The precision with which a diamond is cut is the critical factor in releasing it's "fire" and "brilliance." It is the only factor of the 4 C's that man can control. The facets of the diamond must be placed in exact geometric relation to each other, and the "cutlet" should be in the exact center of the bottom of the diamond. Symmetry is crucial for the proper reflection of the light entering the diamond: improper symmetry will reflect less brilliance.

Cut is the factor that fuels a diamond's fire, sparkle and brilliance.

The traditional 58 facets in a round brilliant diamond, each precisely cut and defined, are as small as two millimeters in diameter. But without this precision, a diamond wouldn't be nearly as beautiful. The allure of a particular diamond depends more on cut than anything else.

Though extremely difficult to analyze or quantify, the cut of any diamond has three attributes: brilliance (the total light reflected from a diamond), fire (the dispersion of light into the colors of the spectrum), and scintillation (the flashes of light, or sparkle, when a diamond is moved).

An understanding of diamond cut begins with the shape of a diamond. The standard round brilliant is the shape used in most diamond jewelry. All others are known as fancy shapes. Traditional fancy shapes include the marquise, pear, oval and emerald cuts. Hearts, cushions, triangles and a variety of others are also gaining popularity in diamond jewelry.

As a value factor, though, cut refers to a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish. For example, look at a side view of the standard round brilliant. The major components, from top to bottom, are the crown, girdle and pavilion. A round brilliant cut diamond has 57 or 58 facets, the 58th being a tiny flat facet at the bottom of the pavilion that's known as the culet. The large, flat facet on the top is the table. The proportions of a diamond refer to the relationships between table size, crown angle and pavilion depth. A wide range of proportion combinations are possible, and these ultimately affect the stone's interaction with light.

In early 2005, GIA unveiled a diamond cut grading system for standard round brilliants in the D-to-Z color range. This system, the product of more than 15 years of intensive research and testing, assigns an overall diamond cut grade ranging from Excellent to Poor.

How does pavilion depth affect a diamond's cut?

The distance from the bottom of the girdle to the culet is the pavilion depth. A pavilion depth that's too shallow or too deep will allow light to escape through the sides or the bottom of the stone. A well-cut diamond will direct more light through the crown.

A diamond's clarity is impacted by the flaws of either blemishes on or inclusions within the stone. Inclusions are internal flaws, and blemishes are surface flaws; yet, when grading diamonds, all flaws are called inclusions.

Inclusions can be anything from air bubbles, cracks, or minerals found inside the diamond. Blemishes can be scratches, pits, or chips in the stone. Diamonds with less inclusions and blemishes are rarer and more highly valued. Diamond clarity is graded under 10x magnification. The diamond clarity ranges from Flawless to Included 3.

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.

Diamond clarity refers to the absence of these inclusions and blemishes. Diamonds without these birthmarks are rare, and rarity affects a diamond's value. Using the GIA International Diamond Grading System™, diamonds are assigned a clarity grade that ranges from flawless (FL) to diamonds with obvious inclusions (I3).

Every diamond is unique. None is absolutely perfect under 10× magnification, though some come close. Known as Flawless diamonds, these are exceptionally rare. Most jewelers have never even seen one.

The GIA Clarity Scale contains 11 grades, with most diamonds falling into the VS (very slightly included) or SI (slightly included) categories. In determining a clarity grade, the GIA system considers the size, nature, position, color or relief, and quantity of clarity characteristics visible under 10× magnification.

Flawless (FL) - No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
Internally Flawless (IF) - No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) - Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10× magnification
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) - Inclusions are clearly visible under 10× magnification but can be characterized as minor
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) - Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader using 10× magnification

Included (I1, I2, and I3) - Inclusions are obvious under 10× magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance

How did the GIA Clarity Scale come about?
Like the color scale, GIA's clarity grading system developed because jewelers were using terms that were easily misinterpreted, such as "loupe clean," or "piqué." Today, even if you buy a diamond in another part of the world, the jeweler will likely use terms such as VVS1 or SI2, even if her language is French or Japanese instead of English.

Because diamonds formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure, they often contain unique birthmarks, either internal (inclusions) or external (blemishes).

Color refers to the precense or abscense of color in white diamonds: the color is a natural component of the diamond and never changes over time. A colorless white diamond allows the maximum amount of light to pass through it, and emits more sparkle and fire. The higher a color grade, the more expensive and desirable the stone becomes. Diamonds graded "G" through "I" display virtually no color visible to the untrained eye.

The GIA professional color scale begins with a rating of "D" for colorless and continues through "Z": White diamonds become progressively more yellow or brown as they go down the color scale.

The Diamond Color Scale by GIA

Diamond color is all about what you can't see. Diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness – the less color, the higher their value. (The exception to this is fancy-color diamonds, such as pinks and blues, which lie outside this color range.)
Most diamonds found in jewelry stores run from colorless to near-colorless, with slight hints of yellow or brown.

GIA's color-grading scale for diamonds is the industry standard. The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorless, and continues with increasing presence of color to the letter Z, or near-colorless. Each letter grade has a clearly defined range of color appearance. Diamonds are color-graded by comparing them to stones of known color under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions.

Many of these color distinctions are so subtle as to be invisible to the untrained eye. But these slight differences make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.

Why does the GIA color grading system start at D?
Before GIA developed the D-Z Color Grading Scale, a variety of other systems were loosely applied. These included letters of the alphabet (A, B and C, with multiple A's for the best stones), Arabic (0, 1, 2, 3) and Roman (I, II, III) numerals, and descriptions such as "gem blue" or "blue white." The result of all these grading systems was inconsistency and inaccuracy. Because the creators of the GIA Color Scale wanted to start fresh, without any association with earlier systems, they chose to start with the letter D—a letter grade normally not associated with top quality.

Because diamonds formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure, they often contain unique birthmarks, either internal (inclusions) or external (blemishes).

Carat Weight is not a factor that impacts the quality of the diamond; carats refer specifically to the actual size of the stone. The carat is determined by the weight of the stone, however, the charts below serve as an adequate representation of the physical size of a diamond. Round cut diamond carat weight

Larger carat weights impact the cost of a diamond, as there are not as many larger-sized stones in the world. White size might seem an important factor in choosing a diamond, the other "C's" -- clarity, cut, and color -- impact the quality of the stone.

Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, about the same weight as a paperclip. (Don't confuse carat with karat, as in "18K gold," which refers to gold purity.)
Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats. But two diamonds of equal weight can have very different values depending on the other members of the Four C's: clarity, color and cut. The majority of diamonds used in fine jewelry weigh one carat or less.

Because even a fraction of a carat can make a considerable difference in cost, precision is crucial. In the diamond industry, weight is often measured to the hundred thousandths of a carat, and rounded to a hundredth of a carat. Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. (For instance, a 1.08 ct. stone would be described as "one point oh eight carats," or "one oh eight.")

How did the carat system start?
The carat, the standard unit of weight for diamonds and other gemstones, takes its name from the carob seed. Because these small seeds had a fairly uniform weight, early gem traders used them as counterweights in their balance scales. The modern metric carat, equal to 0.2 grams, was adopted by the United States in 1913 and other countries soon after. Today, a carat weighs exactly the same in every corner of the world.

	Round: The round diamond is the most popular diamond shape in the world and constitues 75% of all diamond engagement rings sold. Because of this popularity, the round shape offers maximized brilliance and fire.			Radiant: The radiant cut diamond has trimmed corners that looks stunning in a setting with baguette diamonds.
	Princess: The princess cut diamond is the second most popular diamond shape. This unique shape offers excellent brilliance and depth to any piece of diamond jewelry.			Oval: The oval diamond is cut similarily to a round brilliant diamond and has similar fire and brilliance.
	Emerald: The emerald cut diamond offers and elegant, sophisticated shape that showcases beautiful stones. Since inclusions and inferior color is more evident in this shape, a superior stone is recommended.			Heart: The heart shaped diamond is a popular shape for engagement rings.
	Pear: The pear shaped diamond resembles a teardrop and combines the essences of both the round and marquis shaped diamonds.			Asscher: Similar to the Emerald cut, but completely square. A unique cut with a specific length to width ratio.
	Marquis: The marquis diamond, a shape inspired by the Marquise de Pompadour's smile, offers a unique yet classic style.			Cushion: Cushion cut diamonds have rounded corners and larger facets to increase their brilliance.

Our Diamond variety and supply is constantly changing, with new styles arriving every day. We invite you to visit our store to view our gorgeous collection of diamond jewelry, from breathtaking engagement rings to truly unique earrings, bracelets, necklace and more...stop by today, or feel free to call to enquire about specific designs, designers, settings, availability and pricing.

We can be reached by phone at:
615.370.5559
or toll free at:
877.651.5559

What Is the American Gem Society?:

The American Gem Society (AGS), was established in 1934 by a select group of independent jewelers and Robert M. Shipley, founder of the prestigious school of gemology, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

It was their vision to create an association dedicated to setting and maintaining the highest possible standards of business ethics and professionalism in the jewelry industry. Today, American Gem Society members continue their dedication to ethics, knowledge and consumer protection.

Click here to learn more about AGS.

What Is GIA?

Established in 1931, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls.

Gemological Institute of America exists to protect all purchasers of gemstones, by providing the education, laboratory services, research, and instruments needed to accurately and objectively determine gemstone quality.

The owner of Elizabeth Gregory is a official Gemologist certified GIA.

Click here to learn more about GIA.