The carat weight of loose diamonds is just that - how much the stone weighs. Not very exciting until you see the dramatic rise in price from a small quarter carat diamond to a one or two carat diamond. Loose diamonds allow couples to purchase the best diamond they can afford now and upgrade the center diamond in the future.
Diamond clarity begins with flawless for a diamond that does not have any “flaws” or inclusions. Most diamonds have some flaws, feathers and specks in them that are visible under 10 X magnification or to the naked eye. The diamond clarity chart begins with flawless followed by VVS 1 (very, very slight flaws) and through the whole range of diamond clarities. These flaws dramatically affect diamond prices. Relax, it only takes a few minutes to learn the lingo and compare diamond prices based on diamond clarity.
The 4 C’s are the basis of diamond quality and comparing engagement ring prices. The 4 C’s cover the diamond cut, color, clarity and carat weight. We recommend you refer to the 4 C’s when choosing the center stone for her engagement ring.
In the next 4 posts we will discuss the 4 C’s so that you can make informed decisions when buying a diamond this holiday season.
Diamonds are once again in the news this holiday season but it not for the best of reasons. A new movie staring Leonardo DiCaprio called the Blood Diamond is coming out soon. Blood diamonds are diamonds which are mined by slaves against their will to fund terrorism and unlawful rebel armies. Here is a short description from Wikipedia.
Blood Diamond is a 2006 film by Edward Zwick, the Academy Award-winning director of Glory and The Last Samurai. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. The title refers to “blood diamonds”, which are usually mined in war zones and are sold to finance the conflicts.
Pear diamond shapes are the most flexible types of diamond cut. Unlike other fancy diamond shapes, length-to-width ratio is a matter of taste. Because pear shaped diamonds may be used for engagement rings, suites in necklaces, dangles in earrings, and are an integral part of custom designs, a wide variety of cuts are considered desirable. Typical pear diamond shapes will contain 58 facets. Pear shaped diamonds are most popular in dangle earring and in simple pendants. When used for engagement ring they are often placed with side stones.
Oval cut diamond shapes are based upon the traditional configuration of the round brilliant diamond cut; This is why its technical name is oval modified brilliant diamond. The Oval Diamond cut holds its perfect length-to-width ratio at 1.5:1 . Any variation beyond 1.4:1 or 1.6:1 will begin to be noticeable and become an aesthetic issue for these diamond shapes. Fifty-six facets are typical for Oval Brilliant Diamonds, and over the last year they have become a popular choice as diamond shapes for engagement rings. When placed vertically against the ring setting the oval diamond will appear larger and because the side are open will allow more light to enter and sparkle even more.
Emerald Diamond shapes are usually rectangular. The flat planes of the diamonds’ outside edges allow for a variety of side stones diamond shapes. The emerald diamond will not sparkle as much as other cuts because it has fewer facets but it does show off the beautiful transparent quality that only a white diamond can offer. Typical pairings would be two or three side baguettes, two half-moons and other smaller emeralds. The length-to-width ratio should be between 1.5:1 to 1.75:1. Conversely, trillion diamonds will not match these diamond cuts, as their sparkles will make the center emerald diamond shapes look flat.
Radiant Diamond Cuts are straight-edged rectangular or square stones with cut corners. These diamond shapes have 62-70 facets. Radiant diamonds are mainly used for as center stones for engagement rings and the center of diamond pendants. These diamond shapes are rarely used for earrings or as side stones, because they have so many facets it is difficult to find a pair that matches. To get a matching pair, you may have to sort through a hundred stones or re-cut to calibrate. There are no two of a kind with these diamond shapes.
Powered by WordPress
