Diamond Facts

  • Every diamond is immensely old, formed long before dinosaurs roamed the earth. The youngest diamond is 900 million years old, and the oldest is 3.2 billion years old.
  • Every diamond is unique; no two are alike.
  • The very word "diamond" comes from the Greek term adamas meaning unconquerable.
  • Diamonds exist in many colors, the rarest of all being red.
  • Diamonds were first mined in India more than 2,800 years ago.
  • Each stone loses, on average, more than half of its original weight during cutting and polishing.
  • The word "carat" comes from the carob tree, whose seeds were used as the standard for weighing precious stones.
  • Less than 5% of all the diamonds made into jewelry are larger than one carat.

    • The 4 C’S

    A real estate agent cannot quote you a price for a house without knowing its size, condition, and location. This same process is used when buying a diamond. A diamond’s beauty, rarity, and price depend on the interplay of all the 4 C’s: cut, clarity, carat, and color.
    The 4 C’s are used throughout the world to classify the rarity of diamonds. Diamonds with the combination of the highest 4 C’s ratings are more rare and, consequently, more expensive. No one C is more important than the other in terms of beauty, and it is important to note that each of the 4 C’s will not diminish in value over time.

    CARAT

    Refers to the weight of a diamond

    Carat is often confused with size even though it is actually a measure of weight. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. One carat can also be divided into 100 "points".
    A 0.75 carat diamond is the same as 75 points or a 3/4 carat diamond.
    A 1.00 carat diamond costs exactly twice the price of a half-carat diamond, right? Wrong. Since larger diamonds are found less frequently in nature, which places them at the rarest level of the Diamond Quality Pyramid, a 1-carat diamond will cost more than twice a 1/2-carat diamond (assuming color, clarity and cut remain constant).
    Cut and mounting can make a diamond appear larger (or smaller) than its actual weight. So shop around and talk to your jeweler to find the right diamond and setting and optimize the beauty of your stone.

    CLARITY

    Refers to the presence of inclusions in a diamond.

    Every diamond is unique. Nature ensures that each diamond is as individual as the person who wears it. Naturally-occurring features, known as inclusions,provide a special fingerprint within each stone. Inclusions are natural-identifying characteristics such as minerals or fractures, appearing while diamonds are formed in the earth. They may look like tiny crystals, clouds or feathers.
    The position of inclusions can affect the value of a diamond. There are very few flawless diamonds found in nature, and therefore these diamonds are the most valuable. Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection, known as clarity, which was established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The clarity scale, ranging from F (Flawless) to Included (I), is based on the visibility of inclusions at a magnification of 10x.
    The greater a diamond’s clarity - the more brilliant, valuable, and rare it is- the higher it will be on the Diamond Quality Pyramid.

    COLOR

    Refers to the degree of which a diamond is colorless.

    Diamonds are found in almost every color of the rainbow, but white-colored diamonds remain most popular.
    Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) which ranges from D (colorless) to Z.
    Color differences are very subtle and it can be difficult to see the differences between 2 color grades. Therefore, colors are graded under controlled lighting conditions and are compared to a master set for accuracy.
    Truly colorless stones, graded D, treasured for their rarity, are highest on the Diamond Quality Pyramid. Color, however, ultimately depends on personal taste. Ask a jeweler to show you a variety of color grades next to one another in order to help you determine your color preference.
    Nature has also created diamonds in intense shades of blue, green, yellow, orange, pink or - rarest of all - red. These diamonds are called 'colored fancies' and are extremely rare and highly treasured.

    CUT

    Refers to the angles and proportions of a diamond.

    Nature determines so much about a diamond, but it takes an OGI machine along with a master cutter to reveal the stone's true brilliance, fire and ultimate beauty.
    Based on scientific formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results in a display of brilliance and fire. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose or leak light through the side or bottom, resulting in less brilliance and ultimately, in less value.
    Cut also refers to shape-round, square, pear, or heart for example. Since a round diamond is symmetrical and capable of reflecting nearly all the light that enters, it is the most brilliant of all diamond shapes and follows specific proportional guidelines. Non-round shapes, also known as "fancy shapes", will have their own guidelines to be considered well-cut.
    With the development of technology, the cut of the diamond can be determined through the use of OGI’s machines, which are computerized systems that take accurate measurements and proportions of a diamond in seconds, in addition to the standard millimeter gauge.

    Don't lose the 4 C's. Get an OGI machine…