Education

Welcome to our Diamond Education center, if you would like information on jewellery other than diamonds,  

-- please click here--

Overview

To make it simple; the larger the diamond, the rarer it is (carat weight). The purer the diamond, the more pristine it is (clarity). The greater the absence of colour in a diamond, the more the beauty emerges (colour). The more precise the cut of the diamond, the more brilliant it appears (cut). It is a combination of these individual elements that make each diamond unique in its quality and beauty.

 

Carat Weight

The weight of all gemstones is measured in carats, which was originally related to the weight of the Carob seed of ancient trading communities. Each carat contains 100 points. An extremely sensitive scale or diamond balance determines diamond weight.It is possible to approximate a round brilliant diamond's weight by measuring its diameter.

 

Clarity

All diamonds contain inclusions or imperfections under magnification. Inclusions are internal or external features, which are wholly or partially surrounded by the stone. The lack of inclusions visible to a trained eye under 10 powers of magnification will determine a diamonds clarity.

 

Colour

Diamonds range from colourless, the rarest and most valuable, to yellow, with a spectrum of shades in between.
As these yellowish tones become more easily apparent, the rarity and price decrease.

 

 

 

                                    

The chart to the right represents these colour variations and their respective GIA grades

If a diamond is of a rich, unusual, naturally occurring colour that is pleasing to the eye it is considered unique and has a relatively high value. Two very well known examples of Fancy diamonds are the Hope diamond which is a deep blue and the Tiffany Diamond which is a brilliant yellow.

 

Cut

When a diamond is cut to exact proportions, all of the light entering the diamond is totally reflected through the top of the diamond. The light is dispersed into a display of sparkling flashes and a rainbow of colour. This is known as fire.

 

How a diamond handles light

 

 

It is the cut that enables a diamond to make the best use of 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. 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.

 

 

                     

 

 

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