What is a diamond made of?
A diamond is made entirely of carbon (just like the graphite in a pencil). But, while graphite is very soft, the carbon atoms in diamond form in such a way as to create the hardest known substance. This special structure allows diamonds to take a superior polish and project more brilliance than any other natural colorless gemstone.
Can a diamond break or chip?
Even though diamonds are extremely hard, they can still be damaged from abuse. Diamonds can scratch each other and all other gemstones, such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Store your diamonds away from other gems in your jewelry box and don't wear any valuable gemstones while doing hard work.
How should I clean my diamond?
Anything that cuts grease will help remove the build-up of oil and dirt from a diamond. Commercially prepared jewelry cleaner is perfectly suited for this purpose as is dish detergent and a bit of ammonia. Other gems may require different cleaning procedures, especially opals, pearls, emeralds, turquoise, and other soft and porous stones. Ask your retail jeweler the best way to clean any stone in question.
What is a "clarity enhanced" diamond?
Some diamonds with surface reaching factures are filled with a glass-like compound to make them look better. Like cosmetics, this process merely improves the appearance of the diamond compared to what it would look like without the treatment; it doesn't improve the clarity of the diamond. It's a legitimate process but jewelers are required by law to disclose whether a particular diamond has been treated. Most grading labs do not certify clarity-enhanced or fracture-filled diamonds because the process is not proven to be 100% stable and may change during jewelry repair procedures.
What is "laser drilling"?
Laser drilling is used to improve the appearance of diamonds with dark imperfections. The most common procedure uses a fine laser beam to tunnel into a diamond and burn the existing inclusion, which is further lightened with acid. As this process is stable, all labs will grade lasered drilled diamonds and indicate the process on their report. The Federal Trade Commission also requires disclosure of laser-drilled diamonds to consumers at the point-of-sale.
What is a diamond certificate?
Diamond certificates, or grading reports, are independent documents that provide extensive information about the quality of a diamond. Along with carat weight, measurements, clarity grade, and color grade, Grading Labs diamond certificates contain detailed information about cut quality. Click here to see a sample certificate.
What is fluorescence?
For reasons not entirely understood, certain diamonds emit a subtle blue glow when exposed to ultraviolet rays. This interesting phenomenon is called fluorescence. Many light sources including the sun, fluorescent office lights, and "black" lights emit ultraviolet rays. In normal lighting conditions, fluorescence cannot be seen.
Grading labs indicate the strength of fluorescence on their diamond certificates for identification purposes. The appearance of fluorescence in diamonds exposed to strong ultraviolet lamps ranges from very faint (barely perceptible) to very strong (a neon-blue glow). Some diamonds show no fluorescence at all.
A scientific industry study showed that, with few exceptions, fluorescence in diamonds affects neither price nor appearance. There are two exceptions to this rule. In a minute number of cases, diamonds with very strong fluorescence and a special arrangement of clarity characteristics may look slightly "cloudy," but consumers rarely encounter such diamonds. Fluorescence may also have a slightly positive influence on the appearance of certain off-colored diamonds, thereby making them more desirable to own.
What is SI-3?
Diamonds graded as SI-3 ('slightly included") contain clarity characteristics that are very easy to see under 10X magnification. The SI-3 category lies between the SI-2 and the I-1 grade.
SI-3 was introduced to the diamond trade in 1992 to better serve the changing needs of the marketplace. The following year the Rapaport Diamond Report created an SI-3 price column, and the grade has gained wider acceptance over the past decade.
While not all labs have adopted SI-3, EGL USA began using it on its diamond grading reports in 1997. This step was validated by important global industry organizations that officially recognize the grade, among them the World Federation of Diamond Bourses and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association.
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