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Diamond
Glossary |
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Diamond Glossary Term |
Diamond Glossary
Definitions |
Links to More Info |
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Asscher Cut |
Asscher Cut Diamond - A
forerunner of the emerald cut requiring a four-pronged
setting. It is square, step cut shape with cropped
corners. |
Asscher Cut Diamond |
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Blemishes |
Blemishes - An abrasion or scratch on the surface of a
diamond which are called blemishes. Also see inclusions |
Inclusions |
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Black Diamonds |
Black Diamonds - "Black"
diamonds are not truly black, but rather contain
numerous dark inclusions that give the gems their dark
appearance. |
Black Diamonds |
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Blood Diamonds |
Blood Diamonds, also known as
Conflict Diamonds, are used in the illegal trading of
diamonds to finance conflict, civil wars and human
rights abuses in Africa |
Blood Diamonds |
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Blue Diamonds |
Blue Diamonds - Natural blue
diamonds contain the element boron (B) which changes the
conductivity of the diamonds.
breakage from falls or impacts. A diamond will shatter
if hit with an ordinary hammer. |
Blue Diamonds |
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Brilliance |
Brilliance - The amount of
sparkle a stone gives off through the reflection and
refraction of light. |
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Brilliant Cut Diamond |
Brilliant Cut Diamond - The
modern round brilliant diamond consists of 56-58 facets
including the culet. Between the table and the girdle
are generally thirty-two facets, and below the girdle
twenty-four. |
Brilliant Cut
Diamond |
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Bruiting |
Bruiting - The term for shaping
the girdle of diamonds |
Diamond Cutting |
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Carat Weight |
Carat Weight Definition: A
Carat is a standard unit of weight for diamonds. Carat
weights are also expressed as "points" with a one carat
diamond equalling 100 points. 1 ct. = 100 points. A
carat is abbreviated as "ct."1 ct. = 0.2 grams and 100
points = 1 carat |
Carat Weight |
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Champagne Diamonds |
Champagne diamonds - Champagne
diamonds have a tint of brownish body color and the term
champagne is an alternative way of describing brown
diamonds. |
Champagne Diamonds |
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Clarity |
Clarity - The clarity of a diamond relates to exactly
how clear a diamond is. The clarity of a diamond
describes the
presence, or absence, of Inclusions (flaws) within the
diamond and any blemishes on its surface. |
Diamond Clarity |
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Cleaving |
Cleaving - Taking a piece off a
diamond where it is too long, or making it into small
stones where it is badly flawed, thus taking away the
impurities and defects |
Diamond Cutting |
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Cognac Diamonds |
Cognac diamonds - Cognac
diamonds have a tint of brownish body color and the term
Cognac is an alternative way of describing brown
diamonds. |
Cognac Diamonds |
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Color |
Color - The shades of colors
include yellow, blue, black, pink, red, orange, green
and brown. Diamond Color is determined by the impurities
or structural defects that cause the coloration. The
color scale for white diamonds goes from 'D' (colorless)
to 'Z' (dark yellow) |
Color of Diamonds |
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Colored Diamonds |
Colored diamonds - Colored
diamonds contain impurities or structural defects that
cause the coloration, while pure or nearly pure diamonds
are transparent and colorless. Composition 'C')
crystallised in a cubic (isometric) arrangement which
has been highly compressed over millions of years. |
Colored Diamonds |
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Conflict Diamonds |
Conflict Diamonds, also known
as Blood Diamonds, are used in the illegal trading of
diamonds to finance conflict, civil wars and human
rights abuses in Africa. |
Conflict Diamonds |
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Crown |
Crown - The top part of the
diamond above the girdle. |
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Culet |
Culet - A tiny flat facet that
cutters sometimes add at the bottom of a diamond's
pavilion. |
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Cushion Cut Diamond |
Cushion Cut Diamond - A four
sided deep square or rectangle cut with rounded edges
and large facets - it has a cushioned shaped girdle. |
Cushion Cut Diamond |
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Cut |
Cut - The cut of a diamond
refers to two separate elements - The way the rough
diamond is cut to produce a polished diamond and the
shape of the diamond, the different styles of cuts e.g.
Pear, Round, Marquise, Heart shaped etc. |
Diamond Cut
Diamond Cuts |
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Cutting |
Cutting - Every stone is
examined minutely for flaws and imperfections, enabling
the cutter to decide in which way the diamond will give
the best possible results. |
Diamond Cutting |
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Diamond |
Diamond - Definition: A Diamond
is a clear transparent precious gemstone completely made
of Carbon atoms (Chemical
Composition 'C') crystallised in a cubic (isometric)
arrangement which has been highly compressed over
millions of years. |
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Diamond Powder |
Diamond Powder - Diamonds can
only be manipulated by means of powdered diamond. This
powder is prepared generally from bort, or faulty
diamonds, and from the refuse in cleaving and cutting,
which, being put into a mortar of hardened steel, is
pounded until it is fine enough for use. |
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Dispersion |
Dispersion - Dispersion refers
to the prism of light refracted from within a cut and
polished diamond and relates to the
sparkling colors that are emitted from the stone as it
is viewed from different angles |
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Emerald Cut Diamond |
Emerald Cut Diamond - A
rectangular or square shaped cut with truncated corners
and stepped facets, typically parallel to the girdle.
The emerald cut diamond reflects less light than the
standard brilliant cuts and needs to be of the highest
quality as any inclusions can be visible. |
Emerald Cut Diamond |
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Facets |
Facets - Diamond facets are the
smooth surface areas of a diamond which have been cut,
polished and positioned at different angles which allow
light to enter and reflect back from the stone. The
depth and width and the uniformity of the facets control
the brilliance and the durability of a diamond. |
Diamond Facets |
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Fancy Colored Diamonds |
Fancy color diamonds - Natural
fancy color diamonds obtain their coloring from
completely natural processes such as impurities or
structural defects. Very rare and expensive |
Fancy Colored
Diamonds |
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Fancy Cut Diamonds |
Fancy cut diamonds - Fancy cut
diamonds and other stones include the Emerald, Marquise,
Heart, Oval, Pear and Princess cuts. |
Fancy Cut Diamonds |
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Fluorescence |
Fluorescence - Definition: An
inherent property possessed by diamonds resulting in
glowing without an appreciable rise of temperature when
exposed to ultra-violet rays, cathode rays etc.
Fluorescence is not usually desirable in a white diamond
as it gives a hazy effect but it can improve the
appearance of diamonds that possess traces of some
colors. |
Diamond
Fluorescence |
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Formation |
Formation of a Diamond -
Diamonds are formed when extreme heat (temperatures of
2200 degrees Fahrenheit) and extreme pressure cause
carbon atoms to crystallize forming diamonds
approximately ninety miles under the earth's surface. |
Diamond Formation |
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Green Diamonds |
Green Diamonds - Exposure to
the natural radiation in the earth such as uranium ore
cause the green color. |
Green Diamonds |
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Hardness |
Hardness - Denotes resistance
to scratching On the Mohs scale a diamond has a hardness
of 10 - a diamond is the hardest naturally occurring
substance known to man. Not to be confused with
Toughness which relates to the ability to resist
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Heart Cut Diamond |
Heart Cut Diamond - Essentially
a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top containing
59 facets. |
Heart Cut Diamond |
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Inclusions |
Inclusions - Inclusions are
flaws or imperfections in diamonds consisting of a
defect within the crystalline surface of a diamond.
An abrasion or scratch on the surface of a diamond which
are called blemishes. Laser lines generated during
diamond enhancement procedures are also considered as
inclusions |
Diamond Inclusions |
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Lapidary |
Lapidary - Lapidary is the name
given to the cutter and the art of cutting, shaping,
polishing and creating jewelry from stones. |
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Luster |
Lustre / Luster - The term used
to describe the brightness of an object that shines with
reflected light rather than producing its own. |
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Marquise Cut Diamond |
Marquise Cut Diamond - The
Marquise shape is like a long oval which has been
stretched out to a point at each end. |
Marquise Cut
Diamond |
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Mohs scale |
Mohs scale - On the Mohs scale
diamond has a hardness of 10. A diamond is the hardest
naturally occurring substance known to man |
Mohs Hardness Scale |
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Oval Cut Diamond |
Oval Cut Diamond - Most oval
diamonds are like a squashed round brilliant - a
modification of the round brilliant cut. Aspect ratio of
an Oval cut: The ratio of the length to the width should
be about 1.5:1. |
Oval Cut Diamond |
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Pavilion |
Pavilion - The lower portion of
the diamond, below the girdle, ending in the culet. |
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Pear Cut Diamond |
Pear Cut Diamond - The
description of an Pear Cut Diamond is best described as
being one half oval, and the other half marquise |
Pear Cut Diamond |
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Pink Diamonds |
Pink Diamonds - Crystal lattice
defects during the formation of diamond cause the pink
color. |
Pink Diamonds |
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Polishing |
Polishing - Diamonds are
polished according to the precise run of the grain and
the way in which it will polish to the best advantage.
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Princess Cut Diamond |
Princess Cut Diamond - A
relatively new shape which is usually square but
sometimes oblong. It has a brilliant cut arrangement of
facets instead of a step cut |
Princess Cut
Diamond |
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Quality |
Quality - The quality elements
include Carat Weight, Size, symmetry and proportions,
Clarity Grade, Color Grade and Fluorescence. |
Diamond Quality |
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Red Diamonds |
Red Diamonds - Crystal lattice
defects during the formation of diamond causes the red
color. Red diamonds are therefore extremely rare and
valuable. |
Red
Diamonds |
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Scintillation |
Scintillation - Occurs when
light bounces among the facets creating a really
sparkling display. |
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Setting |
Setting - A suitable setting
for the diamond is selected and the mechanism used to
hold the stones in place, such as the bezel, pave,
channel and prong settings is chosen. |
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Diamond Shapes |
Diamond Shapes - The names of
the most popular diamond shapes are Asscher, Brilliant,
Cushion, Emerald, Heart, Ideal, Marquise, Oval, Pear,
Princess, Radiant, Rose, Round and Trilliant or
Trillion. |
Diamond Shapes |
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Sparkle |
Sparkle - A measure of the
light reflected out by a diamond as it is viewed from
different angles. |
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Step cut |
Step cut - 'Step cut' or 'Table
cut' which the cutting style is often used in Marquise,
Emerald and Oval cut diamonds. The facets on a 'Step
cut' are cut in steps. |
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Symmetry |
Symmetry - Symmetry is a term
that refers to the alignment of a diamond's facets, its
flat and polished surfaces. The facets are cut to
achieve the best play of light. |
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Table |
Table - The flat facet on the
top of the diamond. It is the largest facet on a cut
diamond |
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Table cut |
Table cut - 'Step cut' or
'Table cut' which the cutting style is often used in
Marquise, Emerald and Oval cut diamonds. The facets on a
'Step cut' are cut in steps. |
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Teardrop shaped diamond |
Teardrop shaped diamond - The
description of a Teardrop Cut Diamond is best described
as being one half oval, and the other half marquise. |
Teardrop shaped
diamond |
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Toughness |
Toughness - Toughness relates
to the ability to resist breakage from falls or impacts.
A diamond will shatter if hit with an ordinary hammer.
Not to be confused with Hardness which denotes
resistance to scratching. |
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White Diamonds |
White diamonds
are categorised into Colorless, Nearly colorless, Faintly
tinted (usually yellow), Lightly tinted (usually yellow) and Tinted
(usually yellow but may progress to brownish). The scale and grades for
colorless diamonds goes from 'D' (colorless) to 'Z' (dark yellow). The
less color, the more expensive. |
White Diamonds |
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Yellow Diamonds |
Yellow Diamonds - Natural
yellow diamonds contain the element nitrogen (N). |
Yellow Diamonds |
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Diamond
Glossary |
