How much is a diamond worth and why is it so precious?

It's well known that diamonds are highly prized gems. But how much is a diamond really worth, and why is it so valuable? The answer isn't simple, as natural, geological, aesthetic, and emotional factors influence the price.

Diamonds are so valuable because of their extreme rarity, dazzling beauty, and exceptional durability. But there is no fixed price, as each stone is unique. A diamond's value varies based on four key factors: color, clarity, cut, and weight (carat). Furthermore, all these factors, taken together, give them great emotional value.

In this article, we'll discover what makes a diamond so special, how much it costs, what determines a diamond's value, and how the type of diamond, its use in jewelry, and its colors influence it. We'll also discuss diamond prices, how they're calculated, and what differentiates them from other precious stones.

The origin of a treasure: how a diamond is formed

To understand how much a diamond is worth, it's essential to know its origin. Diamond is the purest and most crystallized form of carbon in nature, and stands out for having the hardest hardness of all known materials , with a value of 10 on the Mohs scale.

Diamonds are formed more than 160 km below the Earth's surface , under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature, at over 1,000 degrees Celsius. This process takes millions of years . Some diamonds found today are more than 3.3 billion years old. Natural diamonds are born under this combination of time, heat, pressure, and carbon.

But reaching them is no easy task: to find a single diamond, some 250 tons of rock must be removed. And even then, only 1 in 5 stones extracted will be of sufficient quality to be used in jewelry . Furthermore, during the polishing process, between 40% and 60% of the diamond's original volume can be lost. This fact already gives us a clue as to why diamonds are so valuable.

What determines the value of a diamond?

The price of diamonds is not random. It is determined by several key factors that explain both their value and their exclusivity in the jewelry world.

Its exclusive rarity

One of the main reasons diamonds are so precious is their rarity. Only 20% of diamonds mined from the ground are suitable for fine jewelry . The rest are used for industrial purposes. This makes each gem diamond a rare commodity.

Its formation only occurs in very specific geological zones of the planet, which further reduces its availability. Added to this is the extraction, sorting, and polishing process, which greatly limits the availability of gem-quality pieces.

Visual and emotional beauty

Few precious stones possess the brilliance and clarity of a well-cut diamond. This unique brilliance, along with its transparency and light reflection, make it a particularly attractive gem .

Beyond the visual aspect, its physical beauty goes hand in hand with a powerful emotional charge, especially present in engagement rings, which directly influences the price of the diamond and its demand.

Unparalleled durability

A diamond is not only beautiful, it's also virtually indestructible. With a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, it's the toughest material known , scratchable only by another diamond. Its durability makes it the ideal stone for jewelry that must stand the test of time.

Diamonds in jewelry: timeless elegance

Given their rarity and exceptional properties, diamonds are the most valued gems in fine jewelry , forming part of the "big four," along with emerald, ruby, and sapphire.

Diamonds elevate any design to a higher level of sophistication. But not all diamonds are created equal . Diamonds of the highest quality must be selected to ensure exceptional clarity and brilliance, elevating the beauty of the pieces to a higher level.

The 4 Cs of the diamond that determine its value

To value a diamond, the international system known as the “4 Cs” is used:

• Color : The most valuable diamonds are completely colorless, although intensely colored diamonds, such as red or blue, can fetch even higher prices due to their rarity.
• Clarity : Measures the impurities or inclusions within the diamond. The purer the diamond, the higher its value.
• Cut : Directly influences how the stone reflects light. A good cut maximizes brilliance.
• Carat (carat) : refers to the weight of the diamond. The greater the weight, the more valuable it is, although this is always in relation to the other characteristics.

At BIJOYA, we know that considering these four factors when selecting diamonds is key to achieving unique designs. That's why our jewelry, crafted in 18-karat gold, has that unique appearance, brilliance, and clarity .

A diamond isn't just an investment or a rare mineral: it's a style statement. This aesthetic characteristic makes them the preferred choice for engagement rings , earrings , or necklaces with a timeless character.

Colored diamonds: an even more exclusive universe

Although colorless diamonds are the most well-known, there are also naturally colored diamonds that owe their hues to chemical elements present in their formation.

For example, nitrogen can give rise to yellow diamonds, boron can produce blue diamonds, and extremely rare structural distortions can generate colors like pink or red.

Of all of them, the red variety is the rarest and most valuable . Only a few specimens are found each year worldwide, and when they do appear, they fetch astronomical prices.

In some cases, an intensely colored diamond can be worth more than a completely colorless one , due to its uniqueness and collector demand.

In summary

As we've seen, answering the question "how much is a diamond worth" requires understanding both its geological origins and its unique qualities.

Factors such as rarity, brilliance, clarity, color, and cut directly influence a diamond's price. Not only that: its emotional significance, its extreme durability, and its role in the history of jewelry make a diamond's value go far beyond its economic value.

At BIJOYA, the careful selection of diamonds for each piece allows us to offer jewelry that conveys elegance and enduring value. Because, for us, every detail is important.