Diamond
Whether you're looking for the perfect engagement diamond, or you just want to know exactly what the fifth C is, our fun, informative guide has all the answers.
Diamond Introduction
Whether you’re looking for the perfect engagement diamond, or just want to know exactly what the fifth C is, our fun, informative guide has all the answers.
Color
D-E-F: Colorless. This is the colorless diamond group. They are common enough to be found in any store, but still command the highest prices. D and E show virtually no color and are clear like glass. F starts to show the very slightest of color and is the transitional color to the next group.
G-H-I: Near colorless. This is the near colorless group. If you are looking for value when you shop, ask to see stones from this group. These diamonds begin to exhibit a very light shade of color, but it is hard to detect in mounted stones.
J-K-L-M: Faint yellow. This is the group that begins to show slight yellow color which may be noticeable from the top of the stone and even more from the sides.
N-R: Very light yellow. Diamonds in the N-R group show yellow color even when mounted in jewelry. Determining the exact color of a diamond in this group is not important since their prices are similar. Certificates for diamonds in the N-R group are uncommon because of their relatively low price.
S-Z: Light yellow. Diamonds in this group show substantial color when loose or mounted. Although prices for S-W range are the same, and bring the lowest price in the colorless-yellow market, diamonds around the X-Y-Z range and lower are rare and have a very appealing yellow color causing their price to rise (fancy yellow). The stronger the yellow, the higher the price. Fancy yellow diamonds can command prices as high as "D" colors or more.
Brown Color Group
Brown diamonds are simply colorless diamonds that have a tint of brownish body color. The brown group is cheaper than any other group simply because they have fallen out of favor with the public. The D-Z color scale only considers white and yellow diamonds, so brown stones are not represented in it.. Brown diamonds have a scale of their own, called "brown shades," but defining an accurate price can be difficult.
The common shades are: Very light brown, Light brown, Brown and Dark brown. A common way to pin a price on a brown diamond in the trade is to compare its color to the Colorless - Light yellow group as follows:
Very light brown, comparable in price to the G-H-I color group.
Light brown, compare to the J-K-L-M color group.
Brown, falls in line with the N-R color group.
Dark brown, think the S-Z color group.
Fluorescence
Fluorescence is an effect that causes a diamond to glow under ultra violet light (UV). 50% of diamonds have fluorescence. The glowing is usually in the color of blue, but occasionally other colors are noticeable - predominantly yellow. Strong fluorescence can cause a diamond to look "hazy" or less transparent in the highest colors of diamonds - D and E. All other grades of fluorescence don't have much of an affect on the diamonds appearance. Some fluorescence is desirable. Very low colored diamonds - L-M-N group will look "whiter" or of higher color when and if they have a strong fluorescence. The only fluorescence we recommend to avoid is a very strong blue in a D or E colored diamond. We have over 4000 loose diamonds so we are sure one without much fluorescence can be found.
The following are the possible grades given to fluorescence:
None – Faint – Medium – Strong – Very Strong
All certificates denote the diamond’s fluorescence as well as color.
Clarity
Clarity is another important issue to consider when buying a diamond. A diamond’s clarity can be affected by two types of flaws.
Internal flaws are any of the many impurities that reside solely in the interior of the diamond. There are many kinds of internal flaws. A few important ones that you should familiarize yourself with are:
Crystal: Internal carbon or minute diamond crystal.
Couds: Clouds are microscopic inclusions.
Feather: White wisps or lines in the diamond.
The clarity grading common scale used is based on 10-power magnification (hand held loupe or microscope). This means that for all practical purposes, any imperfection that is too small to be seen with x10 magnification does not “exist” when grading a diamond.
The clarity scale: The purer a diamond, the greater its value. The GIA defines the qualifications for each group in the scale as follows:
Internally flawless (and flawless) group: FL-IF
The highest clarity grade given. “The diamond in question will be without imperfections visible with x10 magnification. Some blemishes may be permitted externally bringing the stone to a clarity of “IF” or Internally Flawless”.
Very slightly included group: VVS1 and VVs2
The VVS group is divided into two, VVS1 and VVS2: “The VVS inclusion in question will be very hard to detect, even for an experienced examiner using x10 power magnification”.
VVS1: These diamonds are very close to being Internally flawless. Only a minute imperfection, that is almost impossible to detect under magnification, lowers it to a VVS1 grade.
VVS2: Great buys for people who would like a flawless diamond but would rather not pay the high price. It is very hard for a novice to see the imperfection in this diamond even under magnification.
Very slight included group: VS1 and VS2
The definition of this group is as follows: “The VS inclusion in question will be hard to detect, even for an experienced examiner using x10 power magnification”.
VS1: Have imperfections that are very hard to detect with a jewelers loupe. These diamonds are much cheaper than the IF-VVS2 range and are very popular.
VS2: Considered to be without significant inclusions. They are the most popular in the VS2-IF range. A beginner would find it very hard to detect the imperfection with the aid of a jewelers loupe.
Slightly included group: SI1, SI2 and SI3
The majority of engagement diamonds bought today are of the SI range: “Inclusions and imperfections in this group may be visible easily with the aid of x10 magnification”. SI3, a relatively new grade added by some laboratories to bridge the very wide gap between SI2 and I1 (imperfect).
SI1: Can be seen easily with x10 magnification. Cannot be viewed with the naked eye. This is the most popular clarity today. These diamonds are 100% eye clean, so for all practical purposes when in a ring they will look to absolutely clean with no imperfections.
SI2: Can be seen easily with x10 magnification. In some cases the SI2 can be viewed with the naked eye - especially if the SI2 is in the center of the diamond. A SI2 off to the side of the diamond is harder (if not impossible) to see with the naked eye. If the SI2 is up against the side of the diamond it can be covered with the prongs of the jewelry, leaving you with a "clean" diamond for a lot less than a SI1.
SI3: Can be seen very easily with x10 magnification. In most cases (stones above 3/4 of a carat) can be viewed with the naked eye. This grade is not recognized by the GIA and thus we do not sell them. Other less strict labs do use this grade.
Imperfect group:
I1, I2 and I3 The imperfect group is the final group on the diamond scale: "Flaws in diamonds from this category are visible with the naked eye".
I1: Diamonds in the I1 range are still pleasing to the eye. The imperfection is not large enough to take away from the general brilliance of the stone. In many cases the I1 impurity is off to the side of the diamond and can be covered up quite nicely by the rings prongs thus leaving you with a "clean" diamond for a very reasonable price. This is the lowest clarity grade we sell.
I2: Diamonds in the I2 range have large imperfections that in some cases cover a substantial portion of the stone. They are also easily visible to the naked eye. We do not sell I2 quality diamonds.
I3: If you're shopping for "rejection grade" diamonds, this is the group for you. These diamonds are so heavily included that they have essentially lost any appeal, or "life". We do not sell I3 quality diamonds.
Shapes
Almost all diamonds today are a variation of the "brilliant cut diamond". Brilliant cut refers to the specific way the diamond was cut - number and direction of the facets. The most common "brilliant" diamond is the round shape. More than 40% of all diamonds today are round diamonds. The round diamond is the most popular and has spun the Ideal cut diamond. Ideal cuts are diamonds that are cut to maximize the light returning to the viewers eye. At this point only round diamonds have a standard for ideal cuts. Ideal cut diamonds cost the most due to higher manufacturing costs and the fact that one must use more rough material to cut them. At Scheiner Diamonds we have over 800 ideal diamonds in stock.
The common shapes of diamonds on the market today according to their relative value are: Round, Marquise, Pear, Oval, Heart, Princess, Emerald and Radiant.
Prices vary for 2 reasons: Cutting certain stones is more wasteful than others. The cuts that yield less from the rough material cost more when polished. Supply and demand. Diamond cuts go in and out of fashion. When “hearts” are hot, the price goes up.
First and foremost; trust your taste. This may sound flip, but many people have purchased diamonds according to “fashions” or “Aunt Mary’s” advice only to regret it later. There are no rules. You may like a heart shaped diamond even though they are the least common shape sold today.
Look at the top. After all, this is the view you will have of the diamond for the rest of your life. Of course you need to inspect the entire diamond, but give the “face-up” its due. Well cut rounds, pears, ovals, hearts and marquise will display more brilliance than will radiant, emerald or princess diamonds. Although, to some shoppers, emerald cuts display a unique elegant look.
What shape is best for your hand? Certain cuts can either lengthen or widen the look of your fingers. A long looking diamond (marquise, emerald cut) set lengthwise will make your hand look longer. A longish stone running across your finger creates a wider and shorter appearance.
Cut Quality
To get maximum brilliance, fire, and ultimately "life" out of a diamond it must be cut to certain dimensions. Cutters must carefully consider each stone's optical properties to determine the optimum cut to give that diamond its "life". Each dimension is examined before qualifying for one of the five cut qualities:
(Ideal) - Very good - Good - Fair – Poor
In a well cut diamond, most of the light entering the diamond from the top will bounce off the inner walls of the stone refracting back up through the crown, to give the viewer maximum brilliance and fire.
In diamonds which are cut either too shallow or too deep, a substantial amount of light is lost through the bottom part of the diamond. This results in less light returning through the upper part of the stone to the viewer's eye - thus less beauty.
When evaluating cut quality, there are 3 physical features of the diamond that you must know. All 3 are in relation to the stone's diameter, in rounds, and in relation to the stones width for all other shapes.
1.Total depth percentage
This is the main factor in determining the life and brilliance of the diamond (shallow or deep stones will not look good - see diagrams above). The height of the stone is divided by the diameter in rounds or by the width in all other shapes. Ideal round diamonds should have a depth of 59%-62.5%. This is a relatively narrow range that has been proven to produce the best "brilliance" from the diamond. Brilliance is the light that is reflected back to the viewers eye. Flat and heavy cut diamonds will loose light through the bottom and sides of the diamond thus reflecting less light to the viewers eye. You can refer to our check list tables to see the range of depth percentages for all cut qualities. As we have mentioned only round diamonds have an "Ideal" range for depth%. Other shape's maximum depth% is "very good".
2. Table percentage (%)
The table is the big facet on the top part of the diamond. In rounds it is measured as follows: a/c x 100 = table %. Very big or very small tables will harm the stone's beauty. Only round diamonds have a standard for table size. Cut quality in all other shapes is more dependent on depth, girdle and length to width ratio.
In round diamonds for a diamond to be recognized as an "Ideal cut" the table must be relatively small. It must fall between 53% and 57%. Calculations have shown that tables in this range produce the greatest "fire" effect in the diamond. "Fire" is the reflection of light back to the viewers eye that produces the rainbow colors that are seen. Ideal diamonds have more of the "fire" effect than other cut diamonds. You can refer to our check list tables to see the range of tables for all cut qualities.
3. Girdle thickness
This is the part of the diamond that connects the bottom and top, and reveals the stone's quality of cut. The best girdle range for a diamond to fit in the "Ideal cut category for rounds" is anywhere between "Thin" and "Slightly Thick". This means that a girdle could be Thin, Medium, Slightly thick or any combination of the three, such as "medium to slightly thick". Extremely thick girdles are signs of bad cutting and should be bought cheaper. Extremely thin girdles may be prone to damage and should be avoided if possible. You can refer to our check list tables to see what a girdle has to be to fit into any cut quality range.
The possible girdle grades are as follows: Extremely thin, Very thin, Thin, Medium, Slightly thick, Thick, Very thick and Extremely thick. A girdle can have a constant girdle all around and could be "Medium" only or it could have a range (like most diamonds do) such as "Medium to Slightly thick". There are 34 possible girdle combinations.
POLISH AND SYMMETRY:
Polish is determined by the quality of finish given to the diamond. Tiny blemishes, scratches or surface graining can all lower a diamonds polish grade. All polish grades are determined with aid of x 10 magnification.
Symmetry is determined by examining the positioning and alignment of the diamonds facets. The better the alignment of the facets the higher the grade of the symmetry
Carat Weight
A diamond's final price is based on two factors: The exact weight and the "price-per-carat".
CARAT WEIGHT: A carat is equal to 1/5 th of 1 gram, or 0.007 of an ounce.
PRICE PER CARAT: Multiply the price per carat dollar amount by the diamond’s weight for the total and final cost:
Weight x Price per Carat = Total Price
The "price per carat" is established by a four factor examination: weight, color and quality, cut quality, and shape.
Certificates
A certificate is a document containing the vital data about the diamond. It contains all the characteristics of the stone that will make up its value. Certificates do not contain any information regarding the monetary value of a diamond. Anyone can submit a diamond for certification.
Certificates are granted for a fee by laboratories or gemology institutes. The most important thing about these laboratories is that they provide an impartial examination. To get the most out of a certificate one must go over the other sections in this site, especially the "quality of cut" and "check list" sections.
The types of certificates that are used widely in the industry are :
GIA: Gemological Institute of America
AGS: American Gemological Society
EGL: European Gemological Laboratories
IGI: International Gemological Institute.
HRD: High diamond council.
The GIA is the leading certificate in the United States today.
ALL CERTIFICATES ARE DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING PARTS:
1. The number and date of certification.
2. Shape, weight and measurements (in millimeters) of the stone.
3. Proportions: These are the pure physical characteristics that will govern the stones quality as described in the “quality of cut” section. They include the total depth and table percentages. They include the girdle thickness, culet size and quality of finish (polish and symmetry). The possibilities for polish and symmetry are: Excellent – Very good – Good – Fair – Poor An excellent grade is rare.
Fair and Poor grades should be discounted. You should be looking for Very Good and Good grades for your diamond. The difference between Excellent and Very Good is very small, and either can receive an “Ideal” grade.
4. Color, clarity and fluorescence.
Color and clarity - This section offers the two major factors for price determination. Fluorescence is graded here: if strong in high colors, the diamond may have a hazy look, and should be cheaper. Clarity imperfections are mapped on a diagram for identification
THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT CERTIFICATES WHEN BUYING A DIAMOND: Always copy down relevant information from certificates or even ask for a photo copy when shopping, remember to compare "apples" to "apples". Try to match up similar diamonds, i.e shape, weight, color, clarity and cut quality. Also remember to match price per carat if diamonds do not weigh the same.
CONSULTATIONS AND THE GIA DIAMOND DOSSIER: A consultation is a "mini" certificate that states weight, dimensions, color and clarity only. Pay close attention to what is not on the consultation, and always try to get a written guarantee before purchasing.
THE DIAMOND DOSSIER: LASER INSCRIBED CODE ON DIAMONDS GRIDLE: This relatively new practice was adopted by the industry as the standard means of matching diamonds with their certificates. An identification number is branded onto the girdle with a laser beam, and can only be removed by complete re-polishing of the girdle. The dossier has been very successful in addressing authenticity issues.
The above information was sourced from
www.TheDiamond.com
.
Contact: info@thediamond.com
1-800-320-9670 / 212-967-9670
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