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Article contributed by Saettele Jewelers Inc., the
official retailer of "Hearts On Fire" Diamonds.
Finding the perfect diamond is not as hard as it may seem. Just remember the 4C's... Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat.
Cut: There's cut, and then there's cut
Many people confuse
cut with the shape of a diamond. Diamonds are cut into a number of shapes,
depending on the nature of the rough stone. The most popular are round,
marquise, oval, pear, emerald, and princess, and the choice is largely a
matter of personal preference. Whatever the shape, a well-cut diamond is
the work of a master diamond cutter. When cut to good proportions, the diamond
is better able to handle light, creating more scintillation, more sparkle.
And that's a great reflection on you.
It is the cut that enables
a diamond to make the best use of light. Light is reflected from one facet
to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. If the cut of
the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of
the pavilion. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion
before it can be reflected. That is why cut is so important when buying
a diamond.
DIAMOND DESCRIPTION
A diamond is divided into three sections: |
|
 |
| Crown
- the upper section of the diamond
Pavilion
- the lower section of the diamond
Girdle
- the rim separating the crown (top) from the pavilion (bottom)
|
| |
Facet Name |
Number |
| a |
Table |
1 |
| b |
Bezel |
8 |
| c |
Star |
8 |
| d |
Upper Girdle |
16 |
| e |
Pavilion Main |
8 |
| f |
Lower Girdle |
16 |
| |
Culet |
1 |
Color: Good color is no color.
Diamonds are found
with a range of colors, from faint yellow or brown to the very rare pinks, blues,
greens, and other colors known as "Fancies". However, the best color
for a diamond is no color. It is a totally colorless diamond that allows white
light to pass effortlessly through it and be dispersed as rainbows of color.
The differences between one grade and another are very subtle, as can be seen
by the number of grades within any one category.
Clarity: A rarity.
To determine a diamond's
clarity, it is viewed under 10-power magnification by a trained eye. Most
diamonds contain very tiny natural inclusions. However, the fewer and smaller
the inclusions are, the less likely it is that they will interfere with
the passage of light through the diamond, and the more beautiful the diamond
will be. Diamonds, more than any other gemstone, have the capability to
produce the maximum amount of brilliance. A diamond that is free of interior
or exterior inclusions is very rare and therefore more valuable. So, the
clearer the diamond, the clearer your choice.
An Example of the Different Clarity Grades:
Carat-weight: Bigger is bigger, not necessarily better.
This is the weight
of the diamond measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 "points",
so that a diamond of 75 points weighs .75 carats. Carat-weight is the easiest
of the 4 C's to determine. But two diamonds of equal weights can have very unequal
value, depending on their cut, color, and clarity. Fine quality can be found
in diamonds of all shapes and sizes. And a fine quality diamond is a little
extra weight she'd be pleased to put on.
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