The
Basics: Cut, Clarity, Color &
Carat Weight
Your jeweler can help
you create the perfect ring that combines
the timeless elegance of filigree
with a high quality certified diamond.
Diamonds are certified to meet specific
quality standards for cut, color,
clarity and carat weight by the GIA
(Gemological Institute of America)
and the AGSL (American Gem Society
Laboratories). The GIA and AGSL provide
fact sheets for many fine certified
diamonds.
Find More Information
About Diamond Certification At:
The
Gemological Institute of America
Also known as the GIA, is the world's
foremost authority in gemology.
American
Gem Society Laboratories
Also known as AGSL, this diamond grading
laboratory was established to
provide consumers with an unbiased,
credible analysis of a diamond.
A Diamond's Cut
A diamond should be
cut so that light reflects down into
it and back up through the many facets.
If a diamond is cut too shallow or
too deep, light passes through the
facets and down rather than being
refracted back up to the admiring
eye. Check with your jeweler for further
guidance about cut and how this affects
the sparkle of a diamond. To locate
an authorized Whitehouse Brothers
retailer in your area, click
here.
A Diamond's Clarity
Like water shining
through a crystal clear glass of water,
a diamond that is perfect is free
of inclusions or imperfections. Inclusions
are tiny fractures or trace minerals
that have been present in the stone
since its formation in the earth.
Diamonds are rated for clarity using
the following scale:
Clarity
Rating |
Description |
| FL |
Flawless, no internal
or external finish flaws. |
| IF |
Internally flawless,
no internal flaws. |
| VVS1 |
Very very slightly
included. |
| VVS2 |
Very difficult
to see inclusions under 10x magnification. |
| VS1 |
Very slightly included. |
| VS2 |
Difficult to see
inclusions under 10x magnification,
typically unable to see inclusions
with unaided eye. |
| SI1 |
Slightly included. |
| SI2 |
Easy to see inclusions
under 10x magnification, may not
be able to see inclusions with
unaided eye. |
| I |
Inclusions visible
with unaided eye. |
When a diamond is certified, the gemologist
provides a summary of any inclusions
(imperfections) in a diamond —
details about the number, location,
size and type.
A Diamond's Color
The brilliance of a
diamond’s sparkle is affected
by the presence or absence of color.
Color is rated on the following scale:
A diamond is considered
colorless or near-colorless if it
is graded "D"
through "J".
All diamonds
that are pre-set into Whitehouse Brothers
rings are graded G – H.
These diamonds are considered an excellent
value. They appear colorless to the
naked eye, unless they are compared
with diamonds of even higher color
grade.
A Diamond's Carat
Weight
If you invest in quality
rather than quantity, you will never
be disappointed. High standards of
quality are a reflection of character.
More important than the size of the
diamond is the brilliance and the
light that it casts. Any of the authorized
Whitehouse Brothers retailers
can guide you through this process
— helping you to select a diamond
that reflects the character of your
ring purchase and fits within your
budget.
A Word About
Russian-Cut Melle
Many Whitehouse Brothers
rings contain small cut diamonds and
other gemstones
known as melee. All of these stones
pass through De
Beers® and are Russian-cut.
Russia is known for it’s precision
and skill in faceting even the tiniest
melee cuts.
Click
here to learn about other gemstones.
|
