Diamond Information

everything you need to know about choosing the right diamond

Diamond Shapes

Round Brilliant: The round brilliant is the modern version of the round, and has been more refined for a brilliant shine. The Round Brilliant is undoubtedly the most popular cut and has the premium angles which allow for maximum shine and brilliance.

Oval: The Oval cut is very popular and widely used for three stone anniversary rings. The rings are generally accompanied by a matching diamond on each side.

Princess: The Princess sut is the most popular non-round diamond. This unique and beautiful cut makes it a favourite for engagement rings.

Emerald: A more traditional shape, the Emerald is favoured by collectors who appreciate old world elegance. It is cut with rectangular facets, which create a unique optical appearance. It's cut highlights the diamonds clarity.

Radiant: Popular before the Princess shape came into vogue, the Radiant has more facets than a Princess, but has it's the corners trimmed like the emerald shape.

Heart: The Heart is the timeless and ultimate symbol of love. Its unique shape makes it a very distinctive choice for a variety of jewelery.

Marquise: Like the Emerald, the Marquise is a traditional shape. The shape of a Marquise diamond can maximize carat weight, giving you a much larger-looking diamond. It's length makes fingers appear long and slender.

Pear: Mostly used in pendants, the pear shape diamond is shaped like a tear drop which allows for a unique refraction of light.

 

Diamond Carats

The carat weight measures the mass of a diamond. One carat is defined as a fifth of a gram, or exactly 200 milligrams (about 0.007 ounce). The point unit, (equal to one one-hundredth of a carat (0.01 carat, or 2 mg), is commonly used for diamonds of less than one carat. All else being equal, the value of a diamond increases exponentially in relation to carat weight, since larger diamonds are both rarer and more desirable for use as gemstones.

Total carat weight (t.c.w.) is a phrase used to describe the total mass of diamonds or other gemstone in a piece of jewellery, when more than one gemstone is used. Diamond solitaire earrings, for example, are usually quoted in t.c.w. when placed for sale, indicating the mass of the diamonds in both earrings and not each individual diamond. T.c.w. is also widely used for diamond necklaces, bracelets and other similar jewellery pieces.

Carat size	Cost per carat	Total cost
0.5 carat (50 points)	$3,000	$1,500
1.0 carat	$6,500	$6,500
1.5 carats	$8,500	$12,750
2.0 carats	$13,000	$26,000
3.0 carats	$17,000	$51,000
5.0 carats	$23,000	$115,000

 

 

Diamond Colour

A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or colour. However, in reality almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The colour of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects in the crystal lattice. Depending on the hue and intensity of a diamond's colouration, a diamond's colour can either detract from or enhance its value. For example, most white diamonds are discounted in price when more yellow hue is detectable, while intense pink or blue diamonds (such as the Hope Diamond) can be dramatically more valuable. Out of all coloured diamonds, red diamonds are the rarest of all.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) have developed a "D" to "Z" scale for grading the colour of "white" (non-fancy coloured) diamonds, where "D" is colourless and "Z" is yellow:

• Colourless: D, E, F
• Near colourless: G, H, I, J
• Faint yellow or brown: K, L, M
• Very light yellow or brown: N, O, P, Q, R
• Light yellow or brown: S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

 

Diamond Clarity

Diamond clarity is a quality of diamonds relating to the existence and visual appearance of internal defects of a diamond called inclusions, and surface defects called blemishes. Clarity is one of the four Cs of diamond grading, the others being carat, colour, and cut. Inclusions may be crystals of a foreign material or another diamond crystal, or structural imperfections such as tiny cracks that can appear whitish or cloudy. The number, size, colour, relative location, orientation, and visibility of inclusions can all affect the relative clarity of a diamond. A clarity grade is assigned based on the overall appearance of the stone under 10x magnification.

Most inclusions present in gem-quality diamonds do not affect the diamonds' performance or structural integrity. However, large clouds can affect a diamond's ability to transmit and scatter light. Large cracks close to or breaking the surface may reduce a diamond's resistance to fracture.

Diamonds with higher clarity grades are more valued, with the exceedingly rare "flawless" graded diamond fetching the highest price. However, minor inclusions or blemishes are sometimes considered to have some value, as they can be used as unique identifying marks analogous to fingerprints. In addition, as synthetic diamond technology improves and distinguishing between natural and synthetic diamonds becomes more difficult, inclusions or blemishes can be used as proof of natural origin.

Clarity	Description
FL	Flawless No internal or external finish flaws.
IF	Internally Flawless No internal flaws.
VVS1 VVS2	Very very slightly included Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification.
VS1 VS2	Very slightly included Difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification, typically unable to see inclusions with unaided eye.
SI1 SI2	Slightly included Easy to see inclusions under 10x magnification, may not be able to see inclusions with unaided eye.
I1 I2 I3	Imperfect Inclusions are clearly visible to the naked eye. For I3, the inclusions impact the brilliance of the diamond and are large and obvious.