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| » | Choosing a setting |
| » | Choosing a ring style |
| » | How to measure ring size |
| » | Choosing Diamonds |
| » | Choosing the metal |
| » | Gemstones (Birthstones, Symbolism, Mysticism and more) |
Choosing Diamonds
Round brilliant, flawless, clarity, certifications, inclusions, Asscher, F color, 1 carat ... and your head starts spinning. Shopping for diamonds can be both intimidating and overwhelming. However, if you spend just a few minutes learning the language of gems it will help you avoid costly mistakes and demystify the pricing of a diamond. Contrary to popular belief, the price of a diamond does not solely depend on its carat size (the first C). It is rather a combination of it along with three other Cs (Color, Clarity, and Cut). But before we get into that lets start with some basic terms and definitions.
Brilliant Cut: One of three styles of faceting arrangements. In this type of arrangement, all facets appear to radiate out from the center of the diamond toward its outer edges. It is called a brilliant cut because it designed to maximize brilliance. Round diamonds, ovals, radiant, princesses, hearts, marquises, and pears all fall within this category of cut. Other styles of faceting arrangements include the step cut (in which facets are arranged in concentric rows around the table and the culet) and the mixed cut (in which either the crown or pavilion of a diamond is cut as a brilliant cut, and the other part of the diamond is cut as a step cut).
Carat Weight: The metric carat, which equals 0.200 gram, is the standard unit of weight for diamonds and most other gems. If other factors are equal, the more a stone weighs, the more valuable it will be.
Chip: A tiny piece missing, caused by normal wear and tear, or by cutting.
Clarity: A stone's relative position on a flawless to imperfect scale. Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions (internal) or blemishes (external). The size, number, position, nature, and color or relief of characteristics determine the clarity grade. Very few diamonds are flawless, that is, show no inclusions or blemishes when examined by a skilled grader under 10X magnification. If other factors are equal, flawless stones are most valuable.
Color: Grading color in the normal range involves deciding how closely a stone's body color approaches colorlessness. Most diamonds have at least a trace of yellow or brown body color. With the exception of some natural fancy colors, such as blue, pink, purple, or red, the colorless grade is the most valuable.
Crown: The upper part of the diamond above the girdle. Consists of a large flat area on top called a table, and several facets below it. Culet: The smallest facet at the bottom of the diamond.
Culet: A tiny flat facet that diamond cutters sometimes add at the bottom of a diamond's pavilion. Its purpose is to protect the tip of the pavilion from being chipped or damaged. Once a diamond is set in jewelry, though, the setting itself generally provides the pavilion with sufficient protection from impact or wear. Large or extremely large culets were common in diamonds cut in the early part of this century, such as the Old European or Old Mine Cut. However, such large culets are rarely seen today. Most modern shapes have either no culet at all, or a small or very small culet.
Cut: The proportions and finish of a polished diamond (also called make). Proportions are the size and angle relationships between the facets and different parts of the stone. Finish includes polish and details of facet shape and placement. Cut affects both the weight yield from rough and the optical efficiency of the polished stone; the more successful the cutter is in balancing these considerations, the more valuable the stone will be.
Depth: The height of a diamond from the culet to the table. The depth is measured in millimeters.
Diamond: A crystal made up of 99.95% pure carbon atoms arranged in an isometric, or cubic, crystal arrangement. It is this unique arrangement of the carbon atoms that makes diamond look and behave differently from other pure carbon minerals such as graphite (the soft black material used to make pencils).
Facet: The smooth, flat faces on the surface of a diamond. They allow light to both enter a diamond and reflect off its surface at different angles, creating the wonderful play of color and light for which diamonds are famous. The table below shows all the facets on a round brilliant cut diamond. A round brilliant has 58 facets (or 57 if there is no culet).
Faceted Girdle: Sometimes cutters polish the girdle into 32 facets.
Fancy Diamond: A diamond with an attractive natural body color other than light yellow or light brown.
Fancy cut: All diamond shapes except for round brilliant cut.
Flaw: An imperfection of a stone.
Gemological Institute of America (GIA): Founded in 1931 by Roger Shipley, this non-profit organization upholds the highest standards for grading diamonds and other precious gems. The GIA has one of the most-respected and well-regarded gemological laboratories in the world; GIA was responsible for developing and standardizing the diamond grading system that is used today by nearly all other gem labs.
Girdle: The outer edge or the widest part of the diamond forming a band around the stone.
Inclusion: Imperfection internal to the Diamond. Any internal flaw. Most inclusions were created when the gem first formed in the earth.
Pavilion: The bottom part of the Diamond, below the girdle.
Point: A unit of measurement used to describe the weight of diamonds. One point is equivalent to one-hundredth of a carat.
Polish: Refers to any blemishes on the surface of the diamond which are not significant enough to affect the clarity grade of the diamond. Examples of blemishes that might be considered as 'polish' characteristics are faint polishing lines and small surface nicks or scratches. Polish is regarded as an indicator of the quality of as diamond's cut; it is graded as either Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor.
Round Brilliant cut: The most common cut containing 58 facets. Also the most brilliant cut, in terms of most efficient use of light to increase brilliance and fire, hence the name.
Rough: An uncut diamond.
Table: The flat facet on the top of the diamond. It is the largest facet on a cut diamond.
- Terms and Definitions
Brilliance: The brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond. It is the effect that makes diamonds unique among all other gemstones. While other gemstones also display brilliance, none have the power to equal the extent of diamond's light-reflecting power. Brilliance is created primarily when light enters through the table, reaches the pavilion facets, and is then reflected back out through the table, where the light is most visible to your eye.Brilliant Cut: One of three styles of faceting arrangements. In this type of arrangement, all facets appear to radiate out from the center of the diamond toward its outer edges. It is called a brilliant cut because it designed to maximize brilliance. Round diamonds, ovals, radiant, princesses, hearts, marquises, and pears all fall within this category of cut. Other styles of faceting arrangements include the step cut (in which facets are arranged in concentric rows around the table and the culet) and the mixed cut (in which either the crown or pavilion of a diamond is cut as a brilliant cut, and the other part of the diamond is cut as a step cut).
Carat Weight: The metric carat, which equals 0.200 gram, is the standard unit of weight for diamonds and most other gems. If other factors are equal, the more a stone weighs, the more valuable it will be.
Chip: A tiny piece missing, caused by normal wear and tear, or by cutting.
Clarity: A stone's relative position on a flawless to imperfect scale. Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions (internal) or blemishes (external). The size, number, position, nature, and color or relief of characteristics determine the clarity grade. Very few diamonds are flawless, that is, show no inclusions or blemishes when examined by a skilled grader under 10X magnification. If other factors are equal, flawless stones are most valuable.
Color: Grading color in the normal range involves deciding how closely a stone's body color approaches colorlessness. Most diamonds have at least a trace of yellow or brown body color. With the exception of some natural fancy colors, such as blue, pink, purple, or red, the colorless grade is the most valuable.
Crown: The upper part of the diamond above the girdle. Consists of a large flat area on top called a table, and several facets below it. Culet: The smallest facet at the bottom of the diamond.
Culet: A tiny flat facet that diamond cutters sometimes add at the bottom of a diamond's pavilion. Its purpose is to protect the tip of the pavilion from being chipped or damaged. Once a diamond is set in jewelry, though, the setting itself generally provides the pavilion with sufficient protection from impact or wear. Large or extremely large culets were common in diamonds cut in the early part of this century, such as the Old European or Old Mine Cut. However, such large culets are rarely seen today. Most modern shapes have either no culet at all, or a small or very small culet.
Cut: The proportions and finish of a polished diamond (also called make). Proportions are the size and angle relationships between the facets and different parts of the stone. Finish includes polish and details of facet shape and placement. Cut affects both the weight yield from rough and the optical efficiency of the polished stone; the more successful the cutter is in balancing these considerations, the more valuable the stone will be.
Depth: The height of a diamond from the culet to the table. The depth is measured in millimeters.
Diamond: A crystal made up of 99.95% pure carbon atoms arranged in an isometric, or cubic, crystal arrangement. It is this unique arrangement of the carbon atoms that makes diamond look and behave differently from other pure carbon minerals such as graphite (the soft black material used to make pencils).
Facet: The smooth, flat faces on the surface of a diamond. They allow light to both enter a diamond and reflect off its surface at different angles, creating the wonderful play of color and light for which diamonds are famous. The table below shows all the facets on a round brilliant cut diamond. A round brilliant has 58 facets (or 57 if there is no culet).
Faceted Girdle: Sometimes cutters polish the girdle into 32 facets.
Fancy Diamond: A diamond with an attractive natural body color other than light yellow or light brown.
Fancy cut: All diamond shapes except for round brilliant cut.
Flaw: An imperfection of a stone.
Gemological Institute of America (GIA): Founded in 1931 by Roger Shipley, this non-profit organization upholds the highest standards for grading diamonds and other precious gems. The GIA has one of the most-respected and well-regarded gemological laboratories in the world; GIA was responsible for developing and standardizing the diamond grading system that is used today by nearly all other gem labs.
Girdle: The outer edge or the widest part of the diamond forming a band around the stone.
Inclusion: Imperfection internal to the Diamond. Any internal flaw. Most inclusions were created when the gem first formed in the earth.
Pavilion: The bottom part of the Diamond, below the girdle.
Point: A unit of measurement used to describe the weight of diamonds. One point is equivalent to one-hundredth of a carat.
Polish: Refers to any blemishes on the surface of the diamond which are not significant enough to affect the clarity grade of the diamond. Examples of blemishes that might be considered as 'polish' characteristics are faint polishing lines and small surface nicks or scratches. Polish is regarded as an indicator of the quality of as diamond's cut; it is graded as either Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor.
Round Brilliant cut: The most common cut containing 58 facets. Also the most brilliant cut, in terms of most efficient use of light to increase brilliance and fire, hence the name.
Rough: An uncut diamond.
Table: The flat facet on the top of the diamond. It is the largest facet on a cut diamond.
- Shapes
The first decision to make when purchasing a diamond is its shape. Below are the most common shapes available today to the consumer.
 |
- Round |  |
- Radiant |
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- Princess |  |
- Pear |
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- Oval |  |
- Marquise |
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- Heart |  |
- Emerald |
 |
- Cushion |  |
- Asscher |
Each shape not only affects how a diamond ring looks but also has its own history and character.
For example, there were studies linking the preferred shape of the diamond to personality types. In one such study Saul Spero, a New York Diamond appraiser interviewed over 50,000 women for 5 years and came to the following conclusions in his book Diamonds, Love, and Compatibility. If a woman has a preference for only one stone shape, her personality will probably match those described below*.
Exclusive
Preference for:
*A more complete discussion on this topic with examples can be found in the Spero's book.
For example, there were studies linking the preferred shape of the diamond to personality types. In one such study Saul Spero, a New York Diamond appraiser interviewed over 50,000 women for 5 years and came to the following conclusions in his book Diamonds, Love, and Compatibility. If a woman has a preference for only one stone shape, her personality will probably match those described below*.
Exclusive
Preference for:
| Round | Home- and family-centered, dependable, unaggressive, easy to get along with, and security conscious. |
| Oval | Individualistic, creative, well organized, dependable, willing to take chances. |
| Pear | Conforming, considerate, adaptable, home- and community-centered. |
| Heart | Sentimental, creative, feminine, sensitive, trusting, dramatic, a dreamer. |
| Marquise | Extroverted, aggressive, experimental, exciting, innovative, career-centered. |
| Rectangle, Square | Disciplined, organized, conservative, efficient, honest and open. |
It can be said that not only diamonds owners, but diamonds themselves have a personality type and it varies from shape to shape. For example, round shape can be described as classic, with oval as its artistic cousin. Pear is feminine. The princess is a flirty, flashy shape and emeralds are glamorous. Marquise diamond is noble to the core, while cushion delivers sophistication and elegance.
Obviously your personal preference is most important when it comes to choosing the shape but there are other questions to ask:
The amount of brilliance you want your diamond to display: Round brilliant is the shape that shows the most brilliance and sparkle. Emeralds have less sparkle but preferred for their elegant look. If you prefer a rectangular or square diamond with more sparkle you can buy Radiant.
How big you want your diamond to look: Some people want their diamond to look as big as possible. Fancy shapes generally look bigger than round diamond of equal weight, particularly the elongated ones like Marquise or Pear.
The shape and size of your hand: The shape of your diamond can make your hand and fingers look longer or shorter than they are. For example, a long, thin diamond like Oval or Marquise set along your finger can make your hand look longer and thinner.
The color and clarity of the diamond: The shape best able to mask flaws and yellow tints is round. In emerald cuts and baguettes the flaws are most obvious. In other words, when comparing two equal quality diamonds a round cut will look very good, while a step-cut, rectangular or triangular diamond will be unacceptable.
The size of a diamond is measured in carat weight. The weight of small diamonds is expressed in points, with one point equaling 0.01 carats.
Obviously your personal preference is most important when it comes to choosing the shape but there are other questions to ask:
The amount of brilliance you want your diamond to display: Round brilliant is the shape that shows the most brilliance and sparkle. Emeralds have less sparkle but preferred for their elegant look. If you prefer a rectangular or square diamond with more sparkle you can buy Radiant.
How big you want your diamond to look: Some people want their diamond to look as big as possible. Fancy shapes generally look bigger than round diamond of equal weight, particularly the elongated ones like Marquise or Pear.
The shape and size of your hand: The shape of your diamond can make your hand and fingers look longer or shorter than they are. For example, a long, thin diamond like Oval or Marquise set along your finger can make your hand look longer and thinner.
The color and clarity of the diamond: The shape best able to mask flaws and yellow tints is round. In emerald cuts and baguettes the flaws are most obvious. In other words, when comparing two equal quality diamonds a round cut will look very good, while a step-cut, rectangular or triangular diamond will be unacceptable.
- Learn the 4c's
1. Carat WeightThe size of a diamond is measured in carat weight. The weight of small diamonds is expressed in points, with one point equaling 0.01 carats.
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| 0.005 ct | half point |
| 0.05 ct | five points |
| 0.25 ct | twenty five points or quarter carat |
| 0.50 ct | fifty points or half a carat |
| 1.44 ct | one point forty four carats |
The way carat weight affects the value of the diamond is not a straight forward proportion. A 2-carat stone will not cost twice as much as 1-carat stone. It could easily be four times as much. As a rule there is an increase in the price per carat as we go from smaller stones to larger. The jumps are disproportionate and the larger the stone (all else being equal) the more disproportionate increase in cost per carat may be.
When choosing the size of the diamond, consider your budget, the type of setting you like and the size of the hand.
2. Diamond Color
When used in relation to white diamonds, the term color refers to the absence of color. The most valuable diamonds are completely or near colorless, without tints of yellow or brown. The following table shows the GIA color grades.
| D E F | G H I J | K L M | N O P Q R | S T U V W X Y | Z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorless | Near colorless | Faint Yellow | Very light yellow | Light yellow | Fancy Yellow |
D, E, and F color diamonds are extremely rare and therefore most expensive. The difference between D and F is a matter of transparency with D being the most transparent. If your diamond is G to I color you should be very pleased because it is worth a lot of money. The average consumer will not even notice yellow tints in the diamonds G, H, I or J because the increase in color is miniscule.
As a side note diamond color may also refer to Fancy Colors such as Pink, Purple, Green, Yellow, Blue and Black. But such diamonds are not very common and unusually expensive.
Nevertheless they too have found a way into engagement rings.
Nevertheless they too have found a way into engagement rings.
3. Diamond Clarity
Clarity is the degree to which a stone is free from external marks called blemishes and internal features called inclusions. The GIA defines clarity grades in the following way:
| F | IF | VVS1, VVS2 | VS1, VS2 | SI1, SI2 | I1, I2, I3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flawless | Internally Flawless | Very, very slight inclusions | Very Slight Inclusions | Slight Inclusions | Imperfect |
Gems with no inclusions or blemishes are extremely rare. Most gems have a flaw of some sort called by such names as crystal, pinpoint, or feather. Diamonds with a V in the clarity grade a good stones. The flaws in these grades can only be seen under the magnification of a jeweler's loupe. Diamonds with clarity SI1 are still excellent stones. If you look at them with the unaided eye you probably won't see any flaws. SI2 clarity diamonds are eighth on the clarity scale but more often than not you won't be able to notice the inclusions by looking through the crown.
As you might expect, the higher the clarity the higher the diamond's cost. Also, usually the higher the color grade of a diamond, the more clarity affects it cost. For example going from VS1 to VVS2 on a D color diamond will trigger a higher price increase than doing so on an I color stone. Keep all this in mind when looking for a diamond and remember this: Diamonds with inclusions are normal, not defective.
4. Diamond Cut
Diamond's cut refers to the facet arrangement on the surface of the gem. A well-cut diamond enhances its brilliance. However, when in an effort to maintain carat weight the cutter leaves the stone's flaws intact and trims the facets badly, the brilliance fades. When determining the cut grade of a particular diamond gemologists and appraisers judge the diamond on its crown, its pavilion, its girdle, table, polish, symmetry and overall brilliance of the stone. Determining the cut of the diamond is extremely subjective and there is a lot of difference in opinions both geographically and culturally. Most diamond dealers, including us will provide you with a rough guide to the stones cut in such terms as Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good or Fair. We don't carry any Fair cut diamonds and advise you to consider them only if you can see the diamond beforehand.
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