Understanding How Old Diamonds Are

Like a fine wine, jewels like diamonds can be more beautiful as time passes.

The brilliance that every diamond stone has, being the hardest known material in the world, can never cease to amaze the naked eyes even for several human lifetimes.

But in reality, can you actually tell how old diamonds are?

When buying in a jewelry shop, say for an engagement ring, will you know if what you are picking is a new stone or an old one?

How Old are Diamonds?

You have probably heard old diamonds and modern diamonds many times by now.

This is most likely the case especially when you are a collector or maybe someone who wants to invest in jewelry because they can appreciate in time.

Arguably, aside from the fact that modern diamonds are relatively more expensive than most old diamonds are, some people really prefer antique diamonds.

There are quite a few reasons for this:

1. Price

   The price can be determined or at least be influenced by how old diamonds are.

   Most old diamonds, whether bought in jewelry shops or antique stores, are cheaper than modern cut diamonds.

   On average, the former are cheaper by at least 15% and can even go as far as 20%. So this can be very attractive for anyone who doesn’t want to spend so much on a diamond purchase.

2. Sentimental Value

   They say that precious stones, especially diamonds, absorb some characteristics of their former wearer.

   Although this may not be tangible or directly affect the price of the stone, this may be alluring for some people.

   Who knows if someone related to you wore the diamonds? Wouldn’t it be nice to have it in your possession?

3. Antique Value

   Other than the sentimental value, historical value is a major reason why some people would prefer buying old diamonds.

   Antiques, after all, hold significant historical events with them.

   Diamonds in particular are one of the prized possessions of antique collectors across the globe.

   This is reasonable because who knows, maybe a very important person in history wore the jewels before.

There are more reasons for a person to be enticed by old diamonds, but how old are most of these diamonds we’re talking about?

The History of Diamonds

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), diamonds first formed deep inside the Earth some billions of years ago.

The oldest being the Diavik and Ekati diamonds which were thought to be more than 3 billion years old, based on dating studies.

Furthermore, a question that is also commonly asked in specific is how old are natural diamonds.

Geologists estimate these diamonds to be at least a billion years old. On the other hand, lab-manufactured diamonds didn’t exist until the mid-1900s.

Meanwhile, diamonds are also determined by way of age through dating the time it was unearthed.

Historical records show that diamonds were discovered in India as early as the 4th century BC.

The oldest known diamond according to some historians is the Briolette of India.

It is speculated that the diamond was first discovered in the 12th century, making it almost a thousand years old.

So how old are most diamonds then? Based on the known age of Briolette of India, it can be deduced that most diamonds considered to be old are at least a hundred to 800 years old from their discovery.

How Can You Tell if a Diamond is Old?

Without a trained eye or an extensive knowledge, it can be pretty difficult to know the age of the diamond stone you are buying.

You may rely on what a jeweler says but there is no harm in knowing it yourself for a more informed purchase.

1. Seek professional advice from a vintage jeweler.

   A professional advice from a trained jeweler is your best course of action in knowing how old diamonds are.

   From their long experience and proper materials, they can determine whether what you have is really an antique diamond.

   Commonly, these trained professionals will examine the cut and shape of the diamond with their apparatus.

   Shira Diamonds has an expert who can help you evaluate your diamond. We also do other services such as repair.

2. Identify the diamond cut.

   If you don’t really want to spend on a third-party antique jeweler, you can examine the diamond itself.

   The easiest way to know a diamond stone’s age is by looking and determining its cut.

   Old cut diamonds differ from the modern ones we have in the market. There are only quite a few old cut diamonds that are known.

   This is a stark contrast to the available shapes and cuts that new diamonds have.

   Most old cut diamonds use the Old European Cut, Old Mine Cut, and Antique Cushion Cut.

   So if your stone has a more geometrical shape, it is most likely not an old diamond.

3. Examine the color, clarity, and brilliance.

   To add more credibility to your initial judgment, examining a stone’s color, clarity, and brilliance will be the next step.

   New diamonds arguably have better sparkle and brilliance when subjected to light compared to older diamonds.

   This is because the former underwent a more precise cutting.

   Old diamonds don’t have the same brilliance because of larger facets but this does not mean they are less beautiful.

4. Know the mounting if there is one present.

   Your last line of defense is probably the mounting or setting to where the stone is attached to.

   Some metal mounts include date inscriptions on it. So by this, you can also determine the age of your stone. Likewise, examining the quality of mount through seeing fading, rusting, or staining can also help.

Contact us today for a more informed and trustworthy purchase where you need not to worry about being scammed regarding the age of a diamond, you may visit us at Shira Diamonds.

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