Diamond Jewelry

Diamond Bracelets
Diamond Earrings
Diamond Necklaces
Diamond Pendants
Diamond Pins
Diamond Rings

Cut

The cut (not to be confused with the shape) of a diamond is in the Craftsmanship. A properly-cut diamond flashes with light -- reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. A diamond that is cut too shallow or too deep won't reflect light with the same brilliance as a well cut stone. Of course the better the cut, the higher the value.

The queen of cuts - very rare -- is found in the 'round brilliant' diamond. The ultimate in sparkle, this cut has as many as 58 carefully-angled flat surfaces.

Color

Color - or lack thereof -- is critical in a diamond - and drastically alters the stone's value. A colorless diamond is the ultimate - an indulgence of light that dazzles the eye. Most diamonds feature tinges of yellow or brown, but they also come in 'fancy colors' such as pink, blue, red and even green.

Diamond color is graded using the following scale:

COLOR GRADING SCALE
COLORLESS	D E F	Most Valuable
NEAR COLORLESS	G H I J	Valuable
FAINT YELLOW	K L M	Midrange
VERY LIGHT YELLOW	N O P Q	Less Valuable
LIGHT YELLOW	S - Z	Fancy Valuable

Clarity

Clarity refers to the clearness of a diamond. Flaws such as inclusions are inside the stone and take the shape of feathers, clouds, cavities or crystals. Blemishes, on the stone's surface, are abrasions, nicks, pits, or scratches. Gaze at your diamond under a gem microscope and see what it offers.

Trace minerals trapped in a diamond when it's formed make each diamond unique, like a fingerprint or snowflake. The extent of inclusions - number, color, nature, size and position - determine the degree of a diamond's clarity.

Diamond clarity is graded on the following scale. Keep in mind, IF through SI diamonds represent 50 per cent of all gem-quality diamonds.

CLARITY GRADING SCALE
IF	Internally Flawless
VVS1	Very, Very Slight Inclusions
VVS2	Very, Very Small Inclusions
VS1	Very Slight Inclusions
VS2	Very Small Inclusions
SI1	Slight Inclusions
SI2	Small Inclusions
I1	Inclusions
I2	Noticeable Inclusions
I3	Very Noticeable Inclusions

Carat

Carat (ct) is the measurement used to gauge a diamond's weight - it differs from a karat, which describes the fineness of gold. The word 'carat' dates back to when early gem traders weighed their diamonds with the seeds found in the pods of the carob, or locust tree. Carob seeds are extremely consistent in weight.

Today's carat equals one-fifth of a gram. This metric weight (0.2 grams) is equivalent to 1/42 of a standard ounce.

Each carat is divided into 100 points. An example:

a quarter carat = 25 points, written 0.25 carat .
a half a carat = 50 points, written 0.50 carat .

Diamonds

Diamond Jewelry

Cut