Gemology - Diamonds

Each diamond is like a human fingerprint, its characteristic depends on 4 qualities, they are: Size, Color, Clarity and Weight in carats.

SIZE It is the most important of the 4 qualities. It is determined based on how the facets of a diamond interact with light, it is determined by symmetry, proportion and polish. The size determines the beauty of a gem.

COLOR It is the second most important quality, since the degree of color directly affects the appearance of the stone. The closer a diamond is to being "colorless", the more exceptional it is.

CLARITY Measures the purity and uniqueness of the gem. A diamond is rated as blemish-free if, under 10X magnification, no inclusions (internal blemishes) or blemishes (external blemishes) are visible.

CARATS They determine the weight of a diamond, not its size.

The carat weight (ct) can vary depending on the different shapes of the diamonds, such as round brilliant, princess, pear, oval, cushion, marquise, emerald, radiant or heart. A diamond can have a higher carat weight without appearing to be larger, and similarly, two diamonds with the same carat weight can have different sizes if one has been cut deeper than the other. In other words, it is important to note that carat weight does not necessarily denote size.

In general, we can say that a three millimeter diamond weighs approximately 0.1 carat (ten points), a 5.2 mm diamond weighs approximately 0.5 ct, while a one carat diamond would measure about 6.5 mm.