Diamond Cut

Because it is composed of a generally transparent material, diamond lets light pass through it, even in its most rough condition. But early on in history, stone cutters realized that you can get extra sparkle if you facet the diamond, and they set about finding out the best combination of facet size and shape and angle to get the most sparkle. Eventually, one design with 58 facets was shown to be the most efficient way to maximize the stone’s best qualities and this became known as the ideal cut. It remains the industry standard, and is the shape that most people recognize as being a diamond shape. When a diamond is cut to the ideal proportions, all of the light entering from any direction is totally reflected through the top and is dispersed into a display of sparkling flashes and rainbow colors.

This does not mean that diamonds of the same size are equal when it comes to cut. A lot depends on the skill of the diamond cutter as even the slightest variance in the angle of a single facet or its size or its effect on the symmetry of the stone will affect its value. Diamond cutting is part art but within the confines of exacting scientific boundaries.

This does not mean, however, that the diamonds that are cut to an ideal shape are automatically the best. Not at all. Part of he job of a highly skilled cutter is to determine what shape will be the best one to create the largest possible polished diamond from a given piece of rough. And rough diamonds come in all kinds of shapes. So a pear- or emerald-shaped diamond has as much claim to being perfect as the ideal cut,
particularly if it produced a larger stone. In fact, most of the world’s biggest, most famous diamonds are not ideal cuts because the chief goal
was to maximize their size.

A Premium Cut diamond demonstrates subtle variations from the Ideal Cut. Although dimensional differences affect a diamond’s reflection of light, a Premium Cut still achieves a harmonious balance between its proportions and the display of brilliance.

The Ideal Cut Diamond describes a round brilliant diamond that has been cut to exact and mathematically proven proportions. Its symmetry, with 58 exactly placed facets, produces the ultimate in lustre and beauty.

Ideal Cut – Light* entering the diamond reflects internally from facet to facet and is reflected back through the top ONLY, creating maximum brilliance.

Too Deep – When a diamond is cut too deep, light* leaks out of the bottom, brilliance is lost and the center of the diamond will appear to be dark.

Too Shallow – When a diamond is cut too shallow, light* leaks out of the bottom, brilliance is lost and the diamond will appear to be dark

Diamond Color

It may surprise some people to learn that diamonds have color since many people know diamonds only as cut gemstones that are as clear as optical glass. But the truth is that the bulk of the diamonds on sale have a tinge of color ranging from the barest hint of a color to a strong hue. Like diamond cutting, determining the color of a diamond is a precise process and it affects the value of the stone.

Color in diamonds comes from chemical impurities in the stone and imperfections in its molecular structure. The variety of impurities that can be found is large enough to give the stone a potential array of colors, the predominant ones being yellow and brown.

This color is considered normal and does not mark a stone as immediately inferior to another. Diamonds with the most intense colors are referred to as fancy diamonds and have names like cognac or champagne diamonds. In fact, the ones with the most extreme amount of color are rarer than those that are absolutely clear. A canary yellow diamond, for example, is a more prized possession for some people and more expensive than a comparably-sized clear diamond because it is rarer.

This does not mean that diamonds that are absolutely free of impurities and imperfections are commonplace. Quite the opposite. Crystal-clear diamonds are valuable and sought-after because of their rarity as well as their beauty.

The stones between these two extremes are graded on the scale shown here.

Diamond Clarity

Clarity, as the name implies, refers to how clear the material is that the stone is made of, and what surface imperfections it may have. These have a direct effect on how light passes into a diamond and bounces around within it before finally exiting.

The internal flaws are called inclusions and they appear for several reasons, usually either foreign material within the diamond or even another diamond crystal inside it or an imperfection such as a tiny crack in the structure of the material itself.

Surface imperfections are popularly called blemishes and they can be either major or minor and will affect the value of the stone accordingly.

Clarity is determined by the number, size, color, location, orientation and visibility of the inclusions and blemishes as seen under a 10X magnification. As mentioned earlier, flawless stones are very rare, so it is likely that you will be considering stones that are less than perfect. That’s perfectly fine, particularly as many of these imperfections are scarcely visible to the naked eye and often only when you are scrutinizing the diamond very closely.

Here is a chart showing how diamonds are graded for clarity.

Flawless – No flaws internally or externally.

Internally Flawless – No flaws internally. This category of diamonds is also very rare and valued highly.

VVS1, VVS2 – Very, Very Slightly Included: Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification. These diamonds are high quality.

VS1, VS2 – Very Slightly Included: Inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. This category is less expensive than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades.

SI1, SI2 – Slightly Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification. This level of clarity is considered by many to be the best value buy because the inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. The prices for these diamonds are notably lower compared to those in clearer categories.

SI3 – Slightly Included-EGL: This is a category of clarity that is promoted by and is not certified by the Gemological Institute of America or other gemological institutions. Diamonds in this category are likely to be graded by GIA as either SI2 or I1. EGL distinguishes these diamonds as having no black inclusions or cracks that are visible to the naked eye, but they may possess some very minor white inclusions which are visible to the naked eye.

I1 – Included: an I1 clarity diamond will have a visible flaw which can be seen with the unaided eye. If your budget is limited and you can only afford diamonds in the SI3 or I1 clarity, be sure to examine them under 10X magnification yourself before making the purchase. It will help you decide which one to buy. Any reputable jeweler would be happy to show you how to use a magnifier.

I2, I3 – Included: The inclusions in this category of diamonds will be visible to the naked eye. They will have many black spots from the black inclusions and may appear cloudy from the white inclusions and cracks.

Diamond Carat Weight

The size of the diamond is called it’s carat weight and actually refers to its mass. All other characteristics being equal, the carat weight is the biggest determinant of the price of a stone.

A one carat diamond ring will always cost more than a ring made of smaller diamonds that weighs the same or even more.

Generally, once you have decided on which cut, color and clarity you want, the next important decision is to decide on the carat weight.

Diamond Care

Diamonds may be the hardest substance known to man and one of the most durable but that doesn’t mean they are unbreakable or completely scratch-proof. You can, for example, chip a diamond if it makes contact with a hard surface with sufficient force. Such an occurrence would certainly significantly reduce the value of the stone.

A key component of diamond protection is the setting it is in. A diamond that is mounted on, say, a ring that has elongated prongs is, as you can readily imagine, at more risk of being damaged or being popped out of the setting than one with a more modest setting. Keep that in mind when deciding on what you would like your ring to look like.

It is not widely-known outside of the jewelry industry but diamonds can be discolored, particularly by chemicals like chlorine or those found in hairspray. Brief contact with those compounds is not usually a problem but a gradual accumulation of these chemicals could discolor the gem.

Cleaning

An ammonia solution – one part ammonia to six parts water – is your best bet for cleaning diamonds. Apply it to your diamond jewelry and gently massage it by hand to loosen any dirt or contaminants. Do not use any commercial cleaning solutions or compounds that are not made specifically for jewelry – even if they say that they are “soft.” They will not restore the sparkle the way that an ammonia solution or a professional cleaning done at your friendly, neighborhood jewelry store can. Be careful, though about applying this solution to other gemstones as they have other properties and not all react well to ammonia. Consult with a professional if you have questions about how to treat other gems.

Storing

It is also important to store your jewelry properly. There’s a saying that only another diamond can break a diamond and it is somewhat true. (Other things can certainly break a diamond.) But you don’t want to take a chance with yours so don’t simply toss it into a pouch or box or drawer with other jewelry. Wrap the item in a soft cloth, like the kind often provided by jewelry stores. At the very least you could put each piece of jewelry in a small plastic bag so that it will have at least a minimal amount of protection from collisions with other jewelry. Remember, you have invested quite a bit of money into that diamond jewelry. Treat it properly and it will last for many generations.