Diamond Guide

• COLOR

Color grading represents a fundamental element of the diamond.  The more colorless a stone is, the greater its rarity and value. Even though many diamonds appear colorless to an expert eye, the majority of stones have a color leaning slightly towards yellow or brown.

Colors are graded from D to Z, with D being “colorless” and every grade down reflecting varying degrees of coloration.  D colorless diamonds are extremely rare and therefore very valuable.  The value of a diamond can vary considerably with the slightest increase in the shade of color.

• CLARITY

The number, position, kind, color and prominence of inclusions contained in the diamond determine the grade of clarity. A diamond is “Eye Clean” if examination under a microscope with a 10x magnifying lens does not reveal inclusions or flaws on the surface. Truly clear diamonds are extremely rare.

The majority of diamonds have natural inclusions, invisible to the naked eye, that do not affect their beauty. The clarity of a diamond is classified according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) international standards.

• CUT

The cut enhances the Diamond’s power to pick up and reflect light.  The stone is revealed and the diamond shows itself in all its splendor and brilliance.  In order to reach perfection, the diamond cutter determines every facet and angle of the stone following a strict set of geometric guidelines, thus obtaining maximum importance and greatest brilliance for each gem.

In a brilliant-cut diamond there must be 57 or 58 facets lined up with precision.  Although many consumers picture diamonds as round brilliants, most of the world’s famous diamonds are fancy shapes such as Emerald, Pear, Oval and Heart, and the much desired Asscher Cut.

• CARAT WEIGTH

The carat represents the unit of weight of a diamond.The size of a diamond increases its value and rarity, but has a lesser importance if it is not matched with a good grade of color and clarity and a properly proportioned cut.  Two stones of the same carat weight will have, in fact, very different values depending on their other characteristics.  Nevertheless, size does indeed contribute to increase the value of a diamond, as large stones are rarer than small ones.

Goldara’s consultants are also diamond experts from Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and will love to help choose the best diamond for you.