Learn about diamonds
Diamond is a native crystalline carbon that is the hardest known mineral. It is usually nearly colorless. It is a form of carbon and is the hardest naturally-occurring mineral.
Diamond has a high refractive index and moderate light dispersion, properties which are considered carefully during diamond cutting and which give cut diamonds their brilliance and fire. Learn about diamond characteristics to maximize the beauty and brilliance of your diamond.
Diamonds are as unique as the person who wears them. Before choosing your perfect engagement ring, make sure you have a comprehensive understanding of diamonds and how they are graded, from their structure to the four major factors called the 4Cs.
The 4Cs - cut, color, clarity and carat weight - refers to the characteristics of a diamond. Focus on the factors most important to you, and choose a diamond that satisfies your particular standards for value and appearance.
Cut
Diamond Cut refers to how well proportioned the diamond is. It is an objective measure of a diamond's light performance, or, what we generally think of as sparkle. If it is cut too shallow, light leaks out of the bottom; too deep and it escapes out of the side.
Color
The most common diamond color is yellow. Most diamonds have a slight hint of yellow and the diamond color scale is based on the amount of yellow present in a diamond. This is why a diamond's color grade is based on its lack of color. The less color a diamond has, the higher its color grade.
Clarity
The diamond's clarity is a description of its internal purity. With fewer imperfections within the stone, the diamond is more rare and has a higher value. The clarity scale was developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to quantify these imperfections. The factors that determine the clarity of diamonds are - size, number, position, nature & color.
Carat
Quite simply, a diamond's carat is a measurement of weight. Prior to the twentieth century, diamonds were measured using carob seeds, which were small and uniform and served as a perfect counter weight to the diamond. The word "carob" is the origin of the word "carat" that we use today.
People tend to confuse diamond cut and diamond shape. The cut refers to the proportions of the facets that make a stone sparkle, whereas diamond shape refers to its physical form and each diamond shape is very different, possessing unique characteristics.
Round
Marquise
Princess
Oval
Emerald
Cushion
Pear
Heart
Round Cut
The round brilliant cut diamond is the most popular shape of diamond. For almost 100 years, diamond cutters have been using advanced theories of light behavior and precise mathematical calculations to optimize the brilliance in a round diamond. They are typically cut with 58 facets promoting superior brilliance and light performance from within. Because so much of the stone is cut away to get the perfect proportions, the per-carat cost is higher than fancy-shape diamonds, making it a highly valuable diamond shape.
People tend to confuse diamond cut and diamond shape. The cut refers to the proportions of the facets that make a stone sparkle, whereas diamond shape refers to its physical form and each diamond shape is very different, possessing unique characteristics.
Bezel
Prong
Pave
Bar
Tension
Fishtail
Invisible
Common Shared Prong
Cluster
Flush/Gypsy
Channel
Trellis
Bezel Setting
A Bezel setting is when a diamond is completely surrounded by metal. It can wrap all the way around the stone or only partially surround it, depending on the style of the ring. This type of diamond ring setting is good for protecting the girdle and often makes the stone look larger. The bezel setting is often used with round shaped diamonds, but also works well with other diamond shapes.
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