Diamonds don't shatter when exposed to high heats. As a result, diamonds are incredibly durable and aren't susceptible to damage from high heat. Fake diamonds, on the other hand, cannot handle heat nearly as well because they are made of weaker materials.
Diamonds will burn at about 1562°F (850°C). House fires and jewelers' torches can reach that temperature.
Any forceful impact on diamonds can cause them to chip. When it comes to diamond rings, for example, the diamond cut can impact how easily it can chip. This is because some girdles and points on the diamond are more exposed to being hit off surfaces when going about your everyday life.
Diamonds triumph in hardness and stability, and it's easy to think they are invincible. Unfortunately, every gemstone has its vulnerabilities. So, yes, diamonds can break. The good news is that this is an extremely rare occurrence.
The diamond can be repolished or recut so that the damaged area is removed or perhaps polished down and perhaps after only losing a little bit of weight, the diamond can look as good as new. If, however, the chip is rather large, or the stone is very small, re-cutting may not be a practical option.
Are Broken Diamonds Worth Anything? Broken diamonds can be salvaged in two ways: They can either be re-polished & recut, or they can be traded in with a jeweler. However, recutting diamonds can be quiet costly, and is not an advisable solution unless the diamond is of particularly good quality.
Cleavage. These are cracks in a diamond that occur in a straight line and are parallel to one of the diamond's crystallographic planes. Cleavages are usually caused by deep internal strain in a diamond and could also have been caused by a strong blow to the diamond.
A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, but if it is placed in an oven and the temperature is raised to about 763º Celsius (1405º Fahrenheit), it will simply vanish, without even ash remaining.
Could My Diamond 'Break'? It's easy to think that diamonds are invincible, after all, they rank as the hardest substance known to man on the Moh's scale. Unfortunately, diamonds are not without their vulnerabilities. So, yes, diamonds can break.
Internal temperature of the car could reach up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Diamonds are formed under much hotter temperatures, so no. Your car would have to catch fire and burn at basically the highest possible temperatures for a vehicle fire for the heat to impact your ring.
Nonetheless, irradiated diamonds are sensitive to heat; jewelry repair procedures, recutting, and repolishing can change their colors. Because the treatment is stable to regular wear, however, GIA will issue reports for irradiated diamonds.
Diamonds are designated to burn at about 900 degrees Celsius when there is adequate oxygen. However, melting diamonds requires a minimum of 4500 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 100,000 bar. Diamond requires oxygen to burn, which leads to the formation of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.
As an example, you can scratch steel with a diamond, but you can easily shatter a diamond with a hammer. The diamond is hard, the hammer is strong. Whether something is hard or strong depends on its internal structure.
Girdles Can Reflect in a Diamond
If you look at the side of your diamond and see a line across it, about ⅔ of the way down, don't panic. It's most likely a girdle reflection. Because of how light moves through a diamond, light that enters through the girdle will usually come out through the pavilion.
While both inclusions and cracks can appear anywhere on the gemstone, a crack usually finds its passage where the inherent structure or gemological composition of the stone is weaker. Usually, outer edges around metal (in case of jewelled gemstones) are the spots where cracks appear.
Diamonds typically lose between 25 and 50 per cent of their actual worth upon resale due to market fluctuations, the markup on your ring, and the decline in diamond prices. A portion is also taken out for insurance.
Two other quick and simple ways to spot a real diamond is by looking at how it sparkles in light and how much you can see through it. A real diamond appears gray and white inside (brilliance) when held to the light and can reflect rainbow colors (fire) onto other surfaces.
Visit A Trusted Jeweler
Many jewelers will appraise your stone free of charge and experts will often be able to tell immediately if your diamond is authentic or not. If your stone came with a certificate, your jeweler should be happy to take a look at it and tell you whether it is from a trustworthy source.
You will see that the diamond has white or silvery sparkles only. However, cubic zirconia will give out colourful sparkles such as red, yellow or blue. Another important differentiating feature between these two stones is that a diamond possesses sharp facets, whereas a zirconium does not have sharp facets.
The Heat Test
Heat the stone for around 30-40 seconds then immediately submerge it in the cold water. A real diamond will show no reaction; a fake is likely to shatter. This rapid expansion and contraction of heat will cause weak materials like cubic zirconia to crack and shatter.
As straightforward as it sounds, fill a glass of water at home to roughly three-quarters full. Separate the stone so that it is loose, and drop it into the water. Diamonds are highly dense and a genuine gem will sink to the bottom – every time. If it hovers to the surface or only partially sinks, then it is a replica.
Many are unsure if boiling a diamond ring is an acceptable cleaning method, but it is! At-home cleaning with boiling water is a safe and effective way to clean it.
Diamonds are exceptionally delicate, and thus, they require the utmost care. Harsh chemicals like acetone, chlorine, bleach and other abrasive substances like baking powder and toothpaste will damage your diamond beyond repair.