What is a diamond?

Before we delve too deep into all the various aspects of diamonds (the four C’s, how they are measured, how we chose replacements, etc.), I thought we should start out with a little bit of history. What exactly is a diamond? 

Physically:

A diamond is a precious stone formed from an essentially colorless crystalline form of pure carbon. Interestingly, diamond and graphite are both pure forms of carbon. They are allotropes, or pure forms of the same element that differ in structure. Graphite is very soft, opaque and metallic black in color while diamond is transparent and the hardest substance known today. It’s interesting how the crystal structure of a mineral can change the properties so drastically!

Example of a Mine Entrance

Diamonds are originally formed at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers in the Earth’s mantle. These depths provide the high-pressure and high-temperature conditions needed to maintain the growth of the carbon minerals, which will take over 1 billion years. They are brought to the surface in a type of igneous rock known as kimberlite which is found in former spheres of volcanic activity. The most common place to find kimberlite is near mountain ranges, in vertical shafts that extend deep into the earth. This is why you find so many mines near mountains! If you’ve ever visited the Rocky Mountains in Colorado you will have seen plenty!

Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness

Diamonds are thought to have been originally discovered in riverbeds in India over 6000 years ago and were traded across countries during the medieval times. The Chinese were the first to recognize the amazing strength of the diamond and began using it to cut other stones.

The Mohs scale is a hardness rating system developed in 1822 by Austrian Friedreich Mohs as a standard for mineral identification. It compares different minerals ability to resist scratches. On this scale, harder minerals with a higher number can scratch those with a lower number. Based on this, diamond is 4 times stronger than corundum, the next strongest mineral listed!  

Symbolically:

Well now we know a little more about the history of a diamond, but what about its presence in society? The word ‘diamond’ stems from the Greek word adámas, which has translations of ‘unbreakable’, ‘invincible’ or ‘unconquerable’ and is a variant of Latin adamans, from the base of the English word ‘adamant’.

The diamond has long been a fascinating presence in the world and when first discovered was thought to be magical. Because they were so rare, it became common superstition that the diamond lent its wearer special powers. Diamonds would be worn to battle to ensure victory, used as medical antidotes, placed in mouths to bring on loss of teeth and ground into powder to use as a poison. 

 

The diamond has historically been used as the gem of choice for engagement rings though. In medieval times the Italians called it the Pietra della Reconciliazone or ‘stone of reconciliation’ because it symbolized the upheld agreement between husband and wife.

Today we approach diamonds with a little less superstition but no less reverence! There are many uses for diamonds in current society. Although normally of a lower grade than the traditional gemstone market, diamonds can be found in many industries today. Diamond tools last much longer than those made from other sources and offer a nearly unmatched precision in cutting other substances. Automobile and aircraft manufacturers have long used diamond-based tools as well as the mirror and optical fields. Oil and gas drilling, textile and construction industries and the medical field are also all in on the durability of the diamond as a tool. They were also used to make needles for record players!

As you can see, diamonds have a much more versatile history than we generally take into consideration as we admire them.  They’ve been a fascination to society for centuries and continue to be a symbol of love and commitment throughout the world. 

You can find out more about diamonds or buy some of your own by
browsing our jewelry website
www.replaceonline.com

Television Measurements and Aspect Ratios

Determining the correct replacement television on a claim can be an adventure in itself. There are many aspects to consider when speaking to an insured about their television. One of the hurdles ReSource faces with determining like kind and quality product is explaining the difference between older cathode-ray tube (CRT) or “tube” television’s and newer widescreen versions. Here are the basics to get us started!

Television Measurements (diagonal dimensions)

Most television’s are sized in terms of the diagonal measurement of the screen. A “60 inch Television” would have a measurement of 60 inches from one corner to its opposite diagonal corner. Measuring in this format allows for consistent comparison of screen area regardless of the screen shape.

On new widescreen televisions (such as LCD, Plasma, and LED models) the measurement is taken from the corners of the screen’s display area. This gives the size of what you are actually able to see, the viewable part of the screen. 

Older CRT televisions or “tube” televisions are generally measured diagonally from the corners of the tube. This can be misleading due to the fact that the tube is usually larger than the actual viewable area of the screen. So your 40” tube television may only have a 36” viewable screen.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height. This is expressed as two numbers separated by a colon (for example x:y) and pronounced "x-to-y” or “x-by-y.”

Traditional CRT televisions have an aspect ratio of 4:3 which has been around since the inception of television. The image is 3/4ths as tall as it is wide. This denotes a “standard” screen and it is almost square in shape.

LCD, Plasma, and LED televisions are considered “widescreen.” Widescreens usually have an aspect ratio of 16:9; they are much wider than they are tall.  

4:3 Aspect Ratio (old broadcast format)

16:9 Aspect Ratio (new broadcast format)

When viewing wide-screen HDTV content (the broadcasting standard as of 9/9/2009) on a 4:3 television the material will often be “letterboxed.” You might recognize this format from buying “widescreen” movies which show the mattes (black bars) above and below the image while viewing. Letterboxing reduces larger ratio images to fit smaller ratio screens; the visual height of the content is reduced to show the entire image on screen.

 

Example of Letterboxing

These are a couple of the aspects considered when looking at moving someone from a CRT television to a newer model. In essence, when viewing the new HDTV broadcast signal on your television, a 29.37” widescreen television would give you the same viewing height as a 32” CRT television, but with 1.04” more viewing width!

The correct replacement screen size can also be determined by using a Screen Size Comparison Calculator found online.