Archive for the 'Diamond Certification' Category

The Top 10 Most Common Questions About Diamonds

Published on September 4, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamond Certification, Diamond Education, Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

1. How are diamonds formed?

The formation process that diamonds go through is absolutely amazing! Diamonds are the only element discovered that consist of one single element, Carbon, that form between 120-200 kms below the earth’s surface.

Obviously, the farther below the earth’s surface you go, the hotter the temperature gets, majorly increasing the pressure from all of the layers of surface above. This extreme heat and large weight of pressure cause carbon atoms to crystallise – which is how we get these beautiful diamonds that we treasure.

2. How are diamonds mined?

Not many people really think too much about the extraction part of the diamond process when putting a diamond on their finger but extraction is exactly what mining diamonds is. Before it can even be worthy of catching your eye, diamonds are pretty unrecognisable when inside of a mine.

Because it takes great skill and patience to gather diamonds without damaging them, there are two types of mining that are the most commonly used methods: Pipe mining and alluvial mining. Pipe mining is the more dramatic of the two since it involves recovering diamonds from volcanic pipes. Miners have to be lowered deep within the cave to be able to find these valuable stones.

Alluvial mining is a little less intense  and one that most people are likely to be more familiar with since it’s done above the earth’s surface. This type involves the screen you’ve actually seen before at riverbeds and ocean beaches, where people sway them back and forth, sifting in search of diamonds and other treasures.

3. Can diamonds break easily?

This is a very important question because the popular thought is that diamonds are invincible when surprisingly, they’re not!  Remember that even Superman has his weaknesses!

While they are the strongest gemstone known to man, they can still go through wear and tear just like any other precious stone and yes, diamonds absolutely can be broken if hit hard enough with a hammer (not that anyone would likely want to do this!).

Not only can they be damaged, they can also damage other gemstones if sitting too close together. For example, if a person is wearing two rings next to each other – a diamond ring on the ring finger and a ruby ring on the middle finger – and both rings accidentally turn towards each other, the diamond will win that battle, hands down.

4. What are the 4 C’s?

Instead of constantly spelling out all four components that make up a diamonds value (cut, clarity, colour, carat), it’s commonly known as the 4 C’s in the jewellery world.

The cut of a diamond is perhaps the most important ‘C’ of the bunch. This is what determines a diamond’s beauty and when cut to perfection, will enhance the diamond’s colour and hide inclusions at the same time.

Since everything is based on the diameter of the diamond, the perfect diameter for a 1ct. round diamond is exactly 6.50mm – not 6.48mm or 6.55mm – but 6.50mm. This allows for the perfect proportion to then be cut, resulting in a diamond that is now able to break up white light into the appropriate colour spectrum very strongly rather than very weakly.

The clarity of a diamond has to do with how ‘clear’ a diamond is. Any inclusions or imperfection within the diamond can lower its overall grade which decreases the diamonds value. In layman’s terms, the more clarity a diamond has, the more the diamond is worth.

The colour of a diamond is simply just that: the colour. Diamonds come in a beautiful variety of colours, to include just about any colour you can think of. To distinguish the difference between their colours, the terms Faint through Fancy and Fancy through Fancy Vivid are given to these gorgeous coloured diamonds.

And finally, the carat, refers to the weight of the diamond (see question #7).

5. What process do diamonds go through to get that, ‘Girl’s Best Friend’ sparkling, Fire and Brilliance finish?

Believe it or not, diamonds don’t pop out of the earth, glittering and ready to be sold! Diamonds are actually pretty dirty rocks that take an enormous amount of fixing up to get it engagement ring ready. Of course, diamonds are valuable as rough, raw stones but cutting and polishing them improve the diamond’s value by a minimum of 50%!

In order to get the full price and value put into a diamond, it takes an extreme amount of expertise and patience (this process can sometimes take up to an entire year to finish!) until the diamond is ready to be placed into a jewellery setting.

The first important C’s of any diamond is its cut, followed closely by the diamond’s colour. This is what gives each diamond, what I refer to as, that ‘Fire and Brilliance’. The cut and colour of every diamond is its heart and soul which makes these two C’s matter greatly in just how important a good diamond is.

Because diamonds rate a full 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, very precise tools, such as diamond saws and lasers, are used to cut the shape of the diamond. A Russian mathematician, Marcel Tolkowsky, worked out a formula in the early 1900′s that’s used nowadays to maximise the Fire and Brilliance of diamonds.

To give it that special dazzling factor, jewellery professionals use a special formula to determine where the facets should be placed on the diamond. The final process involves a fine, mechanically controlled saw, a laser or a rotating disk that is sprinkled with diamond powder.

6. What constitutes the carat of a diamond?

This is a very short answer with a single explanation: Technically speaking, a diamond’s carat is the term used to express the weight of a diamond, with one carat equalling 200 milligrams of actual weight. If a diamond is extremely small, it can then be expressed by points, i.e. 0.01 or one-hundredth of a carat.

7. Is there a difference between certified and uncertified diamonds?

Those who aren’t in the professional world of jewellery have a hard time fully grasping the concept of certified and uncertified diamonds. The reason that the difference between both kinds of diamonds might throw people off is because these words sound more like more valuable and less valuable. This is a diamond myth that has absolutely nothing to do with a diamond’s value, whatsoever!

Certified diamonds are graded diamonds. In other words, diamonds with a piece of paper that reputable gemmology labs grade a diamond’s quality with. This may sound a little disappointing but it’s actually the biggest difference between certified and uncertified.

Now, here is where this myth that certified diamonds cost more lies: Diamond wholesalers who possess a certified diamond will occasionally charge more for a certified diamond because the buyer knows without a doubt that everything about the diamond is authentic. This has nothing to do with the certification and has everything to do with the seller.

8. What are the three most famous diamonds in the world?

There are so many famous diamonds but sticking to the three biggest and most magnificent diamonds:

The Cullinan diamond: This is, without a doubt, the biggest diamond to have ever been discovered to date. Coming in at 3,106.75 carats of pure white diamond, it was then cut into nine smaller (figuratively speaking) diamonds with the two biggest rocks taking on famous names themselves: The Great Star of Africa (or Cullinan I) weighing 530 carats and the Lesser Star of Africa (or Cullinan II) weighing 317 carats

The Golden Jubilee: The reason for this diamond’s fame isn’t just on carat weight alone but for its colour. The Golden Jubilee is the biggest brown diamond to make its way to the earth’s surface with a whopping weight of 345.67 carats!

The Incomparable: This amazing yellow diamond was first discovered in its 890 carat glory but after being cut and polished, still holds firmly in third place with 407.48 carats of pure beauty.

9. Are diamonds a good investment?

Absolutely! Diamonds will always be valuable and is the one precious stone that will always remain in tact and at the top of the gem hierarchy. They’re a completely tangible investment because of this very reason.

Even if there is a slight fall in inflation, diamonds are guaranteed to ALWAYS go back up on the rise. Even if it’s hard to find a buyer right off the bat, it’s like any other investment that takes patience. The rewards that can be reaped by diamond investments can cover pensions, send children to college and provide a life of financial security if the right investment techniques are used.

10. Where can people find the best quality diamonds?

The most important advice for those who are looking for the best quality diamonds that nature has to offer, is to begin their search with the most reputable jewellery professional in town. Clients need to feel a sense of security and trust with their jewellery professional before rushing into any purchase so that they’re left 100% satisfied with their purchase with all questions answered.

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Fancy Intense Pink Diamond – 24.78 Carat – to be auctioned by Sotheby’s

Published on November 2, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Pink Diamond Investment and Pink Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Now this is why I love Pink Diamonds so much…

When you can see a beauty like this – born of the earth and so intense and clean in colour – it makes me remember all of the reasons why I decided to become a private jeweller in the first place. I just received via email news of this magnificent pink diamond going to auction through Sotheby’s in Geneva this year.

This unbelievable diamond has not been seen on the market place for 60 years… Just to give you an indication of the importance of this particular pink diamond.

24.78ct Pink Diamond

Now look at that – can’t you just see it on YOUR hand? I know I would love to acquire this rock of a pink diamond for my beautiful wife, that’s for sure!

As you can see from the pictures this diamond displays the pure pink colour that everyone is after. It has a clean, crisp and even saturation of colour which makes it one of the most desirable pink diamonds to be seen for some time. Couple that with the fact that this diamond has been graded by the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) as being a type IIa classification, which comprises less than 2 % of all of the world’s gem quality diamonds. This will make a very fine purchase for whoever the new owner will be.

24.78ct Pink Diamond

As I mentioned above this is the first time in 60 years that this pink diamond has been offered for sale, it is offered for sale with a pre-sale estimate of US$ 27-38 million, the diamond comes from a private collection and has not appeared on the market since it was purchased from Mr Harry Winston.

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Diamond Jewellery – What’s Colour Got To Do With It?

Published on October 11, 2010 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamond Certification, Diamond Education, Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Eskae Private Jeweller, Jewellery, Pink Diamonds and White Diamonds. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , .

What is it about coloured diamond jewellery that makes it so desirable?

The less colour that’s present in a diamond, the more valuable a diamond is. Given a grade of D, E and F, these diamonds are considered rare and are much more expensive than your average diamond.

Knowing that, it may not make a whole lot of sense that a vibrant, red diamond would be considered one of the rarest and most expensive to those unfamiliar with different categories of diamonds. However, when coloured diamonds are given a class of their own and then rated accordingly, it then takes on its own value.

Coloured diamonds are referred to as Fancy diamonds and rate in a way similar to that of transparent diamonds. They have a ratings scale designed specifically for colour: Faint through Fancy and Fancy through Fancy Vivid. The more effervescent and pure the colour of the diamond is, the more valuable and rarer the stone is. Like transparent diamonds, the value of coloured diamonds also includes the 4 C’s – cut, clarity, colour and carat weight.

To give you a better mental picture, brown Fancy diamonds are on the low spectrum of rarity amongst coloured diamonds. Claret and champagne are the favourite choices of brown diamonds and perhaps the more affordable of all of the colours. Other colours include yellow, green, and orange with blue, pink and red being the most expensive and rarest of all coloured diamonds.

By using radioactive decay schemes, it’s been discovered that all natural diamonds were formed between 990.000,000 and 3.2 billion years ago. Because temperatures need to reach up to 900 – 1300 degrees Celsius to form a diamond, they’re brought up from 100 – 200km beneath the earth when a volcanic eruption occurs.[i] It’s extremely fascinating, isn’t it?

During this process, occasionally trace impurities, irregular growth patterns or exposure of different elements can change the colour of the diamond, thus creating your rare, coloured Fancy diamond.

Here’s a list showing which element creates which hue the diamond becomes:

Yellow – Nitrogen and/or Hydrogen              

Yellow Diamond

Brown – Nitrogen and/or Hydrogen

Brown Diamond

Blue – Boron

Blue Diamond

Green – Radiation exposure

Green Diamond

Pink – Irregular growth patterns within the crystal

Pink Diamond

Red – Irregular growth patterns within the crystal[ii]

Red Diamond

Because of their rarity and value, Fancy diamonds are quite costly. Most people can’t afford coloured diamonds because of the amount of money riding on it. If you’re one of those blessed with the fortune of obtaining such a stone, make sure that a certificate from a respected grading lab is kept securely placed where it can’t be mislaid, stolen or damaged. This is an extremely important document since it verifies the value of the diamond.

Coloured diamonds are not just pricey but because of their intrinsic value and rarity, are also considered to be an investment of sorts. Since so much money goes into purchasing Fancy diamonds, you should be cautious and not make a hasty decision.

The easiest way to identify whether you’re being sold a diamond that’s been coated to appear like a Fancy stone or the real deal is if the salesperson offers a discount or if the stone doesn’t have a certificate of authenticity to go along with it. Fancy diamonds will NEVER be offered for any discount.

I’m sure after understanding a bit more about coloured diamonds, you’ll agree that they’re truly fascinating and perhaps the most exquisite gemstone known to man. If you own a coloured diamond, I would love to hear about it!

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Private Jeweller

[i] http://www.pink-diamonds.com.au/text.php?id=jewelry_diamonds_facts

[ii] http://www.khulsey.com/jewelry/fancy_colored_diamonds.html

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Inclusions – Natural Imperfections Part IV

Published on October 9, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamond Education, Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Jewellery and White Diamonds. 1 Comment Tags: , , , .

As we have journeyed through this series on inclusions, I have been examining the different elements of the natural diamond known as inclusions or natural imperfections. So far, I have examined clouds, feathers, cleavage, crystals, cavities, pinpoints, internal graining and needles.

For this final installment, I will examine carbon, knots and growth tubes. Some of the inclusions I will look at today are not as well-known as some others, yet can still affect the clarity of the diamond and therefore also affect its value.

Carbon

You could easily assume that the pepper-like spots on a diamond are due to a lack of proper stone wash or simply dirt. If you look closer, however, you will notice that the block spots are actually inside the diamond and have nothing to do with its care, but everything to do with its creation.

The tiny black spots are actually undigested carbon inclusions – also known as natts. The tiny chunks of carbon simply never crystallized like the rest of the diamond. As the crystallization is a normal part of the process when a diamond is created, it is also very normal for carbon spots to be present.

When selecting the right diamond, it is important to examine the contained carbon inclusions as they can affect the clarity rating. And, no matter the size of the diamond, a large carbon spot will take away from its brilliance and beauty, leaving you with less than you bargained for in your diamond acquisition.

Knot

A knot is a diamond crystal inclusion that extends to the surface of the diamond. This type of inclusion is seen very well when looking at the stone with the naked eye as the inclusion reaches the polished surface of the finished diamond. It is possible for a knot to resemble the raised area on a facet surface, which can trick the eye. To better distinguish between the actual facet and the knot, look for differences in polish quality.

Because the knot extends to the polished surface of the stone, it does affect the quality of the stone, its clarity and its durability. The knot actually presents a risk to the integrity and durability of the diamond over the long-term. I tend to avoid any and all diamonds with a knot inclusion as I feel the diamond is not worthy of setting and wearing with such an obvious flaw.

Growth Tubes

Growth tubes are actually fascinating, although they do take away from the clarity and quality of the diamond. Still natural inclusions or imperfections, growth tubes are created at the same time the diamond is created. In the crystallization process of the diamond formation, a tube forms with an internal cavity that contained liquid.

A look at growth tubes provides a visualization of these inclusions, offering a roadmap of how they were formed. While I do not recommend purchasing a diamond with growth tubes inclusions, you can visualize the process of the diamond’s creation by following the length of the tube.

I hope you have enjoyed this series on inclusions. While it is possible you will run across other types of inclusions on your search for the perfect natural diamond, remember to look for the primary inclusions covered in this series, including clouds, feathers, cleavage, crystals, cavities, pinpoints, internal graining, needles, carbon, knots and growth tubes.

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The 4C’s in Diamond Characteristics: Carat Weight

Published on August 23, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamond Education, Diamonds and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

The 4C’s in Diamond Characteristics: Carat Weight

In this series of blog posts, I have been examining the brilliance and beauty of the natural diamond. I have touched on the colour, clarity and cut of the diamond. These three, along with carat weight make up the 4C’s. The 4C’s is a method by which the GIA – the benchmark in diamond grading throughout the world – compares the quality of diamonds.

In this post, let’s take a look at carat weight and how that plays into the value and desire of the diamond. The word carat is the term used to express the weight of the diamond and one carat is equal to 200 milligrams of actual weight and five carats is equal to 1 gram. Interestingly, while carat weight is used to measure other gemstones, different stones of the same weight are not necessarily the same sizes as the density of the stone plays a role in total carat weight.

When considering two equal carat diamonds, for instance, one may be cut too shallow and will appear to have a larger diameter but a smaller depth. The other diamond may be cut too deep – what is considered to be bottom heavy – and will have a smaller diameter, but will appear smaller when it is viewed from the top. In this case, both diamonds are equal in carat weight, yet look very different when viewed with the naked eye.

It is important to remember that as the diamond carat size increases, so does the diameter and depth of the diamond. As a result, a 1.00 carat diamond will not look twice as wide as a 0.50 carat diamond. At the same time, you must consider the size of the finger that will wear the diamond as a 1 carat solitaire looks much larger on a smaller finger than it will on a larger finger.

Smaller diamonds are weighed in points instead of carats. The carat weight is still the base of measurement, but the points communicate to the consumer and the jeweller how much of a whole carat is represented in the stone. In other words, there are 100 points in 1 carat and if a diamond is rated a 0.05, this means it is five one-hundredths. A 0.05 carat diamond is equal to five points.

The carat weight of the diamond will impact its value, simply because larger diamonds that are both brilliant and beautiful are much rarer. At the same time, the larger diamond is in more demand than smaller diamonds of the same quality. As a result, a larger carat diamond solitaire has more value that a diamond setting made up of multiple diamonds that total the same carat weight, but are individually smaller. Likewise, the diamond that is just less than one full carat will be less expensive than the diamond that surpasses the full-carat benchmark.

No matter what the carat weight of the diamond, its value will also take into account the cut, clarity and colour as all four combine into the 4C’s when determining the true quality and investment potential of the diamond.

I have enjoyed this series and I do hope that you have been able to learn some new and important information that will help you make the best decision when you are purchasing your next diamond – whether it be for an engagement ring or anniversary or just because…

If you are in need of expert advice, please contact me via my website, Eskae Jeweller and I will be happy to sit with you to go through the various options available in your next diamond purchase.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

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Inclusions – Natural Imperfections Part II

Published on July 17, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamonds and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Inclusions – Natural Diamond Imperfections Part II

To offer you insight into different imperfections – or inclusions – that are often found in the natural diamond, we have focused a series of posts on these characteristics often inherent in a mined diamond. In our first post, we looked at the clouds and feathers, understanding how to identify them on sight and what they can mean for the value of your stone. Now, we will examine crystals, cavities and cleavage.

Crystals

While it may seem unusual that a crystal within the natural diamond is considered to be an inclusion, anything that affects the way light passes through the stone is seen as an imperfection. It is a possible a crystal can enhance the diamond’s visual properties. In truth, a crystal can have a wide array of influence on the appearance of the stone.

Crystals within a natural diamond are often a small diamond trapped inside a larger diamond. Some have called the crystal the undigested gemstone, but not all crystals are diamonds. Crystals within the diamond can also be a garnet, diopside, spinel, olivine, calcite, iron oxides or even silica.

It is common for customers to view the crystal in a favorable light – literally. Some have described the crystal as a baby diamond, while others love the uniqueness of the tiny garnet inside the diamond. Crystals have also been referred to as needles, clouds and pinpoints, although each of these inclusions has its own characteristics that will vary from a true crystal inclusion.

Cavities

Much like a cavity in the mouth, when referring to a diamond, this inclusion is a large or deep opening in the diamond. And, like the tooth cavity, the diamond cavity is generally caused by human intervention. A cavity can occur when a feather or pinpoint already exists on the stone and the polishing process causes the inclusion to worsen, leaving a hole or opening in the stone.

It is important to note that a cavity is not the same thing as a chip. A cavity will generally have drag lines visible to one side of the cavity in the location where miniscule diamond particles have been dragged across the surface of the diamond by the polishing wheel. The hole of the cavity is clearly defined when the blemish removed is a crystal as this inclusion caused the basis of the cavity in the formation of the stone.

Cleavage

Like crystals and cavities, cleavage can be damaging to the natural diamond. Cleavage is a straight crack along the stone without any feathering. If the length of the cleavage is long enough, it has the potential to split the diamond apart.

This split generally only happens if the diamond is hit at the right angle, but the potential for damage still affects the integrity of the stone. If the cleavage cannot be seen when a diamond is viewed in the face up position, it is not considered a serious impact on clarity rating.

The inclusions mentioned here are not all natural imperfections found in a diamond, as the cavity certainly needs human assistance to appear. What is important to consider is that any of these imperfections can affect the visual brilliance, quality and value of your stone.

We will continue to examine the different inclusions you may encounter in searching for the perfect stone. Check back next time as we examine pinpoints, needles and internal graining.

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The 4C’s in Diamond Characteristics: Colour

Published on June 29, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamonds and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

A natural diamond is known as the most brilliant and beautiful stone in the world. Diamonds are also rare and can also be very valuable. In a series of posts, we are examining how jewellers and consumers compare quality in a diamond. The GIA – the benchmark in diamond grading throughout the world – operates on a universal grading system and the 4C’s, which are cut, clarity, colour and carat weight.
In our last post in the series, we discussed the cut of the diamond. Now we will examine colour and how it impacts the presence and value of your stone. Chemically speaking, a pure and perfect diamond is completely transparent with no hue or colour. In reality, the perfect diamond is nearly non-existent and therefore it is important to understand how colour impacts the diamond itself.

The colour of the diamond is determined by the chemical impurities or structural defects (inclusions) in the crystal lattice. Diamonds can range in color from a steel gray to a red or any other colour you can imagine. The tissue impurities or structural defects of the diamond cause the different colours.

To simplify, diamonds are scientifically classified into two different types based on the nature of their impurities and how these impurities impact the absorption of light:

  • Type I diamonds have nitrogen atoms as their main impurity. When these atoms are in pairs, they have no impact on the colour of the diamond. Atoms in large, even-numbered aggregates create a yellow to brown tint. Nitrogen atoms dispersed throughout the diamond in isolated sites give the stone an intense yellow or the occasion brown tint. Type I diamonds have Fluorescence and visible absorption spectrum.
  • Type II diamonds do not have measurable nitrogen impurities and absorb light in a different region of the infrared. Type II diamonds transmit in the ultraviolet below 225 nm. Structural anomalies through the creation of the crystal can cause a pink, red or brown colour. When boron is scattered within the diamond, the stone can have a light blue colour. Varying quantities of radiation exposure can cause a diamond to have a green colour.

To classify the diamond according to colour, the GIA relies on an examination of the diamond next to a master set of colour comparison stones. Colour ranges from the best grade of D, down to Z. The cleanest colour is between D and G and will give a diamond significantly more fire.

As the GIA rates the value of the diamond according to cut and colour, D or E diamonds are more valuable than R or Y as high-colour diamonds are rarer, which limits supply; and the bright white appearance of high-color diamonds is sought by consumers, which drives demand.

Colour is truly the heart of the diamond, while cut will bring out the best quality of that colour. To get the most value and enjoyable viewing out of your diamond, aim for a colour grading of G and above. This will ensure you get the presentation you hope for in your diamond, while also extending the value of your investment.

Now that you have a better understanding of the cut and colour of the diamond and how they are considered in determining the value of the stone, we will next take a look at clarity and its role in the 4 C’s.

Sam Kritsotakis

Eskae Jeweller – Your Private Jeweller

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Inclusions – Natural Imperfections

Published on June 23, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamond Education, Diamonds, Engagement Rings and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

To those who have enjoyed a love of diamonds, you understand the pleasure in viewing the natural diamond is in how the light passes through the gem, creating fire and brilliance as a dance of color and light will radiate from the stone. While flawless stones are known to create the best light show, the process in which diamonds are created lends to a less than flawless outcome.

In the process of creating the diamond, it is common for inclusions to be present that will affect the way light passes through the diamond. Inclusions can also result from diamond enhancement procedures, which include laser lines, used to drill out inclusions that will then be filled with a silicon-like substance to enhance the diamond’s visual properties. Often considered to be blemishes to the natural beauty of the diamond, inclusions can also impact the strength and durability of the stone.

It is common within the diamond industry to refer to inclusions as “internal characteristics” when describing the growth crystals that are unique to that particular diamond. Inclusions occur within the stone and are often referred to as flaws as they separate the diamond from perfection. In this post we will examine the inclusions Clouds and Feathers.

Clouds


Clouds resemble a gray overcast sky when they are present in a diamond, but not always to the naked eye. Clouds are known as a dense grouping of tiny pinpoints that create a cloudy zone that may or may not resolve as individuals pinpoints when the stone is magnified 10 times. The cloud generally consists of three or more pinpoint-sized diamond crystals located in close proximity and rarely impact the strength of the diamond.

While clouds are common, a single cloud should not cover a third or more of the diamond or it will affect the visual appearance of the diamond. On a diamond grading report, clouds are indicted as circles or formations comprised of small red dots or pinpoints. While the majority of clouds are translucent, the visibility of the cloud can vary depending upon the light source used to evaluate the cloud.

Feathers


Feathers are a much more serious inclusion as they not only impact the visual appearance of the diamond, but also its strength if they reach the surface of the stone. Feathers are essentially tiny fractures in the diamond. In a grading report, the feather is generally plotted with tiny red lines or hash marks.

Feathers are not always a cause for concern, unless they break the surface of the stone or impact the brilliance of the diamond as light passing through its facets. A professional will examine the diamond closely by “breaking” it into two halves on a diagram. If the feathers run through both “halves” of the diamond, this indicates the feathers run the gamut of the stone. Such a feather could cause the diamond to crack under undue pressure.

The important think to remember is that this crack “might” happen; I am not guaranteeing that it will. Instead, I am advising you to be careful and take your time when evaluating a diamond with a feather inclusion.

There are still many inclusions to explore. Check back with us next time as we look at included crystals, cavities and cleavage.

[1] www.gemnation.com/images/clarity/clouds3.jpg

[2] www.gemnation.com/images/clarity/clouds3.jpg

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The 4C’s in Diamond Characteristics: Cut

Published on May 28, 2010 in Diamond Certification, Diamonds and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Diamonds are one of the most brilliant and beautiful elements found on earth. And, because they are also rare, a natural diamond can also be very valuable, depending upon the quality of the diamond. To help jewellers and you to better compare quality in diamonds, the GIA – the benchmark in diamond grading throughout the world – developed a universal grading system and the 4C’s.

The 4C’s includes cut, clarity, colour and carat weight. Each of these four characteristics is important and interrelated as they are used to determine the diamond’s value. It is commonly assumed that clarity is the most important of the 4C’s, yet colour and cut actually have a more profound affect on the visual appearance of the diamond than most diamond consumers understand.

In a series of four posts, we will discuss the 4C’s and their impact on the brilliance and subsequently, the value of your diamond.

For this first post, we will take a look at the cut of the diamond and the importance of this C in the diamond’s value. The first important point in the cut of the stone is that is refers to your diamond’s proportions and angles more than the shape of the diamond you are considering for purchase.

The cut of any diamond will have three attributes:

  1. Brilliance – the total light reflected from a diamond
  2. Fire – the dispersion of light into the colours of the spectrum
  3. Scintillation – the flashes of light captured when the diamond is moved.

It doesn’t matter if a diamond is round, marquise, pear, princess or other any other shape, it gets its brilliance and scintillation by how exact the cutting and polishing of the diamond facets adhere to the ideal proportions. This process is actually worked out mathematically to deliver the optimum “Fire and Brilliance”. It also determines the amount of light that enters through the top of the diamond to be reflected and dispersed back through its top.

If a diamond is perfectly cut so that all angles and proportions are within correct guidelines, the light that enters the diamond is dispersed properly back through the diamond’s top facets. In a traditional brilliant round cut diamond, 58 facets are each precisely cut and defined and can be as small as two millimeters in diameter.

This precision is essential in the cut of the diamond or it wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful and would fail to disperse the light properly to achieve the brilliant fire display. Consider a science experiment you may have done in high school in which the light from a torch was pushed through a prism of glass or Perspex and on the other end the light would break up into the colour spectrum.

This is the exact process diamonds use to disperse and break up the light into the “Fire” that is visible when it is moved and rotated. In understanding this experiment, you understand how the “Fire and Brilliance” are achieved when the diamond cut meets the exact mathematical proportions and angles to achieve MAXIMUM sparkle.

If the stone is cut too shallow or too deep, the light entering through the top of the stone would not be allowed to escape through the bottom of the diamond and the beauty of the stone is at the very least dampened and most often lost.

Once you have a clear understanding of the importance of the cut of the diamond, you can then focus on its shape. Most diamond jewelry relies on the round brilliant diamond, and all other shapes are known as fancy. While cushions, marquise, pear, oval and emerald cuts are more traditional fancy shapes, cushions, hearts, triangles, briolette and others are gaining popularity as consumers aim to try something new.

Cut is easily referred to as the ‘forgotten’ C, but without your focus on how well the diamond is cut, it cannot meet its maximum brilliance. A diamond cannot be cut for weight or shape alone and if the stone doesn’t catch your eye or flash in the light, this is most likely due to a poor cut rather than poor quality in the stone.

The way the diamond is cut to reflect its brilliance is as important as the colour of the diamond you choose. Essentially, the cut and colour form the “heart and soul” of your diamond. Join us next time for a further look into the 4C’s as we examine Colour.

Diamond Cut - these are some of the most important factors to consider when buying a diamond.

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Diamond Certificate – Don’t Leave a Jeweller Without One

Published on May 26, 2010 in Diamond Certification and Diamonds. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

For those of you who are new the process of selecting and purchasing a natural diamond, the idea of a diamond certificate may be a foreign one. In all fairness, if you don’t understand the information within the certificate or why it is important, whether or not a diamond purchase includes the grading certificate may hold little value.

Any purchase of a diamond of any significant size should carry with it an independent certificate outlining all of the points you can find below. Generally speaking, most – if not all – diamonds of 0.30pts and above are automatically sold with a certificate due to the costs involved and the likelihood of recovering these costs; diamonds smaller than 0.30pts generally are sold without a certificate.

As you become more educated in the process throughout this post, you will come to understand what information such a certificate contains and why it is an important inclusion in any natural diamond purchase.

Price

When you are making an investment in a natural diamond, you want to have a clear understanding of what you are buying and what it is worth. Natural diamonds are priced according to their actual quality grading as written on their certificates. If you walk away from a natural diamond purchase without a certificate in hand from a respected, independent laboratory, you are not getting the quality you wanted to buy.

The characteristics of the natural diamond can have a major influence on the price of the diamond. Many of these characteristics are unseen by the naked-eye, but will be identified by an independent laboratory. Without this deal of scrutiny applied in the purchase of the natural diamond, you could easily purchase a lower quality diamond than the price is likely to reflect.

Security

In all diamond certificates, there will be a map of your diamond’s unique inclusions, much like a fingerprint that you can check. This diamond map gives you the peace of mind that IF it is ever needed, you can refer to it in case of a dispute. Some labs will even permanently laser inscribe the certificate number right on the girdle of the stone where it can be seen with a 10x jewelers’ loupe for easy identification.

With the certificate number laser inscribed on the diamond, you will be able to maintain the peace of mind that the diamond is really yours. Ideally, what I would do as a jeweller working with a laser inscribed diamond is turn the inscription so that it is visible when viewed above the location where the band and the settings meet. In taking such an approach, this way there is no need to un-set and re-set the diamond to find the certificate number, ensuring there is NO risk of damaging the diamond or setting.

Protection

While not all people who make an investment in a natural diamond think about the prospect of selling it at a later date, the value of the diamond in such a situation is something to consider when making this an investment. An independent lab certificate verifies the characteristics of the diamond and makes it much more likely that a dealer or other party will be interested in making the investment in purchasing it from you.

Now that we have explored why you want your natural diamond to have a certificate, you need to know what information is provided in the certificate and why it is important. Below you will find a list of all information on a diamond certificate and why it is important.

  • Laboratory Name – if you have not heard of the lab, research it to determine whether or not the name is of value in the industry.
  • Certificate Number – this number uniquely identifies the diamond. This number is associated with the information kept by the lab so a certificate can easily be re-issued if it is lost. If any further information is needed, the laboratory should be able to help.
  • Laser Inscription Registry – all diamonds receiving a GIA Diamond Certificate is micro-laser inscribed with its unique GIA Report number. Generally speaking, this number will read: GIA XXXXXXX.
  • Style of the Shape and Cut – shape refers to the outline of the diamond while cut refers to the facet arrangement.
  • Measurements – this information captures the diamond’s overall measurements – width, breadth, depth and diameter are calculated to the hundredth of a millimeter by a non-contact measuring device or a micrometer.
  • Size – diamonds are weighed to the thousandth of a carat with a digital measuring device and rounded to the hundredth of a carat.
  • Color – determined by examining the diamond next to a master set of color comparison stones, color ranges from the best grade of D, down to Z. The cleaner the colour – i.e.; between D and G – the more fire your diamond will have inherently. While it is possible to get very white looking H diamonds, a colour graded as G and above is where you should aim. Getting the best colour grading possible is the way to go when looking at diamonds; this is really the heart of the diamond.
  • Clarity – ranges in clarity begin at the best grade of FL, down through IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, I2 until I3. To measure clarity, it is the reflection of the number, size placement and nature of inclusions and/or surface irregularities on the diamond. What I recommend for the clarity is to go for an “eye clean” diamond – which will be the clarity range of VS1 – SI1. Once you go higher than VS1 clarity, there is no real visual impact or gain. At that point, you tend to spend money on bragging rights only. The best results are seen when you spend your money on the best COLOUR and CUT grade possible.
  • Cut grade – measures how well or exact the cutting proportions and angles are in the diamond. The cutting formula to get the maximum “Fire and Brilliance” out of a diamond has been worked out mathematically, and as such the angles and proportions must be as close as possible to this formula. A diamond’s brilliance comes from how well it has been cut. The higher the quality here means that the more brilliance you will have inherently in your diamond. This ranges from excellent, very good, good and then fair or poor. With colour being the heart of a diamond, the cut grading is the soul of the diamond, combining the best possible grade for your budget.
  • Finish, polish and symmetry – finish refers to the polish of the diamond and the symmetry of the facets; polish refers to the quality of the polish on the facets; and symmetry refers to how precisely the facets are align to one another. This is measured one of four ways – excellent, very good, good and fair or poor. The higher the grading here the more brilliance your diamond will have.

Fluorescence – the diamond’s reaction to long wave ultraviolet radiation. Too strong a fluorescence can make a diamond less desirable. Generally speaking, a grading up to a “faint” fluorescence is fine as it will not affect the beauty of the diamond and is ONLY visible under UV light.

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