraction. And most, if not all, people seem to have a great love for the sparkle and shine that a diamond has.

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