There are ten different diamond shapes which are common. Each cut has its own different qualities. This article will give you a short rundown on the properties of each of these ten most common diamond shapes.

The most popular cut by far is the round cut. If you are stumped and looking to make a quick decision, the round cut may be just the thing for you. When thinking of diamonds, the round cut is the shape which first comes to mind.

If you’re looking for something different, the princess cut is the second most popular diamond shape. Properly cut, a princess cut diamond can be beautiful. However, sometimes they don’t quite come out as brilliant as you may expect. If you want one, get one from a well-established jeweler.

The oval cut is another very popular cut, especially for engagement rings. This is a classic style, almost as common as is the round cut. This cut is beautiful and stylish as well as versatile – this diamond shape can work in rings of almost any style.

One of the very most elegant cuts is the marquise cut. This is an elongated shaped cut which makes the diamond appear larger than its actual size and as such is typically used on smaller diamonds. The name of this cut comes from the fact that they were and still are popular with royalty.

Another beautiful diamond cut is the pear shaped cut. The best way to describe a pear shaped cut is that it is between an oval and marquise cut in shape. It has many of the best characteristics from both of those cuts.

The step cut, also known as the emerald cut is a good choice for those looking for their first diamond. These are an appealing cut, but do have fewer facets than do many other available diamonds – meaning that if there are any flaws in the diamond, they will be more obvious.

Art deco buffs will love the asscher cut. This is a less popular cut, but is becoming more popular again. However, this is a cut which you will not see on every finger and can be quite the conversation starter.

Speaking of unique cuts, nothing is quite equal to a brilliant, perfectly cut, heart shaped diamond. The only problem is that they can be very difficult to cut. So, it is rare to find a flawless or perfect heart shaped cut. The time and expense involved in finding one can be well worth it, though.

A traditional cut which has fallen out of favor somewhat in recent times is the radiant cut. This is similar to an emerald cut, but with more facets for added luster.

Last, but not least, there’s the cushion cut. That cut is designed to make a diamond seem larger than it is. It can really show off a diamond’s best features and enhance it’s look, even if it’s small.

A diamond has long been idolized as the ultimate symbol of lasting love because of it’s purity and ageless beauty.

As an admirer of diamonds for engagement rings, whether past, present or future, one may wonder why there is such variation in price from store to store. What characteristics constitute a $5,000 diamond versus one that costs only $500?

The grading system for diamonds is based upon four different elements. Firstly, size will play a large role in the price. This is referred to as the “carat weight,” and it is determined on a 100 point scale. The larger the carat weight, the higher the value.

Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.

The clarity of a diamond can vary from ‘pure’ to heavily included. This designation is arrived at after anaylyzing the how many inclusions are found as well where the inclusions are located, whether they are tinted, and how large they are.

Therefore the more severely included a diamond is with crystals, feathers, or other types of internal and external flaws, the lower its value. These deformities are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Clarity is highly prized, especially in larger carat diamonds where the imperfections are more detectable.

Color is the next element that affects price. Although clarity is important, there are special cases where under certain conditions underground a diamond may have taken on a certain coloration that actually increases its value.

Diamonds range in color from a designation of “D” to “Z”, with “D” being no color at all, and “Z” being a diamond with a color that is deep enough to be very noticeable to the human eye.

Cut is the final factor in diamond grading. This is an often forgotten element of diamonds, but it is extremely important, as it gives this remarkable stone its ability to come alive.

To view a diamond from the point of view of the cut is to investigate whether or not it has any ‘fire’. Like the other criteria for grading, the cut has it’s own grading scale that goes from excellent to irregular. If the diamond doesn’t knock your socks off then it likely has not been cut very well.

So there you have it, the 4 C’s of choosing a diamond: carat, clarity, color and cut. Understanding these basic concepts before you enter a diamond store will go a long way towards making a good purchase decision.

Choosing the Perfect Big Diamond

When the time comes to purchase big diamonds, it is best to be prepared. It is too easy to be swindled by a less than reputable jeweler. Finding a good jeweler is the first step in purchasing any jewelry. It is also a good idea to do the right research on choosing diamonds.

Choosing a perfect diamond is based on what jewelers call the 4 C’s. This stands for cut, color, clarity, and carat. Each of these plays its own importance in grading all diamonds and become especially important when choosing big diamonds. When a lot of money is going to go into a purchase, it is best to know exactly what to look for.

The first consideration is the cut. The cut of the diamond extends far beyond the physical shape. A diamond is intricately cut based on mathematical algorithms. The better quality of the cut, the more it will shine. It can also hide imperfections that are in every diamond, big or small.

The next consideration when purchasing a big diamond is the color. There are colored diamonds such as yellow and pink, while most diamonds are classified as white. Most diamonds have a yellow or brown tinge to them. Each is graded on a scale from D to Z. A diamond classified as a D is going to be the best quality and have the purest color.

Clarity also weighs heavily on the grading of the stone. As previously stated, every diamond has imperfections, including cloudy spots and even small black spots. This is common, but can be hidden by an experienced jeweler and the proper cut.

Carat is the size of the diamond. Obviously, big diamonds will be several carats. While most people feel that the larger the diamond is, the better the quality, this is untrue. A big diamond can be cloudy and be cut poorly just as a smaller diamond can have a perfect cut and excellent color and clarity. The overall rating of the diamond determines the price, not the overall size of the diamond.

Big diamonds are a status symbol. But these diamonds must be of the highest quality to be worth the money being spent. This makes it imperative to understand the grading process of diamonds!

H.G. Wells talked about fake diamonds in his 1911 book, The Diamond Maker possibly based on Henri Moissan’s work in 1893 in which he was able to produce cultured diamonds in a carbon crucible in an electric oven. The experiment was replicated in 1917 and while reading of the experiments, Dr. Willard Hersey of McPherson College successfully repeated the work and his first cultured diamonds are on display in Kansas City.

Since 1954 when Tracy Ha;; of General Electric designed a belt apparatus to provide the needed pressure to turn heated carbon into cultured diamonds, the industrial diamond has been produced in mass quantities. This, or similar techniques are still in use to create the annual 600 metric tons of cultured diamonds, compared to the 26 metric tons of diamonds pulled from mines.

Methods Vary For Different Diamond Types

Today, there are two main technologies used in making cultured diamonds, the original high pressure, high heat and chemical vapor deposition. High pressure, high temperature is still the cheapest method of producing industrial diamonds, with temperatures of about 1,500-degree Celsius at a pressure of nearly 50,000 atmospheres. With chemical vapor deposition carbon and gasses are applied to a substrate, usually silicon, with most cultured diamonds being flat.

The uses of diamond in the cutting industry has been greatly expanded since the successful manufacture of cultured diamonds, especially in the drilling field where diamond-tipped bits are longer-lasting and able to cut through an assortment of substrates. Cultured diamonds are also important in the automotive industry for cutting and drilling aluminum trim. Since aluminum is very hard on traditional cutting tolls, it has greatly reduced the need for tool replacement.

The use of cultured diamonds is very diversified from the cutting industry to electronics, medical and power transmission. Their high thermal capacity allows them to be used as heat sinks in electronics and as conductors in the medical industry. The chemical vapor deposition has also been used to encase circuit boards in the cultured diamonds to provide more protection to the boards.

A diamond that is free of chemicals and structural flaws will be perfectly translucent with absolutely no color hue. In reality, this is rare as most diamonds will have structural imperfections in it crystal make-up and depending on the color and the intensity of the color, the value of the diamond can go up or down. Many yellow colored diamonds are less expensive than white diamonds, but those such as the Hope Diamond, are considered more valuable. Intense blue coloring in the diamond make is extremely rare, however the most sought-after colored diamonds are those with an intense red color.

Most colored diamonds mined fall into the range of pale yellow to light brown with a slight impurity of nitrogen infused during the crystal growth giving the stone its color. The vast majority of diamonds mined from South Africa are considered clear, even if they contain a slight yellow color. There are a few that appear as brilliant yellow or dark brown, due to the content of the nitrogen and are commonly referred to as Canary Diamonds.

Grading Colored Diamonds Now Standardized

When the industry first began grading diamonds by color, there was no established rules concerning the colored diamonds and was typically used when sorting rough diamonds for sale. When the gems reached the next level in the supply chain there were again sorted by size and color, this time with more attention paid to the intensity of the color. Today, computerized tools are used to grade colored diamonds, allowing a standard procedure to make the process for exact.

When colored diamonds fall outside the normal color scale, they are considered fancy diamonds and those, such as the intense blue Hope Diamond, are much in demand and, as such, considered highly valuable. Of course, its size 45.52 carats has a lot to do with its value and it is currently housed in the Smithsonian Institute.

While many may at colored diamonds as the exception, the odds of finding the perfect diamond, that has no flaws and is totally colorless is very small. While they are found and processed, they are also very expensive due to their unique nature.

Down To Earth Prices

The reasons are many why one should opt for a synthetically produced diamond, not the least of which would be the price difference, which are down to earth and not the astronomical prices charged for mined diamonds. Some people go even so far as condemning diamonds as being nothing more than “a con, pure and simple”. In any case, the control of diamonds is vested to a large extent in the hands of the DeBeers diamond cartel, which does not properly reflect of any scarcity in diamonds.

If you really need proof that man made diamonds are much in demand, then you should be informed that it is believed that almost a third of all diamonds sold in the United States happen to have been tampered with to increase their value through artificial means. And, it is believed that you will normally end up paying on an average as much as forty percent more for a diamond engagement ring than is necessary.

Man made diamonds also mean not being party to promoting directly or indirectly blood diamonds and thus you would be doing the world a big favor if you chose instead purchasing simulated diamonds, which are almost indistinguishable from the mined diamonds and you also do not have the baggage of thousands of dollars to carry. Even among man made diamonds, there is much to choose from, though you may not always be able to get unbiased information about the better options available to you.

You could however do worse than to check out some of the leading examples of man made diamonds that include Cubic Zirconia, and Russian diamonds. Cubic Zirconia is readily available and is pretty decent replicas of real diamonds, though because of their wide availability and also their low prices, they are thought of as being simple low-cost fashion jewelry items.

Russian Diamonds and Russian Stars are really high quality Cubic Zirconium and are quite expensive with prices ranging from two hundred eighty dollars per carat. They are nevertheless, fine jewelry items and can also adorn an ornament well especially when mounted in precious metal settings.

There are all types of jewelry enhanced with sparkling diamonds, from rings, earrings, brooches and necklaces to many types of men’s jewelry as well. Not wanting to leave out any segment of society, the push to include men among diamond consumers has added millions of dollars to the diamond trade. Since the 1938 DeBeers campaign, men have been convinced that sparkling diamonds are the only way to a woman’s heart.

The journey a stone takes from the mine to the consumer is a long one, sometimes fraught with danger and in some cases bloodshed. However, in recent years it has been declared illegal to import or export diamonds mined by countries that use diamonds to finance war.

Rough Stones Slowly Turned Into Expensive Gems

When a diamond comes out of the mine, it is sorted as to size and color and then sold, usually in batches to dealers. Again they are sorted by size and color coded and sold to processors. This group will slowly turn them into sparkling diamonds, when they will again be sold. Their next stop will be either to a jeweler who will attach them to a setting to be sold as finished jewelry or to a wholesaler, which will in turn sell them either in bulk to jewelry makers or individually to private collectors.

The four C’s of a diamond, cut, clarity, color and carat determine the value of the sparkling diamonds once they have gone through the entire process. Many large diamonds are maintained by the original mining company for later use as a potential investment. With rough stones out of the mine valued at about $250 a carat, .2 grams, by the time they have made their way to the customer their value has drastically increased.

Today, when people are looking to buy sparkling diamonds they often consider the possibility of latching onto a blood diamond, those mined and sold to finance rebel wars, and look for certification that the diamond they are considering came from a country that does not deal in conflict diamonds.

Spence Diamonds has become one of the more well known jewelers concerned with buying diamonds, importing and the production of jewelry. The company tries to make their stores welcoming and have an easy environment where clients can choose to their heart’s content without the pressure of a purchase hanging in their heads.

The store offers several thousands of designer prototypes on display in the cases. Their staff is well trained and very professional. They can give you facts about diamond grading and the use of instruments to give clients a view of any diamond. They are very accommodating and willing to please their valued clients and prospective buyers.

The Spence Diamonds Guarantee

The Spence Diamonds Company also offer a most comprehensive purchase protection program or guarantee that includes a 45-day Return Policy, protection from loss and a Lifetime Trade-Up Policy. This guarantee is one of the firsts in the industry and ensures the buyer of a very good quality diamond.

The Engagement Rings

They offer two kinds of engagement rings; these are the diamond solitaire engagement ring and multi-stone engagement ring. The diamond solitaire engagement ring comes in either classic designs or modern designs. Whichever design you choose, you can be assured that the diamonds and the material used for the settings are of the finest quality. Spence Diamonds also offer different materials for the settings; these could be yellow gold, white gold or platinum.

Spence Diamonds also offer engagement rings in multi-stone designs. There are also two classifications for the multi-stone designs which are classic and modern designs. The classic designs are the more traditional designs that have withstood years of scrutiny while the modern designs cater to the whims and fantasy of more modern brides. The designs usually comprise of several stones surrounding a bigger stone or several smaller stones which make up a design

Spence Diamonds also offer several other kinds of jewelry for all occasions. They have earrings, bracelets and pendants which have the same quality and attention to details as the engagement rings. These pieces of jewelry are also crafted with the same precision and they come with a guarantee. Their collections are so beautiful to behold that it inspires one to go out and buy one.

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Diamonds are found in nature, and they are particularly valuable because they are the hardest substance found naturally. Some diamonds are found naturally in a range of colors, and some of the colors increase the value of the stone because of the rarity of the color. The colors range from pink to black. The black diamonds and other colored diamonds are put into a category of their own because they are so rare. Expert jewelers will know the difference between a colored diamond and other colored stones. A green diamond might resemble an emerald to some people, but there is a significant difference.

Black Diamonds Make Stunning Jewelry

Black diamonds are not sparkling like those of other colors, but these jewels can make stunning jewelry. The value of these beautiful stones and their stunning appearance make them popular gifts. Jewelry made with these distinctive jewels have become increasingly popular in the last few years. These diamonds usually increase in value over the years because they are so rare. The black diamonds are usually found in Brazil or Central Africa. Some of these diamonds are designated black although some of them appear to be gray in color.

The black diamonds have many myths about them especially in India. Some people believe that these diamonds resemble the eyes of a snake so they were dedicated to an Indian god. One huge diamond made a perfect part for a statue of Buddha because of the black color. This was stolen and many believed that those responsible for the theft later suffered from violent deaths. At least two of the owners of this jewel jumped to their deaths from high buildings. There are many jewelers who now buy and sell many of these diamonds because of the new popularity of these gems. These diamonds are often combined into distinctive jewelry with diamonds of other colors or with white diamonds.

Diane Diamonds are most valuable because they are usually the centerpiece of a ring that signifies love as well as affection, and these are made from nature’s most enduring substance. There is nothing that appears in nature that is stronger and more resilient than a diamond. The only substance that can cut a diamond is another diamond. Jewelers who work with diamonds must use special knives that are made from diamonds in order to make the necessary cuts to shape the diamonds for maximum effect.

Diane Diamonds Are Made From Nature’s Treasure

Consumers in the market for a Diane Diamond will want to find out about certain characteristics that are important when buying a diamond. An important consideration is the weight of the diamond. Diamonds are measured by carats, and the price will increase substantially as the carats in the diamond increase. The clarity of the diamond is also an important consideration. If a diamond has defects that are visible to the naked eye, it will not be sold as jewelry, but it will probably be used for industrial projects. In order to rate the clarity of any diamond including a Diane Diamond, a special tool is necessary to view the insides of the diamond.

Diamonds also come in different colors. Most shoppers look for the most common colors because the rare colored diamonds are very expensive. A Diane Diamond will sparkle and shine on the finger of the fiancée who is presented with a lovely ring, a symbol of intentions to marry and feelings of affection. The future bride and groom can choose the setting from different types of gold or silver depending on their preferences. A beautiful Diane Diamond will be a treasure for many years after the engagement is announced and the wedding is completed. One of these beautiful rings will provide a daily reminder of those important events long after the last guest leaves.