020 3369 9982
DIAMOND EDUCATION
Custom Jewellery Knowledge Centre
The 4 C’s of bespoke designed diamond jewellery are often highlighted as the best way to understand just how ‘good’ your diamonds are, not to mention their insurance value. At Satchwells, our GIA qualified designer will explain each of these, helping you choose the right diamonds for your unique ring, making sure you get the best custom design to suit your budget.
1. Carat
Pretty things may well come in small boxes, but lets face it, what is in those boxes better be huge. Carat is simply the standard unit of weight for gemstones. 1 carat is equal to 200 milligrams, 0.2 grams. Each carat is divided into points, 1 carat is equal to 100 points.
However – carat weight is not the same thing as size – how big a diamond appears is also dictated by other factors like shape and cut, so it is very important to understand carat weight beyond its worth, because it is generally mistakenly ascribed.
2. Cut
Far more than simply what shape a rough diamond has been polished into, the cut is the probably most important determiner of your diamond’s brilliance and light dispersion. Diamond cutting is an art requiring meticulous precision, and understanding how it all works is crucial to making the best pick. Diamond by design will ensure your bespoke piece offers you the best quality cut for your budget.
3. Clarity
Virtually all diamonds have little impurities or inclusions as they are known. The important thing to realise is that they are not always visible to the naked eye. The size and location of the inclusions play a significant role in deciding the cost of your diamond so it is important to understand clarity grades in order to make the most suitable selection. Our GIA certified designers can educate you with any questions you may have, guiding you to make your perfect choice.
The GIA Clarity Scale consists of 11 grades, with most diamonds falling into the VS (very slightly included) or SI (slightly included) categories. Most jewellers use SI because you can only see the imperfections under 10 X magnification & not with the human eye.
-
Flawless (FL) - No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
-
Internally Flawless (IF) - No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
-
Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) - Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10× magnification
-
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) - Inclusions are minor and range from difficult to somewhat easy for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification
-
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) - Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader under 10x magnification
-
Included (I1, I2, and I3) - Inclusions are obvious under 10× magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance
4. Colour
Colour refers to the amount of colour in a diamond. It is measured from D (colourless) to Z, light yellow or brown. Each letter grade represents a range of colour. It is a very personal choice as to which colour you prefer.
Committed to the highest custom ring design standards
Satchwells only provides certified diamonds, from the worlds most exacting certification schemes – ensuring the long term investment value of your jewellery. You will not find diamonds more alluring with more intense sparkle and brilliance.
DIAMOND CERTIFICATION
INTRODUCTION
A diamond certificates show you exactly what you are getting. It is issued following an unbiased and professional assessment to authenticate a diamond’s characteristics. The carat weight, colour and clearness are all validated, jointly with the diamond’s precise measurements. Cut levels are also included for Round Brilliant cuts. Certificates are crucial in determining or testifying a diamond’s worth.
Every diamond sold through Diamond By Design are ranked by GIA, AGS, HRD, IGI, EGL (Internationl or USA). It’s generally accepted by diamond industry professionals the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) establishes the standard in regards to diamond grading. At least three quarters of the 200,000 diamonds listed on Seventy Seven Diamonds are ranked by the GIA. Unfortunately some retail stores and internet stores self certify, for the single intention of raising their margin to the merchandise sold.
The laser inscription is easily confirmed with a magnification loop.
CERTIFICATION COMPARISONS
the International Gemological Institute (IGI), and the 2 variants of European Gemological Laboratory (EGL International and EGL USA). From these 5 labs, the 3 that establish the standard are the AGS, GIA & HRD. The GIA is widely regarded as the most reputable and accepted grading laboratory on earth, with the strictest standards. Founded by the originator of the GIA, The American Gemological Society (AGS) is a newer certification and promotes itself around the truth it provides an Ideal cut level that’s 1 higher compared to the Excellent from GIA and is as demanding as GIA in every regard. The Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD) or Diamond High Council is nearly as celebrated world-wide as GIA but much less popular and it is 95% its grading. in as demanding.
BEWARE : organisations their grading criteria do change and are not equally strict Even though these are the 5 top international diamond certification. Please be mindful of the differences when picking your diamond (see below).
All the certificates differ somewhat in layout, language and grading systems, with some including others being simpler and symmetry or proportion grading and diagrams. However, both main grading aspects to think about when comparing certificates are clarity and colour, for their evaluations mainly decide the cost of the diamond and yet they’re not consistently ranked across the board. A colour level may differ in up to two grades from one certification to another and yet this isn’t consistently reflected within the cost, so beyond understanding just how colour or clarity grades work, it is crucial to understand the way to interpret and compare them.
CERTIFICATION COMPARISONS FOR COLOUR
Overall, the GIA will be the strictest on colour levels, and out of the other labs, AGS and HRD are the two that many closely conform to the standards set out by the GIA. IGI and EGL
USA often give one colour level higher than GIA, and EGL up to 2 colour levels higher. So an F colour jewel on a GIA certificate would most probably be an E on IGI or EGL USA, the same on AGS and HRD, plus a D on EGL.
CERTIFICATION COMPARISONS FOR CLARITY
Again, with clarity the GIA can be believed to be the strictest, giving at least one level lower than the rest of the labs. Due to this class, stones marks as IF or FL by the HRD would just receive a VVS1 from the GIA.
GIA gives independent grading for symmetry and shine which the HRD groups together under the heading of “finish.” HRD also comprises one clarity grade termed “Loupe Clean” which isn’t offered by the GIA
.
INDIVIDUAL GRADING LABS & CERTIFICATES
There are numerous diamond grading labs round the world all of which generate their particular grading reports according to their particular standards, and in a number of cases apply their particular language. It is necessary to understand the various grading systems as well as the way in which they compare with each other, as certificates play a big part in deciding the worth of diamonds.
Headquartered in New York, the GIA was set up in 1931 as a nonprofit educational resource for the jewel and jewellery industry. The Institute’s intention would be to supply the business and also the public with an independent, objective opinion concerning the character of the diamond and as an unbiased arbitrator of standards in diamond grading to be able to guarantee the public’s trust.
GIA was responsible for developing the very first internationally recognized Diamond Grading System with unbiased views of the quality of polished diamonds by employing uniform criteria to their grading. Additionally, it introduced the leading diamond report in establishing the standard for diamond quality documentation all over the world.
