Diamond Knowledge
Every diamond is unique and has certain distinguishing characteristics. The 4Cs – Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat Weight are the globally accepted standards for assessing the quality of a diamond and its sparkle.
When a diamond is certified, a record of a diamond’s grades in the 4Cs is produced, allowing prospective buyers to make an informed decision. Together, these criteria also determine the value, and often, the price of the diamond.
Cut determines how a diamond’s facets interact with light.
The cut of a diamond is important as it determines how much light the stone reflects. Round brilliant is the most sought after diamond shape for an engagement ring but there are many brides who are getting more adventurous and are exploring alternative shapes such as Emerald, Pear or Oval. The latter are more unique and they can get a higher specification for the same price since the price of fancy shaped diamonds is lower.
The cut of a diamond refers not to its shape, but its balance of proportion, symmetry and polish that creates sparkle and brilliance. Cut refers to how the facets of a diamond interact with light, and is the most important determinant of the stone’s overall beauty.
Royal Capital jewellery diamonds are cut to exacting standards, bringing maximum brilliance and sparkle.
Colour refers to the natural colour visible within a diamond, and not the reflection of spectral colours that flash when a diamond moves. Most diamonds naturally exhibit slight hints of yellow, brown, or gray.
GIA and IGI grade diamonds from D to Z, with D being the most colourless, and Z containing noticeable brown or yellow tint.
In most cases, diamond colour distinctions between D to J are very subtle that they are invisible to the naked and untrained eye. However, these distinctions in colour can make a big difference in diamond quality and price.
At Royal Capital Jewellery, we only carry diamonds with ‘Colourless’ (D-F) grade.
Sometimes, we do carry ‘Near Colourless’ (G-J), even K colour diamonds, provided that the cut and clarity are good enough to compensate for the low colour, providing good value for money diamond to our customers.
In general, for diamond’s colour, it is graded as followed:
Colour by Royal Capital Jewellery recommended color grade
Diamond clarity refers to the purity and rarity of the stone. When forming, internal characteristics called inclusions may be trapped within the diamond or on its surface. These internal and surface characteristics are inspected by gemologists using 10x magnification to grade the clarity of each diamond.
As every diamond was formed by withstanding enormous pressure and heat, natural inclusions and blemishes are unavoidable. The fewer the inclusions, the rarer it is.
Under 10x magnification, gemologists identify and classify a diamond’s clarity by size, type and position. Inclusions are mapped onto a “diamond plot” which are unique for every diamond. Gemological labs, such as De Beers, GIA, and IGI, grade diamonds on a scale from “Included (I3)” to “Flawless (FL)”.
Clarity is the least visible factor of the 4Cs. Most inclusions and blemishes can only be seen by a diamond expert with 10x magnification.
The term “carat” refers to a diamond’s weight rather than its size. It is a special diamond weight measurement that is only used to weigh gemstones and diamonds.
“Total Carat Weight” is a term used to describe the total diamond carat weight of all gemstones in a particular piece of jewellery when it contains more than one gemstone.
A pair of diamond earrings, for example, would have a total diamond carat weight that included the diamonds used in both earrings.
What is diamond fluorescence?
Fluorescence is the glow you sometimes see when an object emits visible light. Some diamonds fluoresce when they are exposed to long-wave ultraviolet (UV) rays from sources like the sun. This can cause them to emit a bluish light or more rarely, a yellow or orangy light. Once the UV light source is removed, the diamond stops fluorescing.
Is there a diamond fluorescence grade?
Fluorescence is not a grading factor like the GIA 4Cs (color, clarity, cut, and carat weight), but it is an identifying characteristic. GIA Diamond Grading Reports and Diamond Dossiers describe a diamond’s fluorescence by its intensity under long-wave UV light (None, Faint, Medium, Strong and Very Strong). If the fluorescence is Medium, Strong, or Very Strong, the color of the fluorescence will be noted.
What is a Triple Excellent diamond?
Triple excellent diamond is a trade term for round brilliant diamonds that have been graded by GIA as having Excellent cut, Excellent symmetry and Excellent polish.
A diamond’s cut, symmetry and polish grades indicate the quality of craftsmanship that went into transforming a diamond rough into a polished stone. All three affect a diamond’s interaction with light and are described on GIA Diamond Grading Reports as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, or Poor.
Many diamond buyers seek out Triple Excellent diamonds because they want diamonds with the best possible craftsmanship. Top notch craftsmanship ensures that a diamond gives off maximum sparkle and fire while having an attractive pattern.