Statements in Jewelry Design by Master Goldsmith John L. Dillon III

When purchasing that once in a lifetime solitaire diamond it's an advantage to take the time to educate yourself on what exactly to look for in quality and character of these beautiful stones.

THE FOUR "C's"
Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight

CUT
The cut and the shape of the diamond determine the brilliance of the stone. If a stone is badly cut the sparkle is lost. If the stone is perfectly cut the sparkle is overwhelmingly beautiful. Below is a diagram of the characteristics of a diamond.

According to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), there are various cutting styles. There is the step cut which resembles steps of a staircase and is commonly found with the emerald or baguette shaped stones. These stones are very unique however they contain fewer facets therefore having less brilliance. Another type of cutting style that is very common is the brilliant cut. This cutting style has triangular shaped facets that radiate outward around the stone. Last is the mixed cut, which contains step cutting, and brilliant cuts. This cutting style is commonly used also and is also common to colored gemstones.

Most individuals know what shape they prefer before they buy. The shape of a stone is purely a personal choice. The five most commonly desired shapes are the following:

The shape of a diamond is an expression of your personality. With the exception of the emerald cut diamond the other shapes are brilliant cut. Any other shape is referred to as a "fancy" cut and a diamond can be cut in any shape desired.

Without specifically promoting a shape we thought the following information might be helpful:

The trillion (triangular) shaped diamonds sometimes will look bigger than it weighs, however the fancy cut stones can often be more expensive.
A long marquise shaped stone will make a persons hand look longer and slimmer.
The simple round cut diamond is better at hiding flaws or yellow color.
The diamond of a particular shape directly affect its cost. A popular cut can sometimes limit your choices. The diamond with the most brilliance and sparkle is the round diamond.

COLOR
Although the shape and the cut determine a diamonds brilliance and sparkle it's the color that is probably the most significant factor in purchasing a diamond.

With the exception of the rarest diamonds whose colors can be green, yellow, orange, blue, brown or black the general rule when looking for color is the darker the diamond the lower the cost.

The GIA identifies or "grades" diamonds color in an alphabetical order. The further you progress in the alphabet the darker in color your stone will be.

DEF GHIJ KLM N to Z

colorless - - - - - - - - - yellow

When determining the color of the diamond that you want to purchase always view the diamond loose. When the diamond is in a mounting it is possible for the prongs to hide flaws, cracks or abrasions. Also view the diamond on a non-reflective white background and compare two or three other stones next to the desired diamond. Sometimes the difference in color is very noticeable then. And finally, view the diamond away from fluorescent lighting if possible.

CLARITY
It is a known fact that like fingerprints, no two diamonds are alike and the clarity is what makes that true.

To identify any flaws in a diamond it must be viewed under 10-power magnification. Flaws that diminish a diamonds' brilliance are milky or cloudy areas, cracks or black spots. Chips on the diamonds' surface or perimeter may be damaging to the stone when placed in a mounting. These flaws directly affect the cost of the stone as well as the value of the stone.

The GIA defined the grading system for diamonds. When a diamond is appraised the following terminology is used.

F1 - Flawless
IF - Internally Flawless
VVS1 & VVS2 - very, very slight inclusion
VS1 & VS2 - very slight inclusion
SI1 & SI2 - Slightly included
I1, I2 & I3 - Imperfect

Tips to consider on clarity:

Metals prongs in a mounting can hide various flaws. Make certain that the diamond is graded before it is placed in a setting.
The type of inclusion can directly effect the grade. For example, a crack will lower the grade more than a small black spot.
Inclusions occurring under the table (center) of a diamond will lower the grade more than if the inclusion was near the outer edge.
Compare the diamond of choice with a lower grade diamond.
The higher the clarity the higher the cost.

CARAT WEIGHT
The weight of a stone is measured in carats. Smaller diamonds are often expressed in points. One point equals 0.01 carats. Five points is the same as five one-hundredths of a carat. Sometimes jewelers will refer to these stones as five pointers. The word "point" refers to the decimal and not a unit of measure.

Frequently on appraisals the diamond weight can be written as the total weight (TW) and what this means is that the weight of all the diamonds in the ring have been added together. For example: a fashion ring may have 24 diamonds in it and the total diamond weight was 1.5 carats. If a diamond ring is a solitaire ring (having only one stone) the total weight of that diamond is of itself.

The size of the stone and the carat weight of the stone is not the same value. As diamonds increase in weight their size becomes less predictable. The stones can be cut to make them look bigger in size than they are in carat weight.

Be informed when choosing a diamond.

J. Dillon Designs

7319 W 81st
Overland Park, KS 66204
created@jdillondesigns.com

Phone: 913-648-5902
9 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday
9 am - 12 noon, Saturday