Shooting Stars 18k diamond earrings
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About Diamonds

18k white gold diamond & carved emerald bracelet

Diamonds are Still a Girl's Best Friend...
About Fancy-Colored Diamonds
 
Champagne Diamonds
Geologists have discovered that champagne colored diamonds became colored when they were formed 3 billion years ago. Enormous pressures from the earth's movement created diamonds bright with fire, brilliance and color.
 
Yellow Diamonds
Fancy yellow diamonds come in a broad range of shades ranging from light yellow to a rich canary colour.
 
Blue Diamonds
Fancy blue diamonds are available in a wide range of shades, from the blue of the sky to a more "steely" colour than sapphire.
 
Green Diamonds
Fancy green diamonds are also available. Usually, penetration of the colour is not very deep and is often removed during the fashioning of the stone.
 
Pink Diamonds
The pink diamond is the world's most rare and valuable diamond.The Argyle mine is the world's foremost source of unrivalled intense pink diamonds, producing 95% of the world's supply. However, an extremely small proportion of Argyle Diamonds production is Pink colour, in fact less than one tenth of 1% is classified Pink.
 
Black Diamonds
The newest rage! Black diamonds! These natural beauties sparkle like no other gemstones can, and when mixed with white diamonds, create a dramatic contemporary look.
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Diamonds Cut
Cut Depth - Faceted Stones - Shape

Depth Table
 
Signature Ideal 60.1 - 61.9 55 - 57
 
Ideal 60.1 - 62.8 53 - 57
 
Very Good 58.5 - 64 52 - 60
 
Good 57.5 - 64.5 51 - 65
 
Fair 56.5 - 67 50 - 67
 
Poor <56.5 or >67 <50 or >67

 

Diamonds are cut and polished into many shapes and sizes. The measurement and proportion of these cuts determines the grade that the cut is given by a gem lab. There are five grades given:

Excellent (Ideal)

Strict standards and mathematical proportions produce the maximum amount of reflected light and brilliance through the stone. Symmetry is a key element here, and thus the only stones with an ideal cut will be round ones.

Very Good

This is just short of Ideal, reflecting up to 90% of light. This is an exceptionally cut stone.

Good

These stones are excellent for all jewelry uses because they reflect a good portion of the light that enters the stone.

Fair

This stone reflects about 40% of the light that enters it, and so while the size of the stone might be good for the money, it lacks high brilliance.

Poor

Although not the most brilliant of the lot, these are a very good buy when using in earrings and pendants.

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The cut of a diamond describes the manner in which a diamond has been shaped and polished from its beginning form as a rough stone to its final gem proportions. The cut of a diamond describes both the shape a diamond is formed into, as well as the quality of workmanship.

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W

X

Y

Z

Colorless

Near Colorless

Faint Yellow

Very Light Yellow

Light Yellow

 

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Diamonds - Grading Reports

A grading report is a document prepared by a trained professional gemologist after a complete examination of a diamond. Remember that no two diamonds are exactly alike, so every diamond will have its own grading report, like your having an ID card. It will list all of the 4C characteristics of that diamond as well as provide a diagram mapping all of its inclusions - everything about your diamond except for a valuation, which is why it is necessary to have an appraisal for insurance purposes.

Gem laboratories all over the world grade and certify stones. The largest and most respected grading lab is the Gemological Institute of America or (GIA). Another prominent lab is the American Gem Society (AGS). There are many more, some qualified and some not. If you receive a grading report from a lab that you do not recognize, feel free to investigate.

A grading reort, or "cert" does not add value to your stone, and not having one does not detract value. Rather, it assures the value of the stone. It proves that you got what you paid for. It's also helpful whenever you need to identify your diamond - if it is ever lost or stolen, or if you give it to someone to do repair work and you want to make sure they gave you your diamond back.