A Diamond is a naturally occurring mineral composed primarily of carbon atoms arranged in a crystal lattice structure. It is renowned for its exceptional hardness, brilliance, and clarity, making it one of the most prized gemstones in the world. Diamonds are formed deep within the Earth's mantle under high pressure and temperature conditions and are brought to the surface through volcanic eruptions.
Once extracted, rough diamonds undergo mapping and cutting processes to refine their shape from their initial rough state. Skilled experts utilize machinery to cut the rough diamonds, enhancing their color and luster. Following this, they are meticulously polished to perfection, ready to be utilized in jewelry crafting.
The decision to purchase diamonds often relies on timeless principles known as the classic 7 Cs. While you may already be acquainted with the traditional 4 Cs used to understand diamond quality, the additional 3 Cs are equally important in influencing your decision. The 7 Cs framework assists in making well-informed choices when selecting the perfect diamond for its intended purpose. Let's delve deeper into what the 7 Cs mean!
Cut is fine, at the end add: To detemine the cut of the diamond, the scale begins from from poor, fair, good, very good, excellent.
The color grading of diamonds, spanning from D to Z, dictates their worth and visual appeal. Diamonds within the D-F range are considered colorless and are prized for their exceptional transparency and value. Whereas diamonds from G to Z exhibit increasing yellow tints due to the presence of nitrogen.
Diamond clarity, another crucial determinant of its value, is assessed based on the quantity and size of its imperfections, called inclusions, within the diamond. While every diamond naturally contains inclusions, those with fewer imperfections are deemed more valuable. Clarity grades range from VVS1 to I2, with VVS indicating very very slightly included and I indicating included
The diamond carat determines the weight of the diamond. There can be scenarios where town diamonds may weigh the same carats but can be completely different in size. One carat weighs 0.2g (200mg). So it's important that you consider the carat of diamonds before buying them.
Checking the certificate of the diamond is a crucial step to know that the diamond is graded by an unbiased professional team. Therefore, your chosen loose diamond must be certified by an independent certified lab.
The conscience of diamonds is simply ensuring where that diamond came from to conform to the legitimate source. It is important to know that your desired loose diamond is from ethical places. A diamond extracted from all ethical sources shines differently, along with better longevity!
The cost is one of the most important factors you must keep in mind. There are many ways that you can use to buy diamonds under your budget. The cost varies with different shapes and cuts of diamonds. You can even get your hands on the sumptuous diamond jewellery without burning a hold in your pocket.
The right mixture of all 7c helps you take an informed decision as the jewellery buyer. However, there is more to Loose diamonds that we know of. Some more information on the sizes and cuts are given below!
Diamonds are found in many different shapes and sizes. The interesting thing about each shape diamond is that they possess unique qualities of their own. At Almaas Diamonds, you will find diamonds of all these shapes and sizes at the highest quality as per your specifications. Some popular diamond shapes are mentioned below
The Asscher cut diamonds are known as "square emerald-cut" and are crafted using a step-cut process. An Asscher cut diamond has cropped corners which makes it appear almost octagonal at first sight. These diamonds are lustrous, bright, and clear in appearance, just like emerald-cut diamonds. The whole look of this sort of cut is close to the brilliance and is as eye-pleasing as one can imagine. Since the inclusions will always be there in such cuts, the key to selecting the Asscher cut diamond is to go for a flawless look as possible.
A brilliant cut diamond is the most famous and adds a dazzling sparkle to your jewelry. Round-shaped diamonds, traditionally for engagement rings, are round-shaped from the front to maximize light reflection. The brilliant cut diamond's shining and lustrous appearance will make you feel like royalty when you wear it!
Cushion-cut Diamonds are, as the name suggests, shaped like cushions. They are square-shaped with bent or cut corners. These diamonds reflect modern brilliant cut faceting, but they are still rooted back to their ancient origin. This is the reason why they are also referred to as vintage diamonds. A cushion-cut diamond may cost you 25% to 50% less than a round-cut diamond. They contain around 28 facets and are crafted and cut by the expert by hand. So if you are looking for an affordable, classic, and vintage diamond, cushion cut diamond is the one for you!
The emerald cut diamond stands out as one of the most elegant and distinctive among diamond cuts. It features linear, step cut rectangular facets, giving it a unique allure that sets it apart from any other cut. These diamonds tend to be larger than other cuts and are prized for their beauty and regal appearance. They shine brightest in higher clarities, as they have a larger surface area.
A heart-shaped diamond is one of the most romantic of all other shapes of the diamond. It has a subtle cleft at its top exudes brilliance. They are bold, chic, and definitely symbolise eternal love. Heart-shaped diamonds have been popular since the 1500s and were earlier exchanged between royal families as a reflection of amity and goodwill.
This diamond features an elongated shape with pointed ends, offering a dramatic and distinctive appearance ideal for an eye-catching engagement ring setting. Marquise engagement rings are expertly cut to maximize their apparent size and surface area, making them appear larger and more striking. Marquise diamonds serve beautifully as centre stones in engagement rings or as accent stones in other diamond jewelry pieces.
Princess engagement rings are renowned for their timeless appeal, offering a classic and chic style. Featuring a square-shaped diamond with distinct pointed corners, these rings exude elegance. Surprise your partner with a princess engagement ring from Almaas Diamonds and watch their joy radiate when you propose!
Perfectly proportioned and unique, the oval shape diamond also has a similar brilliance to that of the round diamond, Making it perfect for the sparkle lovers.
The pear-shaped diamond, also known as the 'teardrop', is a popular and elegant choice for engagement rings and jewelry. Its unique blend of rounded curves and pointed tip creates a timeless and sophisticated silhouette. Discover the enduring allure of pear-shaped diamonds for your next jewelry purchase.
The radiant diamond shape boasts a brilliance comparable to that of round diamonds, yet it offers a modern and distinctive silhouette. With its blend of timeless sparkle and contemporary flair, the radiant shape stands out as a captivating choice for those seeking a diamond with both tradition and innovation.
Diamonds are weighed in carats. Many people confuse this carat with that gold's karat. However, both are different, where a diamond carat signifies the weight while the gold karat reflects the purity of the gold. A diamond carat simply refers to a measuring scale in which every 1 carat equals 0.2 grams (0.50 carat= 0.1 grams and five carats= 1 gram).
With increasing weight, the size of a diamond also increases. A carat is denoted with ct and is an important comparison tool to check the weights of diamonds. However, it is to be noted that the physical appearance of a diamond doesn't expand in proportion to its carat weight. For instance, a carat diamond will not be twice in size as a 1-carat diamond.
Understanding a diamond carat is not as simple as it may appear. It gets complex when more than one diamond is used in crafting an engagement ring or any other jewellery. In cases like this, the total carat weight is calculated to know the weight of that ring. And that may not be the same as other carat rings.
A need to understand the diamond weight felt in the earlier times when everybody was spellbound by the attraction of diamond jewellery. However, it was never a carat as the measurement unit. Earlier, people used carob seeds as counterweights to balance the measurement scales. But today, the carat is the only unit that is being used across the globe to check the weight of your precious diamond.
There are many deals that are matched with a carat size to know that you have a good deal in your hand. For instance, a 1-ct diamond has been mostly used in crafting engagement rings since traditional times. However, a jewellery buyer must be cautious when it comes to buying a diamond and even when they see the tag of 1.00-carat mark. Your jewellery buyer may confuse you by selling a 0.98-ct diamond, making it look like a 1.00 ct diamond.
But such diamonds are the ones that are best sold by the vendors as they are affordable and give you the same touch as that of a 1-ct diamond. The competitive prices of such diamonds pose a lucrative deal if you want to use it just for a flaunt-worthy basis.
It solely depends on your budget allowance to get yourself a particular size of a diamond. Along with the budget, it also depends on the purpose for which you are buying. Therefore it is generally suggested to go for an excellent-cut diamond which is more impressive and flaunt-worthy as compared to poor-cut smaller diamonds.
If you are buying your desired diamond online, then you must consider all the 4Cs that are associated with making a wise buying decision. You should also give importance to the reviews that are posted for a certain piece of jewellery to compare its worth of it. So it finally requires you to run a self-analysis of your specification and then find the best choice for yourself. However, you can also make your best purchase of diamonds from Almaas Diamonds and contact our expert jewellers for the apt guidance that you need!
Diamonds are known for their property of transmitting light and sparkles with great intensity. There is no denying the fact that people often confuse the diamond's cut with its shape. A diamond shape simply refers to the shape of the diamond like round, oval, heart, marquise, pear etc.). But a diamond cut refers to the ability of a diamond's facets to interact with light. To give a diamond a clear cut, expert artistry or workmanship is used to render perfect symmetry, proportion and polishing of the diamond.
A fine cut of a diamond reflects the endless beauty that a diamond exudes from the beginning. Out of the 4Cs in selecting a diamond, cut is indeed the most complex and technical to analyse. Several tests are run by the jewellery provider to check the interactivity of the diamond with light. Through the test, many factors under light are checked to determine the grade level of the diamond cut. Some of these are:
When you have actually made up your mind to buy diamond jewellery, many people may come to you with suggestions on choosing the diamond with fewer Color as possible. This is so because a clear yet less Colored diamond may give you a pure look of the diamond, making it a flaunt-worthy affair. Diamond Color are graded on a D to Z scale and are categorised into five broad categories.
Diamonds are, however, available in all spectrums of Color, but the most common Color among all is yellow, which is generally caused by the excess of nitrogen element. To compare the Color between two diamonds, it is necessary to have them at least two grades apart for the comparison to even begin. Some Color of diamonds are discussed below!
The most valuable diamond Color is D, and it is Colorless, giving a premium look and soothing your eyes with royalty. The white diamonds are not the same Color their entire life. They tend to become yellowish with time due to the presence of nitrogen impurities in the base metal.
The faint yellow diamonds are called cape diamonds. These diamonds have a Color in the mid of being Colorless and a fancy yellow Color. As per the grading scale, diamonds from K to Z are referred to as cape diamonds.
Yellow diamonds are also the talk of the town when you think of flaunting them at a big event. With its newly rising popularity, vendors sell W-Z color-graded diamonds at lucrative prices. They are generally referred to as lemonade or near-fancy yellow diamonds.
Diamond clarity is what you call the purity and rarity of a diamond. Diamond clarity is also measured in a graded chart under ten-power magnification. For instance, a stone will be graded as flawless if it is under 10- power magnification having no inclusions and no blemishes. For a better idea, a diamond clarity chart is given below!
FL- These are the flawless diamonds
IF- These diamonds are internally flawless
VVS1 VVS2- VVS diamonds (1 & 2) are quoted as very, very slightly included
VS1 VS2- VS Diamonds (1 & 2) are called very slightly included
SI1 SI2- SI diamonds are referred to as slightly included
I1 I2 I3- I diamonds (1,2 & 3) are what you call Imperfect diamonds.
A comparison is run by the jewellery manufacturers to differentiate clear diamonds from unclear ones. This helps in deciding the prices it deserves with the tested process and procedures.
Buying a diamond has always been a daunting task. Since both the 2-carat diamond may look exactly the same but will be available at different prices. The whole thing itself is confusing, and it takes more than just the price to determine the reasons behind the same. Similarly, the total price of the jewellery may differ from a loose diamond. The weight of both articles also changes.
A 0.50-carat of diamond may cost you somewhere between $610- $2900 as in total price. The cost may go up with the increase in the carat weight. For instance, a 5.0-carat diamond may cost you somewhere in the range of $48000-$337,500 as in the total price. However, the prices are subject to change with different diamond articles and other factors considered.
Diamond prices are complicated as it keeps changing with the ups and downs of the economy. Therefore it solely depends on the purpose of your purchase and the budget you have in your mind to buy that diamond beauty you like. It is important to pay full attention to each detail so that you don't get scammed in your diamond purchase. To protect you from such scams, we have curated a 3 step guide to buying a diamond with all the price considerations.
If you are planning to spend more than $1000 on a diamond, then you must check whether it has a required certification or not. Buying a diamond with a valid certification gives you peace of mind that you are getting what they claim. The certificates from GIA and AGS laboratories give validation of the purity and value that you are going to be promised!
Now that you know which certifications to look for, you must oversee the qualities mentioned on those certificates. You must go through the qualities mentioned in the certificate and recheck the same practice to know that you are getting what is promised. We understand that such a comparison may appear daunting. This is where you can consider outside help for the same. We at Almaas Diamonds provide you with all the guidance you need for your diamond jewellery from the beginning, middle and end!
Another aspect of smart buying diamonds is getting the best price for your diamond. There is no better than going from shop to shop and learning about the price variation. There are many apps and websites available as well where you can determine your diamond price quite easily. However, such a process may differ when you visit the store offline. This is why an offline ap[roach is suggested to perform your comparison analysis.
A diamond certificate is a report generated by a team of gemmologist to evaluate and check the quality of the diamond. Such reports are known by the gemmologists with names like Diamond grading reports, diamond dossier and diamond quality documents. Such reports are generated after a lot of steps and procedures to ensure that all steps are taken accurately.
The gemmologist runs the evaluation of the diamond by studying its dimension, carat weight, clarity, polish, Color and symmetry of the diamond. The certifications require more than this mentioned basis to run the evaluation. Many industry-related- tools, technology, and microscopes are used to determine the worth of a diamond!
Now that we know of different diamond cuts and shapes, we can say that all diamonds are unique in their own way! However, every diamond is bonded together with certain yet common structural features. The structure of a diamond is what you call a diamond's anatomy, which determines a diamond's structure, brilliance, proportions of materials used, dispersion and scintillation.
A loose diamond is crafted with two main key sections, the Crown and the Pavilion. The structural relationship of diamonds in the form of depth and table percentages impacts the diamond's sparkle to a great extent.
Every part of the diamond's anatomy has a specific name. Perfect knowledge of all the components helps you take an informed and wise decision in choosing the best diamond for yourself. It has a total of seven main components, which are discussed below!
It is crucial for the diamond buyer today to have a basic knowledge of the diamond's anatomy. This will help you to make an informed buying decision and even to communicate your requirement to the jeweller. Not only is it going to increase the value of the diamond for yourself, but it will definitely make you embark on the right decision for a long-term investment!
Lab-grown diamonds are identical to naturally mined diamonds, sharing the same physicality, durability, and chemical properties. The grading process for lab-grown diamonds mirrors that of natural diamonds but is more cost-effective. The primary motivation behind producing lab-grown diamonds is to align with ethical, sustainable, transparent, and high-quality standards within the jewelry industry.
It's intriguing to note that diamonds can also be created through scientific processes and machinery, resulting in lab-grown diamonds, which represent the forefront of technological innovation. These diamonds are produced using high pressure and heat within specialized machines.
Similar to naturally grown diamonds, they are also available in all shapes and cuts. From round to oval to marquise, these diamonds ensure the best quality only! Our tested methods to craft lab-grown diamonds make you fall in love with the elegance and royalty it exudes. They are also referred to as man-made diamonds, engineered diamonds and cultured diamonds. The value offered by these diamonds doesn't make you miss the naturally grown diamonds!
Diamonds may appear to be Colorless or has a yellowish Color as its appearance. The Colors are diamonds are graded using a grading scale from z to Z. The colours belonging to the z range or beyond are considered to be fancy, like yellow, brown etc. However, as per the grading scale, the rarest and most valuable colours are pink, blue and green. The intensity of these colours plays a big role in their value.
Even the slightest shifts in the intensity of Colorsmay lead to differences in the value of the diamonds. The grading process of fancy diamonds is not as easy as it may appear. It is complex and takes expert graders from labs to run the analysis. They grade the diamond on scales like fancy, fancy light, fancy intense, fancy vivid, fancy dark and fancy deep. Here is what some colours reflect in diamonds!
Looking to buy the best engagement ring for your better half? If yes, then you must know all the ins and out of buying diamond bejewelling. There is no denying the fact that every single person has their own specification for the diamonds they wish to buy. Some people may simply go for gemstones, while some think of buying loose diamonds for a long-term investment.
While we all are aware of the classic 4Cs of buying a diamond, there is more to it! Here are some tips along with the classic 4Cs to make an informed and wise purchase of a diamond!
The first and foremost rule in buying a diamond adornment is knowing all the 4Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight. In simple words, the 4Cs are:
It is crucial and very basic to know the key difference between diamond shapes and cuts. The shape of a diamond shows the outline or shape of a diamond-like a pear, oval, rectangle, heart, or square. At the same time, the diamond cut highlights the clarity and depth of a diamond.
For example, a round brilliant diamond may cost you more than other diamonds because of its intricate cutting and shape. In contrast, a step cut reflects more clarity and is priced accordingly.
A loose diamond may look wholly different in different lighting. Daylight, fluorescent light and spotlighting may make a diamond look different. A jeweller may use white spotlighting to highlight the brilliance of a diamond. So, make sure to check your diamond under natural light or a shadow light to see and compare the difference.
These are some of the tested ways to choose your diamond for your special day. There are more than the mentioned ways to test the purity of your diamond which differs from jeweller to jeweller. Make sure to choose a reliable jewellery vendor and go for the best diamond per your specification!
DIAMOND CARE Since diamonds can lose their sparkLE over time, it is important to care for them in ways that make them look brand new every time you wear them. Here are some of the ways to keep your diamonds in their best shape!
The best to protect your most valuable asset is to get them assured. Jewellery insurance is not included in your other insurance unless requested. The new premium amount is settled if you insure your jewellery along with other precious belongings. However, you must discuss the appreciation and replacement rules with your insurance provider before closing the deal. You must note that insuring jewellery doesn't mean that it will forever be locked in a safe. In fact, you can wear it anytime per your conditions, knowing that it's safe and protected!
At Almaas, we offer a lifetime cleaning guarantee. With our ultrasonic cleaner, we can clean your jewellery rapidly by sending low-frequency sound waves through a solution which causes the dirt to separate from the jewellery itself. This normally takes a week, but this can also be a same-day service depending on our workshop’s availability (This same-day service is not available on the weekend). It is as easy as dropping the ring off, going for a coffee and coming back to see your jewellery ready with a brand-new sparkle. We will also run a quality check on your ring.
Otherwise, you can opt for a DIY solution. For example, you can take water and a few drops of dish soap and clean the dirt from jewellery at least once or twice a week. Once you remove it from the solution, use a clean toothbrush to clear the remaining dirt. In this way, you can definitely extend the shelf life of your diamond affordable and effectively.
There are some cases when a homemade method may not give your diamond its shine back. Therefore, this is where an ultrasonic cleaner should be your go-to option. These cleaners remove a minute of dirt from your diamond with no hassle. They send low-frequency sound waves through a solution which causes the dirt to separate from the jewellery itself. However, your jewellery must be handled and placed with care to not let any part break in the cleaner. It is therefore suggested to consult your trusted jeweller before going to ultrasonic cleaning!
