Contents:
Color:
The presence of color in the diamond, typically yellow or brown. Color in diamond is graded on a scale from D which is colorless to Z which will have a noticeable amount of color. Anything past Z on the color scale is termed as a fancy color. Each grade represents an acceptable range of color which is determined by using known diamond samples, and is graded face down on a white background.
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Clarity:
The presence of inclusions and blemishes in a diamond. Diamonds formed millions of years ago, deep within the earth under tremendous heat and pressure, and because of this they can have unique patterns of inclusions like fingerprints. A trained gemologist grades how easily the inclusions can be seen under 10x magnification and assigns a clarity grade ranging from Flawless to Imperfect.
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Carat Weight:
The term carat refers to the physical weight of a gemstone. Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed with an extremely accurate scale to the thousandths of a carat, and rounded to the hundredth of a carat. For example a diamond could weigh 2.02 carats. Because there are big price differences when you reach certain carat sizes, an accurate measurement is critical.
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Cut:
The cut of diamond is so much more than just the shape. The precision to which a diamond is cut will affect the beauty of the diamond more than the other four C’s. At Joe Escobar Diamonds we specialize in extremely high quality cut grades. Not only do we utilize cutting edge technology to evaluate the quality of cut, we are also passionate in the belief that diamonds need to be seen under many different types of lighting to properly evaluate them. G.I.A. provides cut grading on all round diamonds that have been certified. The grading is as follows:
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Fair
- Poor
Back to top Certificate
Many people consider the certificate on a diamond the fifth "C", and Joe Escobar Diamonds believes this is a critical component of the diamond purchase. A certificate is a non-biased opinion on the grade of a diamond. Not all certificates are as respected as others, and we see up to a 40% variance in the price of a diamond depending on which company is providing the certificate, due to the inconsistencies of grading at various labs. At Joe Escobar Diamonds we primarily use certificates issued by the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.). Due to G.I.A.’s recognition in the trade their diamond certificates are the global standard of quality.
The most common question that we receive about certificates, is what all of the information on a G.I.A. report actually means and how to prioritize it. While the report itself is very comprehensive, there are limitations. The report will describe in detail the attributes of the diamond, but you will not be able to glean the beauty of the diamond by the report, especially with fancy shaped diamonds (all shapes other that round). Below are all of the main components of a G.I.A. certificate, as well as a glossary of terms of the aspects of a diamond.
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Glossary of Terms
Shape and Cutting style:
The outline shape of the diamond (i.e. round, square, oval, etc) and the style it is cut in (i.e. brilliant, cabochon, etc).
Measurements
The minimum and maximum diameter and the depth measurements in millimeters. The measurements are rounded to a hundredth of a millimeter.
Carat Weight:
The exact weight of the diamond in carats. A carat is a very light unit of measurements equivalent to approximately 1/5 of a gram. This measurement is rounded to the hundredth of a carat.
Color Grade:
The presence of body color in a diamond (i.e. yellow, brown, or grey). Color in diamond is graded on an alphabetical scale from D (colorless) to Z.
Clarity Grade:
The presence of inclusions in a diamond. Graded from Internally Flawless to Imperfect 3, the clarity grade is based on how easily inclusions are seen face up, using 10x magnification.
Cut Grade:
Cut in diamond should not be confused with shape. The cut grade in diamond is the precision of the angles, and the proportions of the diamond. This will determine how well the diamond will reflect light.
Girdle:
The girdle is the section on the edge that separates the crown and pavilion of the diamond. The girdle is noted at the thickest and thinnest sections.
Crown:
The top section of a diamond, from the girdle to the table.
Pavilion:
The bottom section of a diamond from the girdle to the culet.
Table:
The large facet in the center of the diamond. Measured and noted as a percentage of the total diameter of the diamond.
Culet:
The point at the bottom of the diamond.
Crown Angle:
The angle of the crown from the girdle to the table. Measured to the tenth of a degree.
Pavilion Angle:
The angle of the pavilion from the girdle to the culet. Measured to the tenth of a degree.
Crown Height:
The measurement of the crown from girdle to table and noted as a percentage of the total depth to the tenth of a percent.
Pavilion Depth:
The measurement of the pavilion from girdle to culet and noted as a percentage of the total depth to the tenth of a percent.
Total Depth:
The measurement of the depth of a diamond from table to culet, and noted as a percentage of the diameter of the diamond.
Star Facet Length:
The length of the star facet and noted as a percentage of the distance from the edge of the table to the edge of the diamond.
Lower Girdle Facet:
The length of the lower girdle facet and noted as a percentage of the distance from the edge of the girdle to the point of the culet.
Polish:
A measurement of how well the surface of the diamond has been polished. Graded from Excellent to Poor.
Symmetry:
A measurement of how well the facets are aligned in relation to each other. Graded from Excellent to Poor.
Fluorescence:
Some diamonds will glow under ultra-violet light. The intensity of the fluorescence is noted from None to Strong, and the color of the fluorescence is also noted (i.e. blue, yellow, green).
Plot (Reference Diagram):
The plot, or reference diagram on the certificate is a map of where the inclusions are in that diamond.
Back to top There are many aspects of diamonds, and the information can be overwhelming. That is why we have six gemologists on staff to assist you in your diamond purchase. Please contact us with any questions that you have, and one of our diamond experts will gladly help.
info@escobardiamonds.com (408) 341-0300