Whitefacet Blog

Trilliant / Trillion / Trielle Cut Diamonds

2005-12-27T19:04:00.000-08:00

And so we reach Trilliant (or Triangular Brilliant) Cut Diamonds. Providing that Trillian Cut stones are Cut correctly (particularly in relation to their depth), they exhibit fantastically sharp fire and brilliance - truly stunning.

Here in the US the ideal pavilion depth is considered to fall in between 1/3 & 2/3, although some of the foreign Trilliants often display 50/50 proportions. To secure the ideally shaped Trilliant, try to find one that has a length-to-width ratio of 1:1.

Round / Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds

2005-12-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

And so we arrive at the most popular Diamond shape / Cut today, the Round Brilliant. Always a popular shape, and for good reason: The Round Brilliant Cut follows more closely the shape of the natural Diamond crystal and as such it is possible for skilled craftsman to produce an "Ideal" Cut, completely maximizing the fire and brilliance of any given stone and releasing the scintillation from within.

The Round Brilliant Cut is the only Cut whereby if done expertly and perfectly, the "Ideal" standard can be reached. The number of considerations that have to be taken into account to accurately determine Diamond Cut grades is mind boggling, but should anyone want specific information, feel free to contact us.

One interesting point to note is that GIA (Gemological institute of America) will, in January 2006 introduce Cut reports to complement their already well-respected Diamond Grading Reports, which is something we will cover in later posts.

Visit Whitefacet.com to search for certified loose diamonds.

Radiant Cut Diamonds

2005-12-26T17:40:00.000-08:00

The great thing about Radiant Cut Diamonds is the fact that they look equally great paired with either Round shaped sidestones or Baguette shaped sidestones.

As with most fancy-shaped Diamonds do be conscious of the fact that if you select a Color of I or less, you may well have to suffer some visible Color in the corners of the stone.

If you desire a rectangular shaped Radiant Cut Diamond seek out a length-to-width ratio greater than 1.11:1, but generally not more than 1.5:1. For a square radiant Cut Diamond the optimum length-to-width ratio of 1:1 should come as no surprise.

Princess Cut Diamonds

2005-12-23T18:25:00.000-08:00

Princess Cut Diamonds are traditionally square in shape, but some people actively seek out rectangular Princess Cuts as by its very nature a Princess Cut Diamond varies a great deal with regards to how square or rectangular any particular stone is.

If you want a particularly square stone, you'll need to find one with a length-to-width ration of between 1 & 1.10, whereas if you are seeking a rectangular shape you'll need to find a stone with a length-to-width ratio of greater than 1:11, although it is perfectly acceptable to go out as far as 1-1.4:1 so let the stone you choose be a personal choice rather than what people try to dictate to you as being the only sort of acceptable stone.

Pear Cut Diamonds

2005-12-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

Pear Cut Diamonds essentially look like teardrops - they have a rounded edge and one single point. The Pear Cut is not too different from the standard Round Brilliant Cut and as such is one of the fancy Diamond shapes that is relatively popular - this is because whilst it is a "fancy" Cut it is not too unusual and does not stray to far from what is perceived as the "norm."

Not unlike the Marquise Cut , the Pear Cut has a slimming effect on the wearer's finger.

Length to Width ratio seen as ideal is 1.5:1, whereas realistically providing you stick to a ratio of between 1.5-1.7:1, you will still secure a Diamond that is aesthetically pleasing and a real joy to look at.

Oval Cut Diamonds

2005-12-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

Oval Cut Diamonds are not dissimilar to Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds and the brilliance they often display is very nearly equal to that of a Round Brilliant Cut. The other major positive with an Oval Cut stone is that the shape can be used to effectively accentuate longer, slender fingers.

As with all Diamonds one factor of major importance is what you, the customer wants or expects from their Diamond. What is right for one (or even the masses) may not be right for you as an individual.

Any Diamond Broker / Dealer / Retailer / eTailer worthy of your attention should offer you a reasonable time-scale with which you have the Diamond to decide whether you like it & to have it checked out independently by someone else as well if you so wish. (The usually accepted time period tends to fall anywhere between 15 and 30 days, giving you plenty of time to decide whether or not you have found the right Diamond for you).

Having said all of the above, here comes the usual length to width ratios:

Acceptable is anywhere from 1.5-1.75:1, whereas the most desirable is said to be 1.5:1.

Marquise Cut Diamonds

2005-12-21T16:10:00.000-08:00

The shape of Marquise Cut Diamonds is a shape that is designed to maximize the Carat weight of a given stone. If not set with other Marquise Cut Diamonds, then Round Brilliant or Pear are the shapes / cuts that complement the Marquise the most effectively. The Marquise is an excellent choice for people wanting to make their fingers appear longer and more slender.

Acceptable length to width ratios are generally from 1.75-2.25:1, whereas those of you seeking the closest to perfect you can get should consider the length to width ratio of 2:1, universally considered to be the most aesthetically pleasing.

Heart Cut Diamonds

2005-12-19T20:10:00.000-08:00

The main advantage of a Heart Shaped Diamond is that it has a pavilion that is nearly round. This results in real beautiful brilliance. When choosing a Heart Shaped diamond do bear in mind and pay special attention to the Color you select - any grade above an I Color may well equal visible Color in the corners of your otherwise beautiful stone.

Don't be too quick to let this put you off though - remember certain inclusions, or even patches of visible Color may well be hidden by your setting if you choose this wisely. If in doubt - Ask!

Emerald Cut Diamonds

2005-12-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

The main factor differentiating an Emerald Cut Diamond from other Cut styles is the pavilion which is generally cut with rectangular facets, designed to create a unique brilliance.

The down-side with the Emerald Cut is the fact that this particular shape serves to exaggerate the Clarity of a Diamond and does so even so much as to determine that if you were to choose an Emerald Cut Diamond with an SI1 Clarity (normally an eye-clean Clarity) you would need to take care and pay particular attention to the Diamond Certificate's plot and where what inclusions were contained.

With this shape you should really take professional advice before purchasing and adopt a look before you leap mentality so as to ensure that you get the right stone for you.

With regards to length to width ratios, acceptable ratios are widely considered to be 1.55-1.75:1, with a beautiful and very desirable shape likely to have a length to width ratio of somewhere between 1.30-1.40.

Cushion Cut Diamonds

2005-12-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, one of the main the reasons that Cushion Cut Diamonds have larger than average facets and rounded corners is to maximize their brilliance under candlelight!

Whilst I am the first to ask why, the answer is actually very simple......Cushion Cut Diamonds enjoyed excellent popularity around 100 years ago, before the event of electricity.

One very important factor to consider if you choose to buy a Cushion Cut Diamond is Clarity as the larger than average facets tend to accentuate any inclusions that are present.

It is generally accepted that good-looking length to width ratios fall between 1:1 & 1:2.

Baguette Cut Diamonds

2005-12-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Yes it's true. This may be unbelieveable to some but there are Diamond shapes named after those famous French breadsticks, or "Baguettes"!

There are two main types of Baguette Cut / Shaped Diamonds - The regular Baguette Cut (sometimes referred to as the Pronounced Baguette), and the Tapered Baguette.

It is very unusual to come across large sized Baguettes; This shape is usually used to accompany and complement other larger Diamonds and Baguettes predominantly play the role of the smaller stones in any given setting.

Baguettes, be it "Pronounced", or "Tapered" have acceptable length to width ratios of 1.5-2.5:1, with the optimum proportions generally considered to be 1.5:1.

Asscher Cut Diamonds

2005-12-16T14:12:00.000-08:00

Asscher shaped Diamonds are not unlike Emerald Cut Diamonds, with the main difference being the fact that Asscher shaped Diamonds are square.

There are two very important considerations to be made when selecting an Asscher shaped Diamond - Color and Clarity.

When selecting the Color for your Asscher shaped Diamond, consider carefully the fact that Color may be slightly visible in the corners if you were to choose an I Color or less.

Also remember that the shape of an Asscher Diamond highlights the Clarity of the stone so be sure to find out exactly where any inclusions are present.

Lastly you need to pay attention to the dimensions of the stone:

The preferred length-to-width ratio is 1:1. However, the acceptable length-to-width ratios fall between 1-1.4:1.

Diamond Terms Glossary - Anatomy (1)

2005-12-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

Below you will find a glossary / explanation of words often used when describing different parts of a Diamonds anatomy:
Diameter: The width of the Diamond as measured through the Girdle.

Table:The largest facet of a gemstone.

Crown: The top portion of a Diamond extending from the Girdle to the Table.

Girdle: The narrow band around the widest part of a Diamond.

Pavilion: The bottom portion of a Diamond, extending from the Girdle to the Culet.

Culet: The facet at the tip of a gemstone.

Depth: The height of a gemstone measured from the Culet to the Table.

Diamond Shapes

2005-12-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

Now we've covered the basics of Color, Carat, Clarity and Cut, I guess that now it's time to explore the different Diamond shapes in detail. Over the next few weeks / months I'm gonna try to explain and advise all of you on what characteristics to look out for when considering the different Diamond shapes:

Asscher
Cushion (Pillow Cut)
Emerald
Heart-Shaped
Marquise
Oval
Pear
Princess
Radiant
Round Brilliant
Trilliant (Triangular Brilliant)
Rectangle (Baguette Cut)
Tapered Baguette

In order to make my explanations easier to understand from a lay-persons point of view my next posting will comprise solely of regularly used Diamond Industry terminology and explanations of what they all mean - call it a dictionary / glossary, whatever you prefer, but I really hope it helps.

Fair & Poor Cut Diamonds

2005-12-06T14:19:00.000-08:00

Diamonds of this Cut category should generally be avoided unless your only consideration is to get the largest possible Diamond for your budget and if you are not too concerned about quality.

A Fair or Poor Cut Diamond will only realistically reflect a small amount of light that enters it and will be visibly less brilliant than the other Diamond Cut categories.

If all you are interested in is size then sure, why not, but most people will generally be happy to make sacrifices in Carat weight in order to obtain a Diamond that possesses and displays more fire and brilliance. Having said this, the choice as they say, is yours....

Good Cut Diamonds

2005-12-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

Good Cut Diamonds reflect much of the light that enters them, although their proportions usually fall outside of the preferred ranges because the cutter made the choice to create the largest possible Diamond from the original rough crystal, rather than choosing to create a smaller Diamond of Premium or Ideal quality.

Cut Diamonds in this category offer good value for money for the budget conscious consumer who needs to work within certain pre-determined guidelines. Those of you who want to stay within budget and still walk away with a good sized Diamond without having to completely sacrifice the quality and beauty of your chosen stone should consider Good Cut Diamonds.

Very Good Cut Diamonds

2005-12-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

Very Good Cut Diamonds are almost as brilliant as Premium or Ideal Cut stones and they do refract almost all of the light that enters them, meaning that Very Good Cut stones do still appear brilliant and sparkling.

Typically with a Very Good Cut Diamond, the cutter has deliberately chosen to move away slightly from the Ideal Cut criteria so as to create a larger Diamond. As a result of this certain variables such as table size or girdle width may fall outside of customers preferences.

The fact that certain variables may be outside of what is termed "Ideal" should most definitely not deter you from considering Very Good Cut Diamonds as your average Joe would most certainly not be able to tell the difference between an Ideal Cut stone and one with a Very Good Cut, even if given the opportunity to compare an example of each side by side. What this does mean to a certain extent is that you are at the mercy of your Jeweler when it comes to identifying the Diamond Cut criteria, one of the reasons it is very important that you only ever consider purchasing Independently Certified Diamonds, a topic we will cover in the future.

However, and in short, do consider Diamonds that are classed as having a Very Good Cut as they often do offer excellent value for money.

Premium Cut Diamonds

2005-12-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, Ok, I know, I neglected to mention this cut category before...

Premium Cut Diamonds are generally almost as well cut and sometimes as well Cut as Ideal Cut graded stones, although often priced a little more competitively.

A Premium Cut Diamond is still cut with the intention of obtaining the greatest fire and brilliance from any given Diamond and very much like the Ideal Cut stones these are very much for the individual who craves the best that money can buy.

Ideal Cut Diamonds (Additional)

2005-12-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

Also worthy of note is that an Ideal Cut Diamond's Cut is intended to maximize the stone's brilliance & the typically smaller tables on Ideal Cut Diamonds also serve as a tool for creating exaggerated dispersion, or fire as well, resulting in a truly stunning Diamond.

In short, an Ideal Cut Diamond is a bit like an expensive car - usually only enjoyed buy people who have the means and enjoy knowing that they are the owners of one of the finest things money can buy.

NB - The Ideal Cut Grade only applies to Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds.

Ideal Cut Diamonds

2005-11-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

Ah, the creme de la creme of Diamond Cuts - Ideal.

What D is to Diamond Color and FL is to Diamond Clarity, Ideal is to Cut - absolutely the best you can get. Now a little history lesson.....

The basis of what makes up the criteria for an Ideal Cut Diamond was determined by the thesis of a young mathmatician, Marcel Tolkowsky way back in 1919. His thesis explored what made the best Cut in terms of creating the greatest fire and brilliance.

Whilst looking for an Ideal Cut Diamond, take into account the following:

Look for a Table Diameter of 52.4%-57.5%, a Crown Angle of 33.7 to 35.8 degrees, a Pavilion Depth of 42.2%-43.8%, a girdle Thickness of Thin, Medium or Slightly Thick and a Culet Size of None, Pointed, Very Small, Small, or Medium. Stick close to these guidelines and you won't go far wrong.

Diamond Cut Classes - What is well Cut?

2005-10-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well Cut is a term used for a Diamond that has been cut to proper proportions and where light entering the top of the Diamond is reflected from one facet (cut, polished surface) to another and then dispersed through the top of the Diamond (table). Within the Well Cut standards we have Ideal, Excellent and Very Good Cut categories.

Ideal Cut: This cut combines the best in fire & brilliance. A truly awesome sparkling Diamond.
Excellent Cut: The stone exhibits great beauty, yet with a slight flexibility of percentages.
Very Good Cut:This range of Cut balances precise proportions with price considerations.

Diamond Cut Vs. Light Reflection / Refraction

2005-10-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

In order to better understand Cut, we need to firstly understand what Cut means in terms of fire & brilliance and light refraction.

The diagram to the left aptly shows what happens when a Diamond is Cut ideally, Vs. what happens when the stone is not Cut well.

The top picture shows an Ideal Cut Diamond - you can clearly see that the light entering the Diamond is reflected from one facet to another and eventually is reflected back through the top of the stone in its entirety resulting in a brilliant, sparkly Diamond.

The middle diagram shows what happens when a Diamond is cut too deep. Much of the light entering the top of the Diamond escapes through the side of the stone (pavilion), resulting in a less than sparkling stone.

The last scenario is the shallow, or thin Cut stone. What happens when a Diamond is cut too shallow is that the light entering the top of the stone escapes through the pavilion before it can be reflected back through the top (table) of the Diamond.

Diamond Cut

2005-10-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

A Diamonds Cut has perhaps the most profound effect over how a Diamond sparkles (refracts light).

How each individual stone is Cut has an incredible effect on the fire & brilliance of the Diamond, with an Ideal Cut (sometimes also referred to as European Cut) being the best Cut grade available and one which completely maximizes the sparkle, fire and brilliance.

Generally speaking, the further down the Cut scale you venture the duller the Diamond appears.

The main Cut classes are as follows:

Ideal

Excellent

Very Good

Well Cut

My next post will break down each cut "class" and hopefully offer at least some insight into Diamond Cut.

How Does Clarity Effect The Appearance Of A Diamond? (Cont.)

2005-10-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

This post will in some ways introduce the Cut of a Diamond into the equation, a subject to be covered soon.

Whilst Cut is the major influencing factor determining how bright a Diamond appears, even an Ideal Cut Diamond that has notable inclusions or imperfections can have a duller appearance than a less well cut stone with very good Clarity.

Put very simply, certain inclusions could have a negative effect upon how light is refracted and diffused once it has hit the Diamond. Any questions? Email me.

How Does Clarity Effect The Appearance Of A Diamond?

2005-10-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

In order to better understand this we need to look at a couple of things...

Firstly, let's look at the visual aspect, without being technical at all:

FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS2, VS1 are all Diamond Clarities where no inclusions will be visible to the naked eye - this we know.

SI1 & SI2 Clarity Diamonds will have inclusions that may, or may not be visible to the naked eye. What many people do not realize is that these Clarities (particularly SI2) offer tremendous value for money and are a seriously good choice for those on a budget, but wanting a reasonable quality Diamond - Coupled with the right Color, an SI Clarity Diamond can represent a nice, well-balanced Diamond.

Now we get to I1, I2, I3.......I grade Diamonds do most definitely have inclusions that you, me, or anyone else will be able to see using the naked eye (although you would have to pretty close to see them). I Clarity Diamonds will also have less, fire & brilliance, but we'll come to that in a minute.....well, in the next posting anyway.

For more info, feel free to email me, I'll help if I can.

Diamond Clarity - What You can Expect (Explained)

2005-10-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

I've included some pretty standardized industry descriptions of the various Diamond Clarities....
Next time we'll talk about how inclusions (Clarity) affect a Diamond's appearance.

FL, IF Diamonds:
These diamonds are the rarest and most expensive. Diamonds graded as FL (Flawless) contain no internal or external flaws, whereas Diamonds graded as IF (Internally Flawless) contain no internal flaws. Both FL & IF quality Diamonds are very rare.

VVS1, VVS2 Diamonds:
An excellent quality diamond. Very, Very Slightly Included: Very difficult to see any inclusions, even when viewed with a 10x magnification loupe. Inclusions in Diamonds of this Clarity grade will likely only be spotted by an experienced Diamond Grader.

VS1, VS2 Diamonds:
A lesser quality than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades, known as Very Slightly Included: Inclusions are not typically visible to the unaided eye, but are viewable by an experienced Diamond Grader using a 10x magnification loupe.

SI1, SI2 Diamonds:
This grade represents very good value and are known as Slightly Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification, and may be visible with the unaided eye.

I1, I2, I3 Diamonds:
These diamonds contain inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. I grade diamonds are often purchased by customers seeking the largest stone possible for their money and those who are not concerned about inclusions.

Diamond Clarity - What Does It Mean?

2005-10-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Some may say I'm lazy with today's posting?

The purpose of this post is to keep it short & sweet. Check out the Diamond Clarity scale.......

I'll give you some time to view this diagram & I'll come back later with some more information on each of the different Clarities. If you can't wait, simply click on the hyperlink above. 'Till later.....

Diamond Weight Vs. Diamond Size

2005-10-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about Diamond Weight Vs. Diamond Size....

One thing that never fails to amaze me is people's wrongly perceived ideas about a Diamonds weight vs what size it will be. Very few people seem to really know the actual size differences between say a 0.75 Ctw stone & a 1.00 Ctw Stone. Have a guess...................................

The actual approximate difference between the two sizes (using a Round Brilliant Cut Diamond as an example) is 0.7 mm, or 0.0275 inches! - who can honestly say that they could tell the difference without seeing both Diamonds up close and sat next to each other?

Something to consider is the fact that certain settings, if used correctly, can make a Diamond appear larger than it actually is. Then of course there's finger size..........it stands to reason that a 1.00 Ctw Diamond Ring will look considerably bigger when worn on a size 4 finger than it would on a size 8.

Some useful examples of Diamond weight vs. Diamond size

(Round Brilliant Cut):

0.25 Ctw - approximately 4.1 mm in diameter

0.33 Ctw - approximately 4.4 mm in diameter

0.50 Ctw - approximately 5.2 mm in diameter

0.75 Ctw - approximately 5.8 mm in diameter

1.00 Ctw - approximately 6.5 mm in diameter

If you want more info on this topic or any other posts, email me. I am always happy to help in any way that I can.

Diamond Weight History - An Interesting Fact

2005-10-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, before we had sophisticated measuring devices, the weight of a Diamond was measured against the seeds of a tree! The seeds used were Carob tree seeds (pictured right) and the reason they were chosen was for their amazing uniformity in weight.

One Carat was equal to one Carob Tree Seed (or approximately 200 milligrams). Amazing huh?

How Heavy? Carrots?

2005-10-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

It's widely known & understood that a Diamond's weight is expressed in Carats, often confused with the word Karat (the term used to describe the purity of Gold) and rarely confused with the orange vegetable.

Diamonds are always measured to the nearest hundredth of a Carat. Carats are then further divided into points. Points are used to describe Diamonds of sizes less than one Carat in weight. Eg: A hundredth of a Carat is also called a point.

One Carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams. One ounce is equivaent to 142 Carats.

Updated Diamond Color Chart

2005-09-28T01:56:00.000-07:00

It has been suggested to me that the Diamond Color Chart I used before could have (and really should have) contained slightly different text which makes it more accurate, so here it is & apologies if any confusion was caused!

Diamond Color - White Diamonds - Learn Something

2005-09-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

The finest colorless Diamonds (White) have a D rating, descending through each letter of the alphabet to Z, which describes a Diamond of light yellow, brown, or gray - uugh!

Diamond aficionados would prefer to go for a colorless Diamond with a grade of D to F - this of course is as long as they have the money to do so.

For the rest of us (or those of us with the average budget) we would more likely to go for a Diamond in the G to I Color range.

The other option that we have of course is to go for a colorless stone, but compromise on the Clarity of the Diamond, the subject of our next post. Use our Loose Diamond Search to help you establish an idea of how color affects a Diamonds price.

Let's Talk About Diamonds

2005-09-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows the most popular & treasured Gemstone of all is the Diamond, so we've decided to talk about them first as a way of getting our blog going & helping those who need help.

Two well-known Diamond Quotes:

"I have never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back."

- Zsa Zsa Gabor

"Big girls need big diamonds."

- Elizabeth Taylor

Buying Diamonds can be a daunting experience, especially if you've never done it before, but owning and wearing Diamonds is never a chore and always sure to bring on the sunshine and lift your mood.

We aim to give you the opportunity to become more informed using our blog, our website and other sites that we mention or discuss as tools to increase your knowledge and comfort level before you join the ranks of proud Diamond owners & lovers all over.

You'll need to consider the 4C's closely - Cut - Color - Clarity - Carat and learn as much about them as you can, something we hope to help you with over the next few weeks, months, or as long as you need information. Never hesitate to comment, be it good or bad - we will respond promptly and do appreciate your feedback.

Until next time...

Where Do We Start?

2005-09-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we have started our blog, taken care of initial design and are now ready to provide our readers with some useful, readable, educational content whilst continuing to try to develop our blog in its entirety.

The only problem we have now is where on earth to start.

Due to the sheer number of Gemstones out there, both precious and semi-precious, we have the very real dilemma of what do people want to hear about first? Perhaps you, our readers could provide us with some ideas or comments on what you want to know about what particular gem?

Thinking caps are firmly on and we promise you more content within 24 hours.

In The Beginning....The Boring Stuff.....

2005-09-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

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