EDUCATION

Of the four C’s, the cut is perhaps the most important factor affecting the diamonds overall quality and beauty. A diamond’s brilliance is determined by how much light is reflected back to your eyes. Light enters the stone through the crown, which is the portion of the diamond which is above the girdle. The crown is made up of a table, which is the large flat facet on top of the diamond, and many crown facets. It then travels to the pavilion, The body, of the stone, which it is reflected from one side to the other and then back through the top and to an observer’s eye.

 A well cut, well proportioned stone evenly reflects light within the stone, thereby producing an eye-catching, fiery spectrum of colour. A poorly cut diamond, on the other hand, allows more light to pass through or “leak” from the sides of the stone, which results in a lifeless appearance with reduced sparkle.

The measurement and comparison of diamond colour ranges from colourless to slightly tinted. However, discerning the subtle difference between sequential colour grades can be almost impossible with the naked eye. For this reason ,a letter scale such as the GIA professional colour scales which ranges from D-Z, was created to assist in distinguishing a diamonds colour grade. Diamonds that are in the “D-F” range are considered colourless. These diamonds are rarer and more expensive. Diamonds in the “G-I” appear completely white to most observers and for this reason can be a better value than colourless diamonds. Colour grades beyond a “J” exhibit a yellowish or brownish tint.

Carat refers to the unique unit of weight measurement used exclusively to weigh gems and diamonds. Carat weight is often confused with visual size even though it is actually a measurement of weight. Depending on the shape and type of gemstone being weighed, the weight will visually show itself differently. For example, a 1.00ct. round diamond will measure around 6.5mm, and a 1.00ct. round sapphire will measure around 6.0mm. This is due to the varying density of different gemstones.

Clarity is most often mistaken as being the factor that determines a diamond sparkle and brilliance. This is not true. Clarity describes the presence of imperfections both on and within a diamond. Most imperfections are microscopic flaws, or “inclusions” formed inside the diamond during the formation process known as crystallization. Other flaws, however, appear on the surface of a diamond and may not have appeared during the cutting process.

Essentially, The clarity grade describes the flawlessness of a diamond: the fewer the imperfections, the higher the clarity grading. Naturally, these imperfections.