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Of all the 4 C's cut is the one most directly influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature. Diamonds are cut into a number of shapes, depending on the nature of the rough stone. The cut or make of a diamond will dramatically influence its fire and sparkle for it is the cutter's skill that releases its beauty.
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It is the cut that enables a diamond to make the best use of light. 1. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. 2. If the cut of the diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion. 3. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected.
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Although the majority of gem diamonds appear to be colorless, others can contain increasing tinges of yellow or brown, some of which are referred to as champagne diamonds. It is a totally colorless diamond that allows white light to pass effortlessly and be dispersed as rainbows of color. Rare stones of exceptional color - green, red, blue, pink or amber - are known as "Fancies".
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COLORLESS |
NEAR COLORLESS |
FAINT YELLOW |
VERY LIGHT YELLOW |
LIGHT YELLOW |
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D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
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The color grading scale ranges from totally colorless to light yellow. The differences between one grade and another are very subtle, as can be seen by the number of grades within any one category.
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Almost all diamonds contain minute traces of non-crystalized carbon or small non-diamond crystals. Most are not discernable to the naked eye and require magnification to become visible. Called inclusions, they are nature's fingerprint and make every diamond unique. Minute inclusions neither mar its beauty nor endanger its beauty; however, the fewer there are the rarer the stone will be.
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As with all precious stones, the weight - and therefore the size - of a diamond is expressed in carats. The carat originated as a natural unit of weight: the seeds of the carob tree. Diamonds were traditionally weighed against these seeds, however, the system was later standardized and one carat was fixed at 200 miligrams (1/5 of a gram).
One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 25 points is described as a quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats. Size is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond, but two diamonds of equal size can have unequal prices, depending on their quality. And diamonds of high quality can be found in all size ranges.
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