Diamonds will burn at about 1562°F (850°C). House fires and jewelers' torches can reach that temperature. A house fire caused the white, cloudy appearance of this diamond (left). The stone was recut to remove the burned area, reducing the diamond's size, but leaving no sign that it was ever damaged (right).
What does a burnt diamond look like?
Burnt diamonds look almost like an ice skating rink's thick white ice. But this damage is only surface deep! We can polish your diamonds and they will look like new. Expect a small amount of weight loss, usually about 3 – 5%, depending upon the depth of the diamond burn.
Why can't you light a diamond on fire?
The presence of strong atomic bonds in diamond means that it takes a lot of energy to rip apart the carbon atoms in diamond in order to free them up to burn with oxygen. As a result, it takes a higher temperature to burn diamond than to burn wood.
Can diamonds melt in a house fire?
Even without pure oxygen, diamonds can be damaged by flame, according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Typically, a diamond caught in a house fire or by an overzealous jeweler's torch will not go up in smoke, but instead will combust on the surface enough to look cloudy and white.
Do diamonds melt in cremation?
The answer is no. As many people know, diamonds are composed of carbon. Since cremation furnaces must burn between 1600 and 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and carbon burns at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, there is no carbon left after a body is cremated.
How fast do diamonds decay?
A diamond, like the kind found in an standard size engagement ring, 1/2 to 1 carat would take billions of years or more to totally convert itself into graphite. While diamonds don't technically last forever, they will outlast us, our planet and perhaps most of the universe.
How long will a diamond last?
You see, all the Diamonds in the Jewelry Stores Today were Created Billions of years ago. So for a Diamond to Last for a Billion Years, that Pretty Much says “YES, Diamonds DO Last Forever!” After all, Diamonds are the Hardest Known Substance made in Nature (a 10 on the Moh's Scale).
Can ultraviolet light destroy a diamond?
Researchers at Macquarie University in Australia published a paper in 2011 proving that diamonds exposed to intense UV radiation will simply evaporate. This process, like the degradation of diamond into graphite, happens at an imperceptible rate under normal environmental conditions.
What is the lifespan of a diamond?
Diamonds do not last forever. Diamonds degrade to graphite, because graphite is a lower-energy configuration under typical conditions. Diamond (the stuff in wedding rings) and graphite (the stuff in pencils) are both crystalline forms of pure carbon.
Do diamonds rot?
A diamond's molecular structure is incredibly robust and unless the diamond gets really, really hot, it will retain its structure indefinitely. Diamonds are not immune to this process as they eventually degrade into graphite. That's right, diamonds decay into the same substance that is in the middle of your #2 pencil.
How old is the youngest diamond?
900 million years old
Can diamonds last forever?
Lab-grown diamonds exhibit the same properties as mined diamonds, so you can rest assured that they will be identical to mined in terms of their durability. With proper care and treatment, diamonds CAN last forever, and are a gemstone worthy of investment.
