The Diamond Blog

Clarity is considered one of the most important of the 4 C’s when looking for a diamond. Clarity is often enhanced, which is something you may not know even after you have purchased the diamond of your dreams.

There is a technique called fracture filling that has recently become popular, even though it originally was started in 1982 by Mr. Zvi Yehuda of Israel. It is a process that melts a crystal like substance into the cracks and fractures of a diamond that is unlikely to be of any value. It can also be filled with a type of molten glass made special by Yehuda, but no one can tell for sure, as the techniques are relatively unknown. We do know that it uses varying degrees of heat, and slowly fills in every crack on the surface possibly using a vacuum method to keep the stone from breaking completely from the heat. The stone is then cooled down and polished to remove any excess filling.

To an untrained eye, it is completely unnoticeable and often is only found under a microscope. There are some subtle ways in which you can tell if you have a clarity enhanced diamond, such as the flash effect, cloudy surfaces, gas bubbles in the diamond, as well as a cracked texture.

To make sure that your diamond is not fracture filled, you should ask for a written statement from your jeweler regarding any clarity enhancement techniques it may have used and any lab certificates it has.

Buying a diamond is not as easy as it used to be. Besides the basic 4 C’s to look for, now you have to make sure of the pedigree of the diamond you are buying. New issues are emerging that question the true value of the diamond.

This is the case with the clarity enhanced diamonds. Normally when a diamond has a visible imperfection, it would not be worth as much, if anything, to the buyer. Now, jewelers can use what is known as laser drilling, a technique that is used to drill out microscopic holes in the diamond to remove any imperfections and improve the clarity and grade of the diamond you are buying.

The dealers are drilling deep into the diamond to burn out any of the large black inclusions that may naturally form in a diamond. It evaporates the black imperfections making the stone more fragile to break. The process of laser drilling does leave small drill holes, but can be unnoticeable unless under a microscope.

Approximately 1 in 3 diamonds are laser drilled to add more value. In the 1990’s the Federal Trade Commission rewrote the jewelry laws stating that the jewelry industry no longer needed to disclose the fact that it was a clarity enhanced diamond. You can certainly ask your jeweler if it was laser drilled, but it is best to ask for a certificate from a gemological lab which most jewelers will have available to you if it is indeed a authentic diamond.

The American Gem Society was established in 1934. The founders were a group of independent jewelers and Robert M. Shipley who had founded the School of Gemology at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Its purpose was to establish an association that would set and adhere to the highest possible standards with unquestioned integrity. The membership has always been very restrictive. This includes requiring a high level of gemological knowledge as well as completion of a course of study from the GIA, or the Gemological Association of Great Brain by firm owners or employees.

The AGS holds to a very strict Code of Ethics. Some of the prohibited business practices include misleading advertising, setting artificially high regular prices to offer fictitious sale prices, and bait and switch techniques. Any violation of the Code leads to quick expulsion from the Society.

Although not technically a grading institute, the American Gem Society does do diamond appraisals through the Independent Certified Gemologist Appraiser Firm of the American Gem Society (ICGA). Certified Gemologist Appraisers of the ICGA have the education and experience to provide valuation reports of all jewelry items including diamonds. The ICGA maintains a massive gemological library and a laboratory to assist the appraisers in making accurate identification and valuation reports on the stones. The process of valuation appraisal differs from normal Certificate diamond grading in that it is more geared to the individual needs of the diamond owner rather than concentrating on the carat weight, color, clarity and cut information.

The International Gemological Institute (IGI) is another of the world wide institutes dedicated to both the grading of diamonds and the continuing education of jewelers. It was founded in Antwerp in 1975, and grew from an original staff of three to over 450 professionals spread over a world wide laboratory network that includes New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Dubai, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Tel Aviv.

They claim to issue certificates on over 1 million diamonds yearly. Their customers include jewelers, retail stores, insurance companies, internet sales organizations, catalogue companies, as well as individual consumers.

The main service of the IGI is the issue of their Diamond Report which is a statement that attests to the authenticity of a diamond and gives an accurate report based on internationally recognized standards. Each diamond is scientifically analyzed by several gemologists, who use the most modern equipment available, as well as their own judgment and experience to produce the report. The report itself provides detailed information, but presented in language that makes it clear and understandable. Like the other major grading institutes they use the 4C method of grading. The 4Cs are carat weight, color, and cut. The diamonds are returned sealed in plastic containers, if this service is requested, to insure the report and the actual diamond match.

The IGI also provides educational services to people the world over who come to Antwerp to improve their knowledge of diamonds and colored stones. For those unable to travel to Antwerp, there is a Home Study Correspondence course to teach the essentials of diamond grading to jewelers.

Mr. Guy Margel founded the European Gemological Laboratory in Antwerp in 1973. Mr. Margel received his gemological training in the United States in the late 1960’s. He returned two years after the opening in Antwerp to open an American branch in New York, followed by another in Los Angeles in 1978. Currently the EGL is virtually world wide with laboratories in South Africa, Paris, London, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Istanbul, and India.

The stated mission of the EGL is to take the guesswork out of diamond buying by the use of diamond grading consultations and certificates that adhere to internationally accepted standards. The EGL is not in the business of selling diamonds, and are independent of any sales organizations. They deal with professional diamond wholesalers, retailers, manufactures, and diamond craftsmen. They also provide educational training through the EGL College of Gemology.

The EGL considers diamond grading to be more an art or at the very least an applied science rather than an exact science. They attempt to standardize grading criteria to maintain consistency from laboratory to laboratory worldwide. Although their reputation is good, and they are known for their consistency, there is a feeling in the diamond industry that their standards are a bit lower than their competitors overall. This makes them the institute of choice for holders of diamonds with lesser quality who hope to receive a higher rating on their certificate than might be received elsewhere.

The main function of the EGL is the grading of diamonds and the issuing of a World Wide Diamond Grading Certificate. The certificate records carat weight, color grade, clarity grade, and the measurements and physical properties of the diamonds. On request, the graded diamonds will be returned in a sealed capsule. The unbroken seal then assures the customer that the diamond inside matches the certificate.

The Gemological Institute of America is the largest and perhaps most respected of the nonprofit Institutes that specialize in diamond grading, research, and education. It was founded in 1931; it has over 1,100 employees consisting of scientists, diamond graders, and educators. They are the publishers of an award winning quarterly journal, Gems & Gemology.

GIA is the creator of the world famous 4C grading standard of diamond value. The 4Cs are color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. They also developed the trademarked International Diamond Grading System. There grading standards are recognized worldwide by almost every professional jeweler as well as educated diamond buyers. The GIA Diamond Grading Report and the GIA Diamond Dossier are recognized as the preeminent diamond credentials.

Because of their reputation for strict grading and their excellent reputation, the GIA is usually the Institute of choice for high quality diamonds, and samples of all sizes and shapes arrive from every corner of the globe for analysis and grading.

Some of the famous diamonds that have been graded by GIA include the Hope Diamond (45.52 carats), the De Beers Millennium Star (203.04 carats), and the Incomparable Diamond (407.48)

Education is another important function of the GIA, and the highly prestigious Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) diploma is recognized widely as the mark of a senior professional jeweler. Even the White House and the United States Congress have sought answers on diamond related matters from the GIA. There own advertising claims that the GIA is where the bibles of gemology are being written every day.

Where is the girdle on the diamond? The diamond girdle is fattest part of the diamond, located in the middle. Diamond girdles are rated according to their size. The smallest girdles are rated “extremely thin” and the largest girdles are considered “extremely thick.” Each has its own disadvantage. A girdle that is too thin is easily chipped. A thick girdle puts extra weight in the diamond, but it doesn’t make the diamond look larger. If you purchase a diamond that has a very thick girdle, you will pay for the extra weight but you won’t get a diamond that appears any larger.

When purchasing a diamond you want to find one that has an even medium girdle. However, if you get a pear shaped diamond, you will want a thick girdle at the tip of the diamond to help prevent damage to the diamond.

One thing to check when examining your diamond is if your girdle is faceted and polished. Sometimes a diamond cutter will skip this step in order to keep the diamond a larger weight or simply to save a step. However, a girdle that is polished and faceted will help reflect the internal light in the diamond better and make your diamond appear more attractive. A faceted diamond will not improve the grade of a diamond however. You also want to check for bearding or fringes, around the girdle. These are hair-like lines that occur around the girdle when the diamond was cut. If this is excessive, you will want to consider having the diamond polished or cut again.

Facets are flat surfaces on gemstones and diamonds. They are cut into the stone in order to improve the appearance. There are hundreds of ways that you can cut facets into a stone. The most common is the round brilliant cut which was created in 1919. There were originally 57 facets included in the round brilliant cut, but over time small improvements have been made, including one additional facet known as the culet. The culet is the facet at the bottom of the diamond, which typically comes to a point.

The purpose of a facet is to make the diamond shine by reflecting the light inside the diamond. Facets are cut throughout the diamond. In the brilliant cut diamond, there are 33 facets on the crown of the diamond. This is the upper half of the diamond. There are 25 facets in the pavilion of the diamond, which is the bottom half. Many diamonds are also faceted on the girdle, which is the middle of the diamond. The number of facets on the girdle vary greatly from 32 to 100 facets, and these facets are excluded from the facet total. Sometimes extra facets are included in the crown or the pavilion to help reduce imperfections in the diamond. However, a diamond’s cut should be symmetric and having extra facets might cause the diamond to be considered less valuable.

If a diamond is very small, it typically is cut with a lot fewer facets. If you cut a very small diamond with 58 facets, it would appear white or “milky.” This is because the point of a facet is to reflect the internal light and this can’t be accomplished with a small diamond. In the same manner, very large diamonds typically have extra facets cut into them to make the best use of the diamond’s size.

What is the cutlet part of the diamond? Simply put, it is the point at the bottom of the diamond. Diamond cutlets typically where hidden inside the diamond setting, but due the increase in popularity of open sided settings, the cutlet is often seen in a jewelry piece. Although it is often incorrectly referred to as the diamond “cutlet,” culet (pronounced kew-let) is the proper term. Typically a cutlet starts off flat while the other facets are being polished. This helps to prevent it from chipping. Typically this extra facet is “closed” into a point. Originally diamonds were not closed, instead they were left as with an extra facet on the bottom. However, there became a large demand for closed facet diamonds and this is now the standard. In fact, there are some people who believe that if you do not close a cutlet, then an evil spirit can enter into the diamond.

Having a small cutlet is preferable. The cutlet is parallel to the diamond’s table, which is the large flat surface on the top of the diamond. Large culets on a diamond are often very visible and you will be able to see it and whatever is beneath it through the table. A large cutlet often appears to be a large inclusion. This can really lessen the appearance of an otherwise beautiful diamond. Cutlets are rated according to size and you should be able to obtain this information when you purchase your diamond.

There has been a lot of attention paid to conflict diamonds in the recent past. While conflict diamonds have been a very big concern to the diamond industry, today 99% of the world’s diamonds are conflict free. The media tends to focus on the negative aspects of the diamond industry and it rarely brings to light some of the good that is occurring today because of diamonds.

The fact is that because conflict diamonds have been virtually eliminated, the opportunity for diamonds to do a lot of good has increased. First, diamonds allow many people around the world access to health care. The revenue from the sale of diamonds has been used to build hospitals, clinics and hospices in areas where these services simply did not exist before. Diamond companies are also proactive in assisting their employees with their health needs. The diamond industry has been a leader in providing access to HIV testing and treatment for their employees.

In Botswana, where diamonds were discovered in 1966, the increase in the number of public schools can be contributed directly to the revenue from the diamond industry. School buildings have been built and access to books and other educational materials has increased. The goal is to increase the literacy rate which will have an impact on the health of Botswana’s economy.

India has long suffered from poor economic conditions in many of its rural areas. In recent years, there has been a tremendous growth in the diamond industry. There are now over one million Indians employed in the diamond industry. Nine out of every 10 diamonds in the world are polished in India. Not only has this helped the individual workers, but it has been instrumental in increasing the gross domestic product of India.

Although there was a period of time where diamonds were used to fund conflict, today revenue from diamonds is increasing the quality of life for people around the world.