What else can scratch a diamond...

[Dancing Fire]

other than another diamond?
I read that vendors would needed to re-polish a upgrade diamond before it is offer for sale again. I'd understand that a diamond can be chipped especially on the girdle, but scratches?..

 

[denverappraiser]

One of the tricky secrets of diamonds is that the hardness varies with direction. Hardness, in this case, means resistance to scratching, not resistance to chipping and the same surface of the same stone resists differently depending on the direction of attack. This is the key concept that makes it even possible to cut diamonds by the way. People scratch them by tossing them into jewelry boxes or putting them in bags with other diamonds.

 

[Dancing Fire]

One of the tricky secrets of diamonds is that the hardness varies with direction. Hardness, in this case, means resistance to scratching, not resistance to chipping and the same surface of the same stone resists differently depending on the direction of attack. This is the key concept that makes it even possible to cut diamonds by the way. People scratch them by tossing them into jewelry boxes or putting them in bags with other diamonds.

would I be able to put scratches on a diamond if I rub it with a piece of sand paper?

 

[denverappraiser]

No, unless we're talking about diamond sandpaper. You could, for example, scratch a diamond with a diamond nail file if you went at it in the correct direction.

 

[Dancing Fire]

No, unless we're talking about diamond sandpaper. You could, for example, scratch a diamond with a diamond nail file if you went at it in the correct direction.

Neil
so, if my diamond does not come in contact with another diamond it can never be scratched, right?

 

[kenny]

You should only scratch your diamond when it itches.

But just like a mosquito bite you shouldn't scratch too much or it may bleed.
I think that's where the term blood diamond came from.

 

[OoohShiny]

One of the tricky secrets of diamonds is that the hardness varies with direction. Hardness, in this case, means resistance to scratching, not resistance to chipping and the same surface of the same stone resists differently depending on the direction of attack. This is the key concept that makes it even possible to cut diamonds by the way. People scratch them by tossing them into jewelry boxes or putting them in bags with other diamonds.

Thanks for the info, DA

I assume that the only way one would know which direction is weakest is via some very expensive X-Ray or similar machine?

Is it a case of being easier to scratch 'along the grain', in the same way it's easier to cut meat or chop wood?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That is not true that diamonds are usually repolished before reselling. Only if the diamond was damaged would that be true. They can be chipped on the girdle and that would likely be more common than a scratch, I would think.

 

[Dancing Fire]

That is not true that diamonds are usually repolished before reselling. Only if the diamond was damaged would that be true. They can be chipped on the girdle and that would likely be more common than a scratch, I would think.

I'd understand it is possible to chip a stone if you hit a weak spot on the girdle. I'm just wondering is it possible to scratch a diamond w/o coming in contact with another diamond.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That is not true that diamonds are usually repolished before reselling. Only if the diamond was damaged would that be true. They can be chipped on the girdle and that would likely be more common than a scratch, I would think.

I'd understand it is possible to chip a stone if you hit a weak spot on the girdle. I'm just wondering is it possible to scratch a diamond w/o coming in contact with another diamond.

Oh, sure, I realize that. I was just saying that would be a more likely reason to need to repolish, but I know that none of the diamonds that I traded in needed to be repolished.

 

[MMtwo]

You should only scratch your diamond when it itches.

But just like a mosquito bite you shouldn't scratch too much or it may bleed.
I think that's where the term blood diamond came from.

Ever helpful.

 

[WinkHPD]

I do not think you will scratch a diamond unless it comes into contact with another diamond, and even then only if it comes into contact with some pressure.

I have only once had to have an upgraded diamond repolished, and that was for fire scale. The jeweler who set the diamond hit it with a torch for too long without proper insulation and burned one of the facets. The damage was fixed with only a minuscule loss of weight, less than a point, but the entire diamond had to be repolished to keep every facet in balance one with the other as it was a Crafted by Infinity diamond.

However, just to be sure that the diamond is indeed undamaged, each diamond traded up is sent back to AGS for a new paper. That way, even minor damage is discovered.

I believe I have read that White Flash and Brian Gavin do the same thing with their trade ups, and I suspect that most vendors also do it, but I do not have personal knowledge of their doing it.

Wink

 

[Dancing Fire]

However, just to be sure that the diamond is indeed undamaged, each diamond traded up is sent back to AGS for a new paper. That way, even minor damage is discovered.

I believe I have read that White Flash and Brian Gavin do the same thing with their trade ups, and I suspect that most vendors also do it, but I do not have personal knowledge of their doing it.

Wink

Wink
If the stone is undamaged do they (AGS) automatically assign the same color/clarity as the old report with the same #s ?

 

[WinkHPD]

However, just to be sure that the diamond is indeed undamaged, each diamond traded up is sent back to AGS for a new paper. That way, even minor damage is discovered.

I believe I have read that White Flash and Brian Gavin do the same thing with their trade ups, and I suspect that most vendors also do it, but I do not have personal knowledge of their doing it.

Wink

Wink
If the stone is undamaged do they (AGS) automatically assign the same color/clarity as the old report with the same #s ?

Honestly, I do not know. I can say that I have never had one change and that only one was discovered to have the slight damage.

Wink