Diamond Education
The 4C's and beyond
At Mon Ami Jewelry, we believe in empowering our clients with knowledge to find the perfect stone.
Shape
One of the first steps you will take in finding a diamond!
Each diamond shape has its own attributes and cut specifications, which contribute to the overall look of the stone.
Cut
The "cut" is one of the most important components to a diamond’s overall beauty and value.
The cut of a diamond refers to the exact proportions, quality of polish and arrangement of a diamond’s facets. When light enters a diamond, it hits critical angles from facet to facet, and exits in a rainbow of colors, creating sparkle and brilliance.
As illustrated below, when a diamond is cut to ideal proportions, light will reflect from one facet to another and disperse through the top of the stone. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose light, resulting in less brilliance, making the stone typically look dark or dull.
Color
A diamond color grade refers to the "lack of color" there is in the stone. Diamonds are graded on a scale beginning with D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Many of these color distinctions are incredibly subtle and are invisible to the naked eye; however, these distinctions make a difference in diamond quality and price.
Clarity
A diamond clarity grade is determined by the number, size and location of the imperfections within the stone. Imperfections can be either internal characteristics called 'inclusions' or external characteristics called 'blemishes.' Since all diamonds and their imperfections are different, it is up to the purchaser to determine which imperfection they feel comfortable with. It is most important to purchase an “eye clean” stone, which means that to the naked eye the imperfection is not severe, meaning the light passing through is not affected. Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained diamond grader. To the naked eye, a VS1 and an SI2 diamond may look exactly the same, but these diamonds are quite different in terms of overall quality and price.
Carat Weight
The carat is the standard unit of measurement used when measuring the weight of diamonds and gemstones. Carat weight is measured to three decimal points and is rounded to the nearest hundredth. The rarity of larger, high-quality diamonds has resulted in significant price escalations between sizes. For instance, a one-carat diamond can command four to six times more than a half-carat diamond.
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