The Diamond Blog

A recent renewal of interest in conflict diamonds has come about due to the latest Leonardo DiCaprio blockbuster “Blood Diamond.” Although almost all diamonds today are conflict-free, many consumers do not know the steps that the diamond industry has taken to insure that this is true. This is good news for makers of synthetic diamonds, who have used the increase in conflict-diamond awareness to promote their special brand of diamonds.

One such company is Gemesis. The Florida-based company can produce diamonds which are virtually identical to natural made diamonds, except they can do in about four days. These diamonds are really no different than the ones found in diamond mines around the world, except for the price. These synthetically created diamonds sell for about 75% less than naturally occurring diamonds.The synthetic diamonds are created from a piece of a naturally made diamond, to which carbon and nitrogen are then added. High temperature and heat are added, which causes the diamond to grow. The Gemological Institute of America agrees with Gemesis’ assessment that these diamonds are the same physically, chemically and in appearance. They state that in order to tell the difference between a Gemesis diamond and a naturally made diamond, you would need to be an expertly trained gemologist and would need to use powerful microscopes.

These synthetic diamonds can be cut and mounted in jewelry pieces just like their grown-in-ground relatives. They only come in two colors, orange and yellow, due to the addition of nitrogen. At this point, there is no way to take the nitrogen out and maintain a stable process.

These diamonds make an excellent choice for someone who wants a stunning diamond but is looking to save some money. You will notice no decrease in quality, but a significant decrease in price.

Diamond Fluorescence is a hotly debated topic among the diamond industry, because some feel strongly that it has an impact on a value of the diamond, whereas others feel that it makes very little difference on the appearance of the diamond. What diamond fluorescence refers to is the ability of the diamond to emit a soft colored glow when put under an ultraviolet light, or black light as it may be called.

It is found that if a stone has a grade from J to M a moderate amount of fluorescence actually makes the stone more attractive to people because with these color grades the fluorescence helps to cancel out some of the yellow coloring. This makes it appear more colorless then it actually is. However if you have a stone with a grade from D to F, which means it has a high color, fluorescence is thought to get in the way of the flow of the light. The makes the diamonds appear oily or dirty looking. This may not actually be true, but it is perceived to be true by some of the diamond industry, hence the lower price of the diamond. In some cases D to F stones should not be bought anyhow with any fluorescence just because of the possible discoloration but again, that is still up for debate.

In general, the average fluorescence makes absolutely no difference when the diamond is looked at flat side up. You should not let the amount of fluorescence influence your choice of diamonds.

To polish a diamond is exactly as it sounds. You take a rough stone that has been set and start the process of rubbing the stone to make it smooth and shiny, as well as reducing any appearance of flaws or imperfections. The polish effects the way the light is able to pass through the diamond, and influences the look of the diamonds brilliance.

Polish is graded the same way that symmetry is, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Poor or Fair. When a polish has a grade of Poor or Fair it means that the facets may reduce the intensity of the light that is reflected from a diamond, which means less brilliance or sparkle. They could also have polish lines that are blurring the surface of the diamond giving it a very dirty look. Every diamond cutter, even the most skilled, can run into variances in the grain that no amount of polishing will remove. It is simply a defect that cannot be removed. No amount of cleaning will ever take this look away because the lines are reducing the amount of light that enters the diamond.

It is found that most people want a diamond that has an Excellent or Very Good polish, because even at the Good level the diamond constantly looks like it needs cleaning. Since polishing is graded, it is best to get a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certificate in order to certify that you have the proper grading to ensure you have the best brilliance you can afford.

The finish on a diamond is more of an aesthetic term rather than a term that would change the value of a diamond. The finish just refers to the polish on the external part of the stone. Most diamonds that you will buy will already have a polished finish to them to give them the sparkle and clean look that you would want in a stone. Diamonds are essentially created for the commercial market, so you everything from mining, to cleaving, to setting it on your ring is done to make the stone more aesthetically beautiful. This is what polishing achieves, when it is well cut and polished, it is said to have a beautiful finish.

Many people think that the finish of a diamond refers to the coating of a diamond. Coating is a treatment done to change the color of a diamond. A finish is a treatment to smooth down the diamond and make it look better to the naked eye, but will not actually change the appearance of the stone. It can be done with a rough surface in certain ways to achieve the look that the customer would enjoy. It is simply just a thorough polishing or cleaning. A normal diamond can have a smooth or granular finish. Neither is better than the other, it is just up to your personal preference. Most diamonds, however, are done in a smooth finish to make it more reflective. Frequent cleanings can help maintain the appearance of the diamond finish.

Diamond symmetry is an important part of the diamond finish, but not necessarily more important than the overall beauty of the diamond itself. The symmetry of the diamond refers to the exactitude of the shape and how the facets are arranged, including misshapen and extra facets. Symmetry is essential to higher clarity graded diamonds, as it increases the rarity and value.

The labs grade symmetry in four separate grades, Excellent, Very Good, Good, and lastly Fair or Poor. The basis of this grading includes examination by microscope to ensure all facets meet perfectly. There are just a few diamonds that actually get the grade Excellent or Very Good, which are flawless diamonds that really just don’t exist except in a few rare instances. Diamonds that receive the grade of Good are often considered to be the most purchased diamonds and offer exceptional beauty. Diamonds with Fair to Poor symmetry should be avoided due to the lackluster brilliance, and lack of value.

Polishing the rough stone has a great deal to do with symmetry of the diamond. The goal is to cut the heaviest, most valuable diamond possible and this often means polishing a diamond with imperfect symmetry. The polished diamond is often slightly off round, have tilting of the table, or off centering of the culet. The polishing avoids inclusions and helps to achieve the perfect weight, such as 1.00 carat exactly. Contrary to popular belief, diamond cutters often use their skills to create imperfect symmetry, rather than it occurring because they do not contain the skills.

The table of a diamond is the upper flat facet of the stone. The size of the table establishes the look of the stone, meaning how great the brilliance is, which is very important to the value of the stone. The greater the table the less fire it has, which is the variety and intensity of the color that is reflected. This is also what makes it more rare and valuable.

Table proportions range from 46.4% to 65.5%. They can go lower and higher but the value would be greatly reduced depending on the cut of the stone. The recommended table percentage is between 53% and 58% which is considered Ideal. You still will get an Excellent look if you stay between 58.1% and 60%. To find the percentage you take what the table measures (for example if it 5.7 mm) and what the total diameter measures (for example, 10.0 mm) and multiply to get the table percentage (57%.) If the height is significantly smaller than 58.5% then you might find the diamond too shallow. If it is larger than 61% you may find the stone too chunky, taking away from its beauty. Many respected table graders recommend the 60/60 rule. If you keep the depth and the table at about 60% for each, you will have a brilliant and beautiful diamond.

Just recently you are able to find more Ideal cut diamonds because of the demand for the more perfect diamond. They are lowering in price a bit, due to the level in which they are requested by consumers.

The depth of any diamond is extremely important in regards to its brilliance and value. The depth is defined as the height of the diamond from the culet to the table. You can usually find the two different measures of depth on your diamond grading report. The actual depth is done in millimeters and the depth percentage which shows you how deep the diamond is as compared to the width.

The depth percentage is important but only tells half the story. Where the depth lies within the diamond is equally important, specifically the depth of the pavilion. It should be deep enough to allow light in to move around the diamond, but still be reflecting out the light at the proper angle adding to the brilliance. Diamond cutters must take the stone and remove weight from the original rough diamond to get the right proportions in order to achieve the effect that labels a diamond Ideal or Very Fine cut. In this cut the diamond will exhibit a white table reflection that appears to be in the middle of the diamond.

Depth percentages should be between 59% and 63% to be considered an Ideal or Very Fine Cut. You can have a higher percentage of cut in other diamonds that may require it, but higher is not always better in certain cuts. For instance in Princess cut diamonds the depth percentage is usually between 75% and 78%. Lowering that particular cut to even 65% would essentially ruin the stone.

Another process which is used to transform yellowish diamonds into fanciful colored diamonds is the high temperature, high pressure technique (HPHT). Not only it is used for vibrant colors but it is now being used to change brownish diamonds into more valuable colorless diamonds.

HPHT is a very controversial topic among sellers because some feel that it is not a treatment, but a way to finish what nature started. It is virtually undetectable, making it relatively unknown on how many HPHT color enhanced diamonds are out there. Grading labs are trying to find ways in order to detect this process, especially if a stone is not labeled as a HPHT, as it is required to be.

The process includes using the high pressure and high temperature, similar to nature, causing imperfections in the crystal lattice to be repaired. This essentially changes the color, depending on the stone. It will either become more colorless, or can make a stone appear blue, yellow orange, yellow green, pink, or even brown diamonds.

The diamonds are gorgeous, and look almost perfect to the naked eye. Since it is a controversial topic they are sold frequently, but only you can decide if you want a HPHT diamond or a natural diamond. Any reputable dealer will be able to tell you if the HPHT technique was used. It is a permanent process making your diamond safe and durable, but they should cost less then natural diamonds. Make sure you see a certificate of authenticity before you purchase any diamond.

What you see may not be what you get, is the motto used with any color enhanced diamond that has undertaken the coating method. It is just another way to produce color enhanced diamonds without having to pay outrageous prices for an authentic fancy colored diamond, or rare natural colorless stones.

Coating a diamond is done nearly always to actually deceive the buyer into buying something they think is natural, when in fact it is a bad imitation at best. It is done to mask the yellowish tints in a natural diamond, and of course to raise the value.

In past years every attempt was made to find a way to coat a diamond without being detectable such as adding colored metal foils to the diamonds before they were set, or coating the diamond with nail polish. Today, modern technology has made it more possible to coat a diamond by applying super thin layers of a more durable coating solution. Although no one can say what material is being used, it is something that lasts longer than previous solutions. In fact, a coated diamond can go undetected for many years if it is not graded by a reputable lab, or professionally cleaned on a regular basis.

A lay person will probably not notice if their diamond has been coated, so it is important to look for the signs. If you don’t receive a certificate of authenticity, or if you see spots of color on the girdle or facets that don’t look the same as the top of the diamond you may have reason to be concerned.

A diamonds color or lack thereof, is a major component of the value of a diamond. Vivid, fancy color diamonds are very valuable and rare to find, making them all the more out of reach of the wallets of the everyday person. This is why the jewelry industry took technology and used it to create amazing, colorful diamonds that the public demands.

Irradiation is just one of the ways to turn a brown or yellow stone into fancy colored diamonds, such as brilliant greens, vibrant reds, glowing yellows, as well as purples, blues, and a list of other colors. The process of irradiation is simple due to new technology. They take a natural stone and infuse it with high electron particles in a laboratory. This process tries to mimic a diamonds creation in nature, but also use heat to give them the same brilliance they would find in a natural state. The electron or neutron would produce a narrow space, and when they are heated the nitrogen traps the narrow spaces to form a more complex color. The colored centers absorb certain colors reflecting back to us the unabsorbed colors creating the stunning effect. Red is by far the rarest, as the color is very difficult to achieve, such as in authentic colored diamonds. The colors are then treated to keep the 100% safe for us to wear.

Natural colored diamonds are only available at about a rate of 1 to 2 carats per every 1000 carats so chances are if you find one at your local jeweler it is a color enhanced diamond. The rare authentic colored diamonds are often museum showpieces, or held only by the rich and famous.