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About Diamonds |
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History |
Pricing |
Carat |
Clarity |
Colour |
Cut
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Diamond History
The name diamond comes from the ancient Greek word
adamas meaning invincible and unconquerable. What is so
amazing is that every diamond is unique and no two are
alike.The youngest diamond is 900 million years old and the
oldest is 3.2billion years old. Since they were first mined in
India 2,800 years a go they have been admired for their beauty
and desired throughout the ages.
Diamonds are the hardest known substance on earth, which is
how they earned their name. There are many ancient myths
about diamonds. In Greek mythology, diamonds were tears of
the gods; in Roman mythology, diamonds were splinters from
the stars that Eros (the God of love) had made into tips for
his arrows.
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In days gone by Kings led battles wearing heavy leather
breastplates studded with diamonds and other precious stones.
Diamonds were worn because they were thought to give a
person strength, power, invincibility, courage, and magical
powers over the dark side of life. They were believed to bring
luck and success to the wearer.
Louis IX of France (1214-1270) was so captivated by the power
and brilliance of diamonds he passed a law saying diamonds
could only be worn by the king. Fortunately for all of us a
century later diamonds could be seen in royal jewellery for both
men and women and by the 18th century, the diamond
represented the ultimate symbol of wealth and power.
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Diamond Pricing
Many people are confused about how diamonds are priced.
The best explanation is that asking for the price of a diamond is
like asking for the price of a house. A real estate agent can’t
quote you a price for a house without knowing its size,
condition, location, etc. This process is the same one used
when buying a diamond. A diamond’s beauty, rarity, and price
depend on the interplay of all the 4Cs—cut, clarity, carat,
and color.
The 4Cs are used throughout the world to classify the rarity of
diamonds. Diamonds with the combination of the highest 4C
ratings are more rare and, consequently, more expensive.
No one C is more important than another in terms of beauty
and it is important to note that each of the 4Cs will not diminish
in value over time.
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Once you have established those 4C characteristics that are
most important to you, a jeweler can then begin to show you
various options with quoted prices.
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Carat (Refers to the weight of a diamond.)
Carat is often confused with size even though it is actually a
measure of weight. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams.
One carat can also be divided into 100 “points.” A .75 carat
diamond is the same as a 75-points or 3/4 carat diamond.
A 1-carat diamond costs exactly twice the price of a half-carat
diamond, right? Wrong. Since larger diamonds are found less
frequently in nature, which places them at the rarest level of the
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Diamond Quality Pyramid, a 1-carat diamond will cost more
than twice a 1/2-carat diamond (assuming color, clarity and cut
remain constant).
Cut and mounting can make a diamond appear larger than
or smaller than its actual weight. So shop around and talk to
your jeweler to find the right diamond and setting to optimize
the beauty of your stone.
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Clarity (Refers to the presence of inclusions in a diamond.)
Every diamond is unique. Nature ensures that each diamond is
as individual as the person who wears it. Naturally-occurring
features—know as inclusions—provide a special fingerprint
within the stone. Inclusions are natural identifying
characteristics such as minerals or fractures, appearing while
diamonds are formed in the earth. They may look like tiny
crystals, clouds or feathers.
To view inclusions, jewelers use a magnifying loupe. This tool
allows jewelers to see a diamond at 10x its actual size so that
inclusions are easier to see. The position of inclusions can
affect the value of a diamond. There are very few flawless
diamonds found in nature, thus these diamonds are much
more valuable.
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Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection, known as clarity,
which was established by the Gemological Institute of America
(GIA). The clarity scale, ranging from F (Flawless) to Included
(I), is based on the visibility of inclusions at a magnification
of 10x.
Some inclusions can be hidden by a mounting, thus having
little effect on the beauty of a diamond. An inclusion in the
middle or top of a diamond could impact the dispersion of light,
sometimes making the diamond less brilliant.
The greater a diamond's clarity, the more brilliant, valuable
and rare it is.
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Colour (Refers to the degree to which a diamond is colourless.)
Diamonds are found in almost every color of the rainbow, but
white-colored diamonds remain most popular.
Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the
Gemological Institute of America (GIA) which ranges from D
(colorless) to Z. Warmer colored diamonds (K–Z) are particularly
desirable when set in yellow gold. Icy winter whites (D–J) look
stunning set in white gold or platinum.
Color differences are very subtle and it is very difficult to see the
difference between, say, an E and an F. Therefore, colors are
graded under controlled lighting conditions and are compared
to a master set for accuracy.
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Truly colorless stones, graded D, treasured for their rarity, are
highest on the Diamond Quality Pyramid. Color, however,
ultimately comes down to personal taste. Ask a jeweler to show
you a variety of color grades next to one another to help you
determine your color preference.
Nature has also created diamonds in intense shades of blue,
green, yellow, orange, pink or – rarest of all – red. These
diamonds are called ‘colored fancies’ and are extremely rare
and highly treasured.
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Cut (Refers to the angles and proportions of a diamond.)
Nature determines so much about a diamond, but it takes a
master cutter to reveal the stone’s true brilliance, fire and
ultimate beauty.
Based on scientific formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally
reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse
and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results in a
display of brilliance and fire, thereby placing well-cut diamonds
higher on the Diamond Quality Pyramid than deep or
shallow-cut diamonds. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too
shallow lose or leak light through the side or bottom, resulting in
less brilliance and ultimately,value.
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Cut also refers to shape—round, square, pear, or heart for
example. Since a round diamond is symmetrical and capable
of reflecting nearly all the light that enters, it is the most
brilliant of all diamond shapes and follows specific proportional
guidelines. Ask a jeweler to find out more about
these guidelines.
Non-round shapes, also known as “fancy shapes,” will
have their own guidelines to be considered well-cut.
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