Diamond Education - Cut

Cut has the biggest impact on the beauty of diamonds and the least amount of difference in their price. The word cut has several meanings when it comes to diamonds. The cut of a diamond does not just mean its shape (round brilliant, princess, oval, cushion, etc.) but also addresses the symmetry, polishing, angles and the proportions of each physical aspect of the diamond.

The cut determines the diamond's sparkle. A properly cut diamond will refract the light that enters the diamond and return it through the top to produce the much desired sparkle. The angles have to be exactly right to effectively reflect the light back to your eye.

Learn more about Cut at the HRD-website

Diamond Education - Carat (Weight)

The weight of a diamonds is generally given in carats. The term carat originated in ancient times when gemstones were weighted against the carob bean. Each bean weighed about one carat. In 1913, carat weight was standardized internationally and adapted to the metric system. One carat equals 0.2 grams - a little more than 0.007 ounce. In other words, it takes 142 carats to equal 1 ounce.

Two terms, carat and karat are often confused. Karat refers to the fineness of gold alloys (pure gold is 24 karat; 14 karat is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals) and carat refers to gem weights.

The weight of small diamonds is frequently expressed in points, with one point equaling 0.01 carats. For example, five points is a short way of saying 5/100 of a carat and fifty points equates to a half carat.

Learn more about Carat at the HRD-website

Diamond Education - Color
Diamonds are found in a variety of colors, but chances are all the diamonds you'll see in your shopping will be white or yellow, and the whiter the better. The yellow color in diamonds comes from trace amounts of nitrogen. One part in a million will cause a yellow tint to appear in the K color diamond. As a rule, the more yellow the stone, the less value it has. There's a good reason for this. The yellower the stone, the less sharp and sparkly it appears. A whiter stone lets greater amounts of light pass through it, making it sparkle and shine.

Keep in mind that the color illustrated on these color charts is exaggerated in order to see the difference on your computer monitor. Actual color differences are much more subtle.

Learn more about Color at the HRD-website

Diamond Education - Clarity
Virtually all natural diamonds contain identifying characteristics, many of which are invisible to the unaided eye. Clarity is the degree to which a stone is free from external marks called blemishes and internal features called inclusions. Inclusions normally have a greater impact on grade, value, beauty, and durability than do blemishes.

When shopping for a diamond, the goal is to decide what level of these imperfections is appropriate for this particular purchase. A certain level of imperfections can be to your advantage since they act as a fingerprint to help identify your diamond. These imperfections can lower the price of the diamond to make it affordable without affecting its beauty to your eye.

Learn more about Clarity at the HRD-website

Diamond Education - Confidence
Every Antwerp diamond we sell comes with a certificate that guarantees and documents the quality of your diamond. Without this certificate, you have no proof of the value of your diamond.

A certified gemologist prepares the diamond certificate (also called a grading report, dossier or quality report). The gemologist scrutinizes the diamond under a microscope, noting its dimensions, clarity, cut, color, finish, symmetry and other characteristics.

The most highly valued diamonds in the industry come with a diamond certificate report from the Diamond High Council (HRD) or the International Gemological Institute (IGI), known and respected for having the most strict, consistent and unbiased systems for grading diamonds in the world. That's why every loose diamond we sell at Antwerpdiamondrings.com has been analyzed and graded by either the HRD or the IGI. A certificate from HRD or IGI guarantees forever the quality of your Antwerp Diamond.

Be aware that if you buy a diamond without a certificate, you are trusting the salesperson's claim as to its quality. A trained gemologist or even another jeweler may disagree with that salesperson's assessment. Protect yourself: get a grading report.