Loose Diamond

From the Manufacturer
Diamonds, known for their brilliance, beauty and timelessness, have always managed to capture our interest and desires. But, to pick the perfect diamond jewellery (with the best deal!) you need to be well acquainted with the right diamond terminologies. Here’s all you need to know to make the most fulfilling purchase, whether you are walking into a store or buying jewellery online.

THE 4 Cs

Cut, clarity, colour, carat… confused? Don’t be. Our thorough yet concise information takes you through these 4cs which are fundamental in your diamond jewellery education.

CUT

A highly important price determinant, “cut” refers to the process that turns rough diamonds into the ones you see sparkling in your finest jewellery. The best diamond cut reflects the greatest amount of light through its facets, thus giving it the most brilliance.

THE “CUT” GLOSSARY

• Brilliance: the amount of light it reflects due to the cut of the stone.
• Fire: the flash of colour that comes from white light entering the stone and refracting into a rainbow.
• Scintillation: the lightness and darkness of adjacent facets contrasting with each other.

THE “CUT” GRADING SCALE

The cut of a diamond is assigned one of four grades, arranged in descending order of price: Ideal> very good> good> fair.
Diamond cut grades are based on the combination of brilliance, fire and scintillation displayed by it.

USING THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE YOUR PURCHASE

First, select the diamond cut grade based on your budget. While an ideal cut diamond is indeed the ideal choice, even a fair cut diamond, if well crafted, could appear appealing. Next, when choosing your diamond, look out for the following: a brilliant reflection when viewed from the top; a flash of colour as it catches the light; a black and white shadow-play as you move it around. You’ve done it! The cut of the diamond has now been factored into your decision.

COLOUR

Diamonds, by nature, carry a slight yellow tinge, the extent of which differs from stone to stone. Though very rarely found, truly colourless diamonds are highest in value.

THE “COLOUR” GRADING SCALE

The diamond colour scale, graded alphabetically from D-Z, indicates the level of yellowness in the stone. D,E,F diamonds are colourless and extremely precious (and expensive!) G-J and K-M are the moderately tinted and quite popular, whereas N-Z are the increasingly yellow stones.