Diamond Education

Although certified grading specifications provide a general guideline to help the untrained person understand the value of a diamond or gem, every natural diamond has its own special visual characteristic that is not described on any certificate. This is why a jeweler who you trust is important when purchasing jewelry. Not only should a jewelry be enjoyable, but should also be valuable. Edwin Novel and his personally-trained and trusted buyers travel the world, taking the extra time to hand-pick the diamonds and gemstones. After the hand-selection process abroad, every diamond goes through full AGA certification process and is also individually inspected by our internal gemologists to guarantee consistency. It is important to note that we sell every available size, shape, color and grade in order to provide our customers the best variety of options. Mr. Novel is against discriminating towards any individual's budget and he believes that everyone should be able to afford an engagement ring. Below are the standard grades and values typically included in the certification process for our customers’ information to further understand how diamonds are graded in regard to clarity and color, carat weight, cut, shape, and categorized for the purposes of making all levels of jewelry.

Shape

Diamonds come in many different shapes and sizes. Below are the most common shapes in the industry:

Round Cut

Round cut diamond is the most commonly traded diamond in the industry. It produces the most reflective brilliance and depth, and its symmetry allows beautiful reflective properties from every point of view. The round cut diamond is widely accepted as the diamond of choice as it is considered the traditional cut. Round cut diamonds are the classic example of the beauty found in symmetrical radiance.

Oval Cut

Being the closest relative shape to the round cut diamond, the oval cut diamond’s symmetry is slightly elongated, with the two opposing sides being longer/shorter than their adjacent counterparts. The oval diamond has beautifully reflective properties and is often considered one of the most classic varieties available. The oval cut diamond also allows its suitor the option to choose from differing length to width proportions, allowing a variety of shape options from the more slender shaped, elongated oval, to the rounder shaped oval cuts that are more similar to that of the round cut diamond.

Cushion Cut

The cushion cut diamond (also referred to as the pillow cut diamond) has been an exquisite shape for decades. Tending to be a more square to rectangular shaped cut, the facets of the diamond are larger, allowing for a depth and brilliance sure to be stunning no matter what setting it is in. Rather than having angled corners, the cushion cut diamond’s corners are rounded, allowing its reflective properties to showcase the clarity of the stone. Pay attention to the different length to width ratios, as the cushion cut diamond is available from a square (1.0) ratio to the more elongated rectangular cuts, depending on your preference.

Princess Cut

The princess cut diamond has always been a favorite center-piece to our customers. Like many available shapes, the princess cut diamond can be found in the more square cuts as well as rectangular cuts, all of equal beauty. The princess cut diamond has square, pointed corners with a large surface area for depth and reflective brilliance. They can vary greatly from the square to the rectangular shapes, so be sure to select your preferred length to width ratio, with the more square cuts being as close to a 1.0 ratio as physically possible. These diamonds are known for their popular use in pendants, engagement rings and earrings, as they are paired beautifully with other types of stones, baguettes, and many other creative combinations.

Marquise Cut

The marquise cut diamond has long been a popular cut due to not only its beautiful shape, but it also has another unique ability to be able to disperse carat weight for an overall appearance that seems larger than it actually is. Like other cuts, the marquise has a variety of length to width ratios, giving it an appearance that can be very elongated, or more of a round appearance, similar to an oval cut diamond. Their marquise cut diamond pairs beautifully with several other cuts and settings of side-stones, and is a perfect cut for someone who tends to like cuts with more pointed corners such as the princess cut, but with a more slender, elongated feel like that of the oval, or emerald cut.

Pear Cut

The pear-shaped diamond (also referred to as a “teardrop” diamond for obvious reasons) is widely popular in a large variety of jewelry today. Aside from it being the perfect choice for someone who loves the combined characteristics of both the oval and the marquise cut diamonds, its teardrop appearance flows beautifully on all types of jewelry, from engagement rings, to earrings and pendants as well! Like both the marquise and the oval shaped diamonds, the pear cut diamond is available in multiple length to width ratios depending on your personal preference.

Radiant Cut

The radiant cut diamond is the perfect choice for someone who likes the shape of a princess cut diamond with less pointed edges that will allow its owner a smoother, softer appearance that is still able to pair nicely with a large variety of other stones set within the same piece of jewelry. Although not as rounded as the edges of a pillow cut diamond, it has many similar characteristics to both the princess and cushion diamonds in the fact that its upper facets have a larger surface area which allows its radiance to be reflected and almost magnified by the stone’s clarity. Like the princess and cushion diamonds, the radiant cut is also available in both square and rectangular shapes, so be sure to choose your favorite length to width ratio. No matter what you choose, the radiant cut is truly the perfect choice for someone who wants the perfect combination of a princess cut and a cushion cut diamond.

Emerald Cut and Asscher Cut

A truly beautiful expression of fine craftsmanship in a diamond, the emerald cut diamond and asscher cut diamond are unique in their rectangular facet cuts on the lower pavilion of the stone, giving the diamond a very beautiful rectangular depth and straight-line reflection found in no other cut of stone. The asscher and emerald cut diamonds are almost identical, with the exception that an asscher cut is considered a truly square cut, with a 1.0 length to width ratio, while the emerald cut is available in a variety of length to width options. Their large facets allow incredible reflection for its brilliance to shine through, giving the emerald cut and asscher cut diamonds an appearance sure to get the attention they deserve. Both cuts pair beautifully with a variety of other accent stones, so be sure to ask one of our design professionals for different options while choosing your perfect jewelry design.

Heart Shaped

Nothing else says “I love you!” like the heart shaped diamond. This unique cut is a perfect option for designing any ring, pendant, or earring that allows the person wearing it to know just how perfect they are. Whether you are designing a special piece as a gift, or if you are choosing the perfect stone to make a statement, the heart shaped diamond is sure to be a great choice! Heart shaped diamonds also come in a variety of length to width ratios based on your personal preference to make sure to view all of the available options to ensure you have just the right shape diamond for your jewelry purchase!

DIAMOND MEASUREMENTS (Approximate by Carat)

CLARITY AND COLOR GRADING INTRODUCTION

Diamonds of the exact same cut and size dimensions can significantly vary in price based on the clarity and color grade of the stone. Please consult our design professionals to help you select the best stone for your budget. At Edwin Novel Jewelry Design, we want our customers to be aware of every available option for every type of budget. Meticulous customers will normally find a diamond with FL clarity and a cut graded as Excellent or above, usually with a completely translucent D-grading for its color – which could be considered a perfect specimen of diamond, consequently making it what some would consider the rarest and absolutely the most expensive diamond classification available. Some other customers prefer to look for the same exact stone but with a much darker color grade of diamond, with color hues ranging usually between yellow, brown, orange or a blend between. Many times colored diamonds are additionally graded on the intensity of their color which is an entirely separate discussion in itself, however it should not always be assumed that darker color grades in diamonds always means a lower price, as sometimes, the darker colored diamonds can be more rare and expensive than colorless diamonds depending on their clarity and the quality of their cut.

Although the price differences are substantially noticeable between clarity grades, other than the aforementioned sub-categories of “colored” diamonds, there are additional ways to help our customer get the best value in their diamond selection within the typical variations of color grades (from completely colorless to the early grades having hints of visible color). There is a definite difference in price from a diamond with a “D” color grade and a diamond with an “I” color grade. Other than the combination of clarity grade and color grade, there are two other factors that can benefit the value that many don’t take into consideration: The first factor is the cut of the stone. Many times a stone may have a lower clarity grade with a visible inclusion, however, a very experienced gem cutter is often able to cut the diamond to hide the inclusion to the point that it is barely a factor in the overall beauty of the diamond. This can save a customer thousands of dollars if they are on a budget, but is only an option for those who are willing to sacrifice having a hidden inclusion for the diamond’s overall carat weight. The second factor being fluorescence: Technically, a diamond’s fluorescence is a property that actually has to do with the reflective properties of a diamond’s clarity that can be seen under ultra-violet light. If you have ever seen a diamond glow blue under a black-light, this is the exact physical trait that fluorescence is referring to. Although too much fluorescence could be visible as a lack of clarity to the naked eye, a diamond of a lower color grade, with the proper amount of fluorescence can appear brighter than another diamond of the exact same color grade with less fluorescence. It is a fine line, but is an option that our purchasers always take into consideration when finding our customers the perfect diamonds to stay within their budget. Edwin Novel Fine Jewelry is here to help you in the difficult task of choosing the perfect options for your diamond jewelry with every effort to get you exactly what you want and still stay within your budget for that perfect piece of art. See below for brief descriptions of the classification grades given for clarity and color, and feel free to call our jewelry design professionals with any questions you may have while creating your perfect piece with Edwin Novel Jewelry Design.

CLARITY GRADE

Each diamond sold by Edwin Novel Jewelry Design not only goes through full AGA inspection and certification, but they are also individually inspected by our gemologists prior to assembly to confirm the diamond’s weight, color grade, clarity grade, and cut grade prior to the use of any diamonds in our jewelry. The clarity grade is equally important when considering your diamond, and is actually graded by the amount of “inclusions” visible under variable magnifications within the diamond. There are multiple types of inclusions such as chips, crystals (these are diamonds within the diamond, including “pinpoints” which are microscopic diamond crystals that appear as a tiny spec of light when viewed under high magnification, and “needles” which are simply very thin & elongated diamond crystals), clouds (a group of pinpoints), knots (these are diamond crystals that breach the surface of the diamond’s facet), feather (a small fracture in the diamond), naturals (the original outer layer of a diamond that was not removed during the polishing process), indented naturals (same as a natural, it is the original surface of the diamond but indents into the outer surface of the finished cut), bearding (inclusions that appear as tiny chips around the girdle of the diamond caused during the gem cutting process), grain lines (the original grain of the diamond that can sometimes be seen under high magnification – also known as “surface graining” or “internal graining” depending on whether they appear on the polished surface or within the diamond’s interior), and twinning wisps, which refer to a combination of microscopic inclusions between a diamond’s natural panes. Although a FL diamond is considered to be perfect because it has absolutely no visible inclusions, not all of these inclusions are necessarily bad depending on the circumstance and cut of the diamond. In fact, many inclusions can add character to the diamond. Often times the natural crystal inclusions, graining, and twinning wisp varieties can actually add additional fire and character to the diamond without sacrificing any of its beauty or integrity. Feathers can sometimes also add radiance and character as long as they do not risk breaching the edge of the diamond. All of our AGA certified diamonds have been thoroughly inspected by our gemologists to help eliminate any feathering that would compromise a diamond’s integrity. See below for definition for each clarity grade:

FL: Flawless

For a diamond’s clarity to be considered FL, it must be completely flawless internally and externally. Polish of the diamond has to be perfect for it to receive a flawless grade. Some certification companies will lower the quality of flawless by two grades because of the damages of wear and tear. To perfect the diamond again you have to send it to a certificate company to re-polish the diamonds surface.

IF: Internally Flawless

To receive an IF clarity grade, the internal of the diamond must be without any imperfections. However, this quality grade will have some minor imperfection on the surface of the diamond (the diamond’s external polish might not be perfect).

VVS1: Very, Very Slightly Included (to the first degree)

VVS1 quality will have very little imperfection that will be usually visible only under a microscope. For this grade, it is acceptable for a large diamond to have somewhat visible inclusions under a 10x jeweler’s magnifying loupe, although the inclusions are difficult to see even by the trained eye.

VVS2: Very, Very Slightly Included (to the second degree)

VVS2 is the clarity border-line between VVS1 and VS1. VVS2 quality will have very little imperfection, but will have slightly more visible inclusions under a 10x jeweler’s magnifying loupe than VVS1.

VS1: Very Slightly Included (to the first degree)

VS1 quality will have inclusions that will be slightly visible under the 10x jewelry magnified loop. For large size diamonds the inclusion will be fully visible with the 10X jewelry magnified loop.

VS2: Very Slightly Included (to the second degree)

VS2 clarity grade, although unlikely, can possibly have visible inclusions to the well-trained naked eye depending on the location of the inclusion, size of the diamond, cut of the diamond, type of inclusion and also how good of an eye is examining the diamond.

SI1: Slightly Included (to the first degree)

SI1 grade is the lowest grade where inclusions will still be difficult to see with the naked eye and where the shine is still not compromised. The cut, shape, type of inclusion, and the region where the diamond was mined will have an effect on visibility of the inclusions to the eye.

SI2: Slightly Included (to the second degree)

SI2 quality will have inclusions that will slightly affect the shine of the diamond. At this grade the inclusion will be completely visible to the eye.

SI3: Slightly Included (to the third degree)

SI3 is a grade not commonly used. Some certification companies do not acknowledge this grade, as it falls into such a small category of qualifications between SI2 and I1 diamonds.

I1: Included (to the first degree)

I1 grade: Inclusions will be visible to almost every eye and shine is very limited. Diamonds graded I1 will have almost no shine.

I2: Included (to the second degree)

I2 diamonds are considered to be industrial diamonds. This grade includes diamonds that have absolutely no shine due to the massive inclusions.

I3: Included (to the third degree)

I3 diamonds are considered to be lowest grade diamonds. This is the lowest quality on the diamond grading scale. This grade will allow for diamonds that are up to 100% included and are highly NOT recommended for any purpose.

COLOR GRADE

One important thing to note when choosing the correct diamond is that diamonds of the exact same cut and size dimensions can significantly vary in price based on the color grade of the stone. When every dollar counts, please consult our design professionals to help you choose the best stone for your budget. Depending on which setting, cut, and size of diamond you choose, the color you choose can drastically affect the price. We can help you choose the perfect options for your diamond jewelry with every effort to get you exactly what you want and still stay within your budget for that perfect piece of jewelry.

CUT GRADE

When choosing the perfect diamond, besides the size, cut (shape) and clarity of a stone, one of the most important factors to consider is the quality or grade of the stone’s cut, which drastically affects the natural beauty of the diamond. The quality of a diamond’s cut is actually graded on the combination of several factors that include the symmetry and proportions of each stone combined with the diamond’s polish or finish of each facet which allows light to both reflect and pass through each facet of the diamond, affecting some other characteristics of the diamond such as its brilliance (internal refraction and reflection of pure light), along with its dispersion (of color). This characteristic is also known as the diamond’s “fire” and is sometimes referred to as the diamond’s “rainbow” or “prism”. Another characteristic taken into account when grading the quality of a diamond’s cut is the diamond’s scintillation which is how well it handles the movement of light that could more easily be described as the diamond’s “sparkle” as the light enters and exits the diamond’s facets and crown.

Luckily, the grading systems for a diamond’s overall cut quality tend to be much easier to understand than the standard grades and codes for diamonds’ other properties. From low grade to high grade, you will commonly see the cut grades referred to as: Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent (sometimes referred to as “Ideal”), followed by various grades created to imply varying degrees of perfection by adding words like “double”, “triple”, or “super” to separate perfectly cut diamonds from other perfectly cut diamonds because of their natural differences in brilliance, scintillation & dispersion.

All of the characteristics involved in the grading of a diamond’s cut are subsequently influenced by several other factors that work in accord with one another. Many times you will see sub-category grades of a diamond’s polish, its symmetry, and its proportion grade that will be factored into the final grading of each diamond’s overall cut. A diamond’s basic biology includes the crown and upper facets which is the top of the diamond, with the widest part of the diamond being referred to as the girdle, and the bottom of each diamond below the girdle referred to as the diamond’s pavilion, coming down to the lower-most point of the diamond, referred to as the diamond’s culet. The largest facet of the diamond is known as the table, which is the upper-most visible portion of a diamond, through which light is refracted into the diamond and reflected from all individual facets. The process behind grading a diamond’s polish and reflective properties on its dispersion, brilliance and scintillation is directly affected by how well the refracted light reflects off of the other facets’ angles and back out of the diamond to create that beautiful sparkle. The basic symmetry of the diamond is one of the most common factors that can drastically affect the grade of cut. When a gemologist or jeweler refers to symmetry, they are referring to the diamond’s balance of all cuts’ facets having even and consistent proportions, with all angles and corners being of equal degree, and all sides being directly comparable to its’ opposing side. The symmetry of a diamond’s cut may not be visible to the naked eye, sometimes allowing larger diamonds of higher clarity grade and overall polish to be available at a much lower cost than what gemologists would consider an excellent cut grade of diamond. The depth of the diamond is a very important factor in the diamond’s proportion and symmetry. Similar to the variable length to width ratios available in elongated shapes of differing styles diamond-cuts, the depth ratio of a diamond is important to consider because it affects the angles upon which light is reflected within the diamond. If the diamond is cut too deep, the light entering the diamond may not efficiently reflect back out of the diamond, and likewise, if a diamond is cut too shallow, light will pass through the pavilion of the diamond rather than reflecting back out the diamond’s crown, reducing its brilliance and scintillation. A common factor that affects the diamond’s depth is the thickness of the diamond’s girdle. Although it may be necessary to utilize the girdle to balance a diamond’s proportion and the angles of its pavilion, special attention is paid to the girdle when a gemologist is determining a diamond’s cut grade, as too thin of a girdle could make the diamond susceptible to chipping, while too thick of a girdle could affect the diamond’s internal dispersion, reducing the amount of light reflected back out of the diamond.

When choosing your perfect diamond, we always recommend you consult our jewelry design professionals to assist you with getting the most value out of your purchase. There are so many factors into choosing the perfect stone for your situation, and they will differ for each and every customer based on their individual matter of preference. Some may want a larger stone in a yellow gold setting, allowing them to sacrifice clarity grade with virtually zero visual difference than a much more expensive stone, while others may want a diamond in a white gold or platinum setting which could require a higher clarity stone for the perfect end result. However, someone wanting a very similar result in a platinum band could be perfectly happy with a lower clarity grade diamond that has just enough fluorescence to give their diamond a brighter appearance and still stay within their budget. Regardless of whether you are on a budget, or if you are looking for a large FL clarity diamond of excellent cut grade and D-grade color set in the most elaborate custom precious metal setting available, Edwin Novel Fine Jewelry is here to help you with making the right choice in your fine jewelry purchase. Contact us today for any questions or assistance, our experts will be happy to assist.