4 replies to this topic

[connie3]

My sister took her diamond in for cleaning and the jewelery store told her it has 2 cracks in it I did not know diamonds could crack.

[johnmcm]

There are natural flaws in all diamonds called inclusions some of which can look like cracks or chips. However a diamond will seldom if ever crack on it's own.

They can break but the diamond would have to have had serious flaws already in the diamond at the time of setting (setting would not cause it). If this was the case your friend may find the diamond broken when removed from the setting.

A partial deep crack that exists in a diamond is graded as a serious flaw and would only break under a great deal of pressure or given a very serious knock, but it does happen.

You may want to pull out the grade report and take the diamond back to the original vendor. Most reputable companies will have the stone examined and replace if it was bought in the past 90 days.

Hope that helped.

[Feydakin]

Diamonds can and do break for all sorts of reasons, some because of the natural structure of the diamond itself, and some because of an impact.. Something as simple as dropping the ring onto a ceramic tile floor could cause the stone to chip or crack.. We've also seen rings that have chipped from being dropped into a stainless steel sink..

While diamonds are the 'hardest substance on earth' they are also quite brittle.. They do not take direct impacts very well, especially diamonds with sharp corners like a princess cut or marquise..

[denverappraiser]

It’s pretty unusual for a new crack to appear, much less 2 of them. As Feydakin mentioned, diamonds are really pretty brittle but when they break, people will usually describe it as a chip or a nick (depending on the size of the break). If your sister is concerned that the stone may have been damaged while she has been wearing it, she should ask the jeweler to put his opinion in writing. This would be a valid claim with most insurance companies. If the jeweler won’t give a written and signed statement that the stone is damaged, take it to a different jeweler or to an appraiser who will. If she's concerned that the jeweler who sold it may have misrepresented something, she should seek out an independent appraiser who can compare the original documentation with the stone to decide if it's been damaged.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA

[jan]

Yes they can. However it may have had these all along if it was a diamond in the included grades. It's possible that there are cleavages in these lower grades. It is also very possible and sometimes quite easy to chip a diamond too.