Diamond Guide Page
A Natural Wonder
The name "diamond comes from the Greek "adamas," meaning unconquerable. Made of pure carbon, diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man.
Diamonds were formed in the depths of the earth and are three quarters of the earth's age, although humans did not find them until 4,000 years ago. Put another way, if earth's age was on a twenty-four hour cycle, diamonds would be born in the first hours of the morning, but man did not find them until seconds before midnight
Selecting a diamond for any occasion can be mystifying. We know that an educated and informed consumer is a confident and satisfied customer. Whether you are purchasing your first diamond or have purchased diamond jewelry before, let us provide you with all the important facts about the 4-C's of diamonds: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat . In addition, there is a very important 5th C: Confidence ...in the qualifications of the jeweler with whom you choose to do business. Brentwood Jewelry is that 5th C, with a reputation for outstanding service and quality!
Diamond Grading Terminology
A diamond's cost is based on the characteristics known as the "4 C's". Clarity, Color and Cut (proportion) are the quality elements which together with the Carat Weight determine the value of a stone. The closer a diamond grades to the left of one or all of these scales the rarer and the more costly it will be. While clarity is frequently assumed to be the most important factor of all the "C's", in fact, color and cut (especially cut) have a more profound affect on the visual appearance of a diamond.
CUT
The precision with which a diamond is cut is the most critical factor in releasing its "fire" and "brilliance". Since it is the only factor that humans can control, it may be the most important of the 4 C 's. During the cutting process, fifty percent of the rough diamond material is usually lost. The facets, or planes, of the diamond should be places in exact geometric relation to each other, the culet, or "point" should be in the exact center of the bottom of the diamond and the diamond needs to be well polished. This symmetry is crucial for light entering the diamond to be reflected back to the eye as "fire". Once these geometric proportions are compromised, the beauty and brilliance of the diamond are sacrificed for size.<BR>To achieve a diamond's truly dazzling radiance, it must be cut precisely. Brentwood Jewelry makes no compromise in this area of diamond quality
COLOR
Although most gem-quality diamonds when seen alone appear to be colorless to the untrained eye, there are subtle differences in shade. Color in diamonds results from traces of other elements which mixed with carbon during the diamond's formation. Diamonds with no traces of body color are extremely rare.
To determine a diamond's true color, the diamond is viewed from the side under balanced white light. It is compared to diamonds in a "Master Set" whose colors have been predetermined by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Diamonds at Brentwood Jewelry are color graded in an accredited gem laboratory using a special diamond light developed for color grading. A color grade is then assigned according to the diamond's deviation for the truly colorless diamond.
CLARITY
Nature has identified each diamond by natural "inclusions:" crystals, feathers, lines, etc. These traits developed in the diamond during its formation. Diamond clarity is determined by the absence of these inclusions. The fewer the inclusions, the rarer the diamond and the greater the value. Flawless and internally flawless diamonds are exceedingly rare. The term "flawless" is a highly restricted one. Under Federal Trade Commission rules, a diamond can only be deemed flawless when no internal or external imperfections are visible to a professional eye under 10 power magnification using a binocular microscope in good light. While inclusions may not affect the beauty of a diamond, they do affect its value and price.
At Brentwood Jewelry, all of our diamonds are graded for clarity in an accredited gem laboratory, or by an internationally recognized gemological institute.
CARAT WEIGHT
Of the 4 C 's, carat weight is the simplest factor used to determine the value of a diamond. As with all precious gems, the weight of a diamond is expressed in carats. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram or 1/142 of an ounce. One carat is divided into 100 points, so a diamond weighing 3/4 carat has 75 points or .75 carats.
As diamonds increase in value, their price per carat usually increases geometrically, not mathematically. Thus, a two-carat diamond will be more that double the price of a one-carat diamond of the same quality. Diamonds are accurately weighed when they are loose, or free from any mounting.
At Brentwood Jewelry, our diamonds are weighed loose on a calibrated diamond scale for the most precise weight measurement available.