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Buying a diamond does not have to be an uncomfortable experience. The Diamon House Education Guide is designed to give you the tools and information you need to properly evaluate diamond quality and value with confidence.
Every diamond is unique, and there are a variety of factors which affect the price of a diamond. Focus on those factors most important to you, and choose a diamond that satisfies your individual standards for beauty and value. This might be a very different diamond than someone else with a similar budget would choose. At Diamon House , we want to help find the best diamond for you.
You also have access to a personal diamond consultant; who can walk you through the diamond selection process or answer any questions you have. chat online, or send your request to info@diamonhouse.com
Every diamond certified by the GIA undergoes a thorough, independent evaluation. Here you will learn how GIA diamond grades are established, and how those grades affect the diamond's price. Each of the four C's (Carat Weight, Cut, Color, Clarity) is accompanied by a diamond chart illustrating the differences between grades.
After learning more, if you need to see diamonds in person, visit your local jewelry store. Get a better sense of what you personally value in a diamond. Note the color, cut, and clarity that best fit your needs. While you're there, compare the prices with what you find at Diamon House . We're confident you will be pleased with what you find.
Diamonds are sold by the carat (shown as ct.), which is actually a unit of weight, though most think of a carat in terms of size. The word "carat" comes from the "carob" seed, the original unit of measure for diamond traders. Today, a carat is equal to exactly 0.2 grams (about the weight of a paper clip). Carat weight i
Diamonds are sold by the carat (shown as ct.), which is actually a unit of weight, though most think of a carat in terms of size. The word "carat" comes from the "carob" seed, the original unit of measure for diamond traders. Today, a carat is equal to exactly 0.2 grams (about the weight of a paper clip). Carat weight is unrelated to the similar sounding karat, which refers to gold's purity. (Learn more about precious metals)
Two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different costs based on other factors (such as cut, color, and clarity). In understanding the importance of carat weight, know thy partner. If the recipient's heart is set on a certain size diamond, then carat weight will probably be the most important factor in your search until the desired size is attained. At that point, other criteria will take on more importance. Most women can tell you the carat weight and shape of their ideal diamond, and most men can tell you the price.
As the carat size of a diamond increases, the diamond's price increases at an increasing rate. Why? Because the larger the diamond, the more increasingly rare it is. Fewer than one in one million mined rough stones are large enough to produce a finished 1 carat diamond. So, as carat weight increases, you will typically pay more not only in total, but on a price-per-carat basis as well. The table below illustrates the typical relationship between diamonds of equal quality and increasing carat weights:
Even though the price of a diamond increases exponentially with the carat weight, the actual size does not. The table below illustrates the typical size relationship between diamonds of increasing carat weights. Note that when carat weight triples (from 1 to 3 carats), perceived size (represented in the images below) roughly triples as well, however the diameter increases only 45% (from 6.50 to 9.40), and crown area (the surface area visible when the diamond is set) slightly more than doubles.
This is important to keep in mind when reviewing diamonds of any shape; a given increase in diameter will yield a larger increase in surface (crown) area and overall perceived size. While the third diamond above has a roughly 50% greater diameter than the first, it certainly appears more than 50% larger.
When viewing diamonds on Lumera, check the measurements listed for each diamond to understand its size. The length and width will tell you exactly how large the diamond will appear when viewed from above.
Two diamonds of the same shape and carat weight may still appear different in size based on the cut proportions. A deeply cut diamond has a greater proportion of its total weight "hidden" in the depth, resulting in a smaller diameter than a well cut diamond. These differences are usually small, but noticable. A well cut diamond may even have a slightly lower carat weight than a deeply cut diamond, yet still have a larger diameter, making it appear larger in size.
Two diamonds of equal carat weight may also appear very different in size based on the shape of the diamond. For instance, a 1 carat marquise tends to appear larger than a 1 carat round. The chart below illustrates why. For each diamond, the chart shows the following:
Once cut and polished, all diamonds possess a shared set of characteristics, often referred to as the anatomy of the diamond. While the individual proportions, angles and placement of these common characteristics vary for diamonds of different shapes, their definition is the same.
Crown
The entire portion of the diamond tha
Once cut and polished, all diamonds possess a shared set of characteristics, often referred to as the anatomy of the diamond. While the individual proportions, angles and placement of these common characteristics vary for diamonds of different shapes, their definition is the same.
Crown
The entire portion of the diamond that sits above the girdle. The crown includes the table, as well as other crown facets. The crown height is the vertical distance from the girdle to the table when viewed from the side. Crown height may be expressed in mm, or as a percentage of the diamond's average diameter.
Table
The table is the uppermost, flat surface of a diamond, which runs parallel to the plane of the girdle.
The table % of a diamond is calculated by dividing the width of the table facet by the width of the diamond. So, if the table facet is 3 mm across, and the diamond is 4.5 mm wide, its table % is 66.7.
Table % is incorporated in the Cut grade of a diamond. For this reason, when purchasing a diamond, use the Cut grade first (since it balances multiple measurements, not just table %). Once two diamonds of equal cut are being compared, consider table % as a further refinement.
Star Facets
Facets that sit directly adjacent to the table facet.
Bezel Facets
Kite shaped facets that sit between the table and girdle.
Upper Girdle Facets
Lowest facets on the crown, sitting just above the girdle.
Girdle
The girdle is the outer edge of the diamond, where the crown (top) meets the pavilion (bottom).
A girdle may be faceted (a series of tiny polished sides going around the diamond), bruted (a single continuous unpolished surface going round the diamond; no longer common), or polished (a bruted girdle that has been polished smooth). Whether a girdle is faceted, bruted, or polished usually has no impact on the appearance or value of the diamond.
The girdle is described according to its width. Often, the width of the girdle varies at different points around the diamond, and is quoted in a range designating the thinnest and thickest point along the girdle (e.g. "Thin - Medium" means the diamond's girdle varies in width from thin at the narrowest point to medium at the widest point). Each Lumera Diamond displays the girdle width as determined by the GIA, using the following scale:
The girdle can impact a diamond in three important ways:
Pavilion
The entire portion of the diamond that sits below the girdle. The pavilion usually constitutes the bulk of a diamond's carat weight and consists of the pavilion facets and culet. Pavilion height may be expressed in millimeters, or as a percentage of a diamond's diameter.
Lower Girdle Facets
Highest facets on the pavilion, sitting just below the girdle.
Pavilion Facets
Lowest facets on the pavilion, sitting adjacent to the culet.
Culet
The culet (pronounced cue-let) is the small area at the bottom of a diamond's pavilion. The culet can be a point or a very small facet sitting parallel to the table.
None, Very Small, Small, Medium, Slightly Large, Large, Very Large.
Any culet size of Medium or smaller will be invisible to the naked eye, and have no negative impact on a diamond's appearance. However, if a culet is Slightly Large or larger, it may allow light entering from the crown to pass straight through the culet facet, reducing the diamond's brilliance. This may also make the culet appear as an inclusion, or create a dead area on the diamond where the light is escaping through the bottom.
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Cut refers not to a diamond's shape (e.g. round, oval, pear, etc.) but to a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish. The beauty of a diamond depends more on cut than any other factor. Though extremely difficult to analyze and quantify, diamond cut has three primary effects on appearance: br
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Cut refers not to a diamond's shape (e.g. round, oval, pear, etc.) but to a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish. The beauty of a diamond depends more on cut than any other factor. Though extremely difficult to analyze and quantify, diamond cut has three primary effects on appearance: brilliance (the brightness created by the combination of all the white light reflections from the surface and the inside of a polished diamond), fire (the dispersion of light into the colors of the visible spectrum, seen as flashes of color), and scintillation (the flashes of light and dark, or sparkle, when a diamond or light source is moved).
When a diamond is fashioned from a rough stone, the cutter must balance optimal cut (and therefore appearance) against maximum yield (cutting the diamond to maintain as much carat weight from the rough stone as possible). Because many customers are willing to pay more for a larger, fair-cut cut diamond than for a slightly smaller, well-cut diamond, there is pressure on the cutter to sacrifice appearance for weight. This is why the Cut grade is so important; it allows the purchaser to identify those stones that were cut Fair to Poor in an effort to gain carat weight.
At left, the same rough stone (shown in blue) can yield one of two potential diamonds:
A too-deep cut diamond (orange) would yield a significantly larger diamond, earning the diamond cutter a larger profit on his investment.
A smaller, well cut diamond (white) may sell for less in total than the larger diamond, but it will command a higher price-per-carat not only because of its superior appearance, but also due to decreased yield from the rough stone (which therefore makes the diamond more expensive to create).
Diamond proportion refers to the relationship between the size, shape, and angle of each facet of a diamond. A wide range of combinations are possible, ultimately determining the diamond's interaction with light.
When light strikes a diamond, approximately 20% immediately reflects off the surface (as glare). Of the 80% that enters, a portion will escape through the bottom of the diamond (where the observer cannot appreciate it). A well proportioned diamond will have each facet properly placed and angled so as to maximize the amount of light that reflects back out of the crown (top) of the diamond, to the eye of the observer. This reflected light is perceived as scintillation, fire and brilliance.
In the diagram below, three common light patterns are shown. When light meets any facet of a diamond, it will either reflect (bounce back) or refract (bend while passing through the facet). The angle that the light hits the facet determines whether the majority of light reflects or refracts, which is why cut is so important.
If the diamond cut is too shallow, entering light strikes the pavilion facet at a low angle and passes through the facet (refracts), escaping through the bottom of the diamond.
Shallow Cut
Depth refers to the distance between the culet and the table when the diamond is viewed from the side. Diamond depth is expressed in millimeters, and is given as the third number under " measurements" for every Lumera Diamond (the first two numbers are length and width)The depth % of a diamond is calculated by dividing the depth by the width of the diamond. So, if a diamond is 3 mm in depth, and 4.5 mm in width, its depth % is 66.7. The lower the depth %, the larger a diamond of a given carat weight will appear (since most of the diamond's size is in its width vs. in its depth).
The table % of a diamond is calculated by dividing the width of the table facet by the width of the diamond. So, if the table facet is 3 mm wide, and the diamond is 4.5 mm wide, its table % is 66.7.
GIA Diamond Proportion Diagram
Every Lumera Diamond comes with a GIA Grading Report or Dossier certificate, most of which include a proportion diagram. The proportion diagram is a graphic representation of the diamond's actual proportions.
The proportion diagram shows the diamond's girdle size, culet size, table and depth percentages, as well as other measurements, such as the crown and pavillion angles.
Each angle and dimension is measured electronically using a light scanner. The proportion diagram is a "fingerprint" of your diamond.
Before being purchased, many diamonds, and all Diamonds (with the exception of our diamond stud earrings) are sent to a third party laboratory for a comprehensive evaluation; a process known as diamond certification. A reputable lab is one staffed by professional gemologists who specialize in diamond grading. Each diamond certificate iss
Before being purchased, many diamonds, and all Diamonds (with the exception of our diamond stud earrings) are sent to a third party laboratory for a comprehensive evaluation; a process known as diamond certification. A reputable lab is one staffed by professional gemologists who specialize in diamond grading. Each diamond certificate issued is uniquely numbered, and corresponds to one individual diamond. From that point forward, the diamond and certificate (laminated to prevent tampering or damage) will travel together from seller to buyer.
Laboratory certification provides an impartial judgment of the characteristics and quality of each diamond. This certification (called a grading report, or dossier by GIA) gives the purchaser added confidence that the diamond received is as described by the seller. The diamond certificate is also valuable for insurance purposes, as it provides a professional, independent evaluation of the diamond.
A laboratory certification is not an appraisal. An appraisal seeks to establish the value of an item, mainly for insurance purposes. A diamond certificate does not evaluate a diamond's market value, only its characteristics and quality. That said, diamond certification from a reputable laboratory is invaluable in generating an accurate appraisal.
GIA Campus in Carlsbad, CA
Diamon House sells only loose diamonds which have been certified by the Gemological Institute of America (we do offer uncertified diamond studs). GIA is the world's oldest, largest, and one of the most respected independent laboratories. Unlike some other labs, GIA is not owned or partially owned by diamond wholesalers or retailers, and is a non-profit organization. GIA actually developed the "4 C's" diamond grading system (used almost universally today) to provide truly objective standards in the evaluation of a diamond.
Every certified Diamon House is accompanied by its GIA Grading Report or Dossier. These diamond grading certificates may be viewed prior to purchase by clicking the name "GIA" next to the diamond.
GIA Dossier
Following is an overview of what each document contains:
For smaller diamonds, an abbreviated form of the GIA Grading Report is often used, called a GIA Dossier. This condensed report offers the same information as the GIA Grading Report listed above, with the exception of a diamond plot, since the individual flaws are less important in smaller stones (as is clarity in general).
Every diamond that has been issued a GIA Diamond Dossier will have the report number laser inscribed on the diamond's girdle. This added security allows the purchaser to confirm the identity of the diamond at all times.
The round cut diamond is the most popular diamond shape, representing approximately 75% of all diamonds sold. Due to the mechanics of its shape, the round diamond is generally superior to fancy shapes at the proper reflection of light, maximizing potential brightness.
The princess cut diamond,
The round cut diamond is the most popular diamond shape, representing approximately 75% of all diamonds sold. Due to the mechanics of its shape, the round diamond is generally superior to fancy shapes at the proper reflection of light, maximizing potential brightness.
The princess cut diamond, first created in 1980, is the most popular fancy diamond shape, especially for engagement rings. Like round cut diamonds, princess cut diamonds are a good choice for their flexibility in working in almost any style of ring.
Because the oval diamond is a modified brilliant-cut (like virtually all round cut diamonds), the two diamond shapes possess a similar fire and brilliance. However, oval cut diamonds have the added advantage of an elongated shape, which can create the illusion of greater size
The marquise cut diamond is a football-shaped, modified brilliant-cut. Because the marquise diamond is long and narrow, it can also create the illusion of greater size. Carat for carat, the marquise diamond has one of the largest surface areas of any diamond shape, making it a good choice when trying to maximize perceived size.
The modified brilliant-cut pear shaped diamond is a combination of a round and a marquise shape, with a tapered point on one end. Ideally, a pear shaped diamond should possess excellent or very good symmetry. The point should line up with the apex of the rounded end. The shoulders and wings (the upper and lower curves on the right and left side of the diamond) should form uniform, symmetrical curves.
The cushion cut diamond combines a square cut with rounded corners, much like a pillow (hence the name). This classic cut has been around for almost 200 years, and for the first century of its existence was the most popular diamond shape (similar to round cut today). Refinements in cut have led to a recent resurgence in popularity.
The unique look of the emerald cut diamond is due to the step cuts of its pavilion and its large, open table. Instead of the sparkle of a brilliant-cut, emerald cut diamonds produce a hall-of-mirrors effect, with the interplay of light and dark planes. Often, inclusions or body color are easier to see in an emerald cut diamond.
The asscher cut diamond was first produced in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Holland, an is a forerunner to the emerald cut. The asscher cut diamond is similar to the emerald cut, but in a square shape with larger step facets, a higher crown, and a smaller table. This combination often produces more brilliance than the emerald cut.
The radiant cut diamond is the first rectangular cut to have a complete brilliant-cut facet pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion, creating a vibrant and lively diamond. The modified square shape is a nice bridge between a cushion and a princess cut, and for that reason looks beautiful set with both rounded or square cornered diamonds.
The modified brilliant-cut heart shaped diamond is a unique and unmistakable symbol of love, popular in solitaire pendants as well as rings. Heart shaped diamonds less than .50 carats may not be a good choice, since the heart shape is more difficult to perceive in smaller diamonds, especially after they are set in prongs.
Diamonds come in a variety of colors, some of them highly prized (pinks, blues, even yellow). However in a white diamond, the presence of a yellow tint will lower the price of a diamond. The less body color in a white diamond, the more true color it will reflect, and thus the greater its value.
Every Diamon House has been assigned a color
Diamonds come in a variety of colors, some of them highly prized (pinks, blues, even yellow). However in a white diamond, the presence of a yellow tint will lower the price of a diamond. The less body color in a white diamond, the more true color it will reflect, and thus the greater its value.
Every Diamon House has been assigned a color grade by the GIA in a viewing environment specially designed to eliminate color from surrounding surfaces as well as the light source itself. This allows the color of the diamond to be accurately measured. Minor differences in diamond color detected in this environment are very difficult if not impossible to detect in a normal environment. The diamond industry has adopted the GIA diamond color scale; almost every diamond sold today is rated using the GIA color scale, whether it was actually certified by the GIA or not.
Diamonds of D, K, and Z
GIA Color Grade
The GIA grades diamonds on a scale of D (colorless) through Z (light color). All D-Z diamonds are considered white, even though they contain varying degrees of color. True fancy colored diamonds (such as yellows, pinks, and blues) are graded on a separate color scale.
Because they are formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure; virtually all diamonds contain "birthmarks"; small imperfections inside the diamond (called inclusions), or on its surface (called blemishes). Clarity refers to the degree to which these imperfections are present. Diamonds which contain numerous or significan
Because they are formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure; virtually all diamonds contain "birthmarks"; small imperfections inside the diamond (called inclusions), or on its surface (called blemishes). Clarity refers to the degree to which these imperfections are present. Diamonds which contain numerous or significant inclusions or blemishes have less brilliance because the flaws interfere with the path of light through the diamond.
The position of an inclusion affects how easily it can be seen. Diamond cutters make every effort to cut a stone so that inclusions are not visible through the table of the finished diamond. The preferred position for inclusions is under the bezel facets or near the girdle because they are harder to see there.
Almost all diamonds are graded for clarity using the 11 point diamond clarity scale created by the GIA, including diamonds which were not actually graded by GIA (every Lumera Diamond is GIA certified). In grading diamond clarity, the GIA considers the number, size, color, reflectivity, and position of every flaw visible under 10x magnification.
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