Values n' Life

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Unique Diamonds

DIAMOND. The mere mention of the word fills the mind with a multitude of concepts and images. Diamond is a mineral, a natural crystalline substance, the transparent form of pure carbon. Diamond is something superb, the peerless "king of gems" that glitters, dazzles, and symbolizes purity and strength. Diamond is for engagement and the 75th wedding anniversary, for a commitment to never-ending love. Diamond is indomitable, the hardest surface known. Diamond is exotic, formed in Earth's interior and shot to the surface by extraordinary volcanoes. Diamond is a shape. Diamond is distinctly different from its close cousins the common mineral graphite and lonsdaleite, both of which are also composed of carbon. Why is diamond the hardest surface known while graphite is exceedingly soft? Why is diamond transparent while graphite is opaque and metallic black? What is it that makes diamond so unique?
The key to these questions lie in diamond's particular arrangement of carbon atoms or its crystal structure--the feature that defines any mineral's fundamental properties. A crystal is a solid body formed from the bonding of atomic elements or compounds in a repeating arrangement. Often, crystals possess smooth external faces. Due to their symmetrical and finite nature, the building blocks of crystals are limited to relatively small numbers of atoms, and their chemical compositions to simple numerical combinations of elements.Diamond is renowned for its hardness. Hardness is the measure of a substance's resistance to being scratched, and only a diamond can scratch another diamond. Diamond is the hardest substance known.
Hardness is not the only measure of a mineral's durability--the relative resistance to fracture is another. Although diamond is not fragile or prone to breaking apart, all substances including diamond can fracture or shatter. Due to its particular crystal structure, diamond has certain planes of weakness along which it can be split. Diamond is said to have perfect cleavage in four different directions, meaning it will separate neatly along these lines rather than in a jagged or irregular fashion. This is because the diamond crystal has fewer chemical bonds along the plane of its octahedral face than in other directions. Diamond cutters take advantage of cleavage to fashion diamonds efficiently. Diamonds are valuable not because they are like other rocks, but because they are different.
The Diamond signifiy strength. The diamond in the ring signify strength in a relationship, strong love valued like a precious stone.
They have a peculiar way of adding to the beauty of rings. They sparkle in response to their contact with light. DIAMONDS are forever, it can never be broken it represents love that will last forever. We, like diamonds are unique; and its that uniqueness that makes us special. We are special because we are different, not because we are like everyone else.

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