Carbonado

Wednesday, July 1, 2009




Carbonado, commonly known as the 'Black Diamond,' is a natural polycrystalline diamond found in alluvial deposits in the Central African Republic and Brazil. Its natural colour is black or dark grey, and it is more porous than other diamonds.

Aurora Pyramid of Hope




It is comprehensive natural color diamond collection in the world[1]. It was on public display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York from 1989 to 2005 in the Morgan Hall of Gems. Aurora Pyramid of Hope was the centerpiece for the 1998 exhibition The Nature of Diamonds organized by the American Museum of Natural History which toured Japan, Canada and the U.S. In 2005 Aurora Pyramid of Hope was invited to participate in the exhibition Diamonds organized by The Natural History Museum of London. At that time 36 new specimens were added to the original 260 diamonds. Today Aurora Pyramid of Hope consists of 296 diamonds weighing a total of 267.45 carats (53.49 g).
All the colors of the spectrum that diamonds exist in are represented in various shapes, saturations and modifiers including blue diamonds, pink diamonds, red diamonds, green diamonds, orange diamonds, purple diamonds, violet diamonds, yellow diamonds, olive diamonds and brown diamonds. Also represented are color changing chameleon diamonds. Aurora Pyramid of Hope was put together by Alan Bronstein and Harry Rodman over 25 years.
Aurora Pyramid of Hope is currently on display at The Natural History Museum of London.

[edit] References

Aurora Butterfly of Peace


The Aurora Butterfly of Peace diamond collection is an artwork consisting of 240 natural, fancy colored diamonds weighing a combined total of 167 carats (33 g). This butterfly-shaped diamond mosaic was created over a period of twelve years by Alan Bronstein and Harry Rodman. The diamonds were collected and assembled one stone at a time. The Aurora Butterfly of Peace was conceived by the artists as an eternal icon of love, beauty, energy, nature, peace. It symbolizes a spiritual connection to earth for all mankind.
From November 2004 through July 2005, the Butterfly of Peace was exhibited in the National Gem Collection Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
A smaller version of the Butterfly of Peace was displayed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science from June 1994 through March 1996. The Aurora Butterfly of Peace was on display from May 25 to July 30, 2008 at the Museum of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), to help launch “The Facets of the GIA” exhibit, which showcases the prominent role of the Institute in the world of gemology.
Two research studies involving the Butterfly of Peace have resulted in new scientific breakthroughs about fluorescence and phosphorescence in fancy colored diamonds. The amazing phenomena of fluorescence can be seen as a skeletal pattern of glowing colors when the diamonds are exposed to ultraviolet light. There are rare and unusual color diamonds that make up the design including purples from Russia, blues and oranges from South Africa, lime greens from Brazil, violets and dozens of pinks from the Argyle Mine in Australia.

Ashberg Diamond


Ashberg Diamond is an amber-colored, cushion-shaped diamond weighing 102.48 carats (20.50 g), was formerly part of the Russian Crown Jewels.

Centenary Diamond


The De Beers Centenary Diamond is, at 273.85 carats (54.77 g), the third-largest diamond to have been produced in the Premier Mine. The Centenary Diamond is rated in color as grade D color by the Gemological Institute of America, which is the highest grade of colorless diamond and is internally and externally flawless. It was named the Centenary Diamond as it was presented in the rough for the Centennial Celebration of De Beers Consolidated Mines on May 11, 1988. The Centenary Diamond was unveiled in final form in May 1991.

Allnatt Diamond


The Allnatt Diamond,is a large antique cushion-shaped brilliant Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond.

Cullinan diamond


The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g).[1]
The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at 530.2 carats (106.0 g) [2] was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, 545.67 carats (109.13 g), also from the Premier Mine. Cullinan I is now mounted in the head of the Sceptre with the Cross. The second largest gem from the Cullinan stone, Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa, at 317.4 carats (63.5 g), is the fourth largest polished diamond in the world. Both gems are in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.