Fascinating Facts About Diamonds Straight From Tiffany & Co's Chief Gemologist

Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but how much do you actually know about them? Beyond their blinding dazzle and swoon-worthy appeal, diamonds are more than just bling deep.

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For instance, did you know that a young diamond is about 900 million years old and an older diamond is around 3 billion years old? Or that there are more Picasso paintings in the world than there are colored diamonds?

Mind blown.

We learned those pearls of wisdom and more from Tiffany & Co.'s chief gemologist, Melvyn Kirtly. For over 30 years, Kirtly has worked with the luxury jewelry company and helped curate its world-renowned collection of gems. When we were asked if we wanted to pick his brain about all things diamonds, we obviously said, "I do."

Are there specific diamond cuts or shapes that make the stone look bigger than it really is?

Not really. But some cuts have a different look and effect on the finger depending on the setting. I think that can give the ring the appearance of looking bigger. Cuts like a pear shape, for instance, you get the lovely effect of elongating the finger with the point of the pear. And [when there are] small diamonds surrounding the center stone, it gives the ring more heft, more appeal, and a bigger sense of size. So, there are ways you can set a diamond that give it the appearance of being a little bigger. But it’s not an optical effect, it’s more about the overall setting.

Read the rest of this article at Huffingtonpost.