Adopted from the Greek work "adamas," meaning invincible, the Diamond’s toughness is the hardest gemstone and is made of just one element: carbon.
Diamonds come in a wide range of colours such as black, blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange and yellow. Its colour is dependent upon the type of impurities that are present in the stone. Yellow stones have minuscule traces of nitrogen while blue ones contain boron. As the ideal gift for a loved one, there are more choices than ever. Get creative and give the ultimate gift of beauty: a fancy-colour diamond.
Fancy-colour diamonds are natural, rare and a truly exotic gem of the earth. Diamonds in hues of yellow, red, pink, blue, and green range in intensity from faint to vivid and generally the more saturated the colour, the higher the value. In fact, diamonds sparkling with intense colour are rare and may be priced higher than a colourless diamond of equal size. Because fancy-colour diamonds are very desirable, colour is sometimes introduced in a laboratory. These are correctly called colour-treated diamonds. When purchasing a fancy-colour diamond, the shopper should ask if any enhancements or treatments were used to improve its colour and/or clarity.
CUT, COLOUR, CLARITY, CARAT
Of all the 4Cs, cut has the greatest effect on a diamond’s beauty. In determining the quality of the cut, the diamond grader evaluates the cutter’s skill in the fashioning of the diamond. The more precise the cut, the more captivating the diamond is to the eye.
Colour gem-quality diamonds occur in many hues ranging from colourless to light yellow or light brown. Colourless diamonds are the rarest. Other natural colours (blue, red, pink for example) are known as “fancy,” and their colour grading is different than from white colourless diamonds.
Diamonds can have internal characteristics known as inclusions or external characteristics known as blemishes. Diamonds without inclusions or blemishes are rare; however, most characteristics can only be seen with magnification.
Diamond clarity is the assessment of small imperfections on the surface and internally. These tiny, natural blemishes and inclusions are microscopic and do not affect a diamond's beauty in any way. Diamonds with the least and smallest inclusions receive the highest clarity grades.
The carat is the diamond’s physical weight measured in metric carats. One carat equals 1/5 gram and is subdivided into 100 points. Carat weight is the most objective grade of the 4Cs.
When you shop smart with a knowledgeable jeweller, you will feel confident in your decision. You know that the jeweller is qualified to describe the characteristics of your diamond, so you can make the informed choice that is right for you.Get a custom design for yourself or your April friend, family or lover, or let them pick with a Gift Card sent directly with a handwritten and thoughtful note.