Diamonds 101: Cut and Color

The way a diamond is cut and its color are the two most important qualities of a diamond.  Do not be confused though; the cut and the shape are two different things.  The cut is how the diamond is cut and faceted from the rough diamond into the finished diamond we are used to seeing.  The color of the diamond refers to how much color is seen within the diamond.

Cut

A diamond’s cut is important to the diamond as it directly affects how the diamond will sparkle.  The way the diamond is cut determines how light will refract through the crystal.  Light should enter the diamond and refract at a 90 degree angle in order to create sparkle.  If the diamond is not cut well the light can go straight through the diamond making it look dark and dull.  This is the reason I believe the cut of a diamond to be so very important. A diamond with the very best color and clarity, if it is not cut well, will not have the sparkle, fire and scintillation that we think of when we think of diamonds. If you are wondering what fire and scintillation are, let me explain! Fire is the rainbow of color you see when the light refracts through the diamond’s crystal. Scintillation is the “life” inside of the diamond created by light and depth. Conversely, if you have a diamond with lesser color and quality but a fabulous cut, the diamond can appear better than it shows on paper.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades the cut, polish and symmetry of Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds. Fancy shaped diamond, all other shapes, have a polish and symmetry grading.  The grades start at Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and lastly Poor.

Color

The color of the diamond is also very important.  Diamonds naturally occur in a rainbow of colors and hues ranging from white to yellow to blue to red and everywhere in between.  The presence of trace elements affects the color of the diamond. For instance the presence of nitrogen creates yellow in diamonds and boron creates blue. Fun fact: scientists have yet to discover why pink diamonds are pink. Theories include seismic trauma to the stone that shifted its molecular structure.  For years the vocabulary of a diamond’s color was anything from blue-white to AAA to river-white to canary to white but in 1931 the Gemological Institute of America formed and quickly became the standard in diamond grading.  Since diamond sellers had already used A, B, and C as diamond grades, the GIA started their grading scale at D the highest color grade (or absence of color). A white diamond can receive grades all the way through Z the lowest color grade (the most color present). Diamonds graded D, E, or F are colorless, G-H-I are near colorless, J-K-I-M-N are faint color, and the rest of the scale is very light or light color.  When a diamond is colorless or near colorless, the light is able to refract all colors and have more fire.

I love talking about diamonds and gemstones and geek out when others are passionate and interested in it.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  My goal is to take the mystery out of the jewelry industry and create confident, educated consumers!