Choosing a diamond: Cut
The cut is the physical shape of the diamond, and refers to the angles and proportions a skilled jewelry professional creates in the stone to reveal its sparkle.
The cut of the stone causes light to be dispersed and reflected from one facet to another. A traditional round diamond shape is cut with 58 facets. A well proportioned cut allows the greatest amount of sparkle to be reflected. If a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, light escapes through the side or the bottom and the display will be less brilliant.
A well cut diamond is more valuable than a poorly cut stone of the same weight, clarity and color.
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Choosing a diamond: Color
The closer a diamond is to having no color, the more valuable it is. Many diamonds appear colorless, but most do contain subtle tones of yellow or brown.
Diamond colors are graded from D to Z, from cooler colors through to warmer colors. Truly colorless diamonds (graded D) are rare. Lower graded diamonds sparkle just as brightly, but are less rare.
Cooler colors (D-J) are shown to best advantage in white gold or platinum settings, while warmer colors (K-Z) look stunning set in yellow gold.
Color differences between stones can be very subtle, and at times need the eye of an expert to compare the stones side by side.
Diamonds can also be found in pink, blue and green colors. These are known as “fancies,” and are considered very rare and valuable.
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Choosing a diamond: Clarity
The greater the clarity, the more valuable the diamond.
Most diamonds contain inclusions, or natural identifying characteristics such as minerals or fractures that may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers in the gemstone.
Inclusions are usually invisible to the naked eye. However, their number, size and location can affect the flow of light through a diamond, causing some of the sparkle to be lost.
The fewer the inclusions, the greater the clarity of the diamond. Some inclusions can be hidden by a setting, and inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye have very little to no effect on the diamond’s beauty.
Diamonds with inclusions that are visible to the naked eye are graded P1 to P3. Those with small inclusions are graded SP1 to SP2; those with very small inclusions are graded VS1 to VS2; and diamonds with extremely small inclusions (very, very small) are graded VVS1 to VVS2.
Diamonds with no detectible inclusions are called flawless (FL), or internally flawless (IF).
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Choosing a diamond: Carat
The word “carat” derives from ancient times when gems were measured using the weight of a carob seed, and refers to the weight of a diamond.
Generally, the larger the carat, the more rare and valuable the diamond. One carat equals one fifth of a gram, and is also divided into 100 points. For example, a third carat diamond or a 0.33 carat diamond weighs the same as a 33 point diamond.
Two diamonds of the same weight, however, can have very different values, depending on their clarity, color and cut.
Cut and mounting can also make a diamond appear larger than its actual carat weight. For example, a one carat emerald shape diamond with a larger surface area (table), but less depth, may appear larger than a two carat round diamond with a smaller table, but greater depth in the bottom portion of the stone (pavilion).
