Can diamonds break?
Diamonds are known as the hardest natural substance known to man and their ability to resist scratch and abrasion. They’re also valued for their beauty, rarity, and durability.
Durability is the ability of a gemstone to withstand wear, heat, and chemicals. It consists of three properties: hardness, toughness and stability.
But diamonds are not resistant to damage since their hardness is uneven along different crystal directions. They’re vulnerable to chipping, fracturing or even breaking apart along their cleavage lines.
Hardness
Diamonds are the hardest natural mineral known on both the Mohs and Knoop scales. Its hardness is a result of its compact crystal structure and it has an indention or scratch hardness that is five times than carbides.
It’s relatively brittle and it will chip or fracture if it's not handled and protected against shock.
Toughness
Diamonds can chip or fracture from hard impact, especially in the cleavage planes where the carbon atoms are not bonded.
They used the fracture toughness scale to measures the work required to separate the two surfaces of a crystal along a certain crystallographic plane.
Stability
Diamonds are very stable and invulnerable to all acids and they can also withstand higher temperatures than most gemstones. But sudden extreme changes in temperature can cause damage.
How to minimise the risk of diamond chipping
Chips occur when the girdle of your diamond strikes something hard. Here are some tips to avoid your diamonds from chipping.
• Avoid shapes with a point or sharp corners • Avoid girdles with very thin sections • Choose a setting that protects the diamond • Inspect prongs for damage • Don’t wear diamonds that have already chipped
How to fix a broken diamond
If you notice a scratch, fracture, or chip on your diamond, visit your jeweller as much as possible.
Once you’re there, here are some options.
Recut
The first option is to recut the stone. The jeweller will remove the broken section and reshape your diamond into the desired cut. This means that your diamond will be smaller than it was, but the sparkle will remain.
Once a diamond is recut, it needs to be recertified.
Resetting
Resetting your stone can hide a small chip or insignificant damage. This is the most cost-effective way, but it does work best if the break in your ring is minimal.
For example, if your yellow diamond rings have a round stone, a jeweller can turn it around so that the chipped area is hidden by a prong.
Replacement
The final option is to replace your stone. This can sometimes be the easiest way to fix your diamond that has a large fracture or damage.
No matter which options you will choose, it’s very important that your diamonds are insured to protect it with these kinds of situations. Insurance can help you cover the cost of repairing and replacing a broken stone.
