The history of diamonds

It has been said that diamonds are forever and also a girl's best friend, but now there's a new angle to diamonds.

For centuries diamonds have been cut in a variety of shapes, the most popular being round. For approximately the last 100 years, the 58 facet diamond has been the popular cut, but today due to a revolutionary breakthrough in the art of diamond cutting, diamonds are exhibiting greater brilliance.

Some years ago, two third generation Amsterdam diamond cutters, James and Henry Huisman believed it was time for a change. Over a number of years they designed and developed a method of diamond cutting with not only 144 facets but with new and precise angles on the pavilion, or bottom facets. Because of its parabolic effect, the light that emerges from the table or top, of a Bluefire diamond, is in a concentrated zone like a spotlight, creating greater brilliance.

International optical experts Carl Zeiss Inc, who also make cameras, binoculars and lenses for NASA's interplanetary missions, tested a range of ordinary 58 faceted diamonds and the Bluefire 144 faceted diamonds for almost 2 years and determined that on average the Bluefire 144 faceted diamonds had 32% greater brilliance. Subsequent to the report, this method of diamond cutting was patented in most countries in the world.

Although more brilliant than ordinary cut diamonds, Bluefire 144 diamonds are competitively priced with ordinary cut diamonds.