We want you to be confident
with your Angelbean diamond purchase. On these Diamond Education pages you
will learn diamond basics and what to look for before you make a diamond
purchase.
CUT
Of the 4 C's, the diamond's cut is the most important factor in determining
its brilliance and beauty. Sometimes a diamonds cut is confused with a
diamonds shape. This is likely due to some in the industry mistakenly
referring to a diamond being a 'round' or 'princess' cut. When speaking of a
diamonds 'cut grade', we are referring to its proportions, symmetry and
polish. Angelbean will not sell diamonds with a cut grade considered less than
very good.
Ideally, the cut of the
diamond is done in a way to best reflect the light that shines into it. This
is what produces the sparkle and fire we see in a beautifully cut diamond.
If the diamond is cut too heavy, or too shallow, most of the light entering
into the crown is released through the bottom of the pavilion resulting in
an overall dull appearance. An ideal cut diamond on the other hand, returns
most of the light that enters it back through the crown giving it a very
satisfying sparkle effect.
CLARITY
Clarity refers to how clear a
diamond is in terms of visible imperfections (called inclusions) when using
a 10x magnifying loupe. These inclusions can be things like small carbon
spots or mineral crystals, cloudiness, or any form of visible distortion on
the diamond's surface. Click on the tabs above to see specific information
on the clarity grades. Clarity grades of I1,I2 or I3 have inclusions visible
to the naked eye without the need of a magnifying lens and are considered to
be of a lesser quality. I1,I2 or I3 clarity grades are not available at
Angelbean.
COLOUR
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) colour
grading scale is the most internationally accepted colour scale in the
diamond industry. The GIA colour scale begins at 'D' which is pure or
colourless and continues on through 23 color steps to 'Z' which can be light
yellow or light brown.
The changes in colour is so subtle that it is nearly impossible for an
untrained observer to tell the difference from one step to the next (E to F
for example.)
Colours D, E and F are considered to be 'colourless', but an F color grade is
typically substantially cheaper due to the rarity of D or E colour grades. G,H,I and J are all considered 'nearly colourless'. Angelbean will not sell a
diamond with a colour grade lower than J. While not as critical as a
diamond's cut, an above average
colour grade can improve a diamonds brilliance and sparkle effect.
CARAT WEIGHT
Carat weight is the most
common criteria inexperienced diamond buyers are aware of. The carat weight
of a diamond is simply how much the diamond weighs. A carat is a unit of
measurement equaling to 200 milligrams. Hence a 1.25 carat diamond will
weigh 250 milligrams.
While the carat weight is certainly a factor when pricing out a diamond, it
is by no means the end all. Many other factors must be considered including
most importantly the quality of the diamonds cut. All factors (cut, colour,
clarity and carat weight) are used together to determine the value of a
diamond. A shallow cut will
lessen the value of the diamond due to the poor cut, but the diamond will
have a larger diameter so that it 'appears' bigger. A deep
cut diamond will have a smaller diameter
than a ideal cut diamond, but will have a heavier carat weight since there
is more volume to the stone. Assuming that we are comparing well cut
diamonds to well cut diamonds, the price will increase dramatically as the
carat size increases.
