What you should know about Diamonds!




Understanding the Four C's: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat-Weight.

The following text and graphics were prepared with the consumer in mind in order to unravel the great mystery of HOW TO BUY A DIAMOND.
The plain truth, there is no great mystery and in about ten minutes you can possess as much knowledge as your typical retail sales person.

Diamonds are graded and valued by several different quality characteristics. DESIGN JEWELLERS uses the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.) grading system. This is A Piece of Mind... Information the world's most recognized system of evaluating a diamond's quality and value. Each of the grades discussed below describes a different aspect of a diamond. It is only the sum total of all the following characteristics that will determine if a diamond is a true gem or just commercial grade.

The first quality grade of a diamond is its color grade . Diamonds occur naturally in all spectral colors, from red to blue; however, the most commonly occurring colors are yellow and brown. The amount of color a diamond possesses corresponds to the alphabetical scale below, beginning with D and ending with Z (the originators of the system began with D in case a whiter diamond was later found).

Diamonds of a colorless grade in the D - F range are much more valuable than those in the L - P range, for example, because of the rarity of colorless diamonds. This is not to say that diamonds in the lower color range are not pretty as they can have just as much brilliancy and sparkle but with a stronger color tone. The affect of color on the cost of a diamond can be dramatic. Two diamonds of the same weight, clarity, size and shape can have a cost difference of over 100% if comparing say an F body color to a J body color. Note that color can only be graded accurately if the diamond is unmounted or 'loose'. It is highly recommended that a diamond be independently certified for its color as well as the other quality grades listed below. The color of your diamond will be a matter of personal taste. So if you don't like the color, spend more money!

As depicted above, the clarity scale ranges from F to I - 3. The entire scale can be divided in two, with diamonds possessing visible flaws on one side, and those which require 10-power magnification for the detection of defects on the other side. This division occurs between the I -1 clarity grade and the SI -2 clarity grade. The I - 2 and I - 3 clarity grades will generally exhibit an excess of imperfections, enough to dramatically reduce a diamond's brilliancy and sparkle; therefore, diamonds graded as such should not be considered for fine jewellery. However, it should be noted that one could find an I -1 clarity grade diamond in which flaws may be concealed by a prong or other feature of the setting. (Visible defects may later prove to be a problem if the diamond is to be reset.) As with color, diamond clarity is very much a matter of personal taste. So if you are bothered by a diamond's visible imperfections, spend more money!

The third characteristic to be graded is a diamond's weight . The weight of a diamond, as with all gemstones, is expressed in carats. The term " carat " originated from the seeds of the carob tree. These seeds are extremely uniform in weight which made them an ideal weight unit for the ancient gem traders. The weight of one carob seed was later standardized to1/5th of a gram; hence, a five-carat diamond weighs 1 gram and 155.51 carats equals one ounce. The one carat weight measurement can then broken down into 100 equal parts called "points", so that 75 points equals 3/4 of a carat, 50 points equals 1/2 of a carat, etc. To see Carat/weight chart click here

The significance of a diamond's weight, like the other quality grades, is a question of rarity. Out of 250 tons of diamond-bearing ore only a single one-carat diamond of gem quality may be found. Therefore, a 100-point diamond of VS-1 clarity and G body color is generally worth 20% more than an identical VS -1, G color diamond with a weight of .99 carats. Hence, a one-point difference in a diamond can make a huge difference in value! Furthermore, it is important to understand that the weight of a diamond and its physical size are two different things. If we again compare two VS -1, G quality grade, 100-point diamonds, we can see what a vast difference in value a diamond's cut can make. If one of these diamonds were to have the correct 6.5 millimeter diameter size, advisable for a 100-point diamond, and the second diamond had only a 5.5 millimeter diameter, the smaller, more poorly cut diamond would be worth more than 20% less.

The cut is the most important characteristic of a diamond because it determines how much light will be reflected and refracted back out of the gem to the eye of the observer. In other words, how pretty a diamond may be is largely determined by the cut. For the consumer it is generally easy to establish if a diamond is well cut and/or well proportioned. It is of course also a matter of one's personal tastes.

Generally speaking, if the size-to-weight ratio is correct the entire bottom side of the diamond will appear 'mirrored'. Conversely, if the cut has been poorly executed, even the highest 'quality' grade diamond will look lifeless. As an example, consider (drawing). Each of these diamonds has a weight of 1.00 carats. The ideally cut diamond in the at the left has a diameter measure of 6.5mm and thus, will reflect light to its optimum. The shallow cut model on the right measures 6.9mm in diameter. It has been cut too wide and too shallow for its weight and as a consequence the light will escape or 'leak' out the back or pavilion of the gem. The deeply cut diamond has been cut too narrow and too deep in relation to its 6.0mm diameter and .80 carat size. It too will leak light.

These diamonds are not cut this way because the cutter is unskilled. The cutter buys diamond just like you do, by the carat, and it's in his or her best interest to return the most carat weight possible in a finished diamond. Thus, you can see why it is so important to be aware of the significance of a diamond's cut and its relation to value, cost, and beauty.

Now that we have established the overall proportions of a diamond, we need to consider the basic components of the cut itself. These characteristics include the depth percentage, table percentage, crown angles, crown height, girdle thickness, pavilion depth, culet size, finish, symmetry and polish. This all sounds very complicated but the tables below do establish guidelines. Design jewellers provides this information for all of its listed diamonds and can offer further explanation of these individual quality grades in more detail.

HOW AND WHERE TO BUY A DIAMOND
Because every diamond has its own characteristics, and no two stones are exactly alike, knowledge of the diamond industry and the nature of diamonds requires years of extensive study. Consequently, it is absolutely vital that you purchase your diamond from a local jeweller who you know and trust. This should be someone who is established in the community and has earned an excellent reputation for integrity, service and reliability. Know the company with which you are dealing and ask questions like "can I return for service and advice in the future?" A reputable, experienced jeweller can explain why diamonds that appear to be virtually identical may vary widely in price. Let your jeweller counsel you in the same way you would a doctor, lawyer or accountant.