Flawless diamond7/18/2023 Even a country like Russia, with a completely different alphabet, uses the same abbreviations. Very may translate to tres in French, for instance, but in France a very slightly included diamond is still a VS. Their use is now widespread regardless of how the words they stand for translate into various languages. The abbreviations eventually gained acceptance throughout the international diamond community. These terms were shortened to the initials VVS, VS, SI, and I. (GIA uses included in its clarity grading system.) In recent years, the term imperfect has been replaced with included. But this is rare, and usually applies only to Included (“I”) diamonds.ĭiamond professionals use a set of terms that originally included very very slightly imperfect, very slightly imperfect, slightly imperfect, and imperfect. Occasionally, if an inclusion has the potential to cause damage to a stone, it can affect the grade. They can also provide scientists with valuable information about how diamonds form.Ī clarity characteristic's effect on a diamond's clarity grade is determined by five factors: size, number, position, nature, and color or relief. (This is easier with included diamonds than with flawless ones.) And because no two diamonds have exactly the same inclusions, they can help identify individual stones. For one thing, they help gemologists separate diamond from imitations. Depending on where they’re located, they might remain after the stone has been cut and polished, and they can affect a diamond’s appearance.Ĭlarity characteristics might have a negative influence on a diamond’s value, but they can have positive effects as well. Sometimes, tiny diamond or other mineral crystals are trapped inside a diamond when it forms. Inclusions are generally on the inside, and some might break the surface of the stone. Clarity is the relative absence of inclusions and blemishes.Īmong other things, blemishes include scratches and nicks on a diamond’s surface. Together, they’re called clarity characteristics. Diamonds have internal features, called inclusions, and surface irregularities, called blemishes. This is as true of diamonds as anything else. Clarityįew things in nature are absolutely perfect. If the fluorescence is too strong it can make the stone look cloudy or “oily,” which can lower the value of the diamond. Blue and yellow are color opposites and tend to cancel each other out, so blue fluorescence masks the yellow color. Strong blue fluorescence can make a light yellow diamond look closer to colorless in sunlight. In rare instances, fluorescence can be white, yellow, orange, or many other colors. Under the right conditions, you can see fluorescence in about 35 percent of gem diamonds.īlue is the most common fluorescent color in gem-quality diamonds. Although invisible to the human eye, UV radiation is everywhere. Many diamonds emit a visible light called fluorescence when they’re exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Each letter represents a range of color based on a diamond’s tone and saturation. The GIA D-to-Z scale is the industry standard for color-grading diamonds. Even the slightest hint of color can make a dramatic difference in value. Two diamonds of the same clarity, weight, and cut can differ in value based on color alone. Subtle differences in color can dramatically affect diamond value. Three of them-color, clarity, and carat weight-were the basis for the first diamond grading system established in India over 2,000 years ago. Today, the descriptions of each of the 4Cs are more precise than those applied to almost any other consumer product. The terms that people use to discuss the 4Cs have become part of an international language that jewelry professionals can use to describe and evaluate individual diamonds. The 4Cs describe the individual qualities of a diamond, and the value of an individual diamond is based on these qualities. The same relationship between rarity and value exists for clarity, cut, and carat weight. Value and rarity are related: In this case a colorless diamond is more rare and more valuable than one with a slight yellow color. So a colorless diamond rates higher on the color grading scale than a diamond that is light yellow. Colorless diamonds are scarce-most diamonds have tints of yellow or brown. The value of a finished diamond is based on this combination.Ī diamond’s value is often affected by the rarity of one or more of the 4Cs. When used together, they describe the quality of a finished diamond. Comprehensive CAD/CAM For Jewelry Certificateĭiamonds can be fashioned into a variety of shapes and still be beautiful.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |