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.

It is 10 pm in Denver, CO.  I am currently in Tel Aviv, Israel where it is 7 am the next day, and I am wide awake and ready to go to work and grab a bite to eat.  I love Mediterranean breakfasts. As I eat the many tasty foods, I speak with my wife on my cell before she goes to sleep. She tells me of a snowstorm going on in Denver. In Tel Aviv it is sunny and warm with robin-egg-blue skies and a gentle breeze coming in off the Mediterranean Sea. She jokes that I plan my trips overseas to avoid shoveling. Her voice is the first voice I hear in the morning, and the last I hear before I go to sleep while on my many overseas trips to Israel and India.

Now my attention turns to the reason I am here. I go through my check lists one last time. I am the Loose Diamond Buyer for Shane Co. I work for Tom Shane, so I have to be prepared.  Buying diamonds is one of the major callings in my life.

At this moment Tom is in Bangkok, Thailand buying colored sapphires. We exchange a quick email and I jump into a taxi and am off to Ramat Gan, the industrial center of Tel Aviv. I have made over 80 trips for Shane Co. in over 13 years as Tom’s diamond buyer in order to supply our stores such as our Nashville location. I even lived in Tel Aviv for a year and a half. That was an interesting time and I will tell you about it another time.

As I enter the chaotically managed security of the Israeli Diamond Bourse I am instantly recognized and fast tracked through to the elevators that will take me to many of the elite diamond cutters in the world. As I enter the first office I am greeted with a hug by the owner of one of the diamond cutting firms. Working with the owners of these firms allows Shane Co. to have buying privilege shared by few. I like to say our diamonds are from the hand of the maker to the hand of our customer. We catch up a little and he tells me how his son is doing in the Israeli Defense Forces and the challenges he and his wife are having with their teenage daughter.  Each country I visit has its own cultural nuances and in this business knowing the unique etiquette for each country and remaining firm to our needs as a company are one of the many interesting aspects of my job.

Now, it is time for business. The diamonds I will be carefully examining have been held in a safe just for Shane Co. I begin thoroughly evaluating hundreds of loose diamonds with my special loupe and a pair of tweezers that I have had for years (funny how you become attached to such things). The diamond offices can get very noisy at times. Negotiations can get a little fierce, but that is all part of the job. More than anything it is the Shane’s family reputation and the familiarity that they have with these diamond-cutting companies that allows me to be successful.

Looking at hundreds of diamonds I reject a notable percentage for reasons of our standards of quality. This is sometimes exasperating to the firms I work with. Because of the fact that I know these diamonds will be purchased from us for major life events like engagements and anniversaries, I bear down and select the brightest and best for each carat weight and quality. The better we buy, the better our customers buy.

Comparing the measures of diamond quality is not just letters and numbers for us. Two diamonds can have the same carat weight, color and clarity but look very, very different. We buy for exact quality specs but Shane Co. diamonds must have the “wow” factor of brightness and beauty.  Every diamond we buy is hand selected, which means that we closely analyze every diamond, unlike most of the corporate jewelers.

This job is intensely personal to me. The diamonds I buy today will be hand selected by one of our customers as they choose both a dazzling loose diamond and one of the hundreds of mountings to create something wholly unique for the one they love.

As the business day draws to a close I am slightly fatigued. Back from a quick dinner, I am just about ready for bed. I have a chuckle as my wife bemoans the continuing snow and wishes me a good night’s sleep although with jet lag we all know that is hardly possible.