Nothing symbolizes true love quite like a diamond – precious and everlasting – and it was this thought that heightened my excitement to learn more about these natural wonders and why we are so enamoured by them. I was so thrilled to be invited to an exclusive Diamond Masterclass held by the world’s leading diamond company – Forevermark in Mumbai especially for bloggers and was eager to learn new and interesting facts about diamonds.

 I also got a chance to try on some of the stunning Forevermark diamond jewellery on display at the event,have a look at the pictures, as I styled some of my favourite pieces. I literally felt like a million bucks adorning their stunning diamond jewellery.

  At the Masterclass we learnt a lot about the history of diamonds, background of Forvermark and how their diamonds are selected. Beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced, each Forevermark diamond carries a promise of it’s own, hand-selected for their beauty and rarity; each is genuine, untreated and natural.

      A little about what we learnt about the history of diamonds -Long ago when the earth was being formed, the intense temperatures and pressure build-up caused something magical to happen deep beneath the surface – carbon transformed into diamonds. There they waited, cooling down until a magma host called Kimberlite brought these rare beauties to the surface. The oldest diamonds are somewhere between 1 and 1.25 billion years old.

Ever since the first discovery of diamonds in India in 800 BC, they have been cloaked in mystery. The Greeks believed they were tears from the gods, and the Romans thought they were shards from the stars. The rich and powerful wanted to get their hands on these indestructible rarities, as they were thought to ward off evil spirits and bad health.

But it wasn’t until the discovery of large deposits in Africa in the early 20th century that diamonds really gained popularity. After the Second World War, in 1947, De Beers launched an ad campaign and the slogan “a diamond is forever.” Almost overnight, diamonds became the stuff of legend, inspiring fashion, movies, songs and much more around the world.

    Forevermark offers the world’s most carefully selected diamonds. Their strict selection process goes beyond the traditional 4Cs to include exceptional beauty, quality and integrity standards. Less than one per cent of the world’s diamonds are worthy of the Forevermark inscription. The unique inscription is an assurance that every Forevermark diamond is beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced.

First piloted in Hong Kong in 2004, Forevermark was launched as a wholly-owned subsidiary by The De Beers Group of Companies in 2008, leveraging over 125 years of diamond expertise. Today, Forevermark is distributed in more than 1,700 doors worldwide and continues to grow with the addition of new licensee markets and the expansion across existing core markets.

   With highly advanced technology, each Forevermark diamond is inscribed with an icon and a unique number in testimony of its promise of best quality, rarity and that it is responsibly sourced. Invisible to the naked eye, the inscription can only be seen by using specialized equipment unique to Authorised Forevermark Jewellers.

   We learnt that every diamond must be sorted by the famous four Cs: Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat but Forevermark goes beyond the standard 4Cs to select diamonds that are among the most beautiful in the world. A Forevermark diamond is assessed not only against the standard 4Cs but also against a number of criteria that can have a significant effect upon the beauty of a diamond.

                    

          

It was interesting to note the difference between a natural untreated diamonds like Forevermark, mined diamonds that are processed (permanent) and treated (not permanent) ,as well as Synthetic diamonds, that are made in a lab; they are man-made, using intense pressure and similar raw materials to those found in nature, but these are not permanent.

We also learnt interesting facts about the difference between diamonds and Cubic Zirconia ( commonly referred to as American diamonds) and Moissanite.

Firstly, they insist that all rough diamonds come from trusted sources and are responsibly sourced. In addition, only those that are of superior quality will be eligible. Rough diamonds that have large inclusions are rejected as there must be no significant inclusions that may affect refraction of light. Those with a cloudy, milky or hazy appearance are also rejected as the diamond’s brilliance is diminished. Some other features can only be seen once the diamond has been cut and polished. Those with a muddy appearance, internal graining and fluorescence are rejected as they all impact on the diamond’s beauty.

   Forevermark rejects diamonds that have been forced on the polishing wheel against their natural direction. As that would burn the diamond, affecting its transparency and ability to reflect light. Lasers used in the polishing process can accidentally damage the diamond and any penetrative laser holes are grounds for rejection. They also understand that the beauty of a polished diamond resides in its power to reflect and refract light into a rainbow of colours. They demand a perfect mirror-like polished table – nothing less will suffice.

One of the highlights of the Masterclass was the stunning sight of this 10 Karat Forevermark diamond as it beautifully reflected white light into a rainbow of colours, it was real spectacle.

   Their  cutting and polishing standards are far stricter than the industry norm. Diamonds that have been cut with a thin girdle, shallow crown, or steep pavilion are rejected as it makes the diamonds vulnerable to abrasions, chipping and breakage. Diamonds with a girdle too thick are rejected as they carry too much weight, affecting its proportions and diminishing its beauty.

Only the world’s leading Diamantaires are able to cut and polish a Forevermark diamond. Their expert craftsmanship and ability to meet Forevermark’s exacting standards of polish symmetry and proportions result in a Forevermark diamond being crafted to magnify its beauty and brilliance.

At each stage of the diamond’s journey, from its discovery and liberation from the depths of the Earth, to the selection of the rough to the cutting and polishing by the world’s finest master craftsmen, only the most exceptional and beautiful diamond will make it through.

Their diamonds are beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced. Each one embodies their values of integrity, opportunity for women and environmental stewardship.

 

The Forevermark Design and Innovation Centre based in Milan is a centre of excellence that uses market insight and jewellery expertise to develop exclusive jewellery designs with Forevermark diamonds at their core. The designs reflect market trends and provide Forevermark partners with further means to stimulate consumer demand. I had a chance to go through their book on 2016 Trends Forecast and gained some interesting insights on diamond jewelry trends too.

 

In addition to the assurance of exceptional beauty, rarity and responsible sourcing that Forevermark diamonds offer, Authorised Forevermark Jewellers are able to supply a Forevermark Diamond Grading Report to their customers which provides an accurate blueprint of the qualities – cut, colour, clarity and caratage of each Forevermark diamond.

Overall the Diamond Masterclass gave us in-depth insights into the sophisticated and complex process of finding a worthy Forevermark diamond, allowing us to fully appreciate and understand ‘The Forevermark Promise’.

Are you ready to experience the mystical, natural beauty of a Forevermark Diamond yourself?