Diamond Information Archives
Diamond Information.
Above: SuperbCert Super-Ideal Cut Diamonds.
Buying a quality Diamond, Engagement Ring, or Wedding Band can be a daunting venture. But if you're armed with accurate information and know what to look for and what to avoid it will be a pleasureable experience. The best place to start is with the 5 C's of diamonds:
1. Certification,
2. Carat,
3. Clarity
4. Color,
5. Cut.
Diamond Basics:
Certification
It is very important that when choosing from a selection of loose diamonds to review the diamond certificate, referred to by diamond grading laboratories as a grading report. This is your assurance that you are getting a diamond that has been graded for color and clarity from an experienced gemologist. Never buy a diamond that does not have this report or has a certificate from a lab with lower color and clarity grading standards.
Some diamond merchants will offer what they term "In house appraisals/certificates" in an attempt to justify the color/clarity grade, as well as the dimensions and characteristics of their loose diamonds. These reports are analogous to the fox guarding the hen-house and will not provide you with any guarantees on the accuracy of the purported diamond color or clarity grades. Additionally,this type of an "appraisal" may very well be inflated causing you to pay higher premiums than is justified.
Independent Grading Laboratories
You should always insist on certified diamonds that have been graded by an independent and unbiased grading lab. This kind of certification is the only way to confirm that you are getting what you paid for with the size, color, clarity, dimensions, and properties of the loose diamonds.
Are all Independent Grading Laboratories Created Equal?
The answer is an emphatic NO!
There are Independent Diamond Grading Laboratories out there whose grading standards, criterion, and competence are lacking. These laboratories are known for routinely grading diamonds at 1-2 Color/Clarity grades higher than actually warranted. You are paying "more" for "less".
GIA and AGS Grading Laboratories.
The most accurate, stringent, and consistent diamond grading laboratories today are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and the American Gem Society Laboratories. (AGS) These are the most respected laboratories in the diamond industry. GIA is the standard bearer in the industry known and acclaimed world-wide for their in-depth diamond and jewelery research and consumer education.
Diamond Fluorescence - Separating Fact From Fiction
Consumers shopping for diamonds both at B&M's and with Internet vendors are receiving conflicting and erroneous information regarding the effects of blue diamond fluorescence on a diamond's visual appearance. The dispensed advice takes the following forms:
1. Blue Fluorescence (FL) is bad, stay away. 2. FL in lower color diamonds, e.g.; I-J-K is a positive in that it will make the diamond face up whiter but only if the FL is faint or Medium, not Strong. In higher colors (D-H) it is detrimental; stay away. 3. Strong FL is to be avoided at all costs. 4. FL diamonds need to be priced and sold at a discount relative to comparable carat weight, color/clarity-cut diamonds that are non-FL.
Above: Diamonds exposed to concentrated long-wave ultraviolet radiation of a UV lamp.
Much of today's consumer attitudes and behavior regarding FL can be traced back to the Diamond Industry's perception of FL. Briefly, some diamond merchant's would look for near-colorless to light yellow diamonds with strong blue diamond FL because they believed that such FL imparted a more colorless appearance under lighting with a high UV content.
In the late 70's during the diamond "bren" when prices skyrocketed daily (analogous to the Tulip craze of the early 1800's), some diamantaires observed that some gem diamonds with a very hazy appearance also fluoresced strong blue to UV radiation. These dealers started offering significantly lower prices for these "Milky D's (D color diamonds with very strong FL and reduced transparency) and very strong FL also termed "overblues". Gradually this perceived negative impact of FL spread downwards to encompass color grades as far as F. In addition, with the significant influx of Russian goods which contain Med to Strong FL into the market, this perceived negative effect of FL has been exacerbated.
Additional industry concerns about blue diamond FL took on the following perceived factors:
1. Non-FL diamonds were thought to be more pure than blue FL stones,
2. Non-FL diamonds in the D-F color range were thought to be rarer than FL counterparts, and
3. The hazy appearence in the "overblues" must also exist to some deleterious degree in weaker FL diamonds as well.
A 1993 South Korean TV expose aimed at consumers on FL further served to highlight these perceived negative aspects of FL.
Martin Rapaport, Editor of the industry trade letter, The Rapaport Report, took these notions of FL one step further by codifying these artificially trade induced price differentials into his Rap pricing sheet, thus further solidifying the notion that blue diamonds were worth less.
The fact is that FL is not a negative, on the contrary it can be and is a positive factor. Several of us in the trade have known and advocated position.
In 1997, GIA conducted an extensive study on the effects of blue diamond FL on visual perception. Consumers and tradespeople were both asked to evaluate the effects of FL on their visual perception and to note any meaningful distinctions between non-FL to FL blue diamonds of differing FL intensities.
The results of this GIA study were highly instructive and surprising. GIA found that non-trade observers could not make ANY meaningful distinctions between non-FL to the FL blue diamonds and that FL blue diamonds had no overall effect on the diamond's color or transparency!
Above: E and G color set of diamonds under UV light.
From left to right, E color set shows: Strong, Medium, Very Strong, Medium, Medium, None Fluorescence.
G Color set from left to right shows UV Fluorescence of: Faint, Very Strong, Medium, Medium, None, Strong.
For the experienced observers that encompassed tradespeople, the strength of FL had no significant effect on the color appearance of the diamonds when viewed table-down (typical of lab grading). In the table-up position (which is the way consumers view the diamonds at B&M's and diamond showrooms), diamonds that were described as strong FL or very strong FL were, on average, reported to have a better color appearance than less FL stones. Strong FL was reported to have little impact on perceived transparency of the diamonds.
Above: Target diamond is measured for Fluorescence between two reference diamonds. Intensity of fluorescence should be stronger than the reference diamond on the left but weaker than the reference stone on the right.
The link to this GIA study is here:
http://www.gia.edu/pdfs/W97_fluoresce.pdf
This is a very important study and should be required reading for both consumers and all diamond and jewelry professionals. There are no grounds to consider blue diamonds in a negative light and therefore no basis for price differentiation relative to non blue diamonds.
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Important Lessons on the Meaning of Luxury
I just read a fascinating article by Dr. James Taylor, Vice Chairman of the Harrison Group LLC. Based in Waterbury Conneticut.
Dr. James Taylor has spent 20 years of his life in the business of marketing luxury goods and products. Recently he conducted an exhaustive national survey on the top 1 percent of the American Economy. Here is what he found:
*Luxury is a neccesity: it is part of the purchase method and intent of virtually all consumers. The question isn't whether to possess luxurious objects and services, but how much can be possessed and what is the meaning of the objects to the possessor.
*Luxury is defined by the meaning objects hold for people and not the objects themselves. True luxury is the emotional connection and significance that an object holds for a person. This object can be a Prada purse, a pair of cowboy boots from JB Holt, a trip to a Pat Pirelli seminar, or a massage at Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe.
*The language of value in the world of object de luxe is inversely modest in proportion to the price, value and authenticity of the item. The more a flawless white diamond approaches 10 carats, the less one needs to say.
*The more the Luxury Object is associated with a compelling and binding meaning in terms of emotional connectivity, personal harmony, spiritual connection or a connection to the world of the inherently beautiful, the greater the marginal value of the object to the seller. more meaning means more profit.
*The meaning an object de luxe holds for people grows to the extent that the object offers self-reflexive connections to a person's sense of self-esteem, competence and personal value.
*Inherent scarcity, consistency, transitivity, emotional connectivity and mastery of excellence in a category are the hallmarks of value in an object de luxe.
*The value of an object de luxe is shaped by meaning content, not design; even clumsy design can be valued, collected and treasured.
Whew!! This is some pretty powerful stuff! I've been thinking about this today and see so many similarities from the observations above to the arena of branded diamonds and their indication of a certain level of quality, consistency, and value.
This is definitely a topic that is deserving of an in depth analyses at a later time.
GIA, The Worlds Foremost Diamond Authority Writes on Diamond Cut.
For anyone interested in the most crucial element of the "Four C's of diamonds, this article on Diamond cut by the GIA is an absolute must read!
Interactive Diamond Tutorial!!
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has put together a fantastic and interactive tutorial on the basic 4 C's of diamonds (Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut). All diamond beginners will benefit greatly from this diamond tutorial which will definitely give you a superb headstart on learning about diamonds!
Click on this link:
http://www.gia.edu/howtobuydiamond/Tour_FrameSet.htm
GIA Study on Diamond Cut: Part II
Continued from Diamond Cut I
Consumers should read these articles to get a flavor for how GIA scientists have developed and settled on their interpretation of Cut.
The Cut of a diamond is the most important "C" of the 5 C's:
1. Cut
2. Color
3. Clarity
4. Carat Weight
5. Cost.
The better the Cut, the more sparkle and life your diamond will display.
The second installment of the GIA series is here:
Readers might also want to go back and review some of the Diamond Basics on the importance of Cut that we covered in an earlier Blog entry. The link is here:
Your Diamond "Uncle" in the Business; Trust But Verify.
I saw a great posting by my Dad (Barry)
this morning in response to a consumer question on the Diamond Review forum regarding the quality of the diamond he is contemplating.
Here is the Link.
We get these kind of questions all the time from consumers who are about to spend a fortune on a diamond from a jeweler whom they trust but have absolutely no information on the stone.
It absolutely boggles the mind that with all of the technology available today to quantify and qualify brilliant diamonds from the swindled, (commercial quality) crappy diamonds out there that look like frozen spit; that people are still willing to plunk down a fortune of money without doing the slightest bit of research.
Would these same people buy a house from someone they trust without doing a complete and thorough home inspection first?? Of course not!
The bottom line is that in todays market place with all of the diamond information available to you (the consumer) to help empower you to make an excellent purchase, it is utterly irresponsible of you not to do your homework properly.
Remember, buying a diamond is not the same as buying a loaf of bread. Securing your dream diamond is a once in a lifetime purchase, (we hope) for a significant dollar value, at a highly emotional and momentous point in your lives. Don't screw it up by paying for less than you are getting. Educate yourself properly and you will thank yourself for it each and every time you stare down at her beautiful and sparkly diamond ring!
AGS Diamond Lab To Unveil New Cut Grade For Princess Cuts.
AGS (American Gem Society) one of the diamond top grading labs in the world plans to introduce their new Cut Grading System for Princess Cut Diamonds by June 2005. There are no clear Cut grade systems for fancy shapes as there are for round brilliants (AGS, and the new upcoming Cut Grade system coming from the GIA in June 2005).
We have just received our Trade CD from AGS which details the diamond facet combinations that will result in their top Princess Cut grades. At this time I can say that tradespeople and consumers will be surprised at the facet combinations that will achieve the top grades. They are significantly different from current thinking and will have an impact on manufacturing and pricing.
More to come.
Awesome Article on "Ideal Cut" Princess Diamonds!
SuperbCert Signature Princess Diamond
Now that the AGS (American Gemological Society) is poised to come out with their cut grade for princess shape diamonds in mid 2005,the question of whether there exists an "Ideal cut" Princess diamond and how to define it has really begun to heat up!
The questions is: Can you assess a princess diamonds beauty by relying on a set of "numbers" or specifications?
My Dad just published an excellent and most informative article on the subject as a third in a series on Princess Cut Diamonds.
This article is a must read and will really help consumers with information in what to look for in Princess Cuts.
Diamond "Bow-Tie": Food? Apparel? What is It?
The diamond term "bow-tie" refers to a dark spot in the shape of a bow-tie that lies in the center of fancy shaped diamonds such as the Marquise, Oval, and Pear. This bow-tie runs horizontally, East to West across the center of the stone.
Bow-tie running across the center of the diamond (indicated by Red Arrows)
Depending on the size, angle, and placement of the diamond facets, this bow-tie can be slight and barely visible or very pronounced and detrimental to the visual appearance of the diamond. It is a subjective call. Some bow-tie effect is good in that it provides necessary contrast and gives the diamond a sharper look.
It is possible to totally eliminate this bow-tie effect by altering the number, angle, size, and placement of the Crown and Pavillion facets.
Marquise without Bow-tie. Arrows indicate the facets that play a critical role in eliminating the bow-tie effect.
The Marquise shape diamond is a regal and impressive presence with evenly distributed dispersion and scintillation when cut correctly.
If this is your diamond of preference I recommend that you examine stones with and without this bow-tie effect and determine which you prefer.
Also keep in mind that in addition to the bow-tie effect, you need to also take into consideration a pleasing shape that is determined by the Length to Width Ratio and symmetrical proportioning between the top and bottom of the stone.
Diamond Color or Diamond Clarity?
We get asked this question every day...
A customer is contemplating purchasing one of our Super-Ideal Cut SuperbCert Hearts and Arrows Diamonds, is working within a given budget, has already correctly decided that cut matters most and is now looking to sacrifice a little bit on the diamond specifications.
Diamond Color or Clarity; Which To Choose?
Part of the beauty of maximizing on the precision cut quality of your diamond is the resultant effect it has on the diamonds visual appearance and beauty. A diamond that has been crafted to achieve maximum cut precision will have significantly greater brilliance, fire, and scintillation than a poorly cut diamond which will appear completely dull and lifeless to the eye.
A diamonds color and clarity grade as good or as poor as it may be, will have almost no effect on the diamonds physical beauty or lack thereof.
The most important factor to consider when purchasing your diamond (and unfortunately the least understood of all....) is the diamonds cut quality, which will determine whether you are buying a visually stunning diamond, or a piece of frozen spit the likes of which you will see on Ebay or at your local mall (a.k.a. maul) store.
By increasing the cut quality of your diamond you are ensuring that the diamond will face up eye-clean and completely white due to its incredible brilliance.
This means that you can sacrifice quite a bit (and save quite a bit of money in the process...) on the color and clarity grades of the diamond with the knowledge that your SI clarity, I color stone will be eye-clean (you will not see the diamonds inclusions with your naked eye...)and face up completely white.
Once you have done this, then the question of what to choose vis a vis color/clarity becomes more psychological than anything else, since unlike with poor cut quality diamonds; you will not be able to see the inclusions or coloration in your ideal cut diamond.
Some customers will say o.k., all of this makes sense but how about from the side of the diamond.. in the profile? Won't people be able to detect slight coloration from the side where there is no brilliance to mask it?
My answer to this is #1; once the diamond has been set into an engagement ring setting of 4/6 prongs it will be extremely difficult altogether to view the sides of the diamond which will be obstructed by the prongs. #2 an excellent cut quality diamond will appear whiter from the sides as well. #3 If anybody gets that close to your diamond, that they are now dissecting the sides of your diamond through the ring basket, you ought to alert the police and have them immediately arrested!!
Remember; the diamonds that you are used to viewing in the typical jewelry stores look nothing like a super-ideal hearts and arrows diamond. Comparing the two would be akin to comparing apples to oranges.
The diamond in the jewelry store when taken away from the glare of the high intensity halogen showcase bulbs (...ever wonder why they put those things in there....) will discriminate against lower color/clarity grades and you will definitely be able to see the interanl inclusions and brownish color.
Not so with a Super-Ideal Cut diamond, which will sparkle like crazy in any lighting environment and mask your ability to see the internal inclusions and coloration with your naked eye.
We regularly set our I and even J color SuperbCert Diamonds (SI all the way up to VVS) in precious Platinum (which incidentally discriminates against lower color diamonds more than any other precious metal type) and they face up absolutely white and eye-clean for the savvy consumer who has just saved a small fortune!!
Major World Diamond Centers.
The well known ones are New York, Belgium, Israel, and India.
Coming up fast and already having a major impact are Mumbai and China which are poised for tremendous growth.
Diamond manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers are targeting China for it's tremendous market. Industry estimates are that China will be a major player within the next five years.
Mumbai is similarly positioned as they are working with an extremely cooperative Government. There are no excise, VAT, or GST taxes which is facilitating commerce.
CNN Becomes Diamond Maven!
Diamonds have that mystical power to make pundits out of novices and wannabees as evidenced by the cogent and detailed advice dispensed by CNN yesterday to consumers on how to buy a diamond.
Comments in parentheses are mine.
The Cable News Network (CNN) website told its readers on July 26th that diamond engagement rings are "getting bigger and bigger" and that "now" is the time to "bet on love and money."
The story also describes CNN staff engagement rings given during the course of 2005. CNN holds second spot for broadcast news ratings (behind Fox News) in the United States, and its news website receives about 23 million visitors each month.
According to the news report the average price of a diamond engagement ring is $2,600, and that even larger (than 1-carat) rings are growing more popular --using style icon Paris Hilton's 24-carat emerald cut diamond ring-- as an example.
CNN provided 5-tips on buying a diamond ring. The news company told men to "involve her" with the diamond ring purchase; it labeled the "best" cut as the "ideal cut;" ( Definition, please?! )and CNN called the "5th C" the diamond's certification and not to leave the store without it ( which grading lab, fellas? it makes a big, big difference ) CNN's consumer tip on finding a lower price was to "go shy" on weight and keep with "near-colorless" as opposed to flawless ( you're mixing up color and clarity) when buying a diamond ring.
This kind of generalized, superficial, and nebulous advice is more harmful than helpful to consumers. I don't believe you would buy a home or a car this way, so why should the purchase of a diamond costing thousands of your hard-earned dollars be any different? The answer: it shouldn't.
Do your homework and research. Get as much information as possible. An educated consumer is our Industry's best customer and will give you the ability to make a purchasing decision that will max your dollars and provide you with Lifetime value and happiness!
Start Right Now!
A good place for you to begin is the Diamond Basics and Diamond Information sections of our DiamondVues Blog. Continue on to the sections on Jewelry and Diamond and Jewelry Appraisals. Then segue over to the Internet's #1 Information Station, Diamondtalk where you will find accurate and timely information and discussions on all things diamonds and jewelry.
Happy Shopping!
Diamonds as Symbols
According to tradition the Greeks believed diamonds were tears of the gods, while the Romans believed they were splinters of fallen stars. Many long dead cultures have attributed divine or mystical powers to these magnificent and brilliant diamonds as a way of explaining its special beauty and brilliance.
The earliest symbolic use of diamonds was as the eyes of Hindu devotional statues. The diamonds themselves were thought to be endowments from the gods and were cherished. The exact point at which diamonds assumed their divine status is not known, but early texts indicate they were recognized in India since at least 400 BC. In western culture, diamonds are the traditional emblem of fearlessness and virtue.
“A diamond is forever”
Every single sparkling diamond has its own personality, its own breathtaking display of brilliance, fire, and scintillation. When a loose diamond is cut to ideal cut diamond specifications there is no precious gemstone that can compare to its dazzling beauty. Each diamond has its own unique internal characteristics and idiosyncrasies. Quality diamonds such as the Hearts and Arrows Diamonds, and diamond and platinum jewelry retain value over time more than any other fine jewelry and precious metals.
Because a diamond is the hardest substance known to man, it is truly “forever”; withstanding the tests of time and lovingly passed down from generation to generation to be cherished and adored.
Small wonder then that today, diamonds are used to symbolize eternity and love, being often seen adorning engagement rings, wedding rings, and wedding jewelry. What better way to symbolize and encapsulate the beauty and lifelong commitment of a couples union, than with a timeless and beautiful diamond engagement ring.
Buying a Loose (Un-mounted) Diamond First
When shopping for the perfect engagement ring or anniversary ring, you will ask yourself whether it pays to buy the loose diamond separate from the ring setting, or to buy the diamond engagement ring as a complete (pre-fabricated) set. Some may argue that it is too much of a “hassle” to buy the loose diamond and ring setting separately.
While you may have your own preferences, we at exceldiamonds advocate choosing a loose diamond first and then selecting the engagement ring to compliment the diamond. We also provide you in our online diamond store with the opportunity to build your own diamond engagement ring.
There are a few important reasons to consider making your diamond purchase your first and top priority:
1. The loose diamond is truly the most important part of your diamond engagement ring. The diamond is not only the most expensive part of the diamond ring, but is also that which determines the overall beauty of the engagement ring. A properly cut ideal diamond is going to sizzle with fiery beauty and brilliance that will be seen from across the room.
2. Diamonds come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and clarities. More importantly, not all loose diamonds are created equal. Depending on the precision of the diamond cut, many diamonds will look beautiful and brilliant, while many may seem dull and lifeless. The size, color, clarity, and cut of the loose diamond will all have an effect on the price you will pay for the stone. By purchasing the diamond loose, you are enabling yourself to choose the diamond that is best suited to your exact specifications for size, color, clarity, and budget. Usually, when a diamond store puts together a diamond engagement ring to sell as a finished product, they will match together a certain uniform standard for the diamond specifications. Their objective is usually to piece together a diamond ring that will entice the consumer, while affording them the highest possible profit on the sale. However, when you take charge and select your own loose diamond, you will find that you can actually save quite a bit of money and still get a visually stunning diamond at the same time. This can be accomplished by selecting a diamond with hearts and arrows precision and ideal diamond specifications which will make it exceptionally brilliant regardless of its threshold for size, color and clarity.
3. Evaluating a diamond to assess it's precision, quality and beauty, is best accomplished in its un-mounted state. When the diamond is loose it can be evaluated by yourself or a qualified independent diamond appraiser using the latest diamond evaluation and grading tools. The diamond can be inspected from every single angle to make certain that it is indeed of the quality and beauty that you desire. This is something that cannot be done with the same degree of effectiveness once the diamond has been set in a ring.
At Exceldiamonds, we understand the difficulty in purchasing a diamond online “sight unseen”. It is for this reason that we provide the most comprehensive level of information possible, including an impressive array of actual diamond photographs, precision analyses, and diamond documentation geared to inform and educate our customers. We only offer the highest quality diamonds, hearts and arrows diamonds, and super-ideal cut diamonds at discounted prices.
We put you in the driver’s seat by empowering you to choose your very own loose diamond from our selection, and to have it set in one of our beautiful discount diamond engagement rings. We even give you the opportunity to have our loose diamonds independently appraised by a qualified diamond appraiser in your area prior to purchase. There is no financial obligation on your part whatsoever.
After you have made your diamond purchase with us you have a complete 10-day inspection for a full money back guarantee.
On the following pages you will get into the “nuts and bolts” of what a diamond is really made of and how to recognize and appreciate quality cut diamonds.
How Good Is Your Diamond? GIA Might Have An Answer.
Ever wonder why it is that some diamonds just sparkle and scintillate like heck, while others look dull, glassy, and lifeless?
The answer is it has everything to do with the Cut of your diamond. The better the Cut, facet alignment and proportion, the more light will be coming out through the top of the diamond to your eye.
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) the foremost diamond grading and research laboratory in the world is debuting its new Cut Grade for round brilliant shape diamonds on January 1, 2006. Based on extensive research over fifteen years the new Cut Grade will appear on it's Lab Grading report. Cut Grades will range from Excellent to Poor.
In it's research, GIA considered, evaluated, and measured all 58 facets that compromise the round brilliant shape.
Facets that comprise the round brilliant diamond.
The grading system takes into account the entire diamond including the Table, Crown, Pavillion, Stars, upper and lower girdle facets, and culet size.
Cut Grade will range from Excellent to Poor and Girdle Thickness will factor into determining the final cut grade. In order for a diamond to get an "Excellent", girdle thickness will have to be in the range of 'thin' to 'slightly thick'.
Cut Grade Designations.
Girdle thickness will play an important consideration in assessing the final Cut Grade. This is so because many times in order to reach a target carat weight, a cutter will leave a thicker girdle in order to retain more weight. This will necessarily come at the expense of light performance and diamond beauty.
Evaluation of Final GIA Cut Grade based on Girdle Thickness.
The Cut Grade is based on rounded averaged values in the folllowing way:
Total depth is rounded to the nearest 0.1%
Table size is rounded to the nearest 1%
Crown angle is rounded to the nearest 0.5°
Pavilion angle is rounded to the nearest 0.2°
Pavilion angles ending in odd numbers are rounded UP to the next even number.
Star length is rounded to the nearest multiple of 5%
The lower-half (lower-girdle facet) length is rounded to the nearest
5%.
If you're considering a diamond that is not GIA graded you will need either a Megascope or Sarin Analysis Report which will provide you with the measurements for the Star, upper and lower girdle facets, which you can then enter into the GIA Facetware calculator along with the other numbers to determine the Cut grade.
The broad range in numbers rounding by GIA was based on the variances they found in measuring devices currently on the market and the observable differences in cut quality that could be distinguished by laypeople and tradesmen in the course of their research. No doubt this broad range may very well take an "Excellent" into a "Very Good" despite the certainty that a visual difference will not be discernable. What effect this will have on prices remains to be seen.
Attached are illustrations of the different facets in a round brilliant diamond used by GIA to calculate the Cut Grade as well as their Facetware interface and Cut Grade definitions. Also included is a Megascope Cut Analysis with the Star facet values and the lower girdle facet values highlighted.
GIA Facetware Calculator to obtain Your Final Cut Grade. If you're considering a diamond that has not been graded by the GIA, you will need a Sarin or Megascope Cut Report for some of the requested measurements.
Below is am example of a Megascope Cut Analysis report providing the measurements to plug into the GIA Facetware calculator.
Consumers will definitely benefit from this new Cut Grade system.
Will I See A Difference?
A question we have been asked quite often, recently, is whether it is possible to "see" a difference in a diamond that has been graded with 'Very Good' (VG) Symmetry" compared to a diamond given a Symmetry Grade of 'Good' (G)?
First, what is Symmetry? Symmetry refers to the "meet points" or junction lines that align the top (Crown) with the bottom (Pavillion) of the diamond. See Figure below:
Diamond Symmetry.
The red arrows show the meet points and junction connections between the facets. When the meet points are exactly aligned the diamond will receive a Symmetry grading of Excellent or Very Good. If there is just a tiny deviation, then it a Symmetry grade of 'Good' is given.
These minute differentials can most always only be seen under microscopic magnification and is not something you will see just by looking at the diamond.
Very Important Information When Considering a 'Modified Square Diamond'
First an overview:
1. Princess Cut diamonds have always been the 2nd most popular diamond
after round diamonds.
2. Princess Cut Diamonds have traditionally been popular as a result of their elegant square shape.
3. Princess Cut Diamonds have traditionally leaked light like a sieve from its 4 points (corners)
4. It is very difficult to harness and refract maximum brilliance from a traditionally cut (4 cornered) princess cut diamond.
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In todays market place with consumers becoming more savvy and insisting on only the finest cut diamonds, some manufacturers have dealt with the aforementioned facts by producing new fangled modified square diamonds with tapered corners, all of which look almost identical to one another save for hype and marketing. These modified square diamonds have more brilliance than traditional princess cut diamonds as a result of the tapered corners.
Our company chose instead not to reinvent the wheel but rather to stay with the timeless (un-altered) 4 cornered princess cut diamond and just figure out a way to maximize its light performance.
Here is an article we published on our website to introduce our Signature Princess Cut Diamonds:
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/education/diamonds/superbcert-princess-cut.php
Over time we have been asked again and again by customers searching for that perfect square diamond while trying not to compromise on beauty and brilliance, why it is that we chose to go this route instead of offering some of these modified square diamonds.
We argued that these new fangled 'princess cuts' while achieveing better light performance than the traditional princess cut diamond did not look anything like its elegant predecessor. Moreover we argued that the timeless allure and appeal (even in the face of sometimes blatant light leakage) of the traditional princess diamond has everything to do with its shape and facet structure. This is mitigated the minute the corners are lopped off.
It was our opinion that all of these funky modified squares that were being introduced everyday by the dozens (and often by the same manufacturer with slightly different marketing and different romantic names..) would have very limited staying power and would be "here today & gone tomorrow".
We wondered how a consumer would feel about buying into all the hype surrounding a certain modified square diamond being touted as the end all and be all in "square diamond look-alikes" only to see that "brand" become obsolete a short while later, replaced (perhaps even by the same Mfgr.) by a 'new generation' diamond...'better than the last'. Indeed history has proven us to be correct.
We pointed out that by definition, these diamond manufacturers would constantly be replacing these 'brands' with new modified squares and new marketing so as to stay fresh and current. To the consumer (and often even from a structural point of view) however, these diamonds would all look exactly the same. Again, history has proven this to be the case.
Finally, we questioned how it is that any authorized diamond seller for these brands could offer in good conscience a diamond lifetime upgrade on these stones given the fact that these diamonds would in all likelihood be replaced within a short period of time by a 'new generation' cut, or fade completely into oblivion. Certainly the manufacturer of these diamonds would not honor an upgrade policy created by any vendor for these diamonds???
For all of these reasons and more, we opted for a project of increasing light performance in traditional square diamonds. From this was born our SuperbCert Signature Princess Cut Diamonds.
Exactly 1 year ago we published an excellent case study that we conducted on this topic regarding the "Regent, Queen of Hearts, and Jubillee Diamonds manufactured by The Horowitz-Atlas Group in N.Y.C. This case study was published right here on our diamond blog. Here is the link:
http://www.diamondvues.com/archives/2005/01/ags_diamond_lab.html
These words were truly prophetic as just earlier today a thread was started on a different diamond forum entitled "NO MORE JUBILEE?" where a customer asks why it is that the Jubilee which was touted as the very best in modified square diamonds (and the best thing since sliced bread..), seems to have disappeared off the face of the diamond map with no way of purchasing one.
Here is the response by an authorized diamond vendor for this brand on that thread:
"Hi All,
Yea ... during the past few months getting certain Jubilee's has been akin to pulling teeth and to my knowledge the developer and manufacturer has not been cutting product. We temporarily pulled the shape from our stock until the developer finds a new source for cutting them. I am told he is seeking a new cutter for them. Once they are back in production we'll announce it via our site. The Square H&A's and Regents are the best alternatives at this time with no compromise in optics."
So now the square H&A's and the Regent Cut Diamond previously replaced by the Jubilee (The Regent Specifically) which was promoted as being better than... is "just as good" presumably because there are still some of these stones left in circulation.
This is why we have always advocated staying with traditional diamond shapes when it comes to purchasing a princess cut (square) diamond. You don't want to purchase something of this magnitude that will not withstand the tests of time.
We feel this is a very important topic for anyone who is seriously considering the purchase of a princess and/or modified princess cut diamond.
Knowledge is the power to buy informed, and fore-armed is fore-warned.
Judah
Diamond Fluorescence Revisited: What Consumers Need to Know.
We have recently received many questions from consumers pertaining to the effects of fluorescence on a diamond's face-up appearance. There is still much confusion, uncertainty, and just plain mis-information being disseminated by fellow tradespeople as well as "internet forum lay-experts" on this subject. Fluorescence in diamonds is mistakingly thought to be all bad. This is not the case.
We therefore deem it helpful to all of you consumers to once again post a link to THE definitve study done on this subject back in 1997 by GIA scientists. This experiment is an excellent case-study on how to properly conduct a study with proper scientific protocol and procedure and will certainly bring particular joy and satisfaction to Engineers and fellow scientists for the way this experiment was conducted.
The results obtained by GIA scientists will startle and surprise you.
The link is HERE:
1997 GIA Study on Fluorescence
Whatever Happened to The Jubilee Diamond?
On a diamond internet forum today someone asked whatever happened to the much hyped Jubilee Diamond? This modified square shape was introduced to great fanfare as being the pinnacle of light performance for those preferring the square shape stone.
What may have really happened is this cutter has decided to stop manufacturing the Jubilee due to the fact that achieving this cut level is very time-consuming and not financially worth it. Cutters are paid by the carat weight piece of diamond rough they are working on and the more time they have to spend working on a given piece of diamond rough in order to achieve the specs of the Developer, the less real money they earn. Cutting a diamond to "Good" Symmetry and Polish as opposed to Excellent or Ideal Symmetry/Polish allows for more rapid turnover and completion of cutting projects and viable earnings. The developer of the Jubilee is now actively seeking a new cutting firm. With the ever increasing prices of diamond rough and decreasing profit margins at retail, we predict it won't be easy finding one.
Jubilee Diamond
The real question now becomes what happens if the production of the Jubilee does not resume or even if it does resume at a sporadic production pace. Where does such a scenario leave consumers who have already purchased Jubilees and wish to avail themselves in the future of the upgrade policy that many Jewelers and Internet vendors provide. Will they be able to do so if there are no bigger Jubilees to upgrade to? With a shrinking market and popularity due to decreased supply, will the Jeweler/Vendor honor their Upgrade Policy if they no longer have a re-sale market?
With increasing competition for the consumers diamond dollars and the growing popularity of buying a diamond from Internet diamond websites, several members of the Diamond Industry seek to re-invent the wheel by introducing new fangled shapes and marketing campaigns to sell them. Introducing a new product and making it stick is not easy.
We covered this scenario in depth in a recent DiamondVues Blog entry here:
New Diamond Shapes: Success Or Bust?
Just to test your diamond knowledge, here is a very partial list of diamond cuts that have been introduced to the market in recent years. Can you identify them and tell if they are popular sellers?
Ashoka Cut
Amorillion Cut
Asprey Cut
Asscher Cut
Baguette Cut
Baguillion Cut
Barocut Cut
Briolette Cut
Buddha Cut
Christmas Tree Cut
Context Cut
Corona Cut
Can you correctly identify any three?
GIA Or AGS Graded Diamonds? Take Both.
Recently on various diamond forums I see certain diamond experts getting their pants up in a bunch with all kinds of lengthy polemics even Albert Einstein wouldn't understand as to which diamond grading lab is considered to be the end all and be all. The two labs in question are the GIA and AGS. Certain flaws on the part of both labs are pointed out to support an argument one way over the other. What everyone agrees on however, is that both of these labs are the top two diamond laboratories in the world. Any loose diamond accompanied by a grading report from one of these labs is your assurance of only the highest and strictes standards for diamond grading.
In reality, it really doesn't have to be made so difficult. We're not talking rocket science.
Here is a rather simple break down:
Every loose diamond that you are considering for your purchase should be accompanied by a grading report (or diamond certificate) from an Independent grading laboratory whose job it is to ensure that you are getting what you paid for.
Many labs are incompetent. Other "labs" are really some guy in the back of the diamond store printing out cards with arbitrary grades given to each diamond. Usually these diamond color, diamond clarity, and diamond cut designations has you paying more for considerably less.
The strictest and most respected diamond grading labs in the world are the Gemological Institute of America and the American Gemological Society.
There is however one key difference between these two labs.
GIA until recently did not issue a diamond "cut grade" while AGS has been issuing cut grades for diamonds going back quite some time.
The coveted GIA certifed diamond has always been the GIA EX/EX or Excellent/Excellent for diamond polish and symmetry.
The coveted AGS certified diamond has always been the AGS-0 (or AGS-000) indicating ideal cut diamond proportions for all measurements.
As to the question of which lab is better? The answer is they are both excellent.
A loose diamond graded by the GIA or AGS is more valuable then any other "certified" diamond of dubious distinction. You are assured that a loose diamond graded by any one of these labs is exactly as described.
An AGS-0 loose diamond or a GIA certified EX/EX diamond will BOTH be visually beautiful and brilliant to the eye. Ultimately this is what really matters to the customer. All of the other nitty gritty permutations and considerations are moot.
Finally, for those who would like to know how a loose diamond measures up on both the AGS and GIA scale, there is a simple solution; get both.
I'm not suggesting here that a customer ask for two diamond certificates, that is ridiculous and unwarranted.
What I am suggesting however is that you can get a GIA certified EX/EX diamond and also ask for a sarin, or MegaScope analysis of your diamond which will give you an indication of the AGS score for the stone. You will see clearly whether the diamond in question qualifies as a true AGS-0 or not.
There are many diamond companies and websites that offer all of this comprehensive information up-front to their customers without you having to ask for it. It is always advisable to seek out a company the provides this level of data and full disclosure on all of their loose diamonds.
Thus, you can have your cake and eat it too!
For more information on the actual cut parameters and differences between the AGS and GIA models, here is an excellent link.
Isee2 Diamond "Beauty Evaluator"....Accurate??
People have been asking us about the Isee2 Machine which ostensibly measures a loose diamonds brilliancy on a performance based assesment scale (Isee 2).
Isee2 Machine
On the surface of things this new technology seems pretty cool.
Certainly cannot hurt to use this machine with all of the other scientific tools we use to evaluate and measure diamond beauty and cut precision, no?
NO.
What many diamond shoppers do not know is that this machine was engineered and created by this company for the expressed purpose of promoting, marketing, and selling Ideal Cut Diamonds of their own exclusive manufacture.
In order for any company to "lease" the Isee2 diamond machine, a requirement to buy this company's (overseas diamonds) ideal cut diamonds for stock is placed upon the diamond vendor. This arrangement is a yearly agreement to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Ever hear of the proverbial expression "the fox is guarding the henhouse"?
Certainly a "scientific" company that puts out a product for measuring and assessing diamond beauty, should not have a vested interest in doing so for the (expressed) purpose of selling their own goods....clearly a conflict of interest.
Additionally, besides for a fluff piece here and there regarding what the machine does, there is absolutely no hard data on exactly how this machine evaluates brilliance in a loose diamond.
NO faq's
NO peer review
NO independent review by any major industry authority
NO information
YES - Clear conflict of interest.
Sounds like a raw deal to me.
Bottom line is that the isee2 measurement for loose diamonds is IMO circumspect as far as the important issues of the inherent conflict of interest that exists, as well as the unanswered questions of exactly how it works, what it measures and how that 'measurement' actually correlates with the beauty of any diamond.
GIA Cut Grade for Round Brilliant Shape Defined.
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) the worlds foremost diamond grading laboratory introduced their new Cut Grade system for round diamonds on January 1, 2006. This new cut grade system is based on 15 years of intensive research which included sophisticated computer modeling and over 70,000 human observations of diamonds differing in cut quality and measurements.
The new Cut grades are divided into the following categories:
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
99% of the diamonds graded by the GIA will fall into one of the top three categories.
On March 10, 2006 Tom Moses issued a release further defining the parameters of the new GIA Cut Grade. I have reprinted his comments in their entirety below in order to give you consumers a better understanding of this new Cut Grade system and how it may help you in your purchasing decisions.
From the GIA website, 3/10/06.
March 10, 2006
From the GIA Laboratory: Six Defining Qualities of the New GIA Diamond Cut Grading System
"With the announcement and subsequent launch of the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System, I am frequently asked to explain the benefits of our system. Over the last several months, we have tried to address this and other aspects of the new cut grading system during the many presentations we have given on it, both domestically and internationally. At this time, I would like to share some of what we have presented.
The defining qualities of the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System are:
1. The system is Scientific. It rests on a foundation of peer-reviewed research, which included computer-modeled light behavior and statistical analysis of observations by members from all sectors of the international diamond community. Rather than starting with preconceived notions of which proportions and other factors lead to beauty and high cut quality in round brilliants, we used custom-designed computer ray-tracing and extensive observation testing to explore broad areas of proportion space. During the course of this methodical process, we scientifically proved what many in the industry had long felt about good proportions in round brilliants, but also discovered areas of proportion space that many in the trade never suspected could produce quality diamonds.
2. The system is Practical to use. It is visually intuitive—attractive diamonds receive favorable grades and unattractive diamonds are described as such. We also carefully considered what the “right number” of grades should be in a practical system—and arrived at five (excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor) based on the limitations of visual discrimination. The visual basis of the system also allows it to be taught (and learned) easily in our Education courses, and experienced members of the diamond trade can quickly see that GIA cut grades make sense and are easily understood.
3. The system is Comprehensive. Face-up appearance may be the most important part of a diamond cut grading system, but it is not the only part that should be considered. Our new system also includes aspects of physical design (such as weight and durability) and craftsmanship. All of these factors are considered in the determination of a final, overall cut grade.
4. The system acknowledges personal and regional Tastes and Preferences. One of the most compeling findings from our observation tests and interviews was that different people prefer different appearances in diamonds. Sometimes these differences are from one person to another, and other times they represent preferences in certain countries or regions. We knew that the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System had to be applicable around the world. In some cases, this meant recognizing that a certain face-up appearance might be favored by some but not others. This recognition, backed by the findings of our ray-tracing and observation tests, is incorporated into the final system. Even though there can be different appearances within a given GIA cut grade (a good thing from both a sales and consumer point of view), the overall performance (e.g., the brightness and fire) of each diamond with the same grade is similar.
5. The system is Predictive. Manufacturers, whether polishing a diamond from rough or recutting a polished diamond for a better grade, need to know before they start what cut grade they can expect from a certain set of proportions. The GIA Diamond Cut Grading System allows them to do this by using any of the GIA Facetware™ products—the free online Facetware Cut Estimator and Facetware Look-Up Tables, or the Facetware Database as embedded in non-contact measurement devices (such as those offered by Sarin and OGI).
6. Last, but certainly not least, the system is Accessible. Consistent with GIA’s status as a public benefit corporation, we have made the system available to anyone who wants to use it. To this end, we have developed software (GIA Facetware) that predicts cut grades and is available in several different formats, as described above. We have also dedicated a whole section of our website to presenting relevant information about the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System. In addition, since we announced the system in August of 2005, representatives of GIA Research and the Laboratory have been offering presentations at trade shows and in major cutting centers in the United States and internationally. Starting in January, GIA Education began teaching students how to use the new cut system in half-day seminars, and it now includes this instruction in all new diamond-related course material. Everything needed to use and understand the new cut grading system is readily available.
We are confident that we have created a diamond cut grading system for round brilliants that is accurate, complete, and practical. It is a system that can be used and understood by the public to make informed buying decisions, and by manufacturers to maximize the beauty from rough. For more information about the new system, please visit our diamond cut microsite. www.gia.edu
Thank you,"
Tom Moses
Senior Vice President, GIA Laboratory and Research
Want To Learn All About Diamonds? Buy This Book.
This comprehensive Diamond information book by the Diamond Council of America is considered one of the most effective training tools available for diamonds and diamond education.
Whether you are a novice looking for a diamond education, or a professional jeweler looking to polish up on your sales skills (especially with those saavy diamond internet shoppers :) ) this book is for you.
Here is the link:
Diamond Identification Method for Consumers: Bring Napkins
The Financial Times of London reports on a novel way to identify Diamonds from fakes:
It is said that Alexander the Great found a valley full of both diamonds and poisonous snakes. No one could work out how to retrieve the jewels until Alexander had the idea of throwing down raw meat, to which the diamonds attached. When eagles flew down for the meat, Alexander's men just had to follow them to their nests.
It sounds like fantasy but diamonds are attracted to fat, and the story reminded people how to tell real diamonds from fakes. De Beers still practise Alexander's trick in their South Africa mines today: They use "grease tables" and only the valuable stones stick.
Today, most engagement rings are diamond but after the war, people wanted holidays, cars or colorful gems to celebrate a future marriage.
In 1947 a New York copywriter, given the task of finding a slogan for her client's product, stayed late in the office. "I put my head down and said: 'Please God, send me a line.'" Then she scribbled: "A Diamond is Forever" and the rest is History.
Buying Loose Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands, & Wedding Rings: Trust and Verify.
Marshall Loeb of Market Watch quotes our friend and colleague, Jay Mednikow with advice to consumers on how to safely shop for loose diamonds, engagement rings, wedding rings and bands, both in jewlery stores and through internet websites. It is advice we agree with 100% and worth following.
Few purchases are more mystifying for first-time buyers than fine jewelry. There's more information out there than ever - from jewelers' Web sites and online forums to nearly ubiquitous grading reports from independent labs. But buying expensive gems and precious metals is still largely a matter of trust between you and the jeweler.
First, educate yourself on the basics. For diamonds, that means the four Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat weight. For gold, platinum and silver, it means purity.
You can find helpful information on these fundamentals from the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The Gemological Institute of America, the most prominent diamond grading agency, provides tutorials on buying diamonds and colored gems at (GIA Education).
"It's less of a blind purchase than it used to be," says Jay Mednikow, president of 115-year-old Mednikow Jewelers in Memphis and Atlanta. "But a jeweler who knows what he's doing can take advantage of you if he wants to."
Thus, there is still no substitute for a reliable dealer with an established reputation. Many jewelers are GIA-certified gemologists and display their credentials prominently.
For diamonds, Mednikow recommends buying only those with grading certificates from GIA, the American Gem Society or another independent laboratory. If a jeweler says he can offer you an uncertified diamond at a discount, tell him you'll pay to have it analyzed since the cost should be only $50 to $300 depending on the size of the stone. Read warranty and return policies carefully and make sure all guarantees are written on your sales receipt - it's your legal contract.
You may have a hard time distinguishing between slight variations in color and clarity, but still trust your own eyes.
Mednikow recommends holding diamonds with a pair of tweezers over your finger or against a white background and under lights of different types and varying brightness. With shapes other than round-cut, which has standard specifications, and with colored gems, you will have to rely much more on the jeweler's expertise.
If you are buying a colored stone such as a ruby, sapphire or diamond, ask if it has been "treated" to enhance the color. Some processes are routine, like heating for sapphires and rubies and oiling for emeralds, but others are temporary or undesirable.
Up to half the gold jewelry sold in the U.S. bears a false karat rating, says Mednikow. Choosing a reliable merchant is your only insurance, although national retailers like Zales and Sears are diligent about the purity of their gold.
Loose Marquise Diamond Shape: What to Look For.
The Marquise Brilliant takes its name from a legend that the Sun King desired a stone to be polished into the shape of the mouth of the Marquise of Pompadour.
The Marquise Brilliant is a boatshaped modified brilliant. It is generally agreed that a length-to-width ratio between 1.75:1 and 2:1 is most pleasing. As with other fancy shapes, a certain degree of what constitutes a beautiful shape has to do with the consumer's individual taste. The ultimate shape of the finished diamond is determined by the rough and what parameters it allows. The typical Marquise Brilliant contains 56 facets.
Of concern to consumers when evaluating a marquise shape diamond is the appearance of a visual pattern called a "bow-tie" which looks exactly like that, right in the center of the diamond. It is true that an extreme bow-tie can be jarring and unattractive to the eye, but some amount of bow-tie is beneficial to the visual appearance of the diamond as it provides contrast brilliance and makes the stone stand out in sharper detail.
Minimal bow-tie indicated by the arrows.
An example of a beautifully cut marquise diamond is shown below.
Diamond Hunting: You Can Do It.
Want to prospect for your own diamonds? Pamela Selbert tells you how to do it!
Finding Your Diamond In The Rough: Here's How!
What To Look For When Buying an Asscher Cut Diamond!
I just spent the past hour doing a photo workup on an absolutely stunning Asscher Cut Diamond for one of our customers. Let me tell you something; Asscher cut diamonds are very tricky due to the nature of their construction. Unlike a 58 faceted round brilliant diamond, or even a princess cut diamond, there are many fewer facets carved into the Asscher Diamond (also known as a step cut diamond...). As a result of this construction, the diamond appears very glassy and will discriminate against lower colors and clarities with the inclusions visible and the coloration very obvious to the naked eye.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance when buying this kind of diamond shape to purchase (at the very least) a diamond of white color grade, excellent clarity grade, and hopefully a well cut stone. Otherwise, the diamond will look like the "black hole of Calcutta" and you will be miserable. More details about the Asscher here: Asscher Diamond Specs.
However, when you do some research and purchase a well cut Asscher cut diamond....let me tell you..they are absolutely smoking!!!
Take a look at this absolute beauty I just finished photographing!
Beautiful Asscher Cut Diamond by www.exceldiamonds.com
Loose Baguette Diamond: What Is It & What To Look For.
A straight baguette is a relatively small, elongated diamond that usually is rectangular in shape. The cut is characterized by square corners with rows of step-cut or steplike facets parallel to the table. Baguettes do not conform to the Federal Trade Commission's" 17 -facet" requirement for diamonds.
Straight Baguette.
The name of the cut must proceed the word diamond. Baguettes today are most often employed as side stones, although they also can be the main shape in full-band rings or fashion rings. When used as side stones they serve to camouflage the shoulders of the center stone, masking it £rom the girdle to the culet. Baguettes can also be lined up to produce a continuous flow of diamonds on a ring, bracelet, brooch (i.e. circlet) or necklace.
Baguettes are usually channel-set, but sometimes prong set. Less-expensive baguettes are often channel-set into bracelets. Measured in millimeters more often than weight because their size must be precise for their function, typical sizes for today's side baguettes are from 1.5 mm to 3 mm in length. For larger, more important pieces, designers and retailers may order straight baguettes of 2.7 mm to 4.7 mm, for example.
The word "baguette" is a French word for a long, narrow loaf of bread. This shape, beginning in costume jewelry, is a fashion outgrowth of the 1920s to mid-1930s. During that time, interest in functionalism in architecture and the Bauhaus movement influenced the applied arts and dominated contemporary design. In the Art Deco period, many stones were cut in strict, geometrical shapes, typified by the calibre technique or elongated baguette. In contemporary times, jewelry houses like Bulgari have sustained their use and passion for the baguette. Nicola Bulgari once exclaimed, "We flirt with the baguette." The yield for a baguette from the diamond rough is 38 to 42 percent.
Baguettes are extraordinarily clear. If baguettes are to be used as side stones or as other matched pairs, they must be of similar quality, color and clarity to one another, and to the stone they are enhancing. The step-cut appearance is unforgiving and does not allow for little imperfections in the diamonds. Stay with VS clarity and higher. SI clarity must be examined to insure that the imperfection(s) are not eye-visible. A small chip is much more obvious on a baguette than on a heavily faceted diamond.
Loose Cushion Cut Diamond: What Is It?
The Cushion Cut is a generic name for the Old Mine Cut developed before the turn of the century; these days the name" cushion" is often used for colored stones cut in this shape.
A Cushion Cut is a square or squarish-rectangular cut with rounded corners and 58 brilliant-style facets that resemble a pillow shape, hence the name.
A hundred years ago, when Cushion Cuts were first developed, diamonds were not cleaved into two pieces of rough, as they are today; they were ground down as a single stone and the resulting polished was lumpy and thick. Cushion Cuts have very thin girdles and bigger culets than today's full-cut diamonds.
Designers are requesting Cushion Cuts with big culets, but, in general, the smaller the culet, the better the stone. Older Cushion Cuts return light in blocky patterns; newly cut ones return light in needlelike patterns.
MARKETS AND MARKETING
Cushion Cut diamonds are popular in matching pairs. They are especially being used in larger-carat earrings and also as a center stone in rings. Cushion Cuts first became popular again about ten years ago, and their popularity has increased as designers and antique dealers continue to use them.
Cushion Cuts offer a lot of weight at a moderate price. Larger Cushion Cut diamonds sell for about 30 percent less than full-cuts of the same weight, while smaller cuts sell for about the same. A 1-carat G/VS Cushion Cut stone will sell from $2,800 to $3,800. Two-carat and up stones sell in the $3,500 to $5,000 per carat range. The most popular sizes are .75 to 1.5 carats. The availability of 2-carats and up is a problem because of the high demand for larger stones, both by estate and antique dealers for replacement or repair and by manufacturers.
Look for good clarity and color. Because Cushion Cuts have very thin girdles, girdles on older ones are often chipped. Look for Cushion Cuts that are symmetrical; off-shape ones are difficult to use. Look for a medium culet that is not too heavy, unless you have a special reason to use this cut with a big culet. Pick a mounting that's appropriate for the softer reflections and refractions of a Cushion Cut. Old Mine Cuts were traditionally set in yellow gold or silver with a patina or oxidation; therefore, they look better set in matte metals rather than highly polished ones.
Engagement Ring Purchase onThe Internet: Is This A Good Deal?
Is the question being asked by a consumer this morning on Diamondtalk.com. He has seen a Princess Cut that is being listed on EIGHT different internet diamond websites at different prices!!
Discussion is here: Good Deal?
Here are the multiple listings for this one diamond:
Who really has this diamond?
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6209 $13847*SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6262 $13964SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42-7.27-5.21 $6276 $13996*
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6291 $14029
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6306 $14062*S
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6308 $14066*SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42*7.27*5.21 $6339 $14136*S
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-sl thk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $7198 $16051
This diamond is supplied by the manufacturer to many internet websites and is known as a "Virtual Diamond".
Little if any information is provided save for a few numbers off the lab grading report and the price. You are buying blind.
We have blogged on this topic several times. Same Diamond Listed All Over The Internet?
Virtual Diamond (VD) databases do not give you the necessary information you need, e.g.; photo's, Imagescopes, and light performance data such as provided by the Gemex Brilliancescope. As such, these lists are useless. Would you buy a Home this way? I doubt it. Why should your diamond purchase be any different. It's also big money.
This is a big purchase not only because of the money, but even more so because of the emotion and psychology behind it. You need to get this right the first time. Work with Internet websites that give you comprehensive information.
"Diamonds Are For Ever", But Are Diamond Mines?
Cramer's Mining Weekly reports that the slogan "Diamonds may be forever", but the same cannot be said of diamond-mines.
While De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), the largest producer of diamonds in South Africa, produced a record 15,2-millioncarats last year, it estimates that it will produce just over 14-million carats this year.
Part and parcel of new DBCM MD David Noko’s strategy is to sweat the company’s existing assets, and bring new, additional production on line.
“I do not think that we can grow production from our existing operations – we just can’t.
“Our installed capacity is fixed, and we need capital to improve it,” Noko, who was appointed as DBCM MD on February 7, tells Mining Weekly in an exclusive interview.
And, gaining approval for brownfield projects that do not meet the hurdle rates of the company’s principals is out of the question.
“There would be no point in injecting capital into declining mines like The Oaks, as a return would not be realised, but, by exception, all opportunities are being explored, the major ones being brownfields, but some being greenfields through finding partners that have large resources,” Noko says.
Hence, besides organic growth projects, DBCM’s growth strategy is levered on partnerships with smaller diamond-mining companies.
“If we partner with smaller companies, they will benefit from our knowledge, while we will benefit from the resources that they have acquired,” Noko says.
DBCM has many partnerships in Kimberley, where it has large tailings dumps that require advanced technology to turn the low grades of diamonds that they contain to proper account.
The company is also continuing to research the opportunities of working with junior miners and, in Kimberley, already 25% of revenue emerges from joint ventures with junior miners through contracts.
Tiffany's Lucida Diamond: What is it ?
Tiffany & Co.'s Lucida is an exclusive patent pending diamond cut whose shape is a square mixed cut. It has 50 facets, a high crown, stepped facets, wide corners and a small table with a brilliant pavilion. The design of the cut maximizes the stone's sparkle and brilliance. A photo is shown below.
AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds have similar sparkle to the Tiffany Lucida, without the price tag!
Lucida Diamond.
Tiffany has added an eternity band and a three-stone ring as well. Lucida, which means the brightest star in a constellation, is available exclusively at Tiffany & Co. stores worldwide. The setting is copyrighted and the diamond has multiple patents pending.
The Lucida diamond is made from the same rough as a well-cut round. Created by Tiffany's gemologists, the cut is similar to the Asscher and antique Cushion Cuts. Tiffany showcases the Lucida cut in a special four-prong ring shown below. The sculptural band has clean lines and soft curves that merge with the prongs in a sloping crisscross design, which, when viewed from the side, is reminiscent of cathedral arches.
Lucida Ring.
Lucida was designed and introduced by Tiffany in 1999. The retailer has positioned the collection to fit between its classic Tiffany setting and its cuttingedge Etoile collection and has become something of a status symbol. The worldwide launch was backed by an extensive advertising campaign that included four-page inserts, spreads and single-page units in fashion and lifestyle publications. The Lucida is available at 150 locations internationally, including Japan, France and London.
Each Lucida diamond is sold with a Tiffany Certificate. The inside shank of each ring is currently engraved with the following: Copyright, Tiffany & Co. Lucida, metal fineness and the phrase "patents pending." When the patents are finalized, the actual patent numbers will be engraved in the shank.
Click on the icon below for a stunning collection of the finest Tiffany style diamond engagement rings and Ideal Cut diamonds at outstanding values!!
Chameleon Diamond: What Is It?
In Nature, Chameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are large lizards that belong to one of the best known lizard families. They are famous for their ability to change their colour, and also because of their elongated tongue and their eyes which can be moved independently of each other. Their eyes are the most unique among the reptiles. Among other things they can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously.
Chameleon
Some Chameleon species are able to change their body colour, which has made them one of the most famous lizard families. Contrary to popular belief, this change of colour is not only an adaptation to the surroundings but also an expression of the physical and physiological condition of the lizard. The skin colour is changed under influence of mood, light and temperature. The skin colour also plays an important part in communication and rivalry fights.
There is also such a phenomenon as a Chameleon Diamond. Certain natural green diamonds react to heat or dark storage by temporarily changing color, often becoming bright yellow. This color change is short-lived as the diamond soon reverts to its stable color. Most specimens observed in gem laboratories show even color distribution, aiding in the dramatic transformation, and both color changes are documented on laboratory reports. Faceted chameleon diamonds of 2 carats or more occasionally appear on the market; the more sizable stones offer the maximum opportunity to see color change.
A color-change diamond is such a rare and curious gem that very little has been written on the subject. The first documented report on chameleon diamonds appeared in 1943, according to the GIA Diamond Dictionary. Peter Kaplan, of the Peter K. Kaplan Inc., was astonished to witness a diamond change color on the very hot polishing wheel. The peculiar diamond was later graded light yellow green. It sold, but the baffled customer promptly returned it for a refund when the yellow-green diamond changed to dark green after storage in a jewel box.
Phenomenon Not Well Understood.
An article in GIA's Award Winning Journal, Gems & Gemology, Spring 2005, acknowledged that “...the mechanism behind chameleon coloration is not yet well understood. Nevertheless, chameleons are among the few green diamonds that can be conclusively identified as natural color, since their behavior cannot be created or enhanced in a laboratory.”
Fine-quality phenomenal diamonds often carry certificates verifying their natural characteristics. One such report by Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland, added, “Chameleon diamonds are one of the great mysteries of the diamond world. It is still not known why these diamonds change from deep green to yellow when heated or left in darkness . . . these qualities make ‘chameleons’ among the most fascinating of colored diamonds.”
A rare subset of natural fancy color diamonds, chameleons are so named for their repeatable color-change property. Prolonged dark storage, or photochroism, changes a “Classic” chameleon from its typically stable color of grayish-yellow-green to a temporary or unstable color of greenish-orangish-yellow. A few hours of dark storage might be all that is needed to bring on a color change. Also, heating a Classic chameleon, termed thermochromism, likewise results in a prominent temporary color change. At about 150º C, the induced color should be evident within a few seconds. The term “Reverse” chameleon refers to phenomenal diamonds that change from yellow in stable conditions to green after subjection to dark storage. Heating does not produce a color change in Reverse chameleons. With both groups, the change is infinitely repeatable.
Rarer still are some “maverick” color-change diamonds that have been found in Australia that exhibit this phenomenon with their own unique pair of colors. Australia’s Argyle diamond mine, famous for its fancy color diamonds, occasionally produces hydrogen-rich diamonds that also exhibit a “chameleonlike” color-change behavior. The stones are distinguished by either a blue-violet-gray color or a gray-olive color. They are thought to owe their phenomenon to high hydrogen content, but this has yet to be proven.
Identification of Chameleon Diamonds is by heating and observation. Be careful with this because heating an enhanced diamond, however, might lead to an unwanted permanent modification of color. If you suspect that the green diamond might just be an enhanced stone, the recommended course of action would be to send it to a laboratory for testing. In a laboratory, the spectroscope reading, coupled with an ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaction, will positively separate a chameleon from another type of green diamond.
Rarity.
Because of their rarity Chamelon Diamonds are not well understood by the Public or by Jewelers. Chrisities, or example, auctions a color-change diamonds in Hong Kong, because, according to Daphne Lingon, senior vice president, jewelry department, the Asian market is well-informed about phenomenal gems,which are avidly collected. During Christie’s Magnificent Jewellery & Jadeite Jewellery Hong Kong auction in May 2001, a platinum ring featuring a 4.41-carat “superb fancy dark-gray-yellowish-green chameleon diamond” went on sale and brought a sale price of $240,000.
Online jeweler Ariel Friedman of IceStore Inc., Beverly Hills, California, speculates that a combination of phosphorescence and fluorescent properties contribute to the chameleon effect in these special diamonds. Friedman estimates that he sells between five and ten chameleons a year, attributing that success to his customers, who only buy high-end goods. Recently, one of his best phenomenal diamonds went to a well-known actor who desired a one-of-a-kind gem. Friedman’s clientele understands fancy color diamonds and that “with chameleons, they own something clearly unique among the fancy colors.” A 2.95-carat, round brilliant chameleon is offered on his website for $63,720.
New Diamond Mine Exploration Continues.
Reuters reports today that Angola’s state run diamond company, Endiama, has entered into a joint venture exploration partnership with Russia’s diamond company, ALROSA, to explore a new diamond concession in the province of Luanda-Norte. The two companies announced on April 21 that the project, named Cacolo, will survey a 4,000 square km area over a five year period..
As part of the agreement, ALROSA is obligated to invest a minimum of $14 million in the prospecting stage but said that the figure will likely be higher. "Preliminary data shows that the area has very good potential. It holds out lots of promise -- there should be Kimberlite pipes. If we find them it needs $200 million of investment," Alexanda Nichiporuk, president of ALROSA, told Reuters.
Endiama's communications director, Sebastiao Panzo, said that the deal was part of a broader strategy of attracting foreign capital to develop local resources. "Diamond expansion needs more capital. Angola has concessions on the one hand and on the other those who want to invest from the outside,” he said.
Angola's diamond production doubled to seven million carats in 2005 and it is expected to produce over 10 million carats by the end of 2006 as the government expands beyond traditional mining areas. "With diamond production stagnating in many parts of the world, demand is set to grow in East Asia and China especially, Angola's...concessions could be some of the most
Angola's diamond production doubled to seven million carats in 2005 and it is expected to produce over 10 million carats by the end of 2006 as the government expands beyond traditional mining areas. "With diamond production stagnating in many parts of the world, demand is set to grow in East Asia and China especially, Angola's...concessions could be some of the most lucrative in the world," Viascheslav Lapshin, vice president of ALROSA, told Reuters.
Endiama has a majority stake in the venture, ALROSA has approximately 39.5 percent and the remainder belongs to smaller local companies.
Belgian Gov't Reduces Taxes On Diamond Companies.
At the end of 2005, a new fiscal law was adopted that will make Belgium far more attractive to all companies doing business there —which means not only diamond companies, but firms from all business sectors and industries.
The principle of the new program relies on what’s been referred to as a “notional interest rate.” As of accounting year 2006, all Belgium-based companies will have the opportunity to calculate a totally fictitious interest rate on their equity. This interest rate — which is currently between 3.442 and 3.942 percent — will be deductible from the taxable profit, a measure that is likely to reduce the taxable profit of businesses to verylow levels. The effective tax burden, especially for larger capitalized companies, could drop from the usual 28 or 34 percent corporate income tax rate to the negligible figure of 6 percent in the best cases.
The new tax law does not have any stringent conditions — no employment condition, no investment condition, applicable to all companies, no limitation on activity — and will restore the balance between Antwerp and other competing diamond centers.
Kaushik Mehta of Eurostar Diamond Traders, however, has a different opinion: “It’s very good as you pay less tax. The notional interest will certainly help ease business in Belgium, but it’s still no match for Dubai, at least as far as their zero tax is concerned. Antwerp has other assets, such as a huge market, to compete with other diamond centers.”
The notional interest tax plan will also assist with respect to DeBeers Diamond Trading Company (DTC) and the Banks. The diamond industryr is typically a sector that requires large working capital and relatively small profit margins, and a substantial number of companies have capital booked as current account. Currently, this cannot be taken into consideration for the notional interest deduction and is booked as a loan. From this year onward, registration fees on capital increases of 0.5 percent are abolished and there is virtually no cost involved anymore in increasing the statutory capital. Therefore, it is useful to incorporate the loans/current accounts into statutory capital. This, of course, can substantially increase the equity of the company, which also results in an improved solvability toward third parties — this is equity against balance sheet total. Banks are, indeed, pushing diamond companies to move toward an equity of 15 percent-plus because traditionally the equity of Belgian diamond companies is very low. Also, for sightholders, DeBeers takes into consideration the financial strength of a company, which is reflected in the equity and solvability ratio.
Consequently, the larger the capital, the higher the amount of the notional interest deduction. This allows companies with larger capital to pay lower taxes on their profit and as a result have higher net profits, which, again, they can capitalize. The following year, the equity has grown with the increased net profits of the previous year on which the notional interest deduction is applicable. So, this creates a rollerball effect in which equities grow quicker and quicker and are constantly leveraged with the notional interest deduction the following year.
It’s been understood that the measure would also benefit smaller-size companies, depending on their degree of capitalization, as the law applies to all corporate entities. Percentwise, it can create the same result, but, of course, the nominal amounts are smaller.
The first cycle of the system will be completed within the year. Tax reduction is positive in that it spurs production and eventual tax revenue. The effects on consumer prices remains to be determined.
Asscher Cut Diamonds: Buy The Stone, Not The 'Numbers'
My Dad (Barry) just blogged here recently about the importance of buying the loose diamond itself and not merley a set of 'numbers' when it comes to purchasing your dream diamond engagement ring.
In today's (similar) project, we evaluated and photographed 2 loose Asscher Cut Diamonds on behalf of one of our customers.
Both diamonds are incredibly beautiful and brilliant for this type of fancy shape. Additionally, the prices on both diamonds represent an extraordinary value for these kind of quality diamonds. The difference in carat size is negligible and is virtually impossible to distinguish. Both diamonds face up exceptionally white and both are eye-clean.
Only one diamond however, is in our opinion clearly a better "value" (best bang for your buck) over the other.
This is simply because you get to save money for a difference that ONLY EXISTS ON PAPER (DIAMOND CERTIFICATE) BUT CANNOT BE SEEN WITH THE NAKED EYE.
I am referring here to the difference in color and clarity grades of the two diamonds which cannot be guaged with the unaided eye yet influences pricing based on the rarity factor and market forces.
From a qualitative and quantitative standpoint however, they are almost indestinguishable and equally brilliant to the eye.
Would some argue with us regarding our position on buying the "best value for your dollars"? Sure!
This is because buying a loose diamond is chock full of emotional and psychological variables that are always considered. It is a once in a lifetime purchase (we hope :)) for most, and some people need to go to sleep at night with the knowledge that they got their gal an incredibly rare D/VVS1 diamond engagement ring...
This is obvioulsy the approach and motivation of psychology and emotion over the rational and practical considerations in the diamond buying process.
This is a purely personal and subjective approach.
Our approach however is to always make sure that you get the best diamond that money can buy from the standpoint of cut precision and light performance. Once you secure this kind of ideally cut diamond, you don't need to pay the extra money for the "collection color/clarity grades" which DO NOT AFFECT A DIAMONDS BRILLIANCE AND DISPERSIVE QUALITIES ONE IOTA, AND ONLY TALKS TO THE RARITY OF THE STONE.
Want to decide for yourself?
O.K.
Here are the photographs of the 2 Assscher Cut Diamonds that we took today.
You decide which one is "better".
2.29 F VS2 Asscher Cut Diamond is $24,700
2.26 D VVS1 Asscher Cut Diamond is $35,500
Round Brilliant Diamond Shape: Some Notes.
GIA updated the wording and the placement of “brillianteering” comments on its Diamond Grading Report and Diamond Dossier® for standard round brilliant diamonds as of July 1, 2006.
GIA’s new Diamond Grading Report and Diamond Dossier®, in January 2006, indicated when a diamond’s cut grade was affected by painting or digging out by putting a notation within the report’s comments section that read: Cut grade is based on brillianteering of the half-facets.
As of July 1, this statement will be located under the proportion diagram –-not in the comments section-– that reads: Cut grade affected by brillianteering.
Brillianteering refers to the last steps of the polishing process when the star facets along with the upper and lower half facets (also known as upper and lower girdle facets) are polished on the diamond. When a diamond is painted or dug out, these facets are polished in a manner that can affect the face-up appearance of the diamond and therefore may affect the final cut grade.
New location for comments on Girdle thickness.
Here is an illustration of an even and correctly proportioned girdle.
Here is an illustration of a "dug out" girdle. Note the uneven and very thin areas. This is usually done in situations where there may be large naturals, indented naturals, large imperfections,or other problems such as difficult cutting grains that the manufacturer needs to better control in order to save weight and/or make the diamond more saleable This may at times come at the expense of Symmetry in that facets are mis-aligned. This can also have a significant negative effect on light performance.
Here is an illustration of a "painted girdle". Note the extra thickness at the meet points of the upper to lower half facets These facets are cut shallow with a minimum of definition and resolution, hence "painted" onto the diamond so that the cutter can retain maximum carat weight.
May or may not have a negative impact on light performance and physical evaluation or additional information such as a Gemex Brilliancescope Light Analysis Report and Imagescope can be very helpful.
And just to review for newcomers to our DiamondVues Blog, the illustration below shows the various facets that comprise the round brilliant diamond shape. In all, there are 58 facets for the round diamond.
New Guidelines Suggested for Synthetic Diamonds.
The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) released three resolutions taken by the WFDB concerning synthetic diamonds during the 32nd World Diamond Congress, which took place in Tel Aviv on June 26 to 29, 2006.
The first resolution states that “the usage of synthetic diamonds for gem purposes will be acknowledged and gemological laboratories will be requested and encouraged to issue certificates describing the same, provided that such certificates clearly emphasize the fact that such are synthetic diamonds.”
The second resolution states that “the term 'synthetic diamonds' will be used for man-made or laboratory produced diamonds.”
The third resolution states that “the terminology normally used by laboratories to describe the features of diamonds should not be utilized for synthetic diamonds and that the International Diamond Council (IDC) will be authorized to formulate alternative terminology to describe such features for usage by laboratories.”
GIA has also recently announced that they will be issuing a special lab grading report for synthetic diamonds that will clearly distinguish it from lab reports of mined diamonds.
SuperbCert Princess Diamond VS. AGS Ideal Cut Princess Diamond
We have been cutting our Signature SuperbCert Princess Cut Diamonds for quite some time to maximize the light performance and brilliance of our princess cut diamonds. Recently, with the introduction of Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds with Ideal Cut grade/parameters by the AGS labs (American Gemological Society), we have looked to provide our customers with an exceptional selection of loose AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds for their engagement rings.
Although both diamonds exhibit incredible brilliance, fire, scintillation, and have excellent precision cut parameters; there are a few visual distinctions between the two.
Here is a photograph of a 1.03 H VS1 AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamond (on the left) next to a SuperbCert .93 H VS1 Signature Princess Cut Diamond on the right. Similar specs..... can you see the differences??
How Old Is Your Diamond?
These scientists asked the question and came up with this answer:
U.S.A. Diamond Imports: What Is "Fair Trade"?
The Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) is asking its members to contact their trade representatives and Congress to urge them to push for fair trade agreements that would put an end to what the association says is an "unfair trade advantage" given to India and other countries.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has asked for public comments about whether to limit, suspend, or withdraw the eligibility of India and 12 other countries that currently can import goods duty-free under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. It is also reviewing whether to withdraw presidential Competitive Need Limitation (CNL) waivers that allow India, among 19 other countries, to import specific products duty-free. The bulk of the waivers to India cover precious metal jewelry products. Legislation authorizing the GSP benefits will expire on Dec. 31, 2006, unless Congress re-authorizes it.
Currently, India ranks first among exporters of precious metal jewelry to the United States, with $1.75 billion exported to the United States in 2005. The United States exported only $108 million in precious metal jewelry to India during that year, resulting in a $1.65 billion trade deficit, says MJSA.
Much of that deficit can be attributed to not only India's unfettered access to the U.S. market, MJSA says, but also the tariff and non-tariff trade barriers that U.S. manufacturers face when they try to export goods to that country. Currently, India places a 31.5 percent duty on U.S. precious metal jewelry, as well as multiple additional taxes, including a 1 percent landing charge and various municipal and state taxes. All told, these taxes and fees can add as much as 26 percent to the duty, says MJSA.
The Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association, in contrast to MJSA's position, has been urging jewelry retailers to write to USTR before the Sept. 5 deadline for public comment to ask the USTR to continue the trade benefits granted to Indian jewelry manufacturers under the GSP program.
Sound familiar? Shades of Taft-Hartley and Protectionism. Perhaps the correct answer is to become more competitive.
Van Cleef Diamonds And China: Like Hand In Glove.
Quietly and quickly, China is becoming a World Power destination for high-end couture diamonds and jewelry.
Century-old Van Cleef & Arpels plans to open a retail store in Shanghai Henglong Plaza during October 2006. Van Cleef & Arpels has about 50 stores worldwide and the Shanghai store will be the third outlet in China for the luxury brand.
In November 2005 Van Cleef & Arpels opened a boutique in Beijing. The demand for luxury goods in China "goes beyond expectations," the company's represenative told China's press.
We blogged about China's World Power ascendency into the world of Diamonds and Jewelry back in May of this year.
The link is here: Diamonds In China
Lazare Kaplane Sues Photoscribe over Inscription Patents
International heavy hitter Diamond manufacturer Lazare Kaplan International (LKI) has sued Photoscribe Technologies alleging that Photoscribes's laser inscription of diamonds infringes on LKI's patent rights.
LKI alleges that two of their patents; Laser Marking System issued on 11/5/2002 and the Microinscribed Gemstone patent issued on 3/14/2006 have been infringed.
Photoscribe contends that it introduced it's laser inscription technology in 1999 after extensive due diligence including full disclosure to LKI in 2000 and that LKI lawyers at that time did not express any reservations or threathen litigation.
With growing consumer demand for laser inscription of their diamonds and gemstones as a valid form of identification, the timing of the LKI lawsuit at this juncture is curious.
Why You Should Buy A Hearts & Arrows Loose Diamond
As you learn more and more about loose diamonds, you will come to understand that the ideal cut round diamond, will have the most refracted brilliance from any other diamond. Another hallmark of the finest ideal cut diamonds is the hearts and arrows patterning exhibited in these stones. There are many visual benefits in diamonds that have hearts and arrows patterning within the stone. These benefits will be most noticeable when the diamond is viewed in various lighting conditions. This is an important factor, since a loose diamond, when worn on her finger, is not a static object. Rather, it is constantly moving with every motion of her hand. These movements will play the light off of the diamond in a brilliant array of brilliance, fire, and scintillation, but, only when the diamond is cut for maximum brilliancy.
Continue reading "Why You Should Buy A Hearts & Arrows Loose Diamond" »
What is an "AGS-0" or "Triple Zero" Ideal Cut Diamond?
The term “AGS-Triple 0” used to be synonymous with a “0” designation for the loose diamond’s size, color, and clarity, exclusively.
Precision Cut Grade:
AGS Ideal 0
Diamond Polish: Ideal
Diamond Symmetry: Ideal
Diamond Proportions: Ideal
Diamond Color Grade: AGS 0 (D)
Diamond Clarity Grade: AGS 0 (IF / Flawless)
By today’s standard as defined by the AGS (American Gemological Society), an AGS-0 Ideal Cut Diamond, or AGS-000 Triple Zero diamond, is defined as a loose diamond that has ideal polish, symmetry, proportions, finish, and light performance.
These Ideal cut diamonds, or AGS-0 diamonds, or “AGS triple zero” diamonds will be amongst the finest and most brilliant diamonds that money can buy.
Click here to view examples of AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds.
Did You Know That Mauritius Has Diamonds?
Either did I and I bet you didn't either. They export frozen fish and clothes but diamonds?
But lo and behold Wire services carry the story today that The United States signed a trade agreement with the Republic of Mauritius to boost trade between the two nations. Mauritius is an island nation due East of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
Mauritius exported some $22.5 million in polished diamonds to the United States in 2005, up 159 percent from 2004, according to the Commerce Department. Some $15 million in polished goods were less than 0.50-carats.
From January through July 2006 the island nation has exported $9.2 million in polished goods to the United States.
Mauritius’s foreign minister Madan Murlidhar Dulloo signed the accord with deputy trade representative Karan Bhatia of the United States to increase trade between the two nations. Overall trade between the United States and Mauritius was valued at $252.7 million in 2005.
So next time you have fish, think of Diamonds and Mauritius.
Tension Set Engagement Rings Can Give You a Tension Headache.
We declared our disdain for Tension Set Diamond Engagement Rings in a recent Blog here:
Tension Set Diamond Rings
In a Tension Setting, the diamond is (hopefully) held securely in place at opposite ends on the mid-point circumference by two pieces of the metal wall.
Well, we're not surprised to note the angst and anger of a customer writing today on the diamond internet Forum, Pricescope.com, who purchased a tension set Diamond Engagement Ring at the Robbins Brothers Jewelry Store in Torrance, California and found that the diamond popped out of the setting not once but twice.
You can read his gaga saga here:
Diamond Tension Settings can give you a tension headache
See The Diamond Hearts & Arrows & Ideal-Scope Results In Action!
There is much information available on the Internet today concerning the Hearts & Arrows patterning in a Hearts & Arrows cut diamond and how it is indicative of the most precisely cut diamond that money can buy.
The Ideal-Scope technology has also gained popularity amongst diamond consumers for its ability to demonstrate light leakage/refraction in a diamond by menans of a very simplistic device.
The Idealscope was developed by Australian gemologist; Garry Holloway.
For more information on the Ideal-Scope device and what it measures, please click here:
Wouldn't you love to actually SEE the internal Hearts & Arrows patterning for your loose diamond?
Some companies offer a FREE Diamond Toolkit with every purchase of a loose hearts and arrows diamond, or an ideal cut diamond.
Here is an example of our free diamond toolkit, provided with the purchase of any SuperbCert Super-Ideal cut Diamond.
Can you guess which items perform which function?
**Please note: Although we own a few of the trademarked IdealScopes by Mr. Holloway, and use them in-house (in conjuction with our various other technologies) to evaluate leakage and light performance in our diamonds, the photo you see below is not one of Mr. Holloway's trademarked Ideal-Scopes, but rather a similar functioning ImageScope of our own manufacture.
We developed this ImageScope which is slightly different from the IdealScope to include in our Free diamond toolkits to all of our customers.
Diamond Engagement Ring "Size" Does Matter!
Eighteen percent of consumers have problems finding the correct fit for jewelry, according to a new study by the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC).
Sizing problems included jewelry being either too big or too small and not being able to find jewelry that's big enough or small enough, according to the Jewelry Size Report, issued this week by the JCOC.
Rings posed sizing difficulties for 24 percent of those surveyed, and bracelets posed sizing problems for 19 percent of those surveyed. Despite the sizing problems posed by rings, about two-thirds of those surveyed found adjustable and sizeable rings undesirable. By contrast, more than half of consumers found adjustable and sizeable bracelets and necklaces desirable.
About a quarter of those surveyed reported that they wear a ring size of seven to seven and a half, but 12 percent do not know what ring size they wear.
Of those surveyed, 18 percent prefer a size-seven bracelet, but 27 percent do not know what bracelet size they prefer.
Correct ring sizing is also a big problem as many guys don't have a clue as to their gal's correct ring size. This is a problem when ordering a diamond engagement ring on-line as it means that after presentation, they have to send the ring back to the vendor for correct re-sizing. This entails their paying for round-trip shipping-insurance costs.
We recently had a case of a guy who ordered a Platinum Custom size 8-1/2 diamond engagement ring from us only to sheepishly call us a few days after receipt that the ring was "slightly big" on her finger, he now has the correct ring size after taking her to the neighborhood jeweler for sizing, and could we re-size it. No problem, we replied, our Lifetime Guarantee covers re-sizing free of charge. What do you need, we asked?
Size 5-1/2, he answered!
Whoa Nellie! No can do, my friend. We explained that re-sizing can be done up or down to 3/4 of a size. More than that and it's best to make a completely new ring. Got to make you a new ring, which he paid for.
Guys, get her correct ring size BEFORE you place your order. Beg, borrow, steal a ring she wears on a regular basis and take it to your neighborhood jeweler for correct ring sizing.
Most good diamond Internet websites have comprehensive ring charts, including International ring size conversion tables that allow you to correctly determine her ring size.
Where To Get A Diamond Education on The Internet
With more consumers than ever, turning to the Internet to educate themselves on all aspects of diamonds and diamond jewelry before taking the plunge and buying their first (and hopefully last ;)) diamond engagement ring, it is important to find information that is both meaningful and accurate.
Sure, there are many websites that offer some recycled fluff pieces about how choose the perfect diamond ring or diamond engagement ring. However, the reality is that aside from the romantic gobbly-gook, there isn't much meat and substance in many of these articles that would actually empower you to pick the most perfectly cut diamond engagement ring at the best value.
Some websites do a bit better by taking you through a brief tutorial on the "four C's" of diamonds (diamond carat, diamond color, diamond clarity, & diamond cut). They will briefly explain the importance of a diamonds color grade, the effect of inclusions in a diamond, the importance of a diamond's critical "cut" factor etc.. After that, you are pretty much on your own.
The fact is, that there are many ways to properly qualify and quantify the beauty and cut precision of a well cut diamond, such as an ideal cut diamond, or Superideal, hearts & arrows cut diamond. There are certain scientific machines today that do an incredible job of measuring the beauty, brilliancy and cut precision of any loose diamond. Much of this diamond education and information is available to you on the Internet. That is....if you know where to look ;).
Armed with this comprehensive diamond information, you will be empowered to purchase the perfect loose diamond, or diamond engagement ring of your dreams, at the lowest possible price.
Not all diamonds are created equal. Some diamonds are beautiful, sparkly, and brilliant; regardless of their size, color, and clarity. Many more diamonds however, are unfortunately, dull, lifeless, and appear to be nothing more than frozen spit; regardless of size, color, and clarity.
These are diamonds you ought to stay far away from.
The following few diamond websites, diamond learning centers, and diamond discussion forums on the Internet, will all open up new vistas of understanding in the world of diamonds, diamond jewelry, custom designer jewelry, wedding rings, and engagement rings.
These websites are indexed by literally thousands of diamond shoppers like yourself, who are turning to the Internet in droves to get the perfect diamond education before making a significant purchase of this magnitude.
You will mingle with diamond jewelers, professionals, and consumers alike. You will ask questions and get answers.
Just one warning for you: these websites are extremely addictive, once there, you might get hooked for life!
Enjoy, and I hope this info. proves to be useful to you in your diamond search! Good luck!
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Ideal Scope: Information
The Ideal-Scope was developed by Garry Holloway FGAA, DipDT, JAA Appraiser, of Australia.
Garry Holloway
This is a device that has deservedly gained much popularity today amongst diamond consumers, especially on the Internet, for its ability to accurately project and display light performance/leakage in a loose diamond.
Ideal-Scope (Trademarked by Mr. Holloway)
Here is what Garry Holloway says about his Ideal-Scope technology:
It is a simple bright colored reflector with a viewing hole and lens. It creates what is known as a structured light environment.
The Ideal-Scope gives us indications of a diamonds brilliance; i.e. its light return and leakage as well as its contrast (which has a lot to do with scintillation).
It may also be used as a simple optical symmetry grading tool, like a Hearts and Arrows viewer (but the H&A's viewer only shows symmetry). Advanced users can predict the amount of fire a diamond might have. This gives diamond polishers additional control by adjustment to some "minor facets" like the lower girdle facet length.
The Ideal-Scope may be used with any shaped diamond, of any color or clarity.
For more information on the Ideal-scope and to purchase one of Mr. Holloway's Ideal-Scope's for yourself, please visit www.ideal-scope.com.
What A Well Cut Emerald Diamond Looks Like
Emerald cut diamonds are a type of fancy shape loose diamond which are often cut with no regard for beauty and brilliance. In an effort to achieve an "elegant" looking emerald diamond shape from the diamond rough, the diamond cutter will often "cut corners" (pardon the pun ;)) with maximizing the beauty of the loose diamond.
The reality however, is that a well cut emerald cut diamond can be quite beautiful and dispersive. Indeed, cutting a diamond into an emerald shape does not have to come at the expense of its beauty and sparkle.
Here are a few photos I took yesterday of an absolutely stunning emerald cut diamond for one of our customers!
Now, That's What I'm Talking 'Bout!
The Art of Marking a Loose Diamond In The Rough
Marking a rough diamond, is the process by which the diamond rough is evaluated and subsequently marked for the most desireable cutting method to yield a polished diamond(s) per the parameters of the diamond manufacturer.
There are numerous considerations and factors that go into the marking of a rough diamond.
Diamond Rough
Every piece of diamond rough has its own gestalt, or characteristics. Depending on the size, weight, and internal graining/inclusions of the rough diamond, as well as the objective of the diamond manufacturer, a decision will be made on how to cut the diamond.
Many diamond manufacturers will opt to cut away less of the rough diamond, so that they can yield a polished diamond of heavier carat weight, even though this will usually result in a larger diamond of minimal brilliancy and beauty. Conversely, many perfectionists and purists will opt to cut away more of the diamond rough to a very specific set of ideal cut diamond specifications, so that the polished diamond will achieve maximum beauty and brilliancy.
Considerations of the rough diamond's unique makeup and characteristics, will often determine actual loose diamond shapes of the polished diamond, as well as how many diamonds are cut from one piece of diamond rough.
Because this initial mapping process is most crucial in determining best ROI (return on investment) for the diamond manufacturer, the job of marking the rough was always left to expert diamond cutters and markers who were able to look at a piece of rough and immediately size up its best future potential in the polished diamond stage.
These expert diamantaires (who are in high demand, and quite scarce) are paid a huge salary for their invaluable contribution to the diamond manufacturer.
As the diamond industry and technology has evolved, there are special scientific machines and diamond markers that have been created to accurately map out a piece of diamond rough via a highly efficient computer program.
The rough diamond sits on a pedestal which has a suction feature to keep the stone immobile. The pedestal swivles on a '360 degree rotation, while a specialized laser takes calculations of the diamond's height, weight, mass, and composite. The computer calculates all of these variables and then issues a list of options/results for what it considers the best method/yield for cutting the diamond rough. Depending on the software program, options listed can be set, or arranged in order of importance for best ROI, or any number of additional factors/considerations put forth by the diamond manufacturer.
High Tech Computerized Diamond Marker. Notice the diamond pedestal and screen shot of a marked up piece of diamond rough.
Computerized diamond marking...with human intervention ;) !
The fact of the matter is, these diamond machines have not entirely eliminated the need for the "old school" human diamond markers and experts. Indeed, many companies still insist on (human) expert markers for this crucial phase of the diamond cutting process. The reason being, the human ability to anticipate market trends, consumer desires, past history, and an intimate understanding of the subtle nuances of diamond rough and polished diamonds; all of which may factor into the equation of how best to cut the diamond.
To read another fantastic article that covers the entire process of cutting a rough diamond into a beautiful loose diamond, click HERE.
This Is What A Perfect Ideal Cut Diamond Looks Like!
I just finished taking some photographs this morning of an absolutely gorgeous 1.78 Carat E, SI1 Round, Ideal cut diamond for an interested customer.
Wanna know what a beautifully and perfectly cut, loose diamond is supposed to look like?
Here is a photo I took about an hour ago of this beautiful hearts and arrows diamond.
Why You Should Not Buy A Loose Diamond From A Drop Shipper
So many Internet companies selling diamonds, jewelry, and engagement rings are unfortunately nothing more than a drop shipper selling pricey diamonds with their tacked on profit, shipped directly from the manufacturer to the end consumer. These guys know squat about diamonds and are basically just pushing paper.
Do a search for loose diamonds on the popular diamond forums like www.pricescope.com & www.diamondtalk.com and you will find dozens of diamond vendors selling the very same diamonds using the drop ship method.
We have advocated for the longest time not to purchase a diamond this way. It is far to dangerous and will often result in a disasterous outcome. A diamond needs to be evaluated in order to make an informed decision.
A perfect case in point, is a woman who contacted us today regarding two cushion cut diamonds that look similar on paper, but are actually of extremely different cut qualities.
Here is a photo of the two stones and a copy of my e-mail to this lady regarding the comprehensive photos and analyses that we sent her.
Continue reading "Why You Should Not Buy A Loose Diamond From A Drop Shipper" »
What The Heck Is An "Ideal Cut" Emerald Diamond?
A consumer came on a popular diamond discussion forum just yesterday, asking about an emerald cut diamond he found on one of the online diamond websites.
The emerald cut diamond was defined by this particular vendor as being an "ideal cut" emerald diamond.
Consumer is pretty psyched about the prospect of purchasing an "ideal cut" emerald diamond..and asks advice from some of the experts. Here is a link to this thread.
There are two major problems with this stone being classified as an "Ideal cut" diamond:
1. There is no such classification as of this moment. Indeed, there is no such thing as an "ideal cut" diamond for loose diamonds of this particular shape and facet structure (emerald cut diamonds.). Therefore, to coin an emerald cut diamond with the term "ideal cut" is by definition misleading, unethical, and can only be designed to fool the customer into thinking the diamond is something which it clearly is not!!
2. The actual photograph and information of this particular diamond provided to the customer by the diamond vendor indicates a diamond with a culet that is off center by a whopping 8.4 percent!!
This skewered diamond is quite far from ideally cut, even if such a designation did exist for emerald cut diamonds!!
This is the photograph of the diamond posted by the consumer. Arrows outline the skewered symmetry of this misshapen stone.
This is what a properly cut emerald cut diamond ought to look like!!
Take a good look at the attached photo that clearly illustrates what a Well-Cut and correctly proportioned Emerald Cut diamond should look like.
This diamond is symmetrical.
1. The culet fact is in the center and aligned with the Table facet above (Blue Arrow).
2. The step facets emanating from the center culet facet are of the same size and equidistant from each other and adjacent facets (Red Arrows).
3. The East-West junction facets are symmetrical, of even size, and the same distance away from the culet's center point (Yellow Arrows).
4. The step facets at the diagonal junctions are of the same size and distance from each other (Green Arrows).
You Know A Gorgeous Asscher Diamond When You See One!!
I got a chance today to play with a whole bunch of beautiful Asscher cut diamonds for our clients...
Took a whole boatload of pics. ;) of gorgeous Asschers ranging from 3.09 carats (a stunning 3.09 carat!!) to .80 carats, D color, to I color.
Some were better cut than others and a few were drop dead gorgeous!!!
Let me tell you; when an Asscher diamond is cut right...it is one of the most beautiful diamonds on the planet!!! Just an incredibly elegant stone..with amazing sizzle and pop!!
Here are a few photos of a particularly gorgeous Asscher diamond that I got to spend time with today...ya gotta love it!!
Nobody would ever believe this was an I color diamond.....the magic of "Cut"!!
Take a look!
Check Out These Diamond Studs!!
I was taking some photos today of matching diamonds for one of our customers who is looking to buy a pair of Ideal cut diamond studs.
Here is one particular photo I really liked.
More Beautiful Asscher Cut Diamonds To Drool Over!
It seems like I've been looking at one beautiful Asscher cut diamond after another, all week this week.
The ratio of Asscher cut diamonds we are getting requests for at the onset of this Holiday selling season is pretty incredible.
It seems like these diamonds are all the rage right now and judging by some of the really beautiful ones I've sold this week..I can see why!
Take a look at this monster!! I took these pics. today!
Emerald Cut Diamonds Selling Very Well This Season
We have had a suprisingly large number of calls so far this holiday season, for well cut emerald diamonds.
Many people are opting away from popular diamond shapes to some of the more elegant and classic shapes.
Within this trend, emerald cuts seem to be surging.
I'll keep you posted ;)
Loose Heart Shape Diamond...A Beauty!
Loose heart shape diamonds are exceptionally elegant and even more so when they are cut for beauty and precision.
Here is one beautiful heart shape diamond (.71 F VS2) I just photographed today for a customer.
Pictures by Exceldiamonds.com
Here Is A Beautiful Radiant Cut Diamond!
Radiant Cut Diamonds with good cut proportions, are some of the prettiest and most scintillating diamonds money can buy.
Here is a real "looker" I had a chance to photograph today for a customer.
This diamonds vitals are as follows:
Size: 1.50 carats
Color: I
Clarity: VS2
Certification: GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
3 Matching Oval Diamonds For Engagement Ring!
Here are a few pictures I took today of 3 really beautiful matching loose oval diamonds for a customer.
3 Beautiful Matching Emerald Cut Diamonds!!
I just took these photographs today for one of our customers.
These are 3 of the finest and most elegant loose emerald cut diamonds you will ever find!
These 3 diamonds are a perfect match for this 3 stone emerald cut diamond engagement ring.
Center stone is a 1.83 E VVS2, flanked by a .57 E VS1 & .56 F VVS1.
Does A Diamonds Cut Quality Have Any Relation to its Clarity?
Is a question we get asked all the time.
The answer is an emphatic yes. The better the Cut Quality of the diamond, the less likely it is that you will be able to see any inclusions in the face-up position from the normal viewing distance of 8-14 inches.
This is so because improving the Cut Quality of a diamond increases the amount and intensity of refracted light coming to your eye up through the top of the diamond. This light performance will "mask" your eyes ability to pick up and see any inclusions within the diamond.
Consumers can therefore max their budgets and get excellent value by seriously considering lower clarity grades such as SI-1 through I-2.
Below are two examples of GIA lab graded I-1 clarity grades that face up super eye clean and display superb light performance.
1.01 D color, I-1 clarity SuperbCert Diamond.
1.12 E color, I-1 clarity Superbcert Diamond.
Where To See Some Of The Worlds Most Beautiful Diamonds!
At the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Well worth the trip!
More here from the Smithsonian's resident Diamond Expert:
Enjoy!
The Benefit of Buying Hearts and Arrows - Ideal Cut Diamonds.
Allow me to share a story with you;
A gentleman walks in to a local jewelry store looking to buy a diamond engagement ring for his fiancée. He sees a round wholesale diamond in the showcase that looks absolutely brilliant. The customer goes ahead and purchases the diamond assuming that it will look as stunning on his fiancée's finger as it did in the store. The poor guy gets home and excitedly opens up his package to take another look, and lo and behold; the diamond ring that looked so sparkly in the store now appears completely washed out and opaque. Not only is the diamond not brilliant and fiery but he can actually see what looks like "dirt" in the center of the stone that had definitely not been there in the diamond store.
He has no idea what happened to the diamond, but he knows that he cannot present this wedding ring to his fiancée. So he runs back to the store only to find out that this discounted diamond was part of a wholesale diamond section marked as "final sale" only.
He is now literally stuck with a diamond that is absolutely not what he thought he was getting when he paid for it.
Does this story sound familiar to you?
The question here is; why do so many loose diamonds and diamond jewelry items look absolutely brilliant inside the store, only to appear completely dull and lifeless outside the store?
The answer to this question is actually one of the oldest tricks being used in the diamond and jewelry industry. Diamond outlets and jewelry stores use high powered halogen lights that they strategically position inside the diamond showcases as well as over the countertops. These high intensity lights make all of the loose diamonds, diamond rings, and diamond jewelry look sparkly and brilliant. The unsuspecting customer will buy a loose diamond or diamond ring based on this effect, only to be severely disappointed when it is often too late.
This brings us to the following obvious questions:
Why do many diamonds that are graded with an excellent color and clarity grade still appear completely dull and lifeless when looked at in real life lighting conditions?
Why are there certain diamonds, like hearts and arrows - ideal cut diamonds, that display an incredible amount of brilliance and fire in ALL lighting conditions, from a jewelry store to a dimly lit restaurant or parking lot, regardless of their color and clarity grade?
How can you as a consumer insure that you are buying a loose diamond or diamond ring that will absolutely explode with brilliance regardless of where you will take it?
The answer to these questions is the focus of this post
The "Magic" of Cut
The SuperbCert Diamond - A Hearts & Arrows Super Ideal Cut Diamond
Only the cut of a diamond-its depth and width, as well as the size, shape, angle, and positioning of the diamond facets will determine its brilliance.
Of all the characteristics of a diamond that determine its value or rarity, "cut" is the one thing that is entirely manipulated by the diamond cutter and will make the difference between a visually brilliant diamond vs. a diamond with a dulled appearance and poor brilliance.
A diamond can have a perfect color and clarity grade but if it is poorly cut it will look like a piece of cut glass; dull and lifeless.
Conversely, if a loose diamond has been properly cut, it will achieve maximum brilliance regardless of its color and clarity, and will actually look more beautiful and brilliant than a poorly cut diamond of better color and clarity, for less money.
Here is how it works:
Light is constantly entering into the diamond through the table, which is the largest facet of a diamond or gemstone. Once inside, the light will travel within the stone by way of reflecting off of the round brilliant diamond's 58 facets which essentially act as a collection of mirrors. In a perfectly cut diamond the light will then refract and exit back out through the table to the eye in the form of brilliance. A perfectly cut loose diamond is therefore going to be the type of diamond that will display incredible brilliance in any lighting environment as it will essentially generate its own light.
In a diamond of poor cut quality the light will be misdirected when entering and exiting the stone. Instead of the light being refracted back through the table to the eye in the form of brilliance, it will be lost through the sides or escape from the bottom in the form of leakage. A poorly cut loose diamond is therefore going to be the type of diamond that will need to rely on the halogen bulbs of the jewelry stores to make it "appear" brilliant, but will be accurately exposed when removed from the lights as a result of its poor light refraction.
All ideal cut round diamonds will have awesome light return. The benefit of Hearts & Arrows and ideal cut diamond patterning is in the way it performs in all environments and lighting conditions.
Ideal Princess Cut Diamonds - Choose A Beautiful Diamond!
This is the third in a series of articles that we have posted to Diamondtalk discussing the characteristics and light performance of the four-pointed Princess Cut Diamonds and what actually makes a loose princess diamond an 'ideal cut' princess diamond.
Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds - SuperbCert
AGS Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds
In contrast to the research, knowledge, and information accrued on the round brilliant diamond shape, begun with the seminal work of Marcel Towlkowsky back in the early 1900's and further developed and expanded upon over the past several years, until very recently, littel was known about what factors are important in maximizing light performance in the 4-pointed Princess Cut.
Internet (www.bluenile.com et.al) and various brick and mortar jewelers are marketing
their "Signature" Princess Cut Diamonds by stressing the importance of Crown Height percentage, Table and Depth percentage, and the level of Polish and Symmetry.
Their advocacy stresses that Crown height percentages should be in the range of 8-13%, Table and Depth percentages
in the ranges of 65-74%, and Polish/Symmetry to be in the range of Very Good/Excellent.
Much of this approach to defining the "Ideal" Princess Cut is based on the extrapolations of "numbers" that have been shown by Towlkowsky to be suitable for the round "Ideal" Cut, the introduction of the "American Ideal" 60/60 Table-Depth percentage round in the late 50's-early 60's, and the more recent GemAppraisers chart for Princess Cuts that defines Cut quality along a "numbers" continuum that ranges from 1A (Excellent) to 4B (Poor).
On the other hand, our examination of a large number of Princess Cuts as well as our own Cut research over the past three years in the development of our SuperbCert
Signature Princess Cut Diamonds has shown that these aforementioned "numbers" are useful only to a limited degree and are not sufficiently accurate and consistent to predict a high level of superior light performance in 4-point Princess Cut diamonds.
Light entry and exit in this fancy shape diamond differs significantly from that of the round brilliant.
A diamond's light performance is the key element and in our opinion should be a determining factor in the consumer's purchasing decision.
To this end, in our cutting research we haved used the Brilliancescope Light Performance Analyzer, a spectrophotometer that is manufactured by Gemex Systems.
Briefly, the diamond is illuminated in a carefully controlled light environment and the machine precisely measures the light reflected back through the diamond's crown at six different angles from the light source. Results are transmitted to Gemex via the Internet where it is processed into a Light Analysis report. Thousands of diamonds were evaluated to determine the range of Light Performance achievable and serves as the basis for Gemex's Comparative Light Performance Evaluation Scales.
The scales are simple linear graphs that shows how
the diamond performs in relation to the entire performance range. In addition to these linear graphs, five light views and one symmetry view are provided which display the distribution, intensity, and interaction of the light components being measured and the symmetry/contrast in the diamond.
For more detailed information and FAQ's go to the Gemex website, www.gemex.com
The analysis and direction provided by the Brilliancescope has clearly demonstrated
to us that there are several facets which work in tandem and are critical in optimizing
light output and minimizing light leakage in a true ideal cut princess cut diamond.
On the Crown side they are:
1. The two Crown facets labelled Crown-1 and Table Break. The Table Break facet
splits the crown facet in two as it junctions with the Table.
2. The Star facet(s) are triangular and re-form the Table Break or Crown-2 facet into a triangle.
3. The Point facet junctions with the Table facet and connects the two adjacent Star facets.
On the Pavillion side they are the:
1. The Triangle facet,
2. The Pavillion facet,
3. The Pavillion Break Facets.
We have found that the interaction between the facet angle, facet size, and facet(s) placement are critical in determining light performance intensity, distribution, and combination (brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation).Very slight changes in either facet angle, size, or placement will have a significant positive or negative effect on the diamonds light performance and light leakage.
For example, on the Crown side, the size and angle of the Table break facet, star facets, and point facets are critical. On the Pavillion side, the Triangle facet is key element in affecting dispersion, scintillation, and contrast.
In addition, the spacing between the lower girdle facets (that flank the main pavilion facet) are critical.
Summary:
Internet and Brick & Mortar jewelers are designating and selling 4-pointed Princess Cuts as "Ideal" Cuts based on "numbers" that have been for the most part extrapolated from better cut round brilliants which have significantly different light optic characteristics and on charts that arbitrarily define what "good" numbers are.
Our research indicates that "numbers" for Princess Cut diamonds do not provide a consistent, accurate, or reliable prognostication of superior light performance on which to base a buying decision. We have found that several facets on the Crown and Pavillion sides of the diamond act in tandem for their Cut angle, size, and alignment in order to maximize light performance and minimize light leakage.
We are gratified that the relatively new and accepted AGS cut grade research which defines a true ideal cut princess diamond dovetails beautifully with our own findings of some time ago.
We therefore carry our in-house selection of beautiful SuperbCert Ideal Princess Cut Diamonds,, as well as our in-house selection of fabulous AGS Ideal Princess Cut Diamonds graded by the American Gemological Society with the Ideal cut designation!
Measurement of light performance as provided by the Brilliancescope shows that good "numbers" do not necessarily translate into superior light performance for the 4-point Princess Cut diamond and that consumers would greatly benefit by seriously considering light performance analyses as a basis for their purchasing decisions.
"90,000" Loose Diamonds: Who Owns Them?
Drop ship diamonds is an unfortunate internet practice where many internet "jewelers" and diamond vendors will attach a virtual database of wholesale diamonds from various diamond wholesalers and manufacturers.
In most cases the same diamond can be found on many different websites, since none of these guys actually owns the stone. Then an unsuspecting customer comes along and makes a purchase for a diamond which the vendor has never seen or touched, and the stone gets "drop shipped" directly from the manufacturer to the end consumer, never once passing through the hands of the diamond seller!!
To be fair, this is a common practice by many reputable diamond e-tailers who offer thousands of diamonds for sale while not actually ever owning any of them. This in and of itself is not a big deal and certainly not when it is fully disclosed to the consumer. After all, the seller can be very reputable and the customer may choose to buy, or not to buy.
In fact, BlueNile.com who is a well known and reputable diamond e-tailer/retailer operates and sells off virtual diamond listings which they do not own. Still, they have built a strong reputation on the net for the quality and value of their merchandise.
A few very reputable diamond stores and websites will even go the extra mile to earn consumer trust and confidence by calling in these diamonds at their own expense for a full evaluation prior to making a sale. This is certainly the best and safest way to shop for a diamond on the Internet and from a vendor who does not own the stone or have it in his physical possession.
The problem arises with those internet diamond websites/stores that have no experience with diamonds and jewelry and in too many cases have no idea about the quality of the diamonds they are selling. They have no idea what exactly makes a diamond 'tick'. Indeed, they are clueless about the many important variables that would make one diamond look beautiful and another look like frozen spit....
They literally built a website and decided to sell diamonds! They will brag about how they have a database of a gazillion diamonds to sell. The only problem is that they not only do not own these diamonds,they never actually see these diamonds, much less know anything about the crucial nuances of any given stone. What they are doing is simply attaching a database of stones to their website with a built in markup.
"90,000" cheap wholesale diamonds to sell.....................from my basement!!??
This kind of paper pushing and "diamond prostitution" has resulted in many diamond e-tailers closing their doors, selling their companies to a diamond wholesaler, or going bankrupt entirely.
The reason for this is that as internet shoppers become more and more savvy, it is imperative that the diamond seller be able to add real value to the diamond purchase (ie: actual reports and photos of each and every diamond) in order to satisfy a customers request for this information.
If all the diamond vendor knows how to do is "push paper" on a virtual diamond listing he has previously uploaded from a diamond wholesaler, (while he is actually operating a computer from his basement in his pajamas....) he will ulitmately have only one item left to compete with; his final price.
He will bring the price down as much as is required to make the sale so that the customer not be bothered with "trivial matters" like getting comprehensive information on the diamond they are contemplating.....
Even with this "edge" most internet shoppers will opt to work instead with a jeweler who can combine lowest price with comprehensive diamond information.
Bottom line is; don't be ashamed to ask for and indeed demand, actual and comprehensive information, including actual photos, Ideal Scope photos, BrillianceScope results, Sarin/MegaScope diamond analyses, hearts & arrows photos, full scans of the diamond certification, etc.
This is an expensive purchase, not unlike purchasing a home and you therefore have a right to expect real data and information before you spend your hard earned money.
Knowledge is the power to buy informed!
What An Ideal Cut Diamond Looks Like
They say that Ideal Cut Diamonds are amongst the most fiery and brilliant diamonds on this planet.
Indeed, ideal cut diamonds are cut with such precision and perfectly aligned facets that they literally explode with light.
Here is an actual photograph of a beautiful 2.06 I SI1 (Carat, Color, Clarity,) round brilliant diamond I took with my Nikon camera.
No trick photography here...just the actual look of the diamond in direct sunlight.....
Put your sunglasses on!!
![2[1].06-dt-4](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/431508529_5ddf2bd27c_m.jpg)
A Diamond with 221 Facets. Holy Cow!
Holy Cow! is right Mr. Phil Rizzuto!
The standard round brilliant diamond shape has 58 facets as outlined in the graph below.
A skilled diamond cutter will align these 58 facets in such a way so as to maximize the amount and intensity of light that is refracted back to the viewers eye.
In recent years several diamond manufacturers have sought to market and brand their diamonds as a cut above the competition by dividing and cutting the diamond rough into more facets.
Diamonds with 66, 88, and 129 facets have hit the market. Are these diamonds "better", "flashier", bling-blingier than the 58 facet version?
Reviews have been mixed.
Now comes word that an Antwerp Diamond Cutter has patented and is manufacturing a diamond with 221 facets! It is called the "Brilliant Lady 21".
Their website is here: Brilliant Lady Diamond
The Brilliant Lady Diamond
Is this 221 facet diamond sparklier and more beautiful than a diamond that only has 58 facets?
Good question.
The answer is that only you, The Consumer, can decide by looking at this diamond and comparing it to a beautifully cut 58 facet round brilliant shaped stone.
"A Diamond Is Forever" is a great marketing slogan and true but a diamonds beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.
Best Way To Clean Your Diamond Engagement Ring? Here's How.
Diamonds are sparkly, beautiful, and shiny when you first present them to your Gal in the diamond engagement ring but have the annoying habit of quickly attracting lint, dirt, body oils from normal everyday wear, food particles, etc.
Many consumers have spent lots of money to buy ultrasonic cleaners. There are some good ones on the market, but they're expensive and demand tender loving care. The solution needs to be clean and changed on a regular basis and depending on the kind of setting you have, the violent motion of the ultrasonic can dislodge and loosen the very small pave, channel, and bead set diamonds. More money spent to replace them.
Ultrasonic Cleaner
We have found and recommend a very high tech (tongue-in-cheek) but simple and cheap way to clean your diamond engagement ring. Here are the ingredients:
1. 16 oz. Bottle of isopropyl alchohol: $1.29 at your neighborhood drug store,
2. Bristle brush with medium hard bristles: $.89 each at your local drug or convenience store,
3. box of generic kleenex: $.66-.99 cents.
Here's what you do:
Put the ring into a small dish filled with alchohol that is just enough to cover the top of the ring. Soak for 2-3 minutes, remove ring and use the bristle brush to brush the top, sides, between the prongs, and the underside of the setting. Return to the dish and soak for another 2-3 minutes, then pat dry on the generic kleenex.
Your diamond engagement ring will look brand new! Repeat every 48 hours for best results.
Try it and let us know what you think.
Excel Diamonds New Loose Diamond Guarantee {Video}
We are still working out some new cool software for video editing and production.
Here is a new prototype for our loose diamond video tutorial, where we outline the added value provided by our company for every loose diamond we bring in house to evaluate on behalf of our customers.
To the best of our knowledge, there is no other website selling diamonds that provides a similar level of comprehensive and actual data and information on every loose diamond, up-front and certainly not free of charge the way we do.
This has always been our motto for selling diamonds on-line; full disclosure of every product.
Indeed, this is the only way to buy diamonds on-line, in our opinion.
Enjoy the video!
Will The Jeweler Switch or Steal My Loose Diamond??
One of the most common stresses and anxieties for consumers when bringing a piece of jewelry or diamond engagement ring to a jeweler for setting/polishing/sizing etc., is that he may swap the diamond for a fake cubic zirconium.
Indeed this very same anxiety and angst is also prevalent when buying diamonds and jewelry, regardless of whether or not the purchase is made in a jewelry store or on the Internet.
We get this question all of the time with consumers who call us looking for diamonds and jewelry. Sure, there is a ton of information, documentation and diamond grading reports that accompany each stone. Still, consumers are often nervous.....and wonder whether the "diamond they receive is going to be the same as the one they actually ordered".
"How do I know it's gonna be the same diamond", they ask?
Certainly, this is a reasonable, fair and legitimate question for any consumer when buying diamonds and jewelry locally or over the net.
These are high ticket and valuable items and consumers would like some assurance on their purchase.
The answer to these concerns which apply to all consumers and for all methods of diamond and jewelry shopping (Internet and locally) is as follows:
"Knowledge is Power"
There is nothing worse and more unfortunate than a diamond and jewelry shopper without a proper education, grasp and knowledge of what he/she is buying. These guys/gals are like "deer in the headlights" and are an open invitation to all manners of trickery and unscrupulous salespeople.
It always amazes me when I see people investing more effort and attention on educating themselves before buying a tux or gown for the wedding, than on a far more valuable diamond engagement ring.
Folks, diamonds are not all created equal!
Some look brilliant and are of excellent cut quality, specifications and documentation. Others, are of poor cut quality, dubious "grading" and minimal brilliancy.
When you empower yourself with the knowledge and education to be able to discern and appreciate the differences, you will be in a much better position to recognize and resist the charlatans and snake-oil salesmen.
Research, Research, Research
Do your homework on the jewelry store or Internet website you are thinking of spending money with. Find out what their previous customers have to say. If it's a local retail jewelry store, scour the papers, neighborhood, family, friends etc. Most likely, these stores will have an affiliation and alliance with some well known "confidence booster" entities, like the BBB, JVC and others.
This same method of research applies to Internet diamond stores as well.
In fact, the Internet is an excellent resource of education and information. Do a Google or Yahoo search on the local jewelry store or Internet diamond store you are contemplating. In all likelihood you will get scores (maybe even hundreds..etc.) of results from various places in cyberspace where consumers will have posted feedback and testimonials regarding these companies.
You will see the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Diamond Laser Inscription
A specific laser inscription with the diamond grading report number or logo, inscribed on the girdle of your diamond, goes a long way towards protecting yourself from a jeweler with "sticky fingers". The laser inscription which can be viewed under a high power magnifying glass, although not entirely foolproof (it can be removed and/or inscribed on a different stone), is nevertheless a very effective and inexpensive way of insuring that your diamond isn't swapped out for something else while it is in the temporary care of a local jeweler.
Diamond Gemprint Technology
The Gemprint technology is also a very effective way of protecting your valuable loose diamond against swapping or theft.
Proper Diamond Documentation
Make sure you get comprehensive scientific qualitative and quantitative documentation on your valuable loose diamond. Information like a valid and independent Diamond Grading Report, MegaScope, BrillianceScope, and other such accepted metrics of your loose diamonds quality and specifications will all help you recognize and protect your diamond against theft and switching.
Independent Diamond Appraisal
Always make sure to get a proper independent appraisal on your loose diamond or diamond engagement ring before / after you buy it, as well as a possible re-check (by the same appraiser) after your ring has been serviced and away from you for an extended period of time.
A truly independent diamond and jewelry appraiser, is someone who has absolutely no vested interest in supporting/promoting the purported value of the item, nor does he have a vested interest in bashing and devaluing the item. These are competent and reputable professionals who do nothing other than appraise diamonds and jewelry for a living. They do not sell diamonds and jewelry and do not work for the company who sold you the merchandise in the first place.
Therefore, you should not accept an appraisal from a person who sells diamonds and jewelry for a living and who offers his own "in-house appraisals" with the merchandise he sells. Nor should you bring your merchandise purchased elsewhere to an "appraiser" who also sells diamonds and jewelry as his primary source of income!
Why?
Simply because in one instance there is a conflict and a vested interest to validate the purchase price and more, to make you feel like you got a great deal and to ensure that you keep the merchandise. In the other scenario, a jewelry store that offers "Free appraisals" etc. will often do so, with the sole intention of bashing a competitors merchandise undeservedly, in order to pull the rug out by stealing a sale and getting the customer to return the item in order to sell the unsuspecting customer one of his own items in return. A classic approach for these scum is when they say.."oh I can get you a much better stone at a far better price...you totally overpaid...etc"
Both of these types of appraisals are worthless and unethical.
The people, stores and jewelers who engage in these types of shenanigans are exactly the hooligans who create the fear and angst on the part of the consumer in the first place.
Remember, a diamond grading report is not the same as an appraisal for this very reason. Whereas a grading report talks about the diamond with respect to what you should have and hopefully paid for...the Independent appraisal report actually confirms it for you. Both are crucial and important.
Reputable Jewelers Value Their Reputation Over Everything
This point is an often overlooked consideration when dealing with the stresses and anxiety involved in purchasing a loose diamond and/or submitting your diamond ring to a jewelry store for cleaning, polishing, setting, re-sizing etc.
That is to say that if after all of the extensive research you have done on the company...and you are still nervous, you need to consider the following:
A reputable jewelry store or Internet websites' largest and greatest asset is their REPUTATION!
In the final analysis, you need to understand and appreciate the fact that once you have found a clearly reputable company and jeweler, the proverbial "buck stops with them".
To be certain, you need to find your own comfort level. However, consider that regardless of what the value might be for the diamond or diamond engagement ring you have purchased (or are having serviced), the bottom line is that the hard fought, hard earned and well deserved reputation these jewelers have established over the years, is worth much more "money" than any one isolated sale and transaction and they would never do anything to jeopardize that.
So go out there, do your homework and due diligence, arm yourself with proper knowledge, buy informed and rest assured!!
I wish you all the best of luck!
"Loose Diamonds" (Build Your Engagement Ring) vs. Pre-Set Engagement Rings
It is interesting to note, that if you canvassed any number of consumers shopping for diamond engagement rings, you would find that shoppers who purchase from a local jewelry store will usually feel more comfortable buying a completed or pre-set diamond engagement ring, rather than choosing a loose diamond first and then deciding on a ring setting to go with it.
Conversely, people who shop for their diamond engagement ring on the Internet, will usually feel more comfortable selecting a loose diamond and engagement ring setting separately and then having the jeweler put it all together.
Why is this?
Well, for starters, traditional "bricks and mortar jewelers" usually find a stocked showcase of completed diamond engagement rings, much more captivating and appealing than parcels and papers of loose diamonds flying all around.
It is much more effective marketing and advertising to have gorgeous displays of gleaming, pre-set diamond engagement rings, than scores of drab parcel papers stuffed with loose diamonds and showcases of unmounted solitaires and settings.
Additionally, consumers who walk into a jewelry store for a diamond engagement ring, are more likely to walk out of the store with an engagement ring in hand and are usually less inclined to wait until an engagement ring is actually put together for them.
They are not at all put off by the idea that they need to choose a pre-set diamond engagement ring, so long as they find something which appeals to them and which they can purchase via the instant "cash and carry" method.
For these reasons, it is usually in the best interests of the jewelry stores to have their in-stock diamonds pre-set into a collection of their beautiful and popular engagement ring settings.
Conversely, you will note when searching the Internet for a diamond engagement ring, most websites utilize some type of "build your own engagement ring" feature, whereby they encourage you to select the loose diamond and the actual engagement ring setting separately. Once you have completed your selection and "built your ring", so to speak, the entire ensemble is pieced together and shipped out to you as a completed diamond engagement ring.
Most diamond websites will tend to focus on the positive aspect of buying a diamond engagement ring in this fashion, by pointing out that the consumer is "in the drivers seat" and in complete control of the entire purchase process. They will push the fact that by choosing a loose diamond and ring setting separately, the customer actually has greater flexibility and can search exclusively for the loose diamond that most qualifies for his/her parameters for items like diamond shape, cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Once they find a loose diamond that most closely fits their criterion, it is on to the perfect engagement ring setting.
The Internet diamond websites will push their "build your own diamond ring" feature as a tool for consumer empowerment and will point to the advantages over forcing the customer to select a pre-fab diamond engagement ring, where all variables have already been chosen.
While there is certainly much truth to this, the fact still remains that Internet diamond stores because of an entirely different business model, are usually forced to showcase and sell their diamond rings this way, much the same way that the local jewelry stores find pre- fabricated engagement rings to be in their own best interests. The actual accrued benefit (credited to many Internet diamond stores) of having the customer select all of the variables for both the loose diamond and ring setting, is in many instances a purely secondary or non-intended benefit.
To be certain, many websites, as well as brick and mortar jewelry stores, will offer both options. That is to say, that the consumer will have the ability to select a pre-set diamond ring, or have one put together and created from scratch.
Which is the better method??
The answer is, there is no "better" or "worse" method; only the one that works for each individual consumer. Some people cannot deal with too many options. They would rather be given a set of options and will choose the one that best fits their criterion. These customers therefore appreciate the ability to choose from a pre-set selection of diamond engagement rings. Others, need to be in full control from A to Z and appreciate the ability to actually put together and build this sentimental and significant purchase as a completely unique diamond engagement ring and based entirely upon their own parameters.
There is no bad choice, although, clearly, the Internet diamond stores and the local jewelry stores will often appeal and cater to these two different consumer segments.
In either case and whatever your individual choice, the only thing you as a consumer need to be cognizant of, is that you should always be in control of the quality and specifications of your diamond engagement ring from start to finish.
There is no such a thing as having to "settle" for a diamond engagement ring, where you are still unhappy about a few of the details, but feel like in the totality of its pre-set specifications...it is "good enough".
You must understand, that a diamond can always be exchanged out of a ring and replaced with the one that more closely fits with your specs. and budget...and via versa.
You should never be made to feel like you need to "settle" for a certain engagement ring, simply because it has already been pieced together for you..regardless of where you buy it.
Buying a diamond ring is a once in a lifetime purchase...(we hope..;-))....and is usually not a cheap proposition.
Anybody earning a shot at your business should be more than happy to do whatever it takes to make sure that you secure the diamond engagement ring of your dreams!
Best Of Luck!
Important Information on a Loose Diamonds' "Cut".
I just got an e-mail from Carol who asks as follows:
"I have been trying to find out a little about my diamond and the one C that
I cannot find anywhere on your site is what does the 'round' cut
description mean. The diamond is set in a 14K gold setting solitaire, 4
prong, Carat 1-1.01, Clarity SI, Color H. Can you tell me what the round
signifies?
Regards,
Carol
-------------
Here is the answer:
Round refers to the shape of the stone.
A 10x magnified photo of a (58 faceted) round "cut" Ideal Diamond. The marks within the stone are blemishes or internal "diamond inclusions" as viewed under this level of magnification. However, as a result of this diamonds ideal cut proportions, beauty and brilliancy, this diamond will quite possibly face up "eye-clean". This means that the inclusions will not be seen with the naked eye and without the aid of magnification.
This is sometimes called a round "cut", not because it is a particular "quality of cut", but because it is the overall cut that influences the shape. Unfortunately, the "cut quality" of the diamond for this reason is often confused and associated with the "shape" of the diamond. The reality is that one has nothing to do with the other. A "Round Cut" diamond, means a round diamond shape, regardless of the actual "cut quality" of the stone. Conversely, talking about the "cut" or "cut quality" of a round diamond, refers to the precision and resultant beauty to which the "round cut" diamond has been fashioned.
A traditional "round cut" diamond, has 58 "facets" which are like mirrors to reflect and refract light.
If the stone is "cut" well (now referring to the precision or quality to which the round diamond has been fashioned from the rough), it will refract the light entering the stone back out through the table facet and to the eye, in the form of brilliancy and beauty. Loose diamonds that are cut for maximum beauty and brilliancy as opposed to maximum weight retention (both of which are polar opposites) are the most prized and valued diamonds on the market. These diamonds are also known as "Ideal Cut Diamonds", or "Hearts & Arrows" Diamonds.
If however, the "round cut" diamond is swindled and cheated by the diamond cutter in an effort to save as much of the rough carat weight as possible, this will result in a diamond that may be larger in total carat weight, but will be lifeless and dull due to its poor "cut quality".
Consumers who choose a loose diamond or diamond engagement ring for beauty and brilliancy, will stay far away from these diamonds that look like frozen spit.
Conversely, consumers who don't care about the quality and beauty of their loose diamond and only care about the size of the diamond ("just give me a big rock") will often wind up with these cheated and swindled diamonds of larger carat weight and minimal light performance.
I hope this helps!
Regards,
"Cognac" "Chocolate" "Champagne" Diamonds. What Are They?
It's funny how until very recently, diamonds of considerably lower colors with brownish hues and yellowish overtones, were simply known as "low color diamonds".
Lower colored diamonds, are not as scarce or valuable as diamonds of icy white colors and therefore command less of a premium than the diamonds of higher (better) color grades.
Problem was, certain diamond mines tended to only produce diamonds of substantially lower colors. Well these are diamonds too and they needed to be sold..right? Well, of course!
Some brilliant marketing guru came up with an incredible idea; why not market these diamonds with finesse! Indeed, why not turn the very liability of the stone into something positive?
Thus, was born the marketing strategy known as "chocolate diamonds," "cognac diamonds," and/or "champagne diamonds".
You turn the negative into a positive.......
"Cognac" diamond ring by Judith Harnell.
Companies like Levian, went ahead and marketed the "heck" out of these "chocolate diamonds" which were unpopular and undesireable.
Subsequently and as a result of these marketing efforts, consumers who never would have given a second glance at a "brownish diamond" of poor color, were now looking at purchasing "cognac diamond jewelry".
And so it is today.
This disbeliever (yours truly;-)), also thought the whole marketing thing with chocolate diamonds was a bunch of hooey...........that is until I decided to make a pair of diamond cufflinks for myself, which features an outer ring of brilliant white diamonds, with "cognac" diamonds in the center.
The effect of the white diamonds contrasting with the "champagne diamonds" is absolutely incredible!!
It is literally a thing of beauty and now I am a true believer in the beauty and usefulness of brown diamonds!
To be honest, I don't know if I'd go out looking for a honking brownish (a.k.a. "chocolate") diamond engagement ring, or pair of diamond studs. Personally, I think that for these kind of purchases, you are better off staying away from brown diamonds and instead looking for a diamond that will lend itself to maximizing its refracted brilliancy (which is why you purchase a diamond in the first place).
To this end, a reasonably white diamond will do the best job of accomplishing your objectives.
However, when it comes to jewelry pieces, like cufflinks, brooches, rings, necklaces, pendants bracelets, etc., all bets are off!
In fact, I think that brown diamonds tastefully combined with white diamonds in a piece of jewelry, is one of the most gorgeous jewelry items you will ever lay eyes upon!
So if you are thinking "chocolate" "cognac" "champagne" diamonds...GREAT IDEA!
Just make sure you incorporate these diamonds in a jewelry piece or ensemble that will do justice to the beauty of these stones.
Same for any jewelry store owner thinking of selling diamond jewelry with white and chocolate diamonds; great idea!
What A Beautiful Emerald Cut Diamond Looks Like
Here are two photographs of a beautiful 1.01 F VS1 Emerald Cut Diamond, I photgraphed today for a customer.
Excellent facet structure and really good light performance!
Look at the saturated Ideal Scope Photo of this diamond, which indicates minimal leakage.
The Correct and Safe Way To Ship Your Engagement Ring.
An an Internet Seller of Fine Diamonds and Jewelry we do a tremendous amount of shipping with full insurance and safeguards to protect our Customers valuable merchandise.
The Insurance coverage we have is specific and tailored to our Industry and not available to the public. So what is a consumer to do if he/she has to ship their diamond engagement ring back to the vendor for re-sizing, polishing, etc. What is the safest way to ship your valuable jewelry?
We recommend to our customers that they use the U.S. Post Office with Registered Mail and return receipt Service. This is the safest, most secure way to send your valuable diamond engagement ring through the mail. The US Post office will insure up to $50,000.00 and your package is securely sealed and tracked every step of it's journey back to the Vendor. It will take 3-5 days to reach the Vendor but your peace of mind is worth it.
United States Post Office: The safest way to ship your expensive diamond engagement ring.
DO NOT SHIP with Fedex or UPS They only insure up to 100/500 dollars and there have been several reports of internal employee theft.
The latest incident was reported on yesterday of a UPS Courier ripping open a UPS box and stealing a diamond engagement ring. Read this story and try very hard not to tear the hair out of your head. Protecting Your Diamond Engagement Ring From Theft
Be smart and careful out there.
A Historical Perspective On Diamond Cutting
I just read this really informative article on the history of diamond cutting.
I1 Clarity Graded GIA Certified Diamonds Can Be Beautiful And 'Eye-Clean'!
Whoever said that I1 clarity graded diamonds could not be perfectly 'eye-clean' (no visible imperfections to the naked eye), did not see this beautiful GIA Certified 1.23 G I1 Round Ideal Cut Diamond which I photographed today for a customer!
Awesome diamond, totally eye-clean....and absolutely breathtaking!!
Ohh....and before I forget....incredible value for the money....nobody would know this wasn't a rare and expensive flawless diamond by looking at it from a normal viewing distance with the unaided eye!
Moral of the story is; if you are working on a limited budget and want an absolutely brilliant diamond, ....icy white,.... in the largest size you can get........go for an ideal cut round diamond, with a solid color grade (D-I) and lower (eye-clean) clarity grade!!
Now for the pics.
Looks good huh!!
See What A Beautiful Asscher Cut Diamond Looks Like {Pics!}
I just worked up this stunning Asscher cut diamond today for a customer!
Specs. are: 2.12 I SI1 GIA Certified Asscher Cut Diamond!
How Much Would You Pay For A Diamond Simulant (Fake Diamond / Cubic Zirconium)?
I am often asked for my opinion on fake diamonds, otherwise known as c.z.'s (Cubic Zirconium).
To be certain, there is a tangible value in a simulated diamond for people on a limited budget, for those looking for a temporary fix, or for those who just wish for a second (fake) ring to wear...whenever....wherever.
The question is, how much do you pay for a fake diamond?
The reason this is an important consideration is because today there is a proliferation of companies manufacturing and selling "glorified" c.z.'s which are touted as the "end all and be all" in fake diamonds.
Supposedly, these c.z.'s are "better" than the more typical Cubic zirconium.
Many of these "better" c.z.'s cost upwards of $300, when a conventional and very nice c.z. can cost $5 bucks!!
So are they worth the difference?
As a person who spent approx. $400 on a "glorified" c.z. at one point in time, I am certainly in a position to contribute my own (personal) perspective, which you could read about here.
Pictures Of The Now Famous .84 Carat Flawless Diamond!
The 84.37 carat, D-color, flawless brilliant cut diamond which sold at the recent auction by Sotheby’s has generated tremendous press. The price for this bauble was a whopping $16.2 million dollars. The proud new owner of this rare and precious loose diamond is the founder of the Guess clothing company, George Marciano.
Here are a few pictures of this incredible gem!
Via: Diamond Diva
What Is A Royal Asscher Cut Diamond??
A few days ago on one of the popular diamond discussion forums, a consumer was asking whether there is a noticeable difference between the Asscher Cut Diamond and the Royal Asscher Cut Diamond Brand
I believe the answer (after the obvious marketing and "brand identity" "promotional differences") is not much.
Visually, a Royal Asscher Diamond has more of a distinctive "step" cut, with a pronounced and visually beautiful windmill effect, whereas many of the generic Asscher cuts do not exhibit these same parameters.
Indeed, one can easily find an unbranded Asscher cut diamond with similar specifications and proportions to the branded Royal Asscher Diamond.
In the final analysis, which diamond appeals to the individual consumer is a matter of personal preference.
How You Can Join Class Action Suit Against DeBeers.
Over the past several days we have received a considerable amount of mail from consumers asking whether they are eligible to also participate and receive compensation from the Trade Industry successful lawsuit against Debeers.
The answer is No. Consumers can file separately and more information as to how to go about it can be found here: Diamond Class Action Lawsuit
Good Luck.
Guys! Listen To Your Radio and get advice on buying that Diamond Engagement Ring.
Anxious and nervous Grooms-to-be heard all they needed to know about how to buy an engagement ring last week during the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories' 13-stop radio media tour.
The AGS Laboratories was created in 1996 and provides unbiased diamond-grading reports. It is one of the top diamond grading labs in the world. The lab currently issues a cut grade for round brilliant, princess- and emerald-cut diamonds. Cut grades for other shapes are due in the near future.
The tour, "Getting Engaged? Tips on Buying that Special Ring," covered how to overcome typical proposal blunders and how to read diamond-grading reports.
What diamond shape should I get? Setting? Platinum? White Gold? HELP!!
Hosted by AGS Laboratories President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Dallahan, the program reached an estimated 3.5 million listeners via nationally syndicated programs such as USA Radio National and Good News Broadcast National, and in locals markets including Atlanta; Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Kansas City, Kan.; Minneapolis; Orlando, Fla.; Raleigh, N.C.; Roanoke, Va.; and Tampa, Fla.
"The tour was an overwhelming success and a terrific opportunity to share the AGS Laboratories message with consumers," Dallahan said. "Many of the interviewers were intrigued by the diamond-grading process, so much so that the average interview lasted nearly 10 minutes, which just goes to show that even with all the information available to consumers today, there is still a thirst for quality information from reputable sources."
The media-tour interviews are now available online at How To Buy A Diamond Engagement Ring
2008 Was A Tough Year For Diamonds and Engagement Rings
Sales of Luxury items, especially diamonds and jewelry took a big hit in 2008 and their sales across the board were significantly down for both Retail Brick & Mortar jewelers as well as Internet diamond websites. Reports of 35-55% decreases in sales were noted.
Avi Krawitz of Rapaport News provides a detailed review and analysis on the diamond industry of 2008 and what might be in store in 2009.
