diamond quality

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How to buy diamonds, what is important to the price and quality? Understand a diamond report:

Buy wholesale diamonds at the very source

The 1th criterion is the Brightness: (Cut) You can see it.

Your Diamond has the best Brightness or not

On the Diamond Certificate you must find following grading:

(Proportions: Excellent orVery good to Good / Finishing & Symmetry: Excellent orVery Good to Good) or unusual.

Brightness is obtained by the art of Cutting and Polishing View ideal proportions all shapes

The 2nth criterion is the Size of the diamond. You can see it.

Your Diamond is big or small ! (Weight + size are expressed in Carat) View all diamond sizes, browse

The 3th: Color: You can see it.

Your Diamond is White. (D, E, F, G, H, I are White Color indications)

The 4th: Clarity: That's what you see by naked eye (Eye Clean)

and by loupe (Loupe Clean).

If you can't see any inclusion it's the best Clarity. (VS1 to SI 3 and some I1+)

Everything situated above is not important because you can't see it.

Better Clarity is invisible, is much more expensive and you can see the difference only by microscope.

The 5th: Fluorescence: or Photoluminescence

When diamonds are strong Fluorescent it can quote the color to a lower quality in facts of lower Color and Clarity.

Your diamond has the best quote: NIL (no fluorescence) Grading in fluorescence: faint, slight and strong

If the diamond has a high color the fluorescence will affect the brightness going to turbid the diamond like turbid water.

If the diamond is of a lower Color, slightly tinted White, the fluorescence can enhance the Color to White. (maximum medium fluorescence)

Than it is a positive fact.

Learn about diamonds, the four C's

Cut, Carat weight, Color and Clarity -Evaluate prices of diamonds - comparison

We describe the four C's for diamonds.

4 C's of diamonds: Cut, Carat, Color, Clarity

Cut :

Cut and shape are frequently confused.

Shape is the model or form of the diamond, such as round, oval, pear, princess and more

Cut refers to proportions and the finishing grade.

The loss in carat weight between a rough and cut / polished diamonds is about 60 to 66 %

Example: a rough diamond of 2.00 Carats gives a cut and polished diamond with ideal cut of about 0.66 carat

The cut is determinated by 2 separate descriptions :

The proportions and the finishing grade.

These are the most important elements for the brightness of the diamond. Read more about

Carat :The weight of diamonds is expressed in Carats. One Carat has a weight of 0,20 gram.

Sizes of Diamonds - The diameter of a diamond depends of the shape of the diamond.

Here we give you indicative sizes for round brilliant diamonds - sizes on the girdle:

Visualize all Diamond Sizes

Color : The Color of diamonds. Diamonds exist in all colors of the rainbow. The diamond grading laboratories have standardized the color grading.

The most desired are colorless diamonds: visualize the color grading chart

Exceptional White Rare + D,

Exceptional White E,

Rare White + F,

Rare White G,

Colorless White H, I

Slightly tinted white also named commercial white J - K,

Tinted White L,

Tinted colors M to Z,

Fancy color diamonds: Blue, Black, Pink, Champaign, Canary Yellow, Cognac and Green exist in natural color or enhanced by treatments

The color is graded by standard artificial light which is the equivalent of the Northern daylight.

Masterstones are used to compare color grading. Visualize color diamonds in all colors, browse

Clarity : visualize clarity grading chart

LC Loupe Clean. A diamond is called Loupe Clean after examination by an experienced grader with a

loupe of x 10

The following clarity grades are called Eye Clean or Cleanish and determined by the size, position, brightness and quantity of internal inclusions.They are measured by microscope.

VVS1 Very Very Small Inclusion 1 st degree.

VVS2 Very Very Small Inclusion 2 nd degree,

VS1 Very Small Inclusion 1 st degree,

VS2 Very Small Inclusion 2 nd degree,

SI1 Small Inclusion 1 st degree,

SI2 Small Inclusion 2 nd degree,

SI3 Small Inclusion 3 rd degree, New! SI3 is a split between SI2 and I1

The lowest clarity grades refer to inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye, by an experienced grader.

The grades are determined by the size, position, brightness and quantity of internal inclusions.

I1 Inclusion 1 st degree, I also indicated by P for pique.

I2 Inclusion 2 nd degree,

I3 Inclusion 3 rd degree,

Fluorescence : When diamonds are strong Fluorescent it can quote the color to a lower quality in facts of lower Color and Clarity.

Your diamond has the best quote: NIL (no fluorescence)

If the diamond is of a lower Color, slightly tinted White, the fluorescence can enhance the Color to White. (maximum medium fluorescence) Than it is a positive fact.

HPHT processed or hp-ht treatment of diamonds: genuine value?

Some Diamonds can be processed by High Temperature (HT) and High Pressure (HP) treatment to improve its appearance. It is a similar natural treatment as 3.3 billion years ago when nature create diamonds.

Only less than 1% of all diamonds, the very rare diamonds type 2a, are suitable for this color improvement. HPHT processed diamonds cost less. That gives you the possibility to buy a D color diamond for the price of a F color.

There is not one single difference between Diamonds from type 2A, who were processed by nature 3.3 billion years ago, and diamonds who are processed artificial HP-HT now. These Diamonds are very rare especial in big sizes. Learn more about HPHT treatment of diamonds

Buying diamonds you must look at first to what is the most visible, that's what is the most important:

A. The weight and the size expressed in Carat

B. The Cut, Brightness

C. The Color

D. The Clarity

E. The Fluorescence

Shape :

Some common diamond shapes are: Brilliant, Princess, Oval, Heart, Pear / Teardrop, Emerald, Marquise, Flanders, Trilliant - Trillion, Radiant, Tapers and Baguette. You can find several other Fancy shapes like Horse, Butterfly and more.

What shapes do diamonds come in?

There are many diamond shapes. The most popular are:

Round brilliant diamonds: visualize facets

It is the standard for all other diamond shapes. More than 75% of diamonds sold today are round brilliant diamonds. The round brilliant diamond displays most fire and scintillation of all cuts.

Princess diamonds: square cut diamond with 90 degree angles on each corner, visualize facets. The Princess Cut diamond is a young cut, designed for getting maximum brilliance from a square cut.

Marquise diamonds: visualize facets

Oval diamonds: oval diamonds are similar to round brilliant diamonds. visualize facets

Pear diamonds also named Teardrop diamonds: pear shape is a combination of oval and marquise cuts. visualize facets

Emerald diamonds: They can be rectangular or square shaped. They have beveled corners and step cut facets.Select a good clarity and color. because of the open shape. Emerald diamonds are cheaper than brilliant diamonds. The weight is less, you can spend more on quality. The Emerald cut is a very stunning noble cut. visualize facets

Heart diamonds: the best shaped heart diamonds are cut with even lobes and a well-defined outline Heart shape diamonds are hard to find and are considered most sentimental of all diamond shapes. visualize facets

Trillion - Trilliant diamonds: also named Trilliant diamonds: triangular shaped diamond. This triangular cut is one of Antwerp special cut diamonds. A one carat trillion or trilliant diamond looks as large as a 1.50 carat round brilliant diamond! A trillion or trilliant Diamond is a dazzling and versatile diamond shape whose uses are unlimited .It can be used in earrings, solitaires, wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets and pendants. visualize facets

Radiant diamonds are square cut diamonds rectangle with rounded corners. visualize facets

Square cut diamonds: rectangular shape. visualize facets

Cushion diamonds: Deep cut with large facets. Very good shape for color diamonds because of the depth. visualize facets

Asscher diamonds: Is a common square emerald cut diamond with concentric squares. In diamond grading reports it will be described as such. The Asscher cut diamond was created by the Asscher brothers of Amsterdam, Holland (Netherlands) in 1902. Square cut diamond such as emerald… but with less facets = less fire and brilliance. Other inconvenient: flaws and inclusions are easy to see. visualize facets

Flanders diamonds: square cut diamonds with 65 facets, recently developed cut in Antwerp

Baguette diamonds: step cut in the shape of a small rectangular stone. It has a table and 8 facets at the top and 8 facets at the pavilion.

Taper diamonds: single step cut which has 9 facets. A taper has a table and 8 facets at the top and 6 facets at the pavilion, two of them at a taper form of an arrow.

Learn about Diamond certificates

Learn about Jewelry, settings, materials, precious metals and more

Learn about Jewelry care + cleaners

Learn about Diamond wholesale prices + appraisals

Want a professional Diamond Course:

Understanding HPHT Diamonds. Read more about

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