Loose Diamond Shapes Archives
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?
Loose Diamonds and Beer!
What should a beer lover do to enjoy his home drinking and impress his friends? Perhaps buy a draft beer dispenser studded with more than 1,000 diamonds, suggests Dutch beer maker Heineken.
Heineken is now offering its BeerTender, a draft beer dispensing machine, set with more than 1,100 diamonds with a total weight of 35 carats for 110,000 euros ($128,000). They call it the BeerTender Millionaire Style.
A prototype of the machine, made of 18-karat gold with the help of the Amsterdam Diamond Society, will be offered at the Millionaire's Fair in Amsterdam December 9 - 12.
Heineken introduced the BeerTender a year ago and has since sold 150,000 machines for a more modest 279 euros. The device was conceived in an effort to boost home beer consumption, to counter the decline in West European beer consumption.
Hey Heineken, Change your radio and TV ads to: "Its' NOT all about the beer!"
Asscher Cut Loose Diamonds: Very Popular.
The Asscher Cut is generally described as a forerunner of the emerald cut. The Asscher Cut was developed prior to 1910, when the rotary diamond saw revolutionized modern diamond cutting.
It is a square cut characterized by a smaller table and larger steps than an emerald. It features dramatic, cut corners. It usually has a higher crown and a deeper pavilion than today's emerald cuts. There are no "ideal" proportions for an Asscher Cut.
The Pavillion facets on the bottom part of the stone are usually divided into segments or 'steps' of three or four divisions. Look for the diagonal facets at the edges to be even and in symmetry to the center of the diamond.
Well cut Asscher diamonds are highly dispersive and scintillating due to their unique facet alignment and are a very attractive alternative to the more rectangular Emerald Cut shape. The Asscher has gained tremendous popularity among consumers in the past few years.
Example of a beautifully proportioned Asscher Diamond.
Oval Loose Diamond Shape: Regal Beauty!
The oval's diamond technical name is "oval modified brilliant," based upon its shape and modifications of the traditional round, brilliant configuration. The oval was invented by Lazare Kaplan in the early 1960s.
A length-to-width ratio of 1.5:1 is almost universally considered a pleasing shape for ovals, with a range of 1.4:1 to 1.6:1 acceptable. Shape outline is important; look for Ovals with rounded as opposed to square shoulders and some "bow-tie" effect to provide necessary Contrast Brilliance. As with all fancies, "numbers" on the lab grading report do not give you the true picture of how the diamond looks. Look for shape and cut that are pleasing to the eye. The ends should be gracefully round, not flattened or too narrow. Shallow ovals, perhaps even more than some other fancy shapes, create a larger look that belies their actual weight. Buyers should look for an oval that looks its weight, rather than appearing to be much heavier or lighter than it is. This balance will translate into good brilliance and overall appeal. Fifty-six facets are typical for oval diamonds.
Oval diamonds of very good to excellent cut are very popular as center diamonds for engagement rings. One to 2-carat sizes are in high demand at this time, as are 2- to 3-carat sizes in higher qualities, D through H color and VS to VVS clarity. Smaller engagement sizes in the .50- to 1-carat range are also selling well.
Beautiful Oval Diamond. Note the Excellent shape outline, Symmetry, and Proportion.
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!
Tiffany Sales Up, Profits Down.
Tiffany & Co.’s overall net sales in fiscal 2005 rose 9 percent to $2.4 billion, and profits fell 16.3 percent to $254.7 million.
Tiffany’s attributed the decline in profit to a one time gain in December 2004. In fiscal 2004, earnings in the fourth quarter and year benefited from a pre-tax gain of $194 million as a result of the company's sale of its shares in Aber Diamond Corporation.
Retail sales in the United States rose 9 percent to $1.2 billion during the fiscal year, same-store sales rose 7 percent (branch store sales rose 7 percent and New York flagship store sales rose 5 percent.) Tiffany’s attributed comparable store sales growth to higher spending per transaction. Tiffany’s opened four stores stateside in 2005 and operated 59 Tiffany & Co. stores by year-end 2005.
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.
Hearts On Fire To Replace The Dog with Diamonds, As Man's Best Friend.
Don't tell the family dog, but Hearts on Fire is making a bid to replace a man's favorite canine companion with diamonds.
The company announced that it is challenging the notion that custom diamonds are only gals' best friend by introducing a loose diamond program aimed specifically at men. The new platinum collection, "Distinguished," offers rings, bracelets and cuff links as semi-mounts for diamonds of male customers' own choosing.
"Men are wearing more and more diamond jewelry, and are demanding more of a selection, much like women have," designer Katherine Rosenberg-Pineau, Hearts on Fire vice president of product development and merchandising, said in a release. "Why shouldn't men be able to select the diamond of their choice, too? The 'Distinguished' collection offers this."
In platinum, the collection retails from $5,900-$20,000. Hearts on Fire touted Olympic Gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno in its release, who wears the brand's "DreamStone Talisman" around his neck. It retails for $16,000.
"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.
Diamond & Jewlery at Retail: How Much Money Is Involved?
The US jewelry retail industry generates annual revenues of about $44 billion from 28,000 specialty, department, and discount stores. Specialty retailers hold about 50 percent of the market. Wal-Mart is the biggest jewelry retailer in the country, followed by Zale, the biggest specialty jeweler with over 2,000 stores and kiosks. The industry is highly fragmented: the top 10 jewelry chains hold less than 25 percent of the market. Other large specialty retailers are Tiffany and Sterling, the US branch of British jeweler Signet Group.
Jewelry sales depend partly on consumer income. Small jewelers can effectively compete with large chains because price isn't the main factor determining retail sales. Profitability depends on the volume of sales because sales costs are high and fixed. Because gross margins are very high, often 50 percent, mass merchants like Wal-Mart have taken market share by controlling costs and cutting prices.
Jewelry is often classified as bridal merchandise (engagement, bridal and anniversary rings - about 35 percent of the market); fashion jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, pins, gold chains); and watches, silver flatware, and other giftware. Diamond jewelry and loose diamonds account for the largest share of total jewelry store sales (46 percent); gold jewelry for 11 percent; colored gemstone jewelry (rubies, sapphires, emeralds, etc.) 9 percent; and watches 4 percent.
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!!
It Is Safe To Buy Your Diamond Engagement Ring On The Internet.
According to recent statistics from comScore Networks, online sales are already up in 2006. Gian Fulgoni, comScore chairman, said in a January press release, “The 2006 year opened on a strong note, with solid growth of 33 percent in online nontravel sales versus the same period in 2005.” He went on to optimistically predict, “It’s clear based on what we’re seeing so far in 2006 that the strength in online sales will not wane anytime soon.”
According to a comScore press release: “The growth in 2006 online consumer spending follows a year of solid gains. Total online spending for the full year 2005, including travel, reached $143.2 billion, up 22 percent over 2004. Online nontravel spending in 2005 accounted for $82.3 billion, an increase of 24 percent over 2004 levels.”With this kind of money at stake, the question is not whether a business can afford to set up an online store. The question is whether a business can afford not to.
Sales of Loose Diamonds, Diamond Engagement Rings, Diamond Rings, and Wedding Bands by reputable Internet vendors are increasing at a rapid clip. Information on the Cut quality of the diamonds such as lab grading reports, photographs, and light analyses help consumers "see" the diamond on-line and provides very useful information to making an informed purchasing decision.
Keep in mind that buying your Diamond Engagement Ring through an Internet Vendor demands the same caveat Emptor and verification as does shopping with a Brick and Mortar Jeweler.
We discussed and covered several important DO'S and DON'TS just yesterday in this Blog Entry.
Buying Your Diamond in Cyberspace
To paraphrase Sy Sims: An educated consumer makes for a very good and happy customer.
Hey Guys: Can Diamonds Buy Women Love? Guess Again.
Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend. Right?! Well, fellas, not according to a survey just released by True, an on-line relationship service. They found (surprisingly?) that women value Love and a long-term committment-relationship more than diamonds and jewelry.
Read the results of their survey here: Love Or Diamonds?
Mothers Love Diamonds.
Children, Mother's Day is fast approaching.
Mother knows best...when it comes to driving gift sales, as American moms are expected to motivate $13.8 billion in retail gift buying this year, finds the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2006 Mother's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.
Jewelry gifts are expected to account for $2.1 billion In Mother's Day sales, compared to the $1.7 billion spent on jewelry for the holiday last year. That's second only to the $2.8 billion that NRF's survey indicates will be spent taking moms out for brunch or dinner, up from the $2.2 billion shelled out for celebratory Mother's Day comestibles in 2005.
The average Mother's Day shopper expects to spend $122.16 this year, according to NRF, up from $104.63 last year. Popular gifts include: greeting cards, which 85.4 percent of respondents said they'll be giving mom this year; flowers, which 67.6 percent of respondents expect to purchase; gift certificates or gift cards, on the list for 31.9 percent of shoppers; books or CDs, which 25.8 percent plan to give; and electronics or computer-related accessories, which 6.7 percent plan on giving mom.
"Consumers certainly enjoy splurging on luxury items, such as fancy meals and jewelry, but greeting cards and flowers still remain favorite tokens of their appreciation," Phil Rist, vice president of strategy at BIGresearch (which conducts the NRF survey), said in an NRF release. "No price tag is too high when it comes to showing mom the love and appreciation she deserves."
Men are expected to spend more than women on the holiday, with the average male expected to devote at least $148.51 on mom, compared to the $97.72 women are expected to spend.
Moms aren't the holiday's only gift recipients, as 20.7 percent of respondents to NRF's survey said they'd be buying for wives this Mother's Day; 9.1 percent for daughters; 8.5 percent for grandmothers; 7 percent for sisters; 7 percent for friends; and 12.3 percent for other relatives.
Young adults, ages 18-24, are this year's big spenders, dropping $142.40 per person this Mother's Day, up from the $96.08 they put toward mom last year. Those aged 45-54 are expected to come in second, spending an average of $129.29 per person, followed by 25-34 year olds, who are projected to part with $122.39 each.
Buying Your Diamond Engagement Ring On The Internet: Why You Can't Rely On Just The "Numbers".
We have long advocated and blogged that buying a diamond on-line from an Internet vendor that does not actually have the diamond in-house can be dangerous to your psyche and pocketbook. The link is here: Buying Your Diamond On The Internet
This fact was once again driven home to us and one of our clients who requested information on two Pear shape diamonds listed on our Exceldiamonds.com website Exceldiamonds.com.
Both diamonds weighed .81 carats, were VS-1 Clarity, were graded by GIA, and had different Millimeter Measurements . One was a "D" color, the other a "G" color. How do you make a decision? Tough way to spend thosands of dollars, isn't it?
We called in both diamonds from the manufacturer and did these photographs for our client. We want you to see the dramatic visual differences between these two diamonds. Both diamonds are beautiful but uniquely different in shape and light refraction. The .81 D color has a crushed ice look with good scintillation, and is a classic "Tear-Drop" pear shape; whereas the .81 G color is much more dispersive and has what Bill Goldberg would refer to as a "sexy shape". Both diamonds are very appealing and will make for a beautiful diamond engagement ring.
There is no "right" or 'wrong" answer or decision on these two diamonds, it's entirely subjective. You won't get this information from a drop-shipper who never sees the diamonds he sells and doesn't have a clue. Might work if you're buying a cuisinart from Walmart or a book from Amazon but not diamonds which are visual.
Which Pear Shape would you buy?
Diamond Sales Increasing.
Consumer drive for diamonds hasn't waned in the past decade, with the Diamond Information Center (DIC) reporting 2005 as the 10th consecutive year of retail diamond jewelry's growth in the U.S.
Diamond jewelry sales rose in 2005 to $33.7 billion, up 7 percent from $31.5 billion in 2005. In addition to the growth of overall U.S. sales, which comprise more than 50 percent of worldwide sales, transactions grew by 3 percent and average ticket prices were up by 4 percent.
Canada Drops Jewelry Excise Tax!
The Canadian Government today abolished it's jewelry excise tax.
Canada's conservative majority in government dropped a number of excise taxes on May 2 to create "a more competitive business tax system," said Jim Flaherty, the country's finance minister.
Along with the tax changes, Canada's jewelry excise tax was eliminated. In June 2005, Parliament voted to abolish the jewelry excise tax over a period of 5 years.
"Jewelry is available at all price levels and is purchased by a wide range of Canadian households," the budget report read. "Repeal of the Excise Tax will recognize this and ensure that the Canadian jewelry industry is able to compete on a fair and equitable basis with other retail and manufacturing businesses in Canada. It will also serve to reduce the compliance burden on the jewelry industry, a particular benefit to small businesses.”
The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) briefed the industry on the news. Morris Robinson, chair for the group's government relations committee, said, “We are delighted that the conservative government has ended the inequity and confusion inherent in the Excise Tax in the content of minister Flaherty’s budget.
According to a statement by CJA, the "vote of confidence to our industry is the result of many group and individual efforts, specifically to the Prime Minister [Stephen Harper] for honoring his campaign promise to our sector."
Are you listening U.S. Congress? Get rid of these consumption taxes!!
Survey Highlighlights Importance of Diamond and Jewelry Branding
Diamond and diamond jewelry brands continue to see increased awareness among consumers, according to a survey of 2,571 members of the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC) conducted from May 31 to June 12.
A media release from JCOC stated the leader of the branding pack is the Zale Diamond. It remains the strongest diamond brand since the survey was last conducted in October 2004. It is followed closely by Hearts On Fire, Radiant and the Leo Diamond. While consumers say a brand name is still the least important factor in driving the diamond purchase, they acknowledge that brands are gaining importance.
Among the changes since the 2004 survey: Hearts On Fire has gained recognition in the past two years; consumers are naming more diamond brands, such as Lucida and the Princess Plus; more respondents are saying they own a branded diamond, while a smaller percentage are citing a lack of awareness for not owning one; a larger percentage of respondents say they own branded diamond jewelry such as Vera Wang, Scott Kay and Escada; and consumers say they are slightly more willing to pay higher prices for branded diamond jewelry versus two years ago.
"It's extremely difficult to establish specific brand awareness with consumers," said Elizabeth Chatelain, president of MVI Marketing Ltd., founder of JCOC, in the release. "Although consumers are more willing to pay premium prices for branded products, making a jewelry line 'stand out' is not getting any easier. With the saturation of brands in the market, a name and logo is not enough to catch consumer attention. Each brand must develop a niche, a unique selling proposition, or a product attribute demanded by consumers."
While consumers were willing to pay more for a brand, they were also deterred from purchasing branded designer jewelry because of high prices, Chatelain said.
"The key to successful product branding is to design and deliver a unique product the consumer needs and prefers to other products available," she said. "Manufacturers and retailers can help consumers come to understand what exactly branded diamonds and diamond jewelry are, and that the consumer has increased flexibility in choosing."
How To Advertise An Ideal Cut Princess Diamond
So how are we going to advertise our new and incredible selection of the finest AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess diamonds??
Well, with an ad slick/brochure of course!
Our graphic artists are busy trying to put together a suitable advertisement for our selection of ideal cut, loose princess diamonds. Here is one particular version which I thought was very cool.
I just think there is something incredibly funky about the idea that the diamond ring is sitting there on a bench with a bunch of gals who are gawking at the handsome hunk on the other side who is completely oblivious and engrossed in his lap top!!
The only thing separating the gal(s) from the guy, is the diamond engagement ring!
Almost like art mimicking real life ;) ;)
Creating A Beautiful Diamond Takes Time & Effort
We see gorgeous loose diamonds and diamond engagement rings in a jewelry showcase and we just assume that it always looked that way.
Not true.
Creating a gorgeous and brilliant diamond from the diamond rough is no small feat and requires the expert skill and patience of a master diamond cutter. There are 58 facets that need to be cut into a piece of diamond in the rough, in order to transform it into the beautiful diamond you are used to looking at. Additionally, the way that the diamond cutter fashions these facets is crucial in determining how brilliant and dispersive the polished diamond is going to be.
Would you buy this piece of rough diamond for your engagement ring?
This is probably more in line with what you had in mind...;) ;)
Not all polished diamonds look the same. Some look like frozen spit, while other diamonds are of ideal cut quality and look absolutely breathtaking! The only way to manipulate the beauty of the polished diamond, is by cutting the diamond to achieve ideal proportions and maximum light performance, instead of maximum weight retention and a dulled and lifeless appearance.
What A Beautiful Asscher Cut Diamond Looks Like
I got a chance to photograph a really pretty .91 G VS2 Asscher Cut Diamond today for a customer.
Here is how the photographs (taken under various lighting conditions) came out.
(you can click on the photo to view a larger size)
A Beautiful Radiant Cut Diamond {Pics!}
It is always hard to find a truly well cut fancy shaped diamond.
Fancy shape diamonds are not subject to the same standard for 'cut quality' as with rounds and even princess cut diamonds.
Therefore, finding a well cut radiant diamond is sometimes akin to finding the proverbial "needle in a haystack".
Here is a beautiful radiant cut diamond I photographed today with a gorgeous "crushed ice" look!
I also got a chance to play with a very beautiful GIA certified .91 G VS2 Radiant Cut Diamond today!!
This job....ROCKS!! ;-)
The 10 Commandments Diamond!
Introducing the amazing new Ten Commandments Diamond®. A diamond for today that will stand apart while appealing to the person that wishes to hold the Words of the Almighty close to their hearts.
The Ten Commandments Diamond® is a single diamond, hand cut and polished into the shape of the recognizable tablets. The table facet is carefully laser inscribed with the verses of the Ten Commandments. They are available in three versions: Protestant, Catholic and Jewish
This diamond's unique faceting resonate these important words throughout the diamond.
My question is; how do you put this into an engagement ring??
I Challenge you to find an Engagement Ring for THIS DIAMOND!
An 84.37 carat white diamond sold for almost $16.19 million during Sotheby's Geneva auction to Georges Marciano (Guess clothing.)
The diamond is being called the largest, high quality, brilliant-cut white diamond to be sold at auction. Sotheby's pre-sale estimate was between $13.3 million and $17.8 million.
"In my 32-year career, this stone ranks among the most beautiful diamonds I have ever seen," said David Bennett, Sotheby's chairman of jewelry for Europe and the Middle East.
MAMA MIA!
What A Beautiful Pear Shape Diamond Looks Like
I just finished photographing this beautiful .91 carat Pear Shape Diamond for one of our customers!
So what's the deal with Loose Pear Shaped Diamonds?
Here is a bit of an overview:
"Teardrop of the Gods”
The pear shape diamond is considered an exquisite diamond for use in quality jewelry and designer engagement rings. The pear shape diamond is exceptionally beautiful and elegant and can be set in a solitaire engagement ring or even a diamond ring with side stones.
The pear shaped diamond is essentially a fusion of the marquise and oval diamonds, combining the “best of both worlds”. You get the beautiful rounded edge on top of the diamond, as well as the distinctive taper on the bottom. A pear shape diamond engagement ring is an assertion of impeccable taste and refinement.
The beauty of the particular diamond above, is that it does not exhibit the sometimes awful effect found in many pear and marquise shaped diamonds, called "the bow-tie effect".
