Diamond and Metal Chat

Diamond and Stone Guide

Choosing a diamond or gemstone doesn't need to be complicated. All stones are identified by shape or cut, carat, colour and clarity - also known as the four C's.
Here is a bit of a guideline which you may find helpful in making your choice.

 

Shape

Diamonds and gemstones can come in a variety of shapes, below are some of the more common or popular styles.

 

Cut

This refers to the angles and proportions of the stone which follows specific proportional guidelines based on the shape of the stone. Crikey that was a mouthful!

Based on physics and scientific formulars, a well cut stone will reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and will disperse and reflect it back through the top of the stone, thus giving brilliance, or sparkle.

Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose, or leak, light through the sides or bottom of the stone, resulting in less brilliance, and ultimately value.

Cut is relevant to shape - round, princess, pear or heart for example. Since a round diamond is symmetrical and capable of reflecting almost all the light that enters, it is the most brilliant, or sparkly, of all the diamond shapes.

 

Carat

Below is a guideline around carat weight and what that means in the way of stone size/dimensions. Measurements below are length by width in millimeters.

 

Colour

This chart below refers the degree to which a diamond is colourless. Diamonds range in colour and are graded in a colour scale. Colour differences are subtle and can be difficult to see between say, an E and an F.
Colour ultimately comes down to personal preference and budget.

 

Another thing to consider when choosing diamonds is lab-grown diamonds..

The differences between natural mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Lab-grown diamonds are exactly the same as mined diamonds right down to the atom. However, lab-grown diamonds are much better for the environment and are 100% ethical.

Natural mined diamonds have tiny amounts of nitrogen present, while lab-grown diamonds have no nitrogen. This is one of the signifiers gemologists use to identify if a diamond is lab-grown or natural.

Price point wise, lab-grown diamonds are significantly more affordable. Meaning you are able to choose a higher quality diamond at a much more affordable price.

Food for thought!

 

Gemstones and colour grading is specific to the type of stone. As a general rule of thumb, the deeper the colour, the more valuable the stone. 

And last but not least - Clarity

This refers to the presence of inclusions in a stone. Inclusions are a natural characteristic such as minerals or fractures. These may look like tiny crystals, cloudiness, lines or black/discoloured specs. Consider that the size and cut of a stone will effect how likely you are to see blemishes with the naked eye.

The greater the clarity, the better the colour and therefore the more valuable/expensive.

The scale used to identify clarity grades ranges from FL (flawless) to I-3 (inclusions level 3).

FL – Flawless: no inclusions and no blemishes.
IF – Internally Flawless: no inclusions.
VVS–1 & VVS–2 – Very, very slight inclusions level 1 and 2: inclusions so slight they are even hard for an expert to see.
VS-1 & VS-2 – Very slight inclusions level 1 and 2: inclusions that are observed with effort.
SI-1 & SI-2 – Slight inclusions level 1 and 2: inclusions that are more noticeable.
I-1 & I-2 & I-3 – Inclusions level 1, 2, and 3: inclusions are obvious even without magnification. Brilliance and transparency may be affected.

Metals

Metals are valued based on their purity. To create metals in varying colours and properties, other metals are added - like copper, pure silver and zinc. Each metal has a specific gravity or density, which is one of its important properties.

For example, a ring that weighs 10 grams in sterling silver will weigh 11 grams in 9ct gold, 15 grams in 18ct gold or 29 grams in platinum.

Image below compares metals

Bottom to top

Sterling Silver (925)
9ct Yellow Gold (375)
9ct White Gold (375)
9ct Rose Gold (375)
18ct White Gold (750)
18ct Yellow Gold (750)
Platinum (950)