The Diamond
The diamond is generally regarded as the premier gem of the world. Solitary in its chemical composition among precious stones, it is pure carbon, a primary fact that is not as commonly known as it should be and is supposed to be. It seems, indeed, incongruous that such common substances as graphite and lamp-black should be the same, save that they are uncrystallized, as this prince of gems; yet not withstanding its humble connections, the diamond, in its adamantine luster, high refraction, reflection, and dispersion of light, and hardness, is alone among minerals.
Despite its hardness, the diamond is not indestructible; diamond will cut diamond; it can be burned in the air, being carbon, and will then leave behind carbon dioxide gas and, as ashes, an impurity called carbonado. The diamond is also brittle so that it may be easily fractured, especially at the girdle, by striking it a blow against some hard substance, and in a steel mortar with a steel pestle it may be reduced to powder.
The diamond's surpassing property of dispersing light, or dividing it into colored rays, is due that fascinating flash of prismatic hues termed its fire. The stone's wondrous brilliancy is due in part to the total reflection of light from its internal faces when the incident ray strikes it at an angle of a little more than twenty-four degrees. Colorless diamonds are richest in the flashing of prismatic hues, while in some colored specimens it is scarcely apparent; at the same time by-waters, yellow-tinged stones, are sometimes more brilliant in artificial light than are the colorless diamonds. Diamonds have a wide range of color; most numerous are the whites, yellows, and browns in a great variety of shades; then come the greens; red stones of strong tints are very rare, as are also blue. Diamonds without tint or flaw are rare indeed and even most of the world's famous diamonds have imperfections.
Factors that make a Good Diamond
There are 4C’s to consider when purchasing a diamond. These C’s also dictate the price of the diamond!
- Cut
The cut of a stone refers to the arrangement of facets, cut into the stone's surface. The quality of the cut is essential to creating a beautiful diamond. In comparison to the other "3C's", the cut plays the biggest part in determining the brilliance & sparkle of the diamond.
The precise proportions & angles of a well cut stone have a drastic effect on the sparkle, fire & brilliance of the finished diamond. An immaculately cut diamond with the right proportions and perfect, precise angles has the maximum ability to reflect and refract light.
Polish & symmetry are also included in the cut's grade. Polish describes the smoothness of the stone's facets while symmetry refers to how those facets are aligned. When a diamond has excellent proportions, excellent polish and excellent symmetry, it is considered a triple-excellent cut - truly a brilliant and fiery diamond.
Significance of shape in relation to the price
Round diamonds are more expensive than other shapes. This is due to wastage that occurs during the cutting process: round cut diamonds lose more rough material during cutting than other shapes. This is also true when cutting diamonds to Excellent grades, Ideal grades or Star129 diamonds. In these cases the cutter focuses on producing the perfect cut diamond, and not the weight preservation or threshold, thus losing even more rough material until the desired cut is reached. A diamond deserving of Triple Excellent grade or Triple Ideal grade requires the best cutters in the industry and a large starting amount of rough material.
- Clarity
Nearly all diamonds contain tiny natural birthmarks known as inclusions or blemishes. Blemishes are imperfections on the surface of the stone. While Inclusions, are inside the body of the diamond. An inclusion may be made up of crystals of other minerals, another diamond crystal, or structural imperfections such as cracks in the stone. For the purposes of grading, all imperfections are referred to as inclusions, regardless of where on the diamond they occur. The clarity grade is assigned based on the overall appearance of the stone as viewed under 10x magnification, and not as seen to the naked eye. Most inclusions present in gem-quality stones do not affect their performance or structural integrity.
- Flawless (FL) – No blemishes or inclusions. Extremely rare.
- Internally Flawless (IF) – No inclusions and only small surface blemishes. Very rare.
- Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS) – Tiny inclusions visible only to a skilled Diamond Grader. Sub-grades are VVS1 (higher clarity) and VVS2 (slightly lower than VVS1)
- Very Slight Included (VS) – Minor inclusions, some of which are visible without magnification. Sub-grades include VS1 (higher) or VS2 (lower).
- Slightly Included (SI) – Noticeable inclusions, some visible to the naked eye. Sub-grades are SI1 (higher) & SI2 (lower)
- Included (I) – Inclusions at this level is very obvious and easily visible to the naked eye, sometimes even large enough to reduce the durability of the stone. Sub-grades of I, are I1 (highest), I2 (middle), & I3 (lowest).
However, it should be noted that a technically "flawed" diamond may still be a beautiful & affordable option.
- Color
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA for short) uses a Diamond Color Grading Chart starting at 'D Color' (which is the highest color grade for a diamond), all the way to Z (which is the lowest color grade).
Diamonds that have more color than Z are considered to be fancy colored diamonds, which may fetch high prices due to their rarity, when combined with carat size. These fancy colored diamonds can also be different shades of yellow, brown, or even other exotic colors such as pink, red, green, & blue.
The Hope Diamond that weighs 45.52 carats, one of the the most famous diamonds in the world, is a stunning blue shade and worth $200-250 million.
The usual color range of diamonds spans from a pale yellow hue, all the way to a brown hue, the majority of mined diamonds fall within this range. Diamonds in the normal color range are what we consider "white" diamonds, and are the kind most commonly used in engagement rings.
Even though most diamonds appear colorless to the naked eye, the majority of diamonds contain traces of yellow or brown. Chemical impurities or structural defects can both affect the natural hue of the stone. The closer the diamond is to being colorless, the more valuable the diamond is. Completely colorless diamonds appear bright white, and are incredibly rare & extremely expensive.
Choosing a Diamond Color
Since a diamond reflects the color of its surroundings, colorless diamonds, such as those graded between D to F, are at their best when mounted in a platinum or white gold setting. The bright white/silver tones of these metals will allow the diamond to shine, while a yellow gold, rose gold or other colored metal would actually reflect onto the diamond, making it appear a different shade than it actually is.
When choosing a diamond for their engagement ring, certain couples will settle for nothing less than perfection. For budget minded shoppers, however, anything above a J grading can be a better choice. Anything graded K and below will be tinted with increasingly visible shades of yellow and brown. While one of these stones may still be a suitable choice in certain circumstances, cut and setting will be even more important to maximizing the better qualities of the stone.
- Carat (Weight)
What is carat?
Carat is a special unit of weight reserved for precious stones & pearls. It is not to be confused with karat, which refers to gold purity (24KT gold, for example). These measurements are not related.
Modern scales use the metric carat weight: 1 carat is equal to 200 milligrams. The carat is divisible into one hundred points of two milligrams per point. For example, a 25 point diamond weighs .25 carats, or 50 milligrams (also referred to as a quarter carat). Other subdivisions, and slightly different mass values, have been used in the past in different locations around the world, but today carat weight is the international method used to weigh diamonds and other gemstones.
How does carat weight affect price?
Diamonds are rare. Thus, precise weighing scales are crucial. If a diamond weighs 200 points, or 2.00 carats, at a price of $30,000, that means 1 point costs $150. A 1 point difference is hardly visible to the naked eye. To find an accurate measurement of diamond weight, professional diamond scales are used.
The price of a 1 carat diamond is much lower than a 2 carat diamond of the same quality. This is because high carat diamonds are much rarer as they grow in carat. For example, a 1 carat diamond might cost $8,000 (depending on the market price). However, the same quality 2 carat diamond will not be double the cost at $16,000. This is because the rough material needed to produce a 2 carat diamond is much harder to find, so this diamond may be priced around $25,000. Notice how the price increased exponentially: this is because a considerable amount of rough material must be mined to produce a 2 carat diamond. In this case, over thousands of diamonds could be extracted from the ground to find this particular single 2 carat diamond.
To wrap it up!
When researching on Diamonds, you WILL run into the Four C’s. These are extremely important because they reflect the characteristics of the diamond. No individual element is more important than the other when choosing a diamond, but you may personally favor one element over another.
Light
In the end, you want a diamond that sparkles and reflects light as much as possible. All the C’s contribute to this. Most people prefer beauty (which usually means light-reflecting and icy white-blue color) over size, because you can always upgrade later, but the final decision is up to you.
Cut Is at the Root
No matter how highly the diamond may be graded in color, clarity, and carat, if a diamond is poorly cut, it will not refract and reflect light, therefore greatly reducing the sparkle. The best cuts are Ideal or Excellent, Ideal2, or Star129.
Balance the C’s
As a rough guide, we recommend first choosing the best cut possible. Then, for best value and clarity, find the best cut with a VS1-VS2 and F-I in color. Finally, use carat weight to leverage the price, and make sure there is a certificate from GIA or AGSL included verifying these grades.
Buying Tips
Avoid buying a diamond with a clarity rating less than SI1 and a color rating less than I. You can enhance the look of your diamond in the ring design, depending on your metal choice or prongs. Prongs can potentially cover a small inclusion if placed correctly (ask your jeweler about this) and certain elements, such as a halo, can visually enhance the look of the size of the center diamond.