World of Jewelry References

Diamonds are graded for clarity under 10x loupe magnification. Grades range from Flawless (diamonds which are completely free of blemishes and inclusions), to Included 3 (diamonds which possess large, heavy blemishes and inclusions that are visible to the naked eye).

• F
  Flawless: No internal or external flaws. Extremely rare.
• IF
  Internally Flawless: no internal flaws, but some surface flaws. Very rare.
• VVS1-VVS2
  Very Very Slightly Included (two grades). Minute inclusions very difficult to detect under 10x magnification by a trained gemologist.
• VS1-VS2
  Very Slightly Included (two grades). Minute inclusions seen only with difficulty under 10x magnification.
• SI1-SI2
  Slightly Included (two grades). Minute inclusions more easily detected under 10x magnification.
• 
  
• I1-I2-I3
  Included (three grades). Inclusions visible under 10x magnification AS WELL AS to the human eye. We do not recommend buying diamonds in any of these grades.

F-IF	VVS1-VVS2	VS1-VS2	SI1-SI2	I1-I2-I3

While the presence of these clarity characteristics (inclusions and blemishes) do lower the clarity grade of a diamond, they can also be viewed as proof of a diamond's identity. GIA certificates include what is known as a "plot" of a diamond's inclusions -- think of it as a "diamond fingerprint." Since no two diamonds are exactly the same, comparing the uniqueness of your diamond's clarity characteristics with the plot provided on the diamond certificate offers assurance that the diamond you pay for is the same diamond you receive.

In contemporary times, the round brilliant diamond has become the most popular diamond shape for the engagement ring.

But diamond cutters have been studying and refining the round cut for much longer than the current popularity -- and diamond cutters now use advanced theories of light behavior and precise mathematical calculations to optimize the fire of a round diamond.

Because of the popularity of round diamonds, all diamond stores are well-stocked with round diamonds, providing customers with the greatest range of flexibility in terms of balancing cost versus quality. In other words, whether you are on a limited budget or the "sky's the limit", you will likely be able to find a suitable Round Brilliant Diamond in your price range at most stores.

Choosing a Round Brilliant Diamond

For the round brilliant diamond, selecting the highest quality cut you can comfortably afford is important. For those that can afford it, "Ideal" or "Signature Ideal" is the perfect choice, but gorgeous diamonds can still be purchased with less demanding cut grades.

Our minimum recommendations for buying round brilliant cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: SI2
• Depth Percentage: 57-65%
• Table: 51-64%

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut (the standard diamond engagement ring cut) and the shape of the less fiery Emerald Cut and Asscher Cut, you just may love the Radiant Cut Diamond.

Most square or rectangular cuts just don't live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Radiant Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance. Like the emerald cut, the radiant cut diamond is often a rectangle (sometimes square) with cropped corners, but that's where the similarities end. Where the emerald cut has long trim lines, the radiant cut is faceted for fire.

Choosing a Radiant Cut Diamond

When purchasing a radiant cut diamond online, be sure to check width and length -- there are no "rules" for length/width ratios for the radiant cut and you must review these numbers to determine if the stone is rectangular or closer to square.

The radiant cut diamond is more forgiving of diamond flaws and weaknesses than the less sparkling Emerald Cut Diamond or the Asscher Cut Diamond, so we provided two sets of "minimums" -- one giving more weight to quality and one giving more weight to budget.

Our minimum recommendations for buying radiant cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Very Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: VS2
• Depth Percentage: 58-69%
• Table: 58-69%

Now if you're on a tight budget, you can still find a nice stone going with these minimums:

• Cut: Good
• Color: I
• Clarity: SI2
• Depth Percentage: 56-78%
• Table: 53-76%

Could you purchase cheaper radiant cut diamonds by going below these minimums? Absolutely. But we don't recommend it -- at some point, one must consider the beauty of the stone, not simply the cost.

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut (the standard diamond engagement ring cut), but want something a little different, you might just fall in love with the icy fire of the square Princess Cut Diamond.

Most square or rectangular cuts just don't live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Princess Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance from a square cut.

Always ensure that the setting for your princess cut diamond protects the four pointed corners -- these are the points most likely to chip (and why most rectangular or square diamond cuts have cropped corners).

Choosing a Princess Cut Diamond

The princess cut diamond is more forgiving of diamond flaws and weaknesses than the less sparkling Emerald Cut Diamond or the Asscher Cut Diamond, so we provided two sets of "minimums" -- one giving more weight to quality and one giving more weight to budget.

Our minimum recommendations for buying princess cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Very Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: VS2
• Depth Percentage: 58-77%
• Table: 58-77%

Now if you're on a tight budget, you can still find a nice stone going with these minimums:

• Cut: Good
• Color: I
• Clarity: SI2
• Depth Percentage: 56-84%
• Table: 53-85%

Could you purchase cheaper princess cut diamonds by going below these minimums? Absolutely. But we don't recommend it -- at some point, one must consider the beauty of the stone, not simply the cost.

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

The pear shaped diamond is also called the "teardrop diamond" because of its shape. The pear shaped diamond is a combination cut of the round-brilliant and the marquise (to see examples of these two shapes, visit our diamond shapes page.

The Pear Shaped Diamond is a fiery cut with lots of wonderful sparkle and flash. The elegant lines of the Pear Shaped Diamond lends a sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.

Choosing a Pear Shaped Diamond

When purchasing a Pear Shaped Diamond, it's extremely important to pay attention to quality and to select the highest grade cut you can afford. Pear-shaped diamonds are prone to two cutting issues: the bow-tie effect and "high" or "uneven" shoulders.

The image to the left is a simulation of the bow-tie effect. It's not unusual to see "some" bow-tie if you examine a pear-shaped diamond from various angles and in different lights, but what you don't want is an obvious black/dark spot that is dull from every angle and in all lights. If you're "wondering" if the diamond you purchased is suffering from the bow-tie effect, it probably isn't. It's one of those defects, that, when present is obvious.

The picture to the left is a simulation of "uneven shoulders". The non-pointed end of the pear shaped diamond should have a nice round and gentle arc. In addition to "uneven shoulders", sometimes cutters, to increase the carat weight of the diamond "square off" or give a "rounded triangle" end to the pear-shaped diamond. High-shoulders and uneven shoulders decrease the value of the diamond and should be avoided.

The "good news" is that both of these potential problems are visible to the naked eye. The "bad news" is that a diamond's certificate will not likely provide enough information to discern either of these problems when purchasing online. Which is why we always recommend only purchasing diamonds online from a store with an excellent return policy. Our two top recommended stores for online diamond purchases have excellent return policies:

1. Blue Nile
2. Mondera

Our minimum recommendations for buying Pear Shaped Diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: SI2
• Depth Percentage: 56-70%
• Table: 53-62%
• Length/Width Ratio: 1.70:1 - 1.45:1

Always be sure to check the length and width of the diamond prior to purchasing. The traditionally accepted ratio for Pear Diamonds is 1.70:1 to 1.45:1, but some people prefer longer, thinner cuts, and some prefer the shorter, fatter cuts.

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

The Oval Diamond has beautiful brilliance that's similar to a round diamond. Oval diamonds are also very popular as their length can accentuate long, slender fingers.

The history of the brilliant-cut oval diamond is relatively easy to track because it is a relatively young shape. Created by Lazare Kaplan in the late 1950s -early 1960s, the oval brilliant cut is an elipitical variation of the more common round brilliant.

The modern oval cut is a fiery diamond that reflects light brilliantly. It's a wonderful selection for someone who loves the sparkle of the round brilliant, but desires a less common shape.

Choosing an Oval Diamond

When purchasing an Oval Diamond, it's important to select both the highest grade cut and color that's within your budget.

Our minimum recommendations for buying Oval Diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: SI2
• Depth Percentage: 58-66%
• Table: 51-64%

Because an oval can be "short and fat" or "long and thin", always be sure to check the length and width of the diamond prior to purchasing. For the most traditional length-width ratio of oval diamonds, look for ratios between 1.33 and 1.66. However, some people prefer longer, thinner cuts, and some prefer rounder, softer cuts.

Like the pear shaped diamond, the oval cut can fall victim to the "bow-tie effect" -- an undesirable dark area near the center of the diamond. It's not unusual to see "some" bow-tie if you examine an oval-shaped diamond from various angles and in different lights, but what you don't want is an obvious black/dark spot that is dull from every angle and in all lights. If you're "wondering" if the diamond you purchased is suffering from the bow-tie effect, it probably isn't. It's one of those defects, that when present, is obvious.

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com

Though a technical description of the heart-shaped diamond is anything but sentimental, (the heart shaped diamond is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top), the diamond itself is is considered by some to be the most romantic of all diamond cuts.

The heart shaped diamond can be quite fiery with excellent sparkle.

Choosing a Heart Shaped Diamond

The heart-shaped diamond is likely the most difficult diamond shape to purchase online. If you find a heart shaped diamond you'd like to buy online, we strongly recommend you:

1. Review the length to width ratio to determine the heart's proportions (short and fat? elongated? evenly proportion?)
2. Ensure that the seller has an excellent return policy -- if the diamond arrives and you don't care for the cleft, you want to be able to either exchange or return the stone.

When purchasing a heart-shaped diamond, it's extremely important to pay attention to quality and to select the highest grade cut you can afford. While "shape" is not the same as "cut", the skill of the cutter is critical with heart-shaped diamonds and a diamond with a high grade cut, likely had a skilled cutter.

Our minimum recommendations for buying heart-shaped diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: SI2

Always be sure to check the length and width of the diamond prior to purchasing.

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

As may be evident by the name, the "emerald cut" was originally developed for cutting emeralds, not diamonds.

While the emerald gemstone is a relatively hard stone (7.5 - 8.0 on the MOHS scale), it is known for numerous inclusions (naturally occuring internal flaws). The inclusions make the stone vulnerable to breakage, making them difficult to cut. The stepped, normally rectangular cut with cropped corners (shown above), known as the "emerald cut" was developed to address these issues.

It was soon discovered that the emerald cut was also suitable for other stones, including diamonds.

The emerald cut diamond can be absolutely stunning. Because of it's long lines, it tends to be less fiery than a "round brilliant" cut, but it also tends to have broader, more dramatic flashes of light. The trim lines of emerald cut diamonds lend an elegant, sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.

Choosing an Emerald Cut Diamond

When purchasing an emerald cut diamond, it's extremely important to pay attention to quality and to select the highest grade stone you can afford. Because of the "openess" of the cut, flaws, color weakness, and a poor cut are more evident to the naked eye than a cut such as the round brilliant. The good news is, emerald cut diamonds are not as "traditional" as the round brilliant or as trendy as the princess cut -- making their pricing extremely economical when compared to the more common cuts.

For example, compare the following two diamonds available at Mondera:

Emerald Cut Round Brilliant Carat Weight: 1.00 Carat Weight: 1.00 Cut: Very Good Cut: Very Good Clarity: VS2 Clarity: VS2 Color: F Color: F Price: $4,543 Price: $5,994

The diamonds carry the same grades and are the same weight, but the emerald cut diamond is $1,451 less than the round brilliant.

Our minimum recommendations for buying emerald cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: VS2
• Depth Percentage: 58-69%
• Table: 58-69%

Always be sure to check the length and width of the diamond prior to purchasing. The traditionally accepted ratio for emerald cut diamonds is 1.5:1 to 1.75:1, but some people prefer longer, thinner cuts, and some prefer the shorter, fatter cuts.

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

As may be evident by the name, the "emerald cut" was originally developed for cutting emeralds, not diamonds.

While the emerald gemstone is a relatively hard stone (7.5 - 8.0 on the MOHS scale), it is known for numerous inclusions (naturally occuring internal flaws). The inclusions make the stone vulnerable to breakage, making them difficult to cut. The stepped, normally rectangular cut with cropped corners (shown above), known as the "emerald cut" was developed to address these issues.

It was soon discovered that the emerald cut was also suitable for other stones, including diamonds.

The emerald cut diamond can be absolutely stunning. Because of it's long lines, it tends to be less fiery than a "round brilliant" cut, but it also tends to have broader, more dramatic flashes of light. The trim lines of emerald cut diamonds lend an elegant, sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.

Choosing an Emerald Cut Diamond

When purchasing an emerald cut diamond, it's extremely important to pay attention to quality and to select the highest grade stone you can afford. Because of the "openess" of the cut, flaws, color weakness, and a poor cut are more evident to the naked eye than a cut such as the round brilliant. The good news is, emerald cut diamonds are not as "traditional" as the round brilliant or as trendy as the princess cut -- making their pricing extremely economical when compared to the more common cuts.

For example, compare the following two diamonds available at Mondera:

Emerald Cut Round Brilliant Carat Weight: 1.00 Carat Weight: 1.00 Cut: Very Good Cut: Very Good Clarity: VS2 Clarity: VS2 Color: F Color: F Price: $4,543 Price: $5,994

The diamonds carry the same grades and are the same weight, but the emerald cut diamond is $1,451 less than the round brilliant.

Our minimum recommendations for buying emerald cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: VS2
• Depth Percentage: 58-69%
• Table: 58-69%

Always be sure to check the length and width of the diamond prior to purchasing. The traditionally accepted ratio for emerald cut diamonds is 1.5:1 to 1.75:1, but some people prefer longer, thinner cuts, and some prefer the shorter, fatter cuts.

Source : thediamondbuyingguide.com

Until recently, it was difficult to find Cushion Cut Diamonds for sale outside of estate sales and auctions. However, cushion cuts are enjoying a small surge in popularity and are again being offered by select diamond sellers, such as Blue Nile and Mondera.

The cushion cut is an antique cut that most often resembles a cross between the Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. This shape is also sometimes referred to as the pillow-cut or the candlelight diamond (a reference to cuts designed prior to electric lights, when diamonds sparkled in the light provided by candles).

This cut is not as fiery or brilliant as many of the newer cuts, but it has a marvelously romantic and classic look and definitely stands out from the crowd of round brilliants.

Choosing a Cushion Cut Diamond

Standards for cushion cut diamonds vary widely and more than with most contemporary cuts, much is left to personal taste. So you will easily find cushion cuts that are nearly square, long rectangles, and with varying size tables and depth percentages.

Mondera does categorize their cushion cuts as falling into three cut "grades" -- Good, Very Good, and Ideal. For those who are not on a tight budget, we recommend staying in the Very Good and Ideal ranges.

Because of the large open facets of the cushion cut, opt for the highest clarity and color your budget affords. If you're looking for a stone that most closely matches the original cushion cut, opt for a length/width ratio of 1.25 - 1.30.

Our minimum recommendations for buying cushion cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: VS2

Now if you're on a tight budget, you can still find a nice stone going with these minimums:

• Cut: Good
• Color: I
• Clarity: SI2

Could you purchase cheaper cushion cut diamonds by going below these minimums? Absolutely. But we don't recommend it -- at some point, one must consider the beauty of the stone, not simply the cost.

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com

The " Asscher cut diamond" was developed in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Holland. It is a stepped square cut, often called the "square emerald cut" and like an emerald cut, the Asscher has cropped corners.

Until recently, very few stores carried Asscher cut diamonds. But the Asscher cut has rapidly gained popularity as it was featured on the television show "Sex & and the City" and stars such as Kate Hudson have received Asscher-cuts as engagement rings. Due to the increased popularity, more and more stores are carrying this fashionable cut -- however, the range of diamonds tends to be smaller than for other more common cuts.

Choosing an Asscher Cut Diamond

The Asscher cut is designed to draw the eye into the diamond and as such, you should always select the highest quality stone you can afford.

Our minimum recommendations for buying Asscher cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

• Cut: Good
• Color: G
• Clarity: SI2
• Depth Percentage: 64-72%
• Table: 54-63%

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com

Yes and no. Diamonds are natural crystals of varying size and shape formed in the earth over millions of years. The traditional round brilliant diamond, though the most popular diamond shape of all, is hardly the whole story.

By the diamond cutter's art these crystals are carved into gems of spectacular and whimsical beauty. A cutter's skill will produce a diamond of the greatest size with the fewest flaws and the most brilliance.

Round Brilliant Diamonds
This shape has set the standard for all other diamond shapes, and accounts for more than 75% of diamonds sold today. Its 58-facet cut, divided among its crown (top), girdle (widest part) and pavilion (base), is calibrated through a precise formula to achieve the maximum in fire and brilliance.

Oval Diamonds
An even, perfectly symmetrical design popular among women with small hands or short fingers. Its elongated shape gives a flattering illusion of length to the hand. Learn more about Oval Diamonds

Marquise Diamonds
An elongated shape with pointed ends inspired by the fetching smile of the Marquise de Pompadour and commissioned by the Sun King, France's Louis XIV, who wanted a diamond to match it. It is gorgeous when used as a solitaire or when enhanced by smaller diamonds.

Pear Shaped Diamonds
A hybrid cut, combining the best of the oval and the marquise, it is shaped most like a sparkling teardrop. It also belongs to that category of diamond whose design most complements a hand with small or average-length fingers. It is particularly beautiful for pendants or earrings. Learn more about Pear Shaped Diamonds

Heart Shaped Diamonds
This ultimate symbol of romance is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top. The skill of the cutter determines the beauty of the cut. Look for a stone with an even shape and a well-defined outline. Learn more about the Heart Shaped Diamond

Emerald Cut Diamond
This is a rectangular shape with cut corners. It is known as a step cut because its concentric broad, flat planes resemble stair steps. Since inclusions and inferior color are more pronounced in this particular cut, take pains to select a stone of superior clarity and color. Learn more about the Emerald Cut Diamond

Princess Cut Diamond
This is a square or rectangular cut with numerous sparkling facets. It is a relatively new cut and often finds its way into solitaire engagement rings. Flattering to a hand with long fingers, it is often embellished with triangular stones at its sides. Because of its design, this cut requires more weight to be directed toward the diamond's depth in order to maximize brilliance. Depth percentages of 70% to 78% are not uncommon. Learn more about the Princess Cut Diamond

Trilliant Diamonds
This is a spectacular wedge of brittle fire. First developed in Amsterdam, the exact design can vary depending on a particular diamond's natural characteristics and the cutter's personal preferences. It may be a traditional triangular shape with pointed corners or a more rounded triangular shape with 25 facets on the crown, 19 facets on the pavilion, and a polished girdle. It is definitely for the adventurous.

Radiant Cut Diamonds
This square or rectangular cut combines the elegance of the emerald shape diamond with the brilliance of the round, and its 70 facets maximize the effect of its color refraction. Because of its design, this cut requires more weight to be directed toward the diamond's depth in order to maximize brilliance. Depth percentages of 70% to 78% are not uncommon. Learn more about the Radiant Cut Diamond

Cushion Cut Diamond
An antique style of cut that looks like a cross between an Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. Learn more about the Cushion Cut Diamond

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com

A carat is a unit of measurement, it's the unit used to weigh a diamond. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams.

The word "carat" is taken from the carob seeds that people once used in ancient times to balance scales. So uniform in shape and weight are these little seeds that even today's sophisticated instruments cannot detect more than three one-thousandths of a difference between them.

[NOTE: Don't confuse "carat weight" with "karat," the method of determining the purity of gold.]

The process that forms a diamond happens only in very rare circumstances, and typically the natural materials required are found only in small amounts. That means that larger diamonds are uncovered less often than smaller ones. Thus, large diamonds are rare and have a greater value per carat. For that reason, the price of a diamond rises exponentionaly to its size.

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com

When jewelers speak of a diamond's color, they are usually referring to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds. Color is a result of the composition of the diamond, and it never changes over time.

Because a colorless diamond, like a clear window, allows more light to pass through it than a colored diamond, colorless diamonds emit more sparkle and fire. The formation process of a diamond ensures that only a few, rare diamonds are truly colorless. Thus the whiter a diamond's color, the greater its value.

[NOTE: Fancy color diamonds do not follow this rule. These diamonds, which are very rare and very expensive, can be any color from blue to green to bright yellow. They are actually more valuable for their color.]

To grade 'whiteness' or colorlessness, most jewelers refer to GIA's professional color scale that begins with the highest rating of D for colorless, and travels down the alphabet to grade stones with traces of very faint or light yellowish or brownish color. The color scale continues all the way to Z.

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com

Wondering what on earth is the diamond's pavillion? Table? Culet? The graphic and supporting text below explain the various "parts" of a diamond.

• Diameter
  The width of the diamond as measured through the girdle.
• Table
  This is the large, flat top facet of a diamond.
• Crown
  The upper portion of a cut gemstone, above the girdle.
• Girdle
  The narrow rim of a diamond that separates the crown from the pavilion. It is the largest diameter to any part of the stone.
• Pavilion
  The lower portion of the diamond, below the girdle. It is sometimes referred to as the base.
• Culet
  The tiny facet on the pointed bottom of the pavilion, which is the portion of a cut gem below the girdle.
• Depth
  The height of a gemstone, from the culet to the table.

Source:thediamondbuyingguide.com

First, don't confuse diamond "cut" with "shape." Shape refers to the general outward appearance of the diamond, (such as round, emerald, or pear). When a diamond jeweler (or a diamond certificate) says "cut," that's a reference to the diamond's reflective qualities, not the shape (or at least it should be, we have found that even some "jewelers" don't appear to know the difference between "cut" and "shape").

Diamond cut is perhaps the most important of the four Cs, so it is important to understand how this quality affects the properties and values of a diamond. A good cut gives a diamond its brilliance, which is that brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond. The angles and finish of any diamond are what determine its ability to handle light, which leads to brilliance.

As shown in the images below, when a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table and to the observer's eye. This light is the brilliance we mentioned, and it's this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so mesmerizing.


In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less brilliance.

Source: thediamondbuyingguide.com