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Diamonds; these unique stones
are world famous; yet, not many of us know much about them.
We know that they are beautiful, dazzling stones used to
create jewelry. But does anyone know the composition of a
diamond, how it is created? How is the perfect diamond
judged and where can it be bought?
A diamond is judged by four
qualities - the four C's, as they are called by
professionals - clarity, color, cut, and carat weight; each
of these characteristics plays a role in deciding the
diamond's ultimate value.
Clarity is the term used to
describe the purity of a diamond; it is determined by the
internal inclusions and external exclusions in the diamond,
that make it imperfect. A diamond's clarity can be depicted
using the GIA Grading system; Flawless (F) is used to
describe a perfect diamond, Internally Flawless (IF) is used
to define a diamond which has no inclusions visible at 10x
magnification, and a Included #3 (I3) diamond is one which
has obvious inclusions that are very easy to spot even with
a naked eye.
Two treatments used to
increase the clarity of a diamond are laser drilling and
fracture fillings; neither of which is recommended because
the concealments are not permanent. Before a sale, all
clarity treated diamonds must be revealed.
The second of the four C's is
color, which describes the tinge or tint of a diamond. The
color of a diamond varies from being almost completely
translucent to being various shades of blue, red, pink, and
yellow. While slight tints of yellow can devalue a diamond,
red and blue-tinted diamonds become more valued then the
common clear ones because they are rarer to find! As with
clarity, the color of a diamond can be determined using a
GIA Certified set of master stones or a Colorimeter, which
is a computer that accurately grades the color of a polished
diamond.
The cut of a diamond is one
of the most important aspects to consider while purchasing a
diamond; cut refers to the symmetry and proportions. It also
refers to the finish and polish of a diamond. A diamond's
cut can be categorized into three different approaches; fine
cut, through which a diamond loses no refracted light, a
heavy cut, in which the diamond loses light through its
sides, and a shallow cut, in which light is lost through the
bottom of the diamond; 95 percent of all diamonds are
shallow cut. The amount of light, reflected through a
diamond, which reaches the eye, is called brilliance.
Through the use of a Dia-Mension system, the precise cut of
a diamond can be gauged.
A carat is the unit of weight
for a diamond; the value of a diamond increases with carat
size; the bigger the diamond, the more it is worth, as is
with any substance in the world. Diamonds can range from 105
carats, as the Kohinoor diamond did, to 0.50 carat, which
small diamonds used in engagement rings weigh. Diamonds that
weigh less than 0.50 carat and greater than 105 carats can
be found as well.
We at DKV Jewelers will leave
no stone unturned to find you the diamond of your choice.
Right from the diamond mines of Africa, Brazil and Russia to
the diamond cutting centers around the world, we will search
until we find the diamond that is right for you. All our
diamonds are certified by independent laboratories located
in Europe and in the United States of America. With over
four generations of experience in the diamond market, with
customers that include some of the royal families of India,
we are confident of surpassing your expectations when it
comes to jewelry.
Let us find for you the
perfect diamond or create a perfect piece of jewelry. |