Education: Diamonds

Buying a diamond can be a confusing process. You should understand what makes a diamond valuable, so you can be sure your diamond is a good value. If you understand the following aspects of diamond grading, you will be well on the way to choosing the best quality diamond for your budget. Make sure you also read about certification for your diamond.

Cut

The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions. Of the 4C's, the cut is the aspect most directly influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature. Quite often the cut of a diamond is confused with its shape. Diamonds are cut into various shapes, depending upon the original form of the rough. Whatever the shape, a well-cut diamond is better able to reflect light.

A diamond's ability to reflect light determines its display of fire and brilliance. Diamonds are usually cut with 58 facets. These facets follow a mathematical formula and are placed at precise angles in relation to each other. This relationship is designed to maximize the amount of light reflected through the diamond and to increase its beauty.

Ideal
When a diamond is cut to proper proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone.

Deep
When the cut of a diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion.

Shallow
When the cut of a diamond is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.

The cut, or proportions, of a diamond is measured in percentages relative to the diameter of it's girdle. The girdle diameter of each diamond is always considered 100%.The table and depth percentages are the key to determining good proportions.

Color

The best color is no color. Diamonds allow light to be reflected and dispersed as a rainbow of color. This light dispersion has no effect on the technical grading of color.

The absolute finest colorless stone carries a D rating, descending through the alphabet to Z, designating a diamond of light yellow or brown. These gradations are so minute and precise that discerning a single grade (even by an expert) under less than ideal laboratory conditions is virtually impossible.

It is often surprising to learn that diamonds also occur by rare accidents of nature in shades of pink, blue, green, amber or even red. These rare occurring colors are referred to as fancies and are evaluated by a different set of color standards.

Clarity

Almost all diamonds contain very tiny natural birthmarks known as inclusions.

To determine a diamond's clarity, an expert views it under powerful magnification. The fewer the inclusions, the rarer and more valuable the diamond. Many inclusions are not discernable to the naked eye and require magnification to become apparent.

A laboratory-certified-clarity rating of SI2 represents the point at which inclusions are technically not visible to the naked eye. Clarity is graded, using a very precise and complex method of evaluating the size, location and visibility of inclusions.

Carat-Weight

The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats. The word carat originated from the carob tree or Ceratonia siliqua. The tiny seeds of this tree are well known for their uniformity and consistent weight. Traditionally diamonds and gemstones were weighed against these seeds until the system was standardized, and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams.

One carat is divided into 100 points. A diamond weighing one quarter of a carat can also be described as weighing 25 points or 0.25 carats. Most people compare carat weight to size. Here are some examples of different weights and their corresponding sizes.

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