The Diamond Blog

- The two major types of triangular diamonds, trilliants and trillions, are in the same shape family but have some very distinct differences. The Trilliant cut is a very marked triangle, its sharp points most often used as “side” stones with another shaped stone. Square or Emerald cuts are among the most popular choices to pair with the Trilliants. Although the Trilliant cut is rarely use as a solitaire stone, when it is it makes a very dramatic statement.

As with the Princess cut, the vulnerable corners of the Trilliant must be protected by a V shaped setting. The cut is considered a variation of the Radiant cut and employs the mixing of step cuts on the crown, and a brilliant cut on the pavilion facet.

The Trillion cut stones, while also triangular in shape, have a softer and more rounded edge to them. The crown and pavilion are both brilliant cut. These stones tend to be deeper in the pavilion to bring out more of the fire and the color enhancements while keeping a maximum amount of brilliance. With both Trilliant and Trillion cuts, an ideal proportion is a 1:1 ratio between the large table and the depth of the pavilion.

One of the most noted examples of a Trillion cut is the spectacular Moussaieff Red Diamond. At 5.11 carats, it is the largest stone ever rated as a Fancy Red by the Gemological Institute of America. A rough of nearly 11 carats, it was found by a Brazilian farmer in the mid-1990’s and cut by the William Goldberg Diamond Group. Its original name was the Red Shield. Moussaieff Jewelers Ltd is the diamond’s current owner.

- Ever since the modern brilliant cuts were introduced over 60 years ago, the Princess cut has been considered one of the most important. Evolving from a previous cut known as the Barion cut, the Princess is a style for cutting square and rectangular stones to gain the maximum fire and brilliance by adding extra and improved faceting. The popularity of this shape is on the rise as some of the original patents have expired and Princess cuts are becoming more available.
The cut combines two methods: a step cut crown, and a brilliant cut pavilion. This is known technically as a square modified brilliant cut, or mixed cut. They both are square cuts with very precise sharp points. Much care must be taken in mounting a Princess. The cut lends itself well to inlaid settings that protect the fragile points of the stones. An example is the eternity rings, with the stones set side by side, with no gaps between them. Solitaire mountings are also a favorite. A special V prong setting is required for stability, and to make sure the delicate points are not injured. A Princess cut is ideal for deep stones, for it allows maximum weight retention, and results in a lower cost per carat loss from the original diamond.

A very similar cut was developed in 1961 by A. Nagy, and was given the name profile cut. The profile cut had V shaped grooves cut into the back of a flat stone with the top highly polished. Some diamond “experts” still mistakenly label a diamond a Princess not realizing that it is actually a profile cut.

- The Emerald Cut diamond is as masculine as the Pear is feminine. It is either rectangular or square, lending itself well to men’s jewelry such as rings or watchbands. It was very popular in the Art Deco Period, as antique jewelry of the time featured step cut stones prominently. For those who like clean lines and a large amount of flash, this cut is for you.

This shape often has the corners flattened or truncated because sharp corners become points of weakness where a diamond may fracture or cleave. The most common facet cutting is parallel to the girdle in steps, an application called a step or trap cut. This method was most commonly used to shape and polish emerald gemstones, thus it became known as the Emerald cut.

As opposed to a brilliant cut stone, a step cut does not have a culet, but a keel running the length of the pavilion termination. An Emerald cut stone is not as fiery or bright as a brilliant, due to a shallower crown and pavilion. The cut is designed to show off a diamonds clarity, luster, and whiteness. Choose the higher grades of color and clarity when looking to own an Emerald cut diamond.

The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was in 1924 at the Crater of Diamonds National park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, by W.O. Bassum. The original diamond weighed 40.23 carats and was cut twice, the result being a 12.42 carat Emerald cut diamond nicknamed “Uncle Sam”. When the Uncle Sam was sold in 1971, the price was $150,000.

- What could be more romantic than a diamond cut in the shape of a heart? They make ideal gifts for Valentine’s day, Sweetheart’s day, as well as a perfect choice for a “promise” ring. They bear some similarity to a Pear shaped cut. The heart cut has a cleft in the wide end, and a softly tapered point at the narrow end. It is thought that the shape first became popular with diamond cutters who used it as a means of removing an inclusion from an otherwise fine stone. The stone is usually mounted with the point toward the wrist allowing the owner to admire the shape. The heart is one of the two most popular asymmetrical cuts. It is the appeal of its shape that is the most important factor in its popularity.
The heart shape is one of the best cuts for showing off the color of the diamond as it tends to enhance paler colors making them appear deeper. When you chose a heart shape diamond, it is important to choose one cut by a skilled diamond worker. It should please the eye, have well rounded lobes, a highly polished cleft, and a great deal of depth to the stone.

One prime example of a Heart Cut is the “Heart of Eternity”. Cut by the Steinmetz group, this Fancy Vivid Blue rated diamond is 27.64 carats and it was found in the Premier Diamond Mine of South Africa, the only mine on the planet with any sort of appreciable production of blue diamonds. The Heart of Eternity has an estimated value of at least 16 million US Dollars.

- A pear shaped diamond conjures up images of engagements, love, and possibly even fruit, but do we really know what a pear shaped diamond is? Technically it is a slang term, meaning tapered at the top and round on the bottom, obviously deriving its name from its resemblance to a pear. The diamond has a very unique shape that also resembles a teardrop, making the jewelry possibilities endless.

The pear shaped diamond, also called a pendeloque, is actually a combination of the Round Brilliant cut and a Marquise cut. The reason it is usually cut into this shape is to retain its maximum weight. The pear shaped diamond, even two at the same weight, can vary slightly in shape making it a very unique jewel.

Diamond cutting has been around since the middle ages, before diamonds were actually used for jewelry. At first it started as simple polishing, to remove uneven or blemished facets of the diamond. Around 1476 Louis van Berquem became the first known person to cut a diamond into a pendeloque shape. Throughout the years many other shapes emerged but the pear shaped diamond has remained popular especially for pendants and earrings.

The world’s largest pear shaped diamond is the Cullinan I, also known as the Star of Africa. It weighs in at a hefty 530.2 carats, and is the largest cut diamond made from rough stone. It is currently now in the head of the royal scepter in the British crown jewels. The pear shaped diamond is considered exquisite and elegant, and has been described by many to be the “Teardrop of the Gods”.

- Are you looking for an eye catching diamond? Consider the marquise diamond. The marquise’s unique shape makes any piece of marquise diamond jewelry look extravagant.

Marquise diamonds are classifieds as “fancy cut” diamonds. They are cut in a very similar fashion to the round brilliant diamonds. They have the same amount of facets as the round brilliant cut diamonds which gives them a similar presentation. Marquise diamonds are sometimes called navette which is French for “little boat.” This is because the shape of the diamond resembles a boat’s hull. Marquise diamonds are similar to oval diamonds, however, they are stretched out a little more and they have pointed ends.

There are a few things that you will want to look out for if you are buying a marquise diamond. First, marquise diamonds, like oval diamonds, can suffer from a bow-tie effect. This manifests itself as two dark spots in the center of the diamond which resemble a bow tie. You will want to take a careful look at your diamond and avoid this if possible. Marquise diamonds also need to be well proportioned if they are to contain the sparkle that a round brilliant diamond does. A poorly proportioned diamond will often look a lot duller than its counterparts.

One very famous marquise diamond is the Cullinan VII. It is a piece of the famous Cullinan diamond which was found in 1905. The Cullinan diamond was 3,106 carats and was later split into smaller sections. One of these sections, the Cullinan VII, is a marquise cut diamond. The marquise diamond is 8.80 carats and was attached to a pendant. Queen Elizabeth II inherited this piece from Queen Mary although she never wears it. She says that it “gets in the soup.”

Marquise diamonds are unique in their long vertical presentation. They often make a very stunning ring which is certain to draw attention.

- If you like the general style of a round brilliant cut diamond, but want something a little less traditional, you might want to consider an oval cut diamond. Oval cut diamonds are similar to round diamonds in that they are both cut in the “brilliant” style. Oval cut diamonds can look as good as round brilliant cut diamonds, but they need to be well proportioned in order to look great.

Oval diamonds have a unique characteristic that you need to watch for if you are looking to make a purchase. Oval diamonds often have what is called a “bow-tie” effect. This refers to a dark spot in the middle of the diamond. Generally a diamond will have two of these spots which together looks like a bow tie. Diamond cutters will try to eliminate this as much as possible, but it is often impossible to completely erase. When you purchase an oval diamond, try to find one that minimizes this effect as much as possible.

There are several reasons that people chose oval shaped diamonds over round ones. First, oval shaped diamonds often look better in a three stone diamond setting than a round diamond. Second, some people prefer the oval shape because they feel it is more extravagant. Women with long fingers often look elegant when wearing an oval diamond. Finally, oval shaped diamonds are typically less expensive than a round brilliant cut.

The right oval cut diamond can make an excellent addition to your jewelry collection.

- The round brilliant cut is one of the most frequently used cuts in diamonds. Round brilliant cut diamonds are considered the classic traditional cut. Many people who purchase diamonds as an investment item will invest in round brilliant cut diamonds.

Diamonds are divided into two halves. The top half is called the crown. It rests above the girdle, which is the center of the diamond. Below the girdle is the pavilion. The first brilliant cut diamonds appeared in the 17th century. They were called Mazarins and they contained 17 facets. Facets refer to a flat portion cut into the diamond. These original brilliant cut diamonds were called double-cut brilliants.

A Venetian man, Vincent Peruzzi, increased the number of facets to 33. These diamonds were called triple-cut brilliants.

The development of the diamond saw in the 1900’s led to the ability to create many more facets than before. Later, mathematical models were derived to determine the very best way to use a brilliant cut on round diamonds.

Today round brilliant cut diamonds have 58 facets. There are 33 facets in the crown and 25 in the pavilion. Modern brilliant diamonds also contain facets on the girdle, sometimes as many as 96. There are many variations of the round brilliant cut including the European cut,the English round cut, and the Victorian cut.

Round brilliant cut diamonds usually are the most expensive per carat weight. They make up a majority of the diamond sales today.

You might associate mining with certain health risks. However, you might be surprised to know that one of the biggest health issues tackled by the De Beers Group is HIV and AIDS.The majority of De Beers employees work in Africa which is an area that is very heavily affected by AIDS. De Beers recognizes that helping to fight the spread of AIDS helps their employees on a personal level but it also makes sense from a business standpoint.

De Beers divides their HIV/AIDS program into the three parts: saving lives, living with HIV/AIDS and minimizing the economic impact of HIV and AIDS. De Beers offers to its employees education on safer sexual practices and explains exactly what HIV and AIDS is and how it can be prevented. They set up testing and counseling sites at all of their mines. The employees aren’t forced to be tested, but encouraged through a “Know Your Status” program.

De Beers not only provides education to their employees but offers services to employees that do test HIV+ or have AIDS. They offer both the employee and their spouse or life partner medical treatment. They work to minimize the impact the HIV/AIDS has on the employee’s life. They also have strict policies regarding non-discrimination and confidentiality.

De Beers also works hard to control the spread of tuberculosis which can be fatal in someone with HIV or AIDS.

The programs run by De Beers will help to ensure that HIV/AIDS does not have weaken the economic status of the region. More importantly, it will also help its many employees live better quality lives.

When you think of diamond mines, you are likely to think of South Africa. But there has been a recent surge of diamond mines outside of Africa in places such as Canada and Australia.

Canada’s Ekati diamond mine is located not far from the Artic circle. You can only get to it by air. It is located in an area known for its extremely harsh climate.

Ekati has five open pit mines that are relatively small in size as well as three underground mines. Ekati has its own airstrip, processing facility, electrical system, waste treatment plant and housing which can host a thousand people. It also has recreational centers available for its employees and the living environment has been compared to that of a larger hotel. Most of the employees work full time and they fly in and out of the Ekati area in shifts. The mine also employs many aboriginal workers.

The Ekati mine has won many awards for its work to preserve the environment around the mine. It also is known for its outstanding safety record.

The mine officially opened in 1998 and since that time has produced over 26 million carats of diamonds. It currently produces over 4 million carats of diamonds a year and is expected to continue operations for the next twenty-five years.