• A diamond is an eternal classic for your wedding
  • The light travels through the diamond to give it its splendour
  • Antwerp, the diamond capital


The idea of offering a diamond ring as a sign of commitment is not particularly new. The Romans were known to exchange modest iron rings at their wedding, later moving on to gold. Read our article, which explains how the light affects the sparkle  of a diamond.

Rings fell out of favour for hundreds of years before coming back in the 12th century, when Pope Innocent III established new basic rules on weddings. Under his regime, all marriages were to take place in a church, and the bride was to receive a ring.

However, for many years, there were simply not enough diamonds on the world market, so diamond jewellery was rather scarce and expensive.

A diamond is an eternal classic for your wedding

Diamonds are the super stars among all other precious stones, the most sumptuous stones in the world. Diamonds are expertly cut and polished to maximise the stone's natural sparkle. Read this article about the different colours of diamond. A diamond may be blue, red or pink.

Diamonds derive their sparkle from three things: reflection, refraction and dispersion. Reflection is the light that strikes the diamond and bounces immediately, giving it an instant glow. Only a part of the light striking the diamond is reflected, the rest just goes through it.

The light travels through the diamond to give it its splendour

Light is scattered and fractured, creating the sparkle for which diamonds are known. This is called refraction. In essence, diamonds are tiny prisms; the light enters from above, then spreads inside the diamond before exiting through its surface. This creates a rainbow effect (dispersion) and adds sparkle to the diamond.

This refraction and dispersion also creates natural light and dark areas in the refracted light, depending on where the light hits the diamond's planes. It's like a candle, where the flame always appears brighter in a dark room than in a lighted room.

It all boils down to a contrast; a diamond without contrast could shine just as brightly, but its lustre is much less impressive.

Antwerp, the diamond capital

The city of Antwerp is known globally as the world diamond capital; it's the ideal place to buy beautiful set or raw diamonds. The diamond trade in Antwerp began nearly 500 years ago when the first raw stones were imported from India.

Gradually, local diamond dealers gained importance with their attention to retailing. Founded in 1973, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) is one of the most renowned global private companies that officially represents and coordinates the diamond sector in Antwerp.

If you have any questions regarding the purchase of diamonds, contact BAUNAT specialist consultants now. Check out the BAUNAT website to discover diamond wedding rings at the best quality/price ratio.

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