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, heart and emerald, and the choice is largely a matter of personal preference. Whatever the shape, however, 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.
BELOW: How a diamond handles light:
When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone.
BELOW: The Different facets of a round brilliant cut diamond:
Diamonds are found with a range of colors, from faint yellow or brown through 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: And to give a woman such a diamond is to show your true colors, as well.
BELOW: Color grading scale from totally colorless to light yellow. The differences between one grade and another are very subtle, as can be seen by the number of grades within one category.
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 beautfiul 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, they clearer your choice.
This is the weight of the diamond measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 “points” so that a diamond of 75 points weights .75 carats. Carat-weight is the easiest of the 4C’s to determine. But two diamonds of equal weight 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.
