Rose Jewelers :: Hamptons Jewelry, Watches, Gifts and Wedding Registry

Ever seen a diamond in its natural state? Let's just say its beauty is well concealed. Unlocking the fire and brilliance is the mastery of the Cut. And that's the one and only characteristic we can control.

What makes a diamond a diamond is its ability to refract light and disperse color. That ability comes from cutting the stone at precisely calculated planes and angles. To say that proper cutting requires a great deal of skill is a masterpiece of understatement. Here's why the Cut is so important:

When a round brilliant diamond has been cut to "Ideal" proportions by a master cutter, it is a splendor to behold.

The Ideal Cut Diamond describes a round brilliant diamond that has been cut to exact and mathematically proven proportions. Its symmetry, with 58 exactly placed faces, produces the ultimate in lustre and beauty.

When diamond is cut to the ideal proportions, all of the light entering from any direction is totally reflected through the top ONLY and is dispersed into a display of sparkling flashes and rainbow colors.

A Premium Cut diamond demonstrates subtle variations from the Ideal Cut. Although dimensional differences affect a diamond's reflection of light, a Premium Cut still achieves a harmonious balance between it's proportions and the display of brilliance.

Most diamonds are "spread" in their cutting to retain maximum weight from the original rough. A heavier diamond will result, but a dramatic sacrifice of potential fire and brilliance.

Ideal cutting dramatizes the rare splendor of a diamond because it produces such dazzling brilliance.

Color grading scale

GIA

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Colorless

Near Colorless

Faint Yellow

Very Light Yellow

Light Yellow

AGS

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

As with cut, nuances in the Color of a diamond can dramatically affect the diamond's value. In fact, it's the rare diamond that is considered colorless.

Most are graded on a scale that ranges from colorless through yellowish and covers a spectrum of shadings in between. Although increasing shades of yellow reduce the value of a diamond, they do not necessarily reduce its beauty. If a diamond is well cut, refraction and dispersion will often disguise certain degrees of coloration.

Being a member of the American Gem Society (AGS), we hold ourselves to an exacting scale set forth by the AGS. We would never inflate the color value of the stone in order to raise its cost.

Clarity

Our third factor in determining the value of a diamond is the presence -or absence- of inclusions within the diamond and blemishes on its surface. Sometimes referred to as "birthmarks of nature", they generally do not affect the beauty of a stone, but they almost always affect its price.

These inclusions are often not visible to the naked eye. Even using a 10x jeweler's loupe may be not enough in some cases. For this reason, insist on viewing the diamond through a gem binocular microscope.

One unique advantage of the Ideal Cut is that sparkle can mask otherwise noticeable inclusions.

FL-IF	VVS₁-VVS₂	V-VS₂	SI₁-SI₂	I₁-I₂

No inclusions visible under 10x magnification.	Minute-extremely difficult to find under 10x.	Minor-difficult to locate find under 10x magnification.	Noticeable, relatively easy to find under 10x magnification.	Obvious under 10x- Just visible to the naked eye.
FL=Flawless IF= Internally Flawless	VVS=Very, very slight inclusions.	VS=Very slight inclusions.	SI=Small inclusions	I=Imperfect

The weight of a diamond is measured in Carats. One carat is divided into 100 parts called "points". 1ct.=1.00; 1/2ct.=0.50. The value of two diamonds of the same weight can vary greatly depending on the color, clarity and especially the cut.

If any of the four C's should be considered least important, it would be Carat Weight. Unfortunately, that is all too often the first question. Start first asking us about Cut. Nonetheless, there are a couple of important facts to know concern the relationship between Weight and Price.

First, as diamonds increase in size their cost tends to increase geometrically rather than arithmetically. Thus, a one carat diamond can cost four or five times as much as a half carat stone (of equal quality) instead of twice as much.

The second point we wish to make is weight by itself does not always enhance the value of a diamond. In fact, when a stone has been improperly cut, added weight may only serve to reduce its brilliance! Kind of defeats its purpose, would you not agree?

You should always ask for written assurance of the exact grade of your diamond when you purchase it.