In this blog post we will discuss the last of the Four Cs which is known as the diamond’s cut. The cut can also be referred to as the diamond’s “make” and is extremely important because it directly influences the diamond’s brilliance, or sparkle. Obviously, when it comes to diamonds, sparkle is what catches the eye.

• No Matter What, A Diamond That Doesn’t Sparkle Isn’t Worth Buying

It’s certainly possible to find a lower priced diamond at one jeweler versus another. This could be true even if the diamond is identical in carat weight, color and clarity. Some jewelers purchase diamonds that are cut too shallow or too deep and as a result this causes the light that enters the stone to leak out the bottom, or out the sides of the stone. The stone appears dull and dark to the visible eye and as a result, highly undesirable. A diamond that doesn’t sparkle is never worth purchasing.

• What Are The Parts of a Cut?

Cut addresses the number, placement, shape and angling of the facets that create a polished diamond. The facets cause the diamond to function as a prism that captures and reflects the light inside the diamond. The quality of the cut is determined by the height of the crown relative to the depth of the pavilion and the width of the table.

• Appearance

The way a stone is cut can affect how a diamond looks in a number of ways. If a diamond has a very deep cut then it will end up looking smaller than a diamond that is the same weight that is cut well. In the same fashion, a diamond that has a shallow cut will appear larger than another diamond of the same weight that is cut well. Either way, a diamond that is cut either too deep or too shallow is typically undesirable.

With this blog post we will delve into one of the Four Cs called clarity. Clarity refers to the stone’s purity and is evaluated while viewing the diamond under 10x magnification. Almost all diamonds contain small natural birthmarks that are present to different degrees. Nature is almost never perfect and because diamonds are natural, that extends to diamonds as well. At Shane Co. we use these marks to identify a specific diamond because each set of marks can serve as a fingerprint that uniquely identifies the stone.

• Why Is There A Spot In My Diamond?

The small specks in almost every diamond consist of “naturals” and can be found on the outside or inclusions on the inside of the stone. Inclusions can be anything that is trapped within the crystal of the diamond and are almost inevitable in all stones.  Inclusions can be defined in the following ways.

• How is Clarity Graded?

There are several grading systems that are used within the industry but the most recognized system is the one developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Here is a look at their system. 

I hope this helps clear up what the term clarity means as it pertains to diamonds.

In this blog post we will be taking a look at color, and what you should look at when evaluating a diamond.

• Why is less color more valuable?

The less color that can found in a diamond is considered to be more rare, and as such, more valuable. As with everything there is an exception to this rule when it comes to “fancy colored diamonds” which can come in blue, pink, red, yellow, green or brown. Many of these colors are exceptionally rare and are collector’s items.

Colorless is a hard thing to wrap your head around. Because most diamonds that are mined have a good deal of color within the body of the stone, very few are considered completely colorless. Think about the “ideal” classic diamond color as a glass of pure water.

A colorless stone lets the diamond reflect and refract light more cleanly. White light enters the diamond and part of the light ray is reflected back to your eye, and the rest penetrates the stone. The light that penetrates the stone bounces around toward the center of the stone as dictated by the facets and finally bounces back to the surface. A diamond acts much like a prism and refracts white light into the full color spectrum. The less color that is present in the stone allows for greater refraction.

• Grading Diamonds

Diamonds and their color are graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) with letters ranging from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow).

• Color, More than Meets the Eye

Color is most certainly one of the hardest factors to evaluate in a diamond. Everyone sees color differently, and as such, it becomes a fairly subjective part of the grading process. The differences in color between two diamonds are extremely subtle, and might be barely visible to an untrained eye. Even experts will compare an ungraded stone to one that has been previously graded to properly determine the color of a stone. The reason for this is because differences in color can make a huge difference in price.

• Fluorescence.

Some diamonds exhibit a blue tint in daylight or under fluorescent lighting.  When viewing the diamond under normal incandescent lights the blue will disappear.  The blue tint is the result of the degree of fluorescence within the stone itself. It is not considered either good, or bad, but simply a natural characteristic of the stone.