Diamonds have long captivated humanity with their timeless allure and mesmerizing beauty. But beyond their breathtaking sparkle lies a world of intricacies and attributes that contribute to their charm. In this blog post, we examine the diamonds, delving into their anatomy, the significance of their cut, and the factors that elevate them to true works of art.
What makes diamonds so special?
Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth. This makes them great for daily wear and represents the strength of love. They are also fairly rare but have a lot of buyers. Supply and demand. And because of criteria like the 4 C’s, many diamonds are not good enough to sell. The diamond didn’t become a symbol of love until the 20th century when De Beers, a British diamond mining company’s 1947 advertising campaign popularized diamond engagement rings and created the “A diamond is forever” phrase. Before that, diamonds were not common for engagement rings.
Anatomy of a diamond
A cut diamond is made up of many parts. Knowing some of these parts can help you communicate with the designer. The top flat part of a diamond is called the table. The table down to the little point at the bottom, which is called the culet, is the diamond's depth. Then in the middle of the diamond is the girdle, think of this as the waist of the diamond. The crown is the ring around the table that extends down to the girdle. The pavilion is a funnel shape from the girdle down to the culet.
What is the most popular cut for diamond engagement rings?
The round brilliant cut is the most popular in engagement rings because this creates the brightest light reflection and looks the biggest. When considering cuts you'll have to think about the 2 main types of cuts: brilliant and step cut. The step cut has long facets, often rectangular shaped, and has more reflection but less sparkle. Think emerald, asscher, or baguette cut. Then there's a brilliant cut, this cut is mostly small cuts running up to the table from the culet (vocab). This is the cut you think of when “diamond” comes to mind.
What’s more important in a diamond: cut, color, clarity or size?
This is up to your preferences, color and clarity impact how the diamond looks but cut and size/carat weight will change a lot of how the ring/jewelry piece is designed. the cut can also change how bright the diamond is so in my opinion, the cut would probably be the most important because it changes both the aesthetic and look of the piece. the cut can also change the price because a carat round cut looks smaller than a carat oval cut because the oval has more surface area.
The insights of experts like Amanda J. Luke, show us that the cut of a diamond is not merely about shaping its facets; it's about orchestrating a symphony of light that enchants all who behold it.
The GIA Cut Grading System categorizes the diamonds' brilliance from an Excellent cut to the subtle nuances of a Very Good or Good cut.
But what exactly makes a well-cut diamond stand out? It's in the proportions—the carefully calibrated dimensions and angles that optimize light reflection and dispersion.
What’s the difference between carat and karat?
Carat with a c is for measuring the size of a gemstone such as a diamond, such as a 2-carat sapphire or ½ carat diamond. Karat with a k is for measuring the amount of gold in a piece. So, it’s an 18k or 18-karat gold band. both 'carat' and 'karat' to indicate the percentage of gold are considered correct.
Can my diamond ring be restyled?
Yes! One of our specific specialties in our store is recycling diamonds, metal, or gems to be restyled into a different piece of jewelry. Many people use their parent’s or grandparent’s rings to be restyled and keep the diamond while also creating something specific to them! This is a great way to keep jewelry in the family, lower your budget by not having to buy a diamond, and is more eco-friendly because there is no new diamond being created.
If you have any other questions about Diamonds, design, jewelry, or repairs, just email us and we can give you jeweler-certified answers.
Diamond history and lore. Gemological Institute Of America. (n.d.). https://www.gia.edu/diamond-history-lore
Education, G. (2016, January 14). Diamond Cut: Anatomy of a round brilliant. Gemological Institute Of America. https://www.gia.edu/diamond-cut/diamond-cut-anatomy-round-brilliant
Luke, A. J. (2016, January 14). Diamond Cut: The wow factor. Gemological Institute Of America. https://www.gia.edu/diamond-cut/diamond-cut-basic-overview
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