Diamond Education
Everything you want to know about diamonds.
Making a diamond purchase confidently can be daunting, but we’re here to help you along the way. As diamond experts, we can provide you with everything you need to know. Your goal to find the perfect diamond brought you to our doors and we’re glad it did, because we want you to find the perfect diamond, too!
Here’s a fun fact: diamonds are like snowflakes and fingerprints; no two diamonds are alike. A natural diamond's journey begins billions of years before it arrives in our showcase. Your journey with us will be considerably shorter, rest assured! Diamond knowledge starts with the basics: The 4Cs.
Cut
Cut is probably the most important C of them all. When a diamond is cut with ideal proportions, it reflects more light from its top, producing incredible fire and brilliance. A poorly cut diamond with uneven proportions looks dull and dark because it allows light to escape out the bottom and sides. A well-cut diamond sparkles a lot because it reflects and refracts light better than one not cut as well. Achieving the best cut for a diamond takes a skilled diamond cutter and ultimately reflects the diamond’s final beauty, value and price.
Color
When looking at a diamond's color, the spectrum ranges from light yellow to totally colorless. A lettering system is used to identify the amount of color present in each diamond and it goes from D to Z. D is awarded only to rare, totally colorless diamonds. Diamonds graded as D - F are the rarest and highest in quality. G, H, I, and J are near colorless and typically a great value, whereas K (faintly colored) is more budget-friendly. L to Z color grades have a warm, yellow hue, and we tend to stay away from selling those diamonds. A white diamond’s beauty and value increases the more colorless it is. Many of these diamond’s color distinctions are so slight that they are invisible to the untrained eye. However, these distinctions make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.
Clarity
Natural diamonds are formed by tremendous heat and pressure deep within the earth. This process can result in “inclusions” and “blemishes” within the diamond. These are simply fancy words for imperfections. No diamond is perfect, but the closer it comes to perfection, the higher its value. Inclusions seldom affect a diamond’s beauty, although they do affect price.
Carat Weight
Carat weight refers to size and weight. Larger diamonds are more rare and more valuable. Two diamonds with the same carat weight can vary greatly in price, depending on the color, clarity and most importantly, the cut. A half-carat diamond with superb color and clarity ratings may cost more than a three-quarter carat diamond with lower color and clarity ratings, but an identical cut. Choosing a diamond is simply a matter of deciding what’s more important to you, then finding the best combination of cut, size, color and clarity to suit your budget.
The Shape
The shape you choose for a center diamond can have an impact on how a ring looks and feels. Most center diamonds come in one of these shapes:
Round Brilliant
The most popular; cut for maximum brilliance.
Princess Cut
A fancy-cut diamond that has a great deal of sparkle.
Oval
Trending as a fancy cut, ovals are a modified brilliant-cut with similar fire and elongated shape, creating the illusion of greater size.
Cushion
A square cut with rounded corners, much like a pillow.
Asscher Cut
An elegant square shape with blocked corners that make diamonds appear octagonal.
Emerald
Rectangular with parallel facets and blocked corners; produces a hall-of-mirrors effect. This shape is a classic.
Marquise
An elongated shape with tapering points at both ends.
Pear
Teardrop-shaped, with a great deal of sparkle.
Radiant Cut
A combination of the emerald cut and the sparkle of the round brilliant; typically, with blocked corners.
Heart
A sentimental cut that can be difficult to find.