Education

Loose Diamonds

Diamond Cut

The cut of a diamond is crucial in determining its brilliance, fire, and overall beauty. A well-cut diamond reflects light effectively, appearing more vibrant and even larger than its actual carat weight. Ideal Cut Diamonds, such as Arham DMCC’s True Hearts™, feature precise symmetry and proportions, showcasing the Hearts and Arrows pattern for perfect optical symmetry. These diamonds exhibit brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation, enhancing their sparkle and elegance. Arham DMCC ensures superior quality with 100X magnification craftsmanship and 360° Diamond Display Technology™, offering transparency and confidence in every selection.

Diamond Color

When selecting a diamond, a stone with the least amount of color is generally preferred. Diamond color is graded from D to Z and categorized into colorless, near colorless, faint, very light, and light. The most common color seen is yellow, caused by trace amounts of nitrogen. Colorless diamonds (D-F) are the rarest and most valuable, with minimal to no detectable color. Near colorless diamonds (G-J) appear colorless when mounted but show slight color face down. Faint color diamonds (K) may display a subtle hue, which some find appealing. While yellow is the predominant color, diamonds can also have a brown tint due to structural irregularities and impurities.

Diamond Clarity

When choosing a diamond, it’s important to select one without inclusions that affect its beauty and durability. For a diamond free of visible inclusions, opt for a VS2 grade or higher. SI clarity diamonds can offer great value, but it’s essential to review them carefully to ensure no visible flaws. Balancing clarity with color is also key—D-F color diamonds pair best with VS2 or higher clarity, while G-I color diamonds with SI clarity offer an excellent combination of quality and value.

Diamond Weight

Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, originating from the use of carob seeds as counterweights in ancient times. The size of a diamond is proportional to its carat weight, but cutting and polishing can reduce the original rough gem by up to two-thirds. Larger, high-quality diamonds are rarer and more expensive than smaller ones of the same quality. In the U.S., most diamonds in jewelry weigh one carat or less, with engagement ring diamonds averaging under half a carat. Since weight increases faster than visible size, it’s best to focus on cut and diameter rather than just carat weight when choosing a diamond.

Diamond Shapes

Diamonds come in a variety of shapes, each possessing unique characteristics that make them special. Exploring these shapes can help you find the perfect diamond that matches your style and preference. Arham DMCC offers high-quality certified diamonds to suit all tastes.

Asscher Cut Diamonds

Also known as the “Square Emerald-Cut,” the Asscher Cut Diamond features a step-cut process with cropped corners, giving it an almost octagonal appearance at first glance. These diamonds are bright, shiny, and exceptionally clear, resembling the purity of glacier water. However, due to their transparency, inclusions can be more visible, making it essential to choose a stone with high clarity.

Brilliant Cut Diamonds

The Round Brilliant Cut Diamond is the most popular choice for engagement rings. Designed to maximize light reflection, it has a total of 58 facets—33 on the crown and 25 on the pavilion. The precise balance between the crown and pavilion angles enhances its brilliance, creating a dazzling effect.

Cushion Cut Diamonds

The Cushion Cut Diamond is an antique-style cut known for its romantic and classic appeal. A blend of the Old Mine Cut from the 19th and early 20th centuries and the modern Oval Cut, this diamond features large facets and rounded corners. Originally designed to reflect candlelight, it continues to exude vintage charm while offering 58 facets for enhanced brilliance.

Emerald Cut Diamonds

The Emerald-Cut Diamond is renowned for its elegance and precision. Unlike brilliant cuts, which prioritize sparkle, the step-cut facets of an Emerald Cut enhance its clarity, creating a mesmerizing effect similar to looking into pure ice. Originally designed for emerald gemstones, this cut is now a favorite among those who appreciate refined beauty.

Marquise Cut Diamonds

The Marquise-Cut Diamond, often associated with vintage elegance, has a distinctive boat-like shape. Similar to the Round Brilliant Cut, it is designed to maximize light reflection while elongating the appearance of the stone. Due to its elongated form, inclusions and color variations may be more visible, making clarity an important factor when choosing this cut.

Heart Shaped Diamonds

Symbolizing love and romance, the Heart Shaped Diamond features a distinctive cleft at the top and superior brilliance. Symmetry is key when selecting a heart-shaped diamond, as the two halves must be perfectly balanced. To maintain their visual appeal, these diamonds are typically recommended in sizes above 0.50 carats, as smaller stones may appear less prominent when set.

Oval Cut Diamonds

The Oval Cut Diamond is a variation of the Round Brilliant Cut, offering a unique shape while maintaining exceptional brilliance. This elongated design creates an optical illusion of length, making it a flattering choice for those who want to enhance the appearance of their fingers.

Pear Shaped Diamonds

A fusion of the Round Brilliant Cut and a more distinctive shape, the Pear Shaped Diamond stands out with its teardrop-like form. With 58 facets, it captures and reflects light beautifully, making it an eye-catching alternative to traditional round diamonds. The size and proportions of this shape vary, making personal preference a key factor in selecting the perfect stone.

Princess Cut Diamonds

The Princess Cut Diamond is a modern favorite, known for its striking square shape and exceptional brilliance. This cut maximizes the diamond’s natural sparkle while maintaining a sleek and elegant design. When selecting a Princess Cut diamond, it’s essential to choose a secure setting that protects its four pointed corners from damage.

Radiant Cut Diamonds

A unique blend of the Round Brilliant Cut and the Emerald Cut, the Radiant Cut Diamond offers the best of both worlds. Created in 1977 by Henry Grossbard, this cut was designed to enhance the brilliance of a round diamond while maintaining the sophisticated rectangular or square shape of an emerald cut. Its distinctive facet pattern gives it a stunning, fiery sparkle.

Diamond Anatomy

While every diamond is unique, all diamonds share fundamental structural features. A diamond’s anatomy—or its basic structure—plays a crucial role in determining its proportions, brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation. Each part of a diamond has a specific function, and understanding these components can help you make an informed decision when selecting the perfect diamond.

A diamond consists of eight key components: Diameter, Table, Crown, Table Spread, Girdle, Pavilion, Depth, and Culet. Here’s a breakdown of each element and its significance:

Diameter: The width of the diamond, measured from edge to edge.
Table: The largest polished facet located on the top of the diamond.
Crown: The upper portion of the diamond, extending from the table to the girdle. It consists of bezel facets (crown mains), star facets, upper girdle facets (upper halves), and the table facet.
Girdle: The widest edge of the diamond, where the crown meets the pavilion.
Pavilion: The lower portion of the diamond, extending from the girdle to the culet.
Depth: The total height of the diamond, measured from the table to the culet.
Culet: The small or pointed facet at the very bottom of the diamond.

Before purchasing a diamond, having a solid understanding of its anatomy will allow you to appreciate its intricacies, communicate effectively with experts, and ultimately choose the best diamond that suits your needs.

Ideal Cut Diamonds

An ideal cut diamond is a round, brilliant, or princess cut diamond that has been precisely cut to ideal proportions and angles, ensuring excellent polish and symmetry. This exceptional craftsmanship allows the diamond to reflect nearly all the light that enters it, maximizing its fire and brilliance. Ideal cut diamonds are among the rarest and most sought-after due to their superior light performance and stunning appearance.

The History of the Ideal Cut

The concept of the ideal cut dates back to the early 1900s, when Belgian diamond cutter Marcel Tolkowsky developed the first mathematical model for cutting a round brilliant diamond. His calculations balanced two critical factors:

Brilliance – The reflection of white light from the diamond’s surface.
Fire – The dispersion of light into its spectral colors.

Although Tolkowsky’s model became the global benchmark for ideal cut diamonds, advancements in technology have led to further refinements. In the 1970s, gemstone cutter Bruce Harding introduced another model, incorporating modern scientific principles to optimize light performance. Today, computer simulations and advanced cutting techniques continue to enhance the ideal cut standard.

Modern Ideal Cut Standards

There are several variations of the ideal cut used across different grading systems worldwide, with at least six recognized models. However, only three of these—including Tolkowsky’s original calculations—are widely accepted.

Ideal diamonds are cut with perfect proportions to maximize the return of light, ensuring unparalleled brilliance and fire. While different gem laboratories and companies may have their own interpretations of the ideal cut, the goal remains the same: to create a diamond that reflects light in the most beautiful and effective way possible.

Color & Intensity in Fancy Color Diamonds

The beauty and value of a fancy color diamond are determined by three key factors:

Primary Color – The dominant color of the diamond (e.g., pink).
Secondary Color – The undertone that influences the primary color (e.g., purplish).
Color Intensity – The depth and strength of the color (e.g., fancy, fancy intense, fancy vivid).

The primary and secondary colors establish the overall tone, while the color intensity determines how rich and saturated the hue appears. In general, a higher color intensity makes a fancy color diamond more valuable.

Fancy Color Diamond Classifications

Fancy color diamonds are categorized into different intensity levels:

Faint
Very Light
Light
Fancy Light
Fancy
Fancy Intense
Fancy Vivid / Fancy Deep / Fancy Dark

The rarer and more intense the color, the greater the diamond’s value.

What is a Diamond Certificate?

A diamond certificate is an official document that verifies a diamond’s essential characteristics, including its color grade, carat weight, clarity grade, and cut grade. It serves as proof of quality and authenticity, ensuring buyers receive accurate information about their diamond.

You should never purchase a diamond without a certificate, as it provides an objective evaluation from an independent gemological laboratory. Some of the most renowned diamond grading institutions include:

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
American Gem Society (AGS)
International Gemological Institute (IGI)

The 4Cs: Determining a Diamond’s Value

A diamond’s price is based on four fundamental factors, commonly known as the 4Cs:

Color – The absence or presence of color in a diamond.
Clarity – The purity of the diamond, based on internal and external imperfections.
Cut – The quality of the diamond’s proportions and how well it reflects light.
Carat – The weight of the diamond.

Although carat weight is often considered the most important, cut, color, and clarity have a greater impact on a diamond’s overall brilliance and beauty.

How to Choose the Perfect Diamond

When purchasing a wedding or engagement ring, it’s essential to understand how to select the perfect diamond. While some people prefer gemstones or rough diamonds, classic diamonds remain the most popular choice. To make an informed decision, you should consider four key characteristics, commonly known as the 4Cs.

The 4Cs of Diamonds

Cut – Determines the diamond’s brilliance and fire. The quality of a diamond’s cut affects how well it reflects light.
- Ideal Cut Diamonds: Round or princess-cut diamonds that are cut to ideal proportions, with excellent polish and symmetry.
- True Hearts Diamonds: Precision-cut round or princess-cut diamonds that exhibit a nearly perfect Hearts and Arrows pattern, maximizing light reflection.
Clarity – Measures the purity of a diamond, grading it from Flawless (F) to Included (I) based on visible imperfections. Many buyers opt for diamonds with slight inclusions that are not visible to the naked eye to get the best value.
Color – Diamonds range from colorless to yellow. The most sought-after diamonds are colorless to near-colorless, while diamonds graded J, K, and L offer the best balance between quality and price.
Carat – Refers to the weight of a diamond. One carat equals 0.20 grams. While larger diamonds tend to be more expensive, other factors like cut, clarity, and color also significantly influence the price.

Diamond Shape & Anatomy

Apart from the 4Cs, the shape of a diamond is an important factor in selecting the perfect ring. Popular diamond shapes include:

Round
Princess
Emerald
Asscher (square emerald-cut)
Oval
Radiant
Pear
Heart
Marquise
Cushion

Additionally, understanding a diamond’s anatomy and proportions—including its brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation—will help you make an informed decision.

Choosing the Right Diamond for You

The perfect diamond is not necessarily the most flawless one but rather the one that best suits your preferences and budget. Some people prefer larger diamonds with lower clarity grades, while others opt for smaller diamonds with higher clarity and color grades.

By understanding the 4Cs, diamond shapes, and anatomy, you can confidently choose the perfect engagement ring that reflects your style and values.

Diamond Care

Cleaning Your Diamond Jewelry

Keeping your diamond jewelry clean ensures it remains sparkling and brilliant. Follow these tips based on the setting type of your diamond ring:

For Prong & Cathedral Settings:
- Soak in a mild dishwashing liquid and warm water solution for up to 30 minutes.
- Use a soft cloth or cotton swab to gently scrub the metal and rinse thoroughly.
For Pave & Basket Settings:
- Soaking may loosen small diamonds—avoid extended soaking.
- Instead, use a damp cloth and gently clean around the stones.

Additional Cleaning Tips:

For extra shine, soak the diamond in window cleaner for under one minute (avoid this for rhodium-plated jewelry).
Toothpicks can help remove dirt from prongs, but use with caution to prevent shifting the setting.
Ionic Cleaners work well for diamond jewelry but may damage other gemstones if present.

Storage Tip: Always store diamond jewelry separately, as diamonds can scratch other jewelry—and even each other!

Insuring Your Diamond Jewelry

To protect your valuable diamond jewelry from theft, loss, or damage, consider insurance coverage.

Check your existing policies (homeowner’s or renter’s insurance) to see how much they cover.
Look into additional jewelry insurance if the coverage is insufficient.

Things to Consider When Choosing Jewelry Insurance:

Deductibles – Find out how much you’d need to pay in case of a claim.
Appraisal Requirement – Most insurers require an official jewelry appraisal.
Coverage Scope – Does it cover theft, damage, and overseas loss?
Replacement or Cash Settlement – Will they replace the item or offer a cash payout?
Regular Appraisals – Some insurers require updated appraisals every few years.

Bonus Tip: Some insurers offer discounts if you have a home security system installed.

Before choosing an insurance provider, compare different companies to find the best coverage and rates. Proper insurance ensures your diamond investment remains protected!