Diamond: Girls Best Friend

Diamonds; these unique stones are world famous; yet, not many of us know much about them. We know that they are beautiful, dazzling stones used to create jewelry. But does anyone know the composition of a diamond, how it is created? How is the perfect diamond judged and where can it be bought?

A diamond is judged by four qualities – the four C’s, as they are called by professionals – clarity, color, cut, and carat weight; each of these characteristics plays a role in deciding the diamond’s ultimate value.

Clarity is the term used to describe the purity of a diamond; it is determined by the internal inclusions and external exclusions in the diamond, that make it imperfect. A diamond’s clarity can be depicted using the GIA Grading system; Flawless (F) is used to describe a perfect diamond, Internally Flawless (IF) is used to define a diamond which has no inclusions visible at 10x magnification, and a Included #3 (I3) diamond is one which has obvious inclusions that are very easy to spot even with a naked eye.

Two treatments used to increase the clarity of a diamond are laser drilling and fracture fillings; neither of which is recommended because the concealments are not permanent. Before a sale, all clarity treated diamonds must be revealed.

The second of the four C’s is color, which describes the tinge or tint of a diamond. The color of a diamond varies from being almost completely translucent to being various shades of blue, red, pink, and yellow. While slight tints of yellow can devalue a diamond, red and blue-tinted diamonds become more valued then the common clear ones because they are rarer to find! As with clarity, the color of a diamond can be determined using a GIA Certified set of master stones or a Colorimeter, which is a computer that accurately grades the color of a polished diamond.

The cut of a diamond is one of the most important aspects to consider while purchasing a diamond; cut refers to the symmetry and proportions. It also refers to the finish and polish of a diamond. A diamond’s cut can be categorized into three different approaches; fine cut, through which a diamond loses no refracted light, a heavy cut, in which the diamond loses light through its sides, and a shallow cut, in which light is lost through the bottom of the diamond; 95 percent of all diamonds are shallow cut. The amount of light, reflected through a diamond, which reaches the eye, is called brilliance. Through the use of a Dia-Mension system, the precise cut of a diamond can be gauged.

A carat is the unit of weight for a diamond; the value of a diamond increases with carat size; the bigger the diamond, the more it is worth, as is with any substance in the world. Diamonds can range from 105 carats, as the Kohinoor diamond did, to 0.50 carat, which small diamonds used in engagement rings weigh. Diamonds that weigh less than 0.50 carat and greater than 105 carats can be found as well.

We at DKV Jewelers will leave no stone unturned to find you the diamond of your choice. Right from the diamond mines of Africa, Brazil and Russia to the diamond cutting centers around the world, we will search until we find the diamond that is right for you. All our diamonds are certified by independent laboratories located in Europe and in the United States of America. With over four generations of experience in the diamond market, with customers that include some of the royal families of India, we are confident of surpassing your expectations when it comes to jewelry.

Let us find for you the perfect diamond or create a perfect piece of jewelry.