Rare, real & raw: A masterclass in natural diamonds

Diamonds are referred to as a woman’s best friend, owing to the intrinsic value and resonance it carries. Natural diamonds stand the test of time and carry the brilliance of something shaped by the earth and kept through generations. Which is why their allure lasts through generations and outlives trend and imitation. To look at a diamond is to see time solidified. A natural diamond forms under circumstances so precise they can never be recreated. Each one is a closed geography, crossing from earth time into human time, and once it enters our measure of time, it begins another life—worn, kept, passed on, inherited, and renewed

And these conditions of its making determine its brilliance and clarity, giving way to the fact how no two diamonds are the same. “As Shreyans Dholakia, Entrepreneur & Brand Custodian, Shree Ramkrishna Exports tells us, “What truly sets one natural diamond apart from another is its fire and scintillation—that inner life, that play of light which results from a perfect balance of cut and symmetry. You can have two stones with identical grades, but one just feels more alive. That sparkle, that character— it is something only nature can create and only a master craftsman can reveal.”

MEASURES OF LONGEVITY 

While technique is the foundation of diamond workshops and guides the hands of diamond craftsmen, intuition defines its endurance. Cut, colour, clarity, and carat, are the four measures a diamond's value rests on. A perfect cut reveals not just light, but depth. Colour adds another layer to this individuality. Some stones are clear, while others carry faint hues—pinks, blues, yellows—created by trace elements or shifts within the earth.

INDIA’S EMOTIONAL RESONANCE 

Barring the nitty gritties of techniques, natural diamonds have and will always be held at the helm of emotion and sentiment. They hold the spotlight in moments of celebration and change: a birthday, an inheritance, a promise, a beginning, and sometimes even an ending. That said, India stands as the authority on this subject. For Indians diamonds carry a legacy of continuity. From the fabled Golconda mines that once supplied to the treasuries of empires to jewels that travelled through royal courts—from the Mughals to the Maharajas of Jaipur and Patiala—natural diamonds have long been a mascot  of power, devotion, and permanence. 

Heirlooms remind us that what lasts is not just the jewel itself but the sense of belonging it gathers with every passing hand. They hold together people and moments that might otherwise drift apart, carrying signs of care, trust, and memory. The history of Indian diamonds is inseparable from story and succession. Take the long lauded history of the Koh-i-Noor for instance, once hidden in a Mughal emperor’s turban, was said to have been revealed when Nadir Shah demanded an exchange of headgear—another instance of a gesture turning conquest into inheritance. The tale lives on centuries later, indicating how the designs might change, but sentiment holds. Nodding onto the thought, Esshitha Guna, Creative Director and Founder of Andal, a fine-jewellery atelier in Hyderabad, shares, “Each natural diamond goes through a unique journey just like we humans do. Their process of evolving into their brightest form, at their own pace and natural setting unique to each diamond, is what holds its value. Which makes it irreplaceable!”

TILL ETERNITY 

A real diamond holds far more than what first meets the eye; its depth is what ensures longevity, standing firm against changing trends and evolving designs. To buy a diamond for oneself is an act of self-acknowledgement—a way of saying, ‘this is mine, this is me’. And perhaps what draws us back, again and again, is its light, that catches the eye and refuses to let go. It connects us to something larger than ourselves; a promise that beauty can still feel elemental. 

Disclaimer: The images and information presented are provided and shared by NDC.

All images: Border&Fall for Natural Diamond Council India

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