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May Birthstone: What You Need to Know About Emerald

May 2, 2017

With spring in full bloom and summer just around the corner, emerald is the perfect choice for the May birthstone. Kings and queens have prized the sought-after green gem for centuries. Here’s how you can pick a breathtaking one.

In this post, we cover:
Gemological Qualities of Emerald
Emerald History & Lore
Where Emerald Comes From
Emerald Qualities to Look For
Emerald Care & Cleaning

May Birthstone: Gemological Qualities of Emerald

Emerald’s green has been the standard by which other green gemstones have been measured for thousands of years. It is the rich green to bluish green variety of beryl, a mineral species that also includes aquamarine and varieties in other colors.

Trace elements that cause emerald’s color include chromium, vanadium and iron. As a general rule, the higher the chromium or vanadium content, the more intense the green color. The more iron present, the greater the degree of blue. When iron content is relatively high, emerald is a bluer green. When iron content is relatively low, the May birthstone is a purer green.

The difference between an emerald and a less-expensive green beryl is a matter of debate among gem experts. Some in the trade describe the May birthstone as any green beryl colored by chromium. However, gemologists, gemological laboratories and most colored stone dealers, think it is incorrect to call a green beryl an emerald when its color is “too light.” There are differences of opinion even in this group about the definition of “too light.” GIA settles the debate by using lab-graded comparison stones to determine if the green color is sufficiently dark and saturated to be called emerald.

Gemologists love the May birthstone for its inclusions. Emeralds from Colombia can have fascinating characteristic inclusions – called three-phase inclusions – that consist of tiny crystals of rock salt, a liquid and a bubble of gas.

The best emerald crystals are also gorgeous flat-topped green hexagonal columns that can rival the beauty of faceted stones.

Weighing in at 47 carats, this rough emerald crystal from the Muzo mine in Colombia is so beautiful that it may put to rest all debates about color. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Jon Sigerman

May Birthstone: Emerald History & Lore

From Egyptian pharaohs to Inca emperors, emerald has enchanted royalty. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for emerald, and used it in her royal adornments. The legendary Crown of the Andes, fashioned in colonial South America, is one example of how the Spanish revered the May birthstone. According to lore, its largest stone—now called the Atahualpa emerald—was taken from the last Inca emperor, Atahualpa, by conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The modern recovery of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha shows the length generations of treasure hunters would go to recover its sunken loot.

The word “emerald” comes from smaragdos, ancient Greek for a green gem. Roman author Pliny the Elder, who died in the 79 CE eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, wrote in his encyclopedic Natural History that “nothing greens greener.” He also stated that the May birthstone had therapeutic properties that helped gem cutters: “(they) have no better method of restoring their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green color comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude.” Science now proves this belief: The color green relieves stress and eye strain.

An emerald and diamond necklace totaling 41.97 carats

An emerald necklace sure to soothe the eye, this beauty has 52 emeralds, with a total weight of 32.86 carats, and 160 diamonds, with a total weight of 9.11 carats. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Ismael Daoud

Emerald was also thought to have magical powers. By placing it under the tongue, one could see into the future. Some believed the May birthstone offered protection against evil spells, cholera and malaria. Others thought it made one an eloquent speaker and exposed lovers who made false promises.

Emerald is traditionally given for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.

The Crown of the Andes is set with a 24 ct emerald center and 442 additional emeralds

The Crown of the Andes, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, boasts an impressive 24 ct emerald center stone and 442 additional emeralds set in the golden headpiece. Photo: Dr. E. J. Gübelin/GIA

May Birthstone: Where Emerald Comes From

Colombia has been the source of the finest emeralds for more than 500 years, and they have been the standard by which all others are measured. Three mining sites in Colombia are particularly noteworthy: Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez. Emeralds of slightly different hues are found at each of these sites. Each locality produces a range of colors, but generally speaking, darker tones of pure green emeralds come from Muzo. Emeralds that are lighter in tone and slightly bluish green are associated with Chivor. Slightly yellowish green emeralds are unearthed in Coscuez.

This 38 carat cluster of emerald crystals originated from Colombia’s Muzo Mine. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Ismael Daoud

Chivor, Colombia is the source of this 4.50 ct emerald. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

This 88.4 gram emerald crystal cluster is from Coscuez, Colombia. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Gene Meieran

Emeralds are also found in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. One of the most productive sites for the May birthstone is the sophisticated Belmont Mine. Capoeirana is another important locality, a rugged region worked largely by independent miners and small-scale operations.

An independent miner holds a rough emerald

An independent miner at the Capoeirana mining area holds a rough emerald. Photo: Eric Welch/GIA

The May birthstone can also be found in Africa. Zambia is a major source, and mines in the Ndola Rural Restricted Area are known for producing emeralds that are bluish green and darker in tone. Pakistan and Afghanistan are important producers as well.

The 240 carats of emeralds in this drop necklace come from Zambia. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Sanjay Chordia, BEACAB GEMS INC.

May Birthstone: Emerald Qualities to Look For

Color: The most important quality factor in the May birthstone is color. Emeralds that are bluish green to green, with strong to vivid saturation and medium to medium-dark tone, are the most coveted. Emeralds that are highly transparent are especially valuable.

Clarity: Emeralds typically contain inclusions that are visible to the unaided eye. Because of this, jewelry professionals and some consumers understand and accept the presence of inclusions in emeralds. Eye-clean emeralds are especially valuable because they’re so rare.

Emerald inclusions are often described as looking mossy or garden-like. They’re sometimes called jardin, which is French for “garden.”

In colored stones, transparency and clarity are closely linked. This is especially true for emeralds. Jewelry professionals generally accept some eye-visible inclusions in higher-quality emeralds. But when the quantity or nature of the inclusions has a negative effect on transparency and clarity, they also dramatically reduce value.

Cut: Emerald crystals are difficult to cut. Almost all rough emeralds have significant fractures (sometimes called fissures) and a gem cutter must work to minimize the effect of those fractures on the appearance of the finished stone.

These inherent fissures make emeralds more brittle than other gems. Consequently, they are vulnerable to damage during cutting, polishing and setting–or even from careless daily wear.
The famous rectangular “emerald cut,” with its beveled corners and two, three or four concentric rows of facets, maximizes the shape and weight of the original emerald crystal. It also helps protect against damage because the vulnerable corners are faceted and provide a comparatively safe place for prongs.

Carat Weight: Fashioned emeralds come in a wide range of sizes. There are emeralds in museums and private collections that weigh hundreds of carats. At the other extreme are tiny emeralds that weigh fractions of a carat.

A 3.69 ct emerald ring with six diamond side stones

Take extra caution when caring and cleaning for emerald jewelry like this 3.69 ct emerald ring flanked with six diamond side stones. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Ismael Daoud

May Birthstone: Emerald Care & Cleaning

Emerald is a 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so it is more susceptible to scratching than a diamond, which ranks 10 on the scale. The May birthstone is often treated to improve its color and clarity. Common treatment methods include:

Dyeing: Paler porous or fractured emeralds are dyed green to enhance their color.
Fracture Filling: Oils, waxes and artificial resins are sometimes used to fill surface-reaching fractures in emeralds. The goal is to reduce the visibility of the fractures and improve the apparent clarity. The volume of filler material present can range from insignificant to major; these substances have varying degrees of stability.

Emerald requires some special care; avoid exposure to heat, changes in air pressure (such as in an airline cabin) and harsh chemicals. Never put an emerald in an ultrasonic cleaner. Filled emeralds can also be damaged by exposure to hot water used for washing dishes.

The May birthstone is perfectly suited to the celebration of life blooming everywhere. Now you can treat yourself – or a loved one – to an emerald that captures the exuberance of the season. Learn more about how to pick a beautiful emerald with our Emerald Buying Guide.

Engagement Ring Settings to Make Your Diamond Look Bigger

April 18, 2017

Engagement ring settings should be both beautiful and practical. A setting defines your ring style, adds drama to the diamond and protects it from loss or damage. The right setting and band can also make your diamond look bigger and even more sparkling.

If you’re looking to create an illusion of size, here are some tips for engagement ring settings that can make your diamond “grow.” But first, let’s start by debunking some dubious recommendations floating around the internet.

What Doesn’t Make a Diamond Look Bigger

Diamond shape and carat weight: While a diamond’s outline – round, rectangular, oval, pear, marquise — can have some influence on the overall perception of diamond size, the shape of a diamond alone does not guarantee the stone will look bigger. The same is true for diamond carat weight. Just because one diamond weighs more than another of the same shape doesn’t mean it will look bigger. Similarly, one diamond might look bigger than another of the same shape and weight, but may be less appealing overall. That’s because there might be many factors at play, especially those related to the quality of the diamond’s cut and how its weight is distributed.

Illustration showing diamond with bulge on either side of the pavilion.

A diamond’s shape – and even its carat weight – won’t guarantee a large-looking gem. Excessive bulge, shown here by the shaded areas on either side of the pavilion, adds to a diamond’s weight without contributing to the stone’s perceived size. Illustration: Peter Johnston/GIA

Here are some examples:

A diamond with shallow cut proportions may be physically wider and longer, but it will be far less appealing. That’s because a lot of the light that enters the crown of a shallow diamond might exit through the pavilion, making the diamond look dull and unattractive.
A shallow pavilion depth – less than 38 percent – can create a “fish eye” effect, seen as an unattractive gray ring under the table. (Pavilion depth is measured as the distance from the bottom of the girdle plane to the culet.) As above, the diamond may be physically wider and longer, but the stone will have a dull, flat look.

What’s a crown, pavilion, girdle and culet? Learn more about diamond anatomy.

On marquise, pear and heart shaped diamonds, the sides near the points are called wings. If they’re too flat, they make the stone look too narrow. If they’re too rounded, they make it look short and stubby.

On the left, flat wings contribute to this marquise shaped diamond looking too narrow. On the right, rounded wings contribute to this marquise shaped diamond looking stubby. Photos: Kate Waterman/GIA

White metal band: A common misconception about engagement ring settings is that a white metal band can act like a mirror to reflect and amplify a diamond’s size. The logic seems sound until you consider that a rose gold or yellow gold band could serve as a dramatic counterpoint to the diamond, making it look bigger. So a white metal band is not a foolproof solution.

Diamond ring with 5.31 carats of diamonds in a rose gold setting.

You decide if the 5.31 carats of diamonds in this ring pop because of the rose gold setting. Courtesy: Rahaminov Diamonds

Colored gemstones: Colored accent stones provide dramatic contrast to a center stone, but do they make the diamond look larger? Not necessarily. One could convincingly argue that a colored stone would compete with a diamond, thus distracting the eye.

Slender prongs: A potentially troublesome myth about engagement ring settings is that the less a prong covers a diamond, the more of the gem that’s shown, so the bigger it will look. While this may be true technically, it is not advisable. Prongs serve an essential function: they hold a diamond securely in place. Skimp on the necessary size and number of prongs, and you risk losing the diamond.

What Does Make a Diamond Look Bigger

Here are some engagement ring settings to consider if you’re looking to boost the appearance of your diamond’s size.

Illusion setting: During the Great Depression of the 1930s, when few could afford large diamonds, jewelers sometimes set a diamond in a head made of a fluted white metal. The shiny metal was made with ripples, so the whole head looked like the diamond it reflected. This setting was so successful in delivering an illusion of size that it’s still used today.

TIP: The purpose of the illusion setting is to make a near-colorless diamond look larger, and white metal is required to achieve this particular effect. If the diamond is yellow in color, then a yellow gold illusion setting is a better choice.
TIP: Diamonds smaller than 0.50 carat (ct) are good candidates for illusion engagement ring settings. You’d probably want to showcase a diamond 0.50 ct or larger on its own, instead of relying on the illusion setting to work its optical magic.

Engagement ring with illusion setting and diamonds with a total weight of 0.12 carats

The total weight of diamonds in this ring is just 0.12 carats, but the illusion setting makes them appear much larger than they really are. Courtesy: EraGem

Toi et Moi engagement ring in an illusion setting featuring two diamonds with a total weight of 1.18 carats.

Here’s an example of a Toi et Moi (“You and Me”) engagement ring in an illusion setting. The total weight of the two diamonds is 1.18 carats, but they look larger because of the illusion setting. Courtesy: TrueFacet

Cluster setting: This engagement ring setting places several small diamonds of similar size next to each other. This technique maximizes sparkle and gives the illusion of a single diamond that is much larger in size (and more costly) than the melee diamonds used to make it.

TIP: Diamonds of the same or similar color grades work best in a cluster setting. Diamond manufacturers know this, and match color grades when producing these kinds of rings. So you won’t have to worry about selecting the many smaller diamonds that will be part of your cluster setting.
TIP: The more metal surrounding a stone, the more it is protected. Cluster settings have lots of metal. So your diamonds will be better safeguarded against damage.

Diamond ring with a cluster setting creates the illusion of three large gems using only 0.29 carats of diamonds.

Three diamonds or 58? You might not be able to tell from a distance. In this ring, the cluster setting creates the illusion of three large gems using only 0.29 carats of diamonds. Courtesy: EraGem

Halo setting: When a ring of smaller diamonds is artfully placed around a center stone, the center stone can appear to be the size of the halo.

TIP: Engagement ring manufacturers select the melee that makes the halo, so you won’t have to worry about picking the many small diamonds that will go into the engagement ring setting.
TIP: A diamond center stone weighing 0.50 ct or more works best in this kind of setting because the melee in the halo will enhance it. You probably wouldn’t want to use a smaller diamond, since it would be too close in size to the melee. That combination would probably look like a pavé set ring with one diamond (the center stone) somewhat larger than the rest.
TIP: The prongs on halo diamonds tend to wear out faster. Should you go with this style, be sure to have your ring routinely checked by your jeweler.

Diamond engagement ring with double halo setting surrounding a 1.17 carat cushion cut center stone.

Where does the center stone end and the halo start? Here’s how the trick of the eye works. This double halo set with 0.50 carats of diamonds makes the 1.71 ct cushion cut center stone look even larger. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

Pavé setting: To achieve this popular technique, many diamonds 0.20 ct or smaller are set into tapered holes in a metal surface, nestled close to the melee stones next to them. Pavé creates an appearance of uninterrupted diamonds in the band, which can make the center stone look larger.

TIP: Pavé set diamonds in engagement ring settings are typically very secure, as the diamonds are set into metal. However, should a diamond fall out, it is more difficult for a bench jeweler to replace it.
TIP: Avoid engagement ring settings with pavé set diamonds on the bottom of the shank. This area of the ring is exposed to a lot of friction, so the diamonds are more easily lost or damaged.

Diamond engagement ring featuring pavé set diamonds and a 1.00 carat emerald cut center stone.

The pavé set diamonds in this engagement ring glitter like stars in the night sky. The center stone is a 1.00 ct emerald cut diamond. Courtesy: EraGem

Bezel setting: In this setting style, a band of metal surrounds the diamond’s girdle. As a result, the diamond’s circumference may appear to be larger. Bezel engagement ring settings also afford extra protection against accidental bangs and bumps.

TIP: The bezel setting is generally used for round and oval diamonds. It is more difficult to create a bezel setting for other shapes, such as square and marquise diamonds.
TIP: Like rock climbing? Playing lacrosse? Vigorous exercise? The bezel setting protects the center stone, so it is a great choice for active people.
TIP: A bezel setting could deaden the brightness of a poorly cut diamond.

Diamond engagement ring with bezel settings.

This 0.53 ct diamond appears larger because of the bezel setting. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

Invisible setting: For this technique, small diamonds are cut with grooved pavilions and then slipped into a thin wire framework. This eliminates the need for prongs and allows the gems to be set against each other. The result is that the entire diamond is visible, and groups of diamonds can look like one large gem.

TIP: There is a drawback. Should a diamond in an invisible setting be damaged, it is extremely difficult to repair or replace it. So Invisible diamond engagement ring settings are probably not a good idea for physically active individuals.

Yellow gold ring with diamonds in an invisible setting.

An invisible setting can give the appearance of a field of diamonds. Courtesy: Ambar Diamonds

More Tips to Make Your Diamond Look Bigger

Choose a thin ring shank or band: Here’s a way to trick the eye. A thin band can make a diamond look larger. Similarly, a thick band might overshadow the diamond.

Diamond ring with thick white metal band.

Left photo: A thick band nearly overwhelms the 1.68 ct diamond center stone. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Rogel & Co., Inc. Right photo: What a difference a band makes. The main diamond in this ring rightfully takes center stage. Courtesy: Platinum Guild International

Add side stones to your engagement ring setting: This is a great way to add sparkle and size to an engagement ring – and the options are endless. You could add a diamond baguette on each side of the center stone. You could pick colored stones to create contrast. You could use different colored metals around the side stones.

Unlike the melee used for pavé and halo settings, you may have the opportunity to choose the side stones. If you are uncomfortable making the choice, read our advice on choosing engagement ring side stones to get you started. If you have any questions, ask your jeweler for help, he/she will have a trained eye.

And last, but certainly by no means least: keep your diamond clean. While a clean diamond won’t look bigger, per se, it will display that signature sparkle that telegraphs “diamond” across a crowded room – and isn’t that what it’s all about?

Speaking of diamond sparkle, here are some tips and tricks to get the most sparkle out of your diamond engagement ring.

Melee Diamonds: Tiny Diamonds, Big Impact

April 11, 2017

Look at a beautiful engagement ring and you might see small diamonds, called melee diamonds (pronounced meh-lee), that accent the center diamond and make the ring pop. Melee diamonds are a popular way to add sparkle to diamond engagement rings.

So what do you need to know about melee diamonds to make an informed purchase?

In this post we’ll cover:
What Are Melee Diamonds
How Melee Diamonds Are Cut
Popular Ring Settings for Melee Diamonds
Melee Diamonds and Your Engagement Ring

What Are Melee Diamonds?

GIA defines melee as small diamonds, either single cut or full cut (see definitions below), weighing less than 1/5 carat (ct). However, the exact size range of melee varies from country to country and from one segment of the trade to another. Melee diamonds can be as small as 0.001 ct (1/1000 of a carat). They are often cut into tiny round diamonds and set around a center stone or on the band.

Hundreds of melee diamonds glitter on a table, waiting to be sorted. Photo: GIA

How Are Melee Diamonds Cut?

Melee diamonds are produced in large quantities in factories that use the latest diamond cutting equipment. High-tech machines have reduced the amount of labor required and improved the quality of the finished product, but cutting and sorting melee is still a labor intensive business. The city of Surat in India is an important manufacturing hub for diamonds, including melee which are faceted, sorted, and sold in parcels of 100 carats or more to jewelry manufacturers who then set them in a wide array of jewelry.

Typical faceting styles for melee include:

Single cut: A cutting style with a round girdle outline and 17 or 18 facets, depending on whether a culet is present, including a table, eight crown facets, eight pavilion facets and (very rarely) a culet
Full cut: A round brilliant-cut with 57 or 58 facets, depending on whether a culet is present, including 32 crown facets, 24 pavilion facets, a table and (usually) a culet

Sorting small rough diamonds by hand at Alrosa’s Lomonosov mine, Arkhangel, Russian Federation. Photo: Russ Shor/GIA

Popular Ring Settings for Melee Diamonds

The more diamonds in a ring, the more sparkle it has. Due to their small size, melee diamonds are inexpensive when compared to larger diamond center stones, so they are often generously used in engagement ring designs to add sparkle. You’ll also find them as dazzling accents in watch faces, earrings and pendants – really in any piece of jewelry that calls for added sparkle and brilliance.

Halo setting: Melee diamonds are the building blocks for this popular setting, where tiny diamonds encircle the center stone. This style can add sparkle to a ring and draw attention to the center stone and make it appear larger.

Engagement ring featuring a halo setting of melee diamonds.

A halo of melee diamonds makes this engagement ring all the more dazzling. Courtesy: Ziva

Pavé setting: Pronounced “pah-vey” from the French for “to pave,” is a style of bead setting in which many small gems, like melee diamonds, are set close together to create an interlocking honeycomb pattern. It makes for a dramatic, sparkling look and it’s a setting style often used to make complex designs in engagement rings and other jewelry.

Cluster ring featuring 3.35 carats of diamonds in a pavé setting.

Pavé is the central design element in this cluster ring, pavé set with 3.35 carats of diamonds. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

The pavé technique also allows for the creation of more affordable engagement rings, as small diamonds are generally less expensive than larger ones of comparable quality. So an engagement ring with pavé may be a good alternative for those on a budget.

Melee diamond and center stone engagement ring.

Melee diamonds transform a simple design into an intricate work of art. Courtesy: Laurence Bruyninckx – Antwerp

Melee Diamonds and Your Engagement Ring

While you’ll have to make decisions about the color, clarity, cut, and carat weight of your diamond center stone, it’s unlikely you’ll have to select the melee for your engagement ring. Melee diamonds are sorted by color and clarity prior to being packaged into parcels and sold to jewelry manufacturers, who will then match them to the diamond center stone.

An independent diamond grading report is a must-have for your diamond center stone given its cost and any reputable jeweler will provide one. A grading report is your assurance that your diamond is natural and discloses any known treatments that may have altered its color or clarity. However, don’t expect to receive grading reports for your melee diamonds. There are a number of reasons why, but the overriding one is economic: The cost of grading for melee is too high in relation to their value. Melee are sold in large parcels often containing hundreds of diamonds so it is not practical to have each one graded.

Carat Weight vs Total Carat Weight

When buying a diamond engagement ring with melee diamonds, it’s important to understand the difference between “carat weight” and “total carat weight,” because diamond weight is a driving factor in determining price. Total carat weight, often abbreviated “tcw” in the jewelry industry, is used to describe the combined weight of all the diamonds in a piece of jewelry that only contains diamonds. The description carat weight, abbreviated “ct,” only applies to an individual stone, like the center stone. A ring with many small diamonds with a combined total weight of 2.50 carats (or tcw) can cost significantly less than a solitaire engagement ring with a single diamond weighing 2.50 ct. That’s because larger diamonds are more rare than smaller ones of comparable quality, and therefore they cost more per carat.

Piaget Limelight ladies watch featuring 4.37 carats of melee diamonds.

Shining like stars in the night sky, some 4.37 carats of melee diamonds twinkle in this luxurious Piaget Limelight tonneau-shaped ladies watch. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

The sparkle in your engagement ring telegraphs your love to the world. Melee diamonds can make it glow a bit brighter. But if you’re looking to add even more sparkle to your engagement ring, you can go beyond melee diamonds with these additional engagement ring tips.

April Birthstone: What You Need to Know About Diamonds

April 4, 2017

Diamond does double-duty: it’s the April birthstone and a near-universal symbol of love. So if you were born in April, you have two reasons to adore the gem. Here’s a crash course on it – and tips for picking a beautiful one.

In this post, we’ll cover:
Gemological Information on Diamonds
Diamond History
Diamond Lore
Where Diamonds Come From
Qualities to Look for in a Diamond
Diamond Care & Cleaning

April Birthstone: Gemological Information on Diamonds

The hardest natural material on earth, diamond ranks 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness and is the only gem made of a single element: It is typically about 99.95 percent carbon. The other 0.05 percent can include one or more trace elements, which are atoms that aren’t part of a diamond’s essential chemistry. Some trace elements can influence its color or crystal shape. For example, the presence of nitrogen causes diamonds to appear yellow. Boron atoms are often responsible for the color of natural blue diamonds.

Your pulse may quicken admiring this heart-shaped natural Fancy Intense yellow diamond. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

The Blue Empress, a 14 carat Fancy Vivid blue diamond.

Say goodbye to the blues when you admire the Blue Empress, a 14 carat (ct) Fancy Vivid blue diamond. Courtesy: Steinmetz Diamonds

Diamonds form under high temperature and pressure that exist only within a specific depth range (about 100 miles; 160 kilometers) beneath the earth’s surface. The conditions are extreme: Temperatures must be between 2102oF to 2192oF (1150 to 1200 0C); the pressure must be between 50 and 70 kilobars – 50,000 to 70,000 times greater than atmospheric air pressure at sea level. Carbon atoms in this environment in the mantle may form diamond.

A diamond’s hardness is due to the way the carbon atoms bond. Diamond’s crystal structure is isometric, which means the carbon atoms are bonded in essentially the same way in all directions. Graphite, a mineral used to make pencil lead, is also made of carbon, but because the molecules bond differently, this mineral is not nearly as hard.

Gemologists love diamonds because they are beautiful – and because many formed more than a billion years ago. Studying these ancient beauties tell us much about our planet.

April Birthstone: Diamond History

Our love for diamonds started in India, where they were gathered from the country’s rivers and streams. Traded as early as the fourth century BCE, diamonds were coveted by the wealthy. Caravans brought Indian diamonds, along with other exotic merchandise, to medieval markets in Venice. By the 1400s, diamonds were becoming fashionable accessories for Europe’s elite.

This 4 ct old mine cut diamond comes from India’s famed Golconda mines. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Sudhir Jain (Fei)

In the early 1700s, as India’s diamond supplies began to decline, Brazil emerged as an important source. Diamonds were discovered when gold miners sifted through the gravels of local rivers. The country dominated the diamond market for more than 150 years.

The first great South African diamond deposits were unearthed in the late 1800s. The 1866 discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, South Africa, marked the beginning of the modern diamond market. Entrepreneur Cecil Rhodes established De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited in 1888 and, by 1900, De Beers controlled an estimated 90 percent of the world’s production of rough diamonds.

At the end of the 1970s, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (previously known as Zaire) and the former Soviet Union were the world’s most important rough diamond producers. In 1982, a highly productive new mine in Botswana added to world production, making the country third in the world in total diamond recovery and second in diamond value. Diamond mining expanded dramatically with the discovery of sources in Australia in 1985 and important new diamond deposits in northern Canada in 2000.

A 8.52 ct rough diamond crystal from the Kao Mine, Lesotho, Africa waits to be transformed into a breathtaking faceted diamond. Photo: Eric Welch/GIA. Courtesy: Fusion Alternatives

April Birthstone: Diamond Lore

An anonymous second-century poet believed diamond warded off the evil eye – a malevolent look believed to cause sickness, poverty and even death. Diamond was even believed to have healing powers. Over the centuries, diamond was thought to be an antidote to poison; a protection against the plague; and a boon for longevity, strength, beauty and happiness.

One look at Jason Dow’s spectacular diamond Empress ring will make you believe that the April birthstone is the cure for all ills. Courtesy: Jason Dow

In addition to being the April birthstone, diamond is the gift of choice for the 60th and 75th wedding anniversaries. And, of course, the diamond engagement ring has become a near-universal symbol of love and marriage.

There are many famous diamonds. The Taylor-Burton Diamond, the Cullinan II, the Portuguese, the Jubilee and the Koh-i-Noor are just a few breathtaking examples.

Taylor-Burton 69.42 carat, D color, Flawless pear-shaped diamond.

The Taylor-Burton diamond is a 69.42 ct, D color, Flawless, pear-shaped gem. This April birthstone sold for US$1.05 million in 1969. Courtesy: Mouawad

April Birthstone: Where Diamonds Come From

Diamonds are now mined around the world – from Angola to Zimbabwe. However, the five largest producers of diamonds account for the vast majority of global production.

Top Diamond Producing Countries – 2015

Country	Rough Diamond Production
Russian Federation	41.9 million carats
Botswana	20.7 million carats
Democratic Republic of the Congo	16.0 million carats
Australia	13.5 million carats
Canada	11.6 million carats

Source:The Kimberly Process

Diamond mining in eastern Siberia reads like an adventure novel. The setting: tundra, frigid temperatures and short days. The props: jet engines and explosives used to heat and soften the ice covering kimberlite pipes – vertical, columnar masses of igneous rock that can be a primary source for diamonds. The story line: In 2013, Alrosa, a Russian diamond mining company, estimated that there were 970 million carats still waiting to be found in the frozen tundra.

Diamonds in Botswana lie below the eastern plains of the country. These prolific mines have been a boon to the economy, creating a growing middle class. The country is also a diamond hub, where approximately 40% of the world’s supply of rough diamonds are sorted and valued.

The Jwaneng diamond mine is one of the most productive in the world. Photo: John Hummel/GIA.

April Birthstone: Qualities to Look for in a Diamond

Until the middle of the twentieth century, there was no agreed-upon standard by which diamonds could be judged. GIA created the 4Cs of Diamond Quality – the first, and now globally accepted standard for describing diamonds.

Color: In most diamonds, the term refers to the absence of color. The less color in the stone, the more desirable it is. Differences can be subtle and difficult for the untrained eye to see, but directly impact the overall quality and value of the stone.
Clarity: Is a measure of the amount, size and placement of internal characteristics, called inclusions, and external characteristics, called blemishes. Grades run from ‘Flawless,’ with virtually no inclusions visible under 10× magnification, to ‘Included,’ which contain obvious inclusions.
Cut: Cut does not refer to a diamond’s shape, but to its proportions and the arrangement of its facets and the quality of workmanship. The amount of brilliance, sparkle and fire in a diamond is determined by cut. Cut grades range from ‘Excellent’ to ‘Poor.’
Carat: This measurement describes a diamond’s weight. Generally speaking, the higher the carat weight, the more expensive the stone. Two diamonds of equal carat weight, however, can have very different qualities and values when the other three Cs are considered.M

Three stone diamond ring totaling 15 carats.

This impressive three-stone ring has 15 carats of diamonds, set in platinum. Courtesy: Rahaminov

April Birthstone: Diamond Care and Cleaning

Clean your diamond by wiping it with a lint-free cloth; or use warm water, mild soap and a soft toothbrush or a commercial jewelry cleaning solution. Also have your diamond jewelry periodically cleaned and its setting examined by a professional jeweler to maintain its beauty and integrity over time.

Yellow gold earrings set with rough diamonds.

Rough diamonds have been enjoying their moment in the spotlight. They capture another side of the gem’s beauty. Courtesy: Petra Class

Now that you’ve learned something about diamonds, you’ll be a smarter shopper. And maybe you’ll have a greater appreciation for the April birthstone.

Thinking about buying a diamond? Our diamond buying guide can help you pick a stunning one.

The Princess Cut Engagement Ring — A Modern Take on Tradition

March 14, 2017

Princess cut engagement rings are relative newcomers on the diamond engagement ring scene. They’ve gained popularity for their breathtaking brilliance and fire. Discover this distinctive diamond, known for its attention-grabbing sparkle.

The princess cut is among the newest diamond cuts—especially when compared to round and cushion styles that have origins dating back centuries. This stunning cut was first developed in 1979, and is second only to the round brilliant cut diamond as the top choice for engagement ring diamonds. Its royal name “princess” undoubtedly contributes to its appeal. If you are looking for a special diamond, a princess cut engagement ring offers a tremendous amount of brilliance and beauty.

White gold Princess cut engagement ring with pave set accent diamonds

Mark Schneider’s 18K white gold Affection engagement ring with a princess cut center stone and pavé set accent diamonds has an elegant beauty. Courtesy: Mark Schneider Design

It’s not difficult to understand the attraction of this striking diamond cut. Unlike emerald cut engagement rings and other square- or rectangular-shaped diamonds that feature a step cut faceting style, princess cut diamonds have a modified brilliant facet arrangement, offering both electrifying sparkle and a strong, attention-grabbing shape.

How to Find the Right Princess Cut Engagement Ring Diamond

For the most appealing appearance, consider the diamond’s length-to-width ratio. To be called a square princess cut, the ratio cannot exceed 1.05:1. Rectangular princess cuts can have various ratios, but commonly they are no greater than 1.25:1.

Bezel set princess cut diamond engagement ring

A ring with a vintage feel, the Alvadora features a bezel set Princess cut diamond, a latticed halo, milgrain detail and accent diamonds. Courtesy: Brilliant Earth

Beyond shape, symmetry influences the desirability of a princess cut stone. When viewed from above, faceting should match on both sides of its midpoint, both vertically and horizontally. The importance of symmetry applies below the girdle as well. When a princess cut diamond is turned face down, the faceting and shape of each side should mirror the side opposite.

Learn more about how to select a princess cut diamond.

The Princess Cut Engagement Ring: Setting Considerations

Princess cut diamonds are often set as elegant solitaires to show off their arresting beauty. Side stones featuring crisp, angular lines—such as triangles or baguettes—can enhance the presentation of a princess cut diamond. This cut adapts well to a variety of settings, though its straight contours seem an obvious fit for contemporary, architectural diamond engagement ring styles.

14K white gold princess cut diamond engagement ring with accent diamonds totaling 1.25 carats.

This beautiful 14K white gold Heaven’s Gates ring features a princess cut center stone and accent diamonds totaling 1.25 carats. Courtesy: Scott Kay

When shopping for a princess cut engagement ring, it’s important to realize that the sharp pointed corners that contribute to the diamond’s bold geometry are also areas that are vulnerable to chipping. Choosing a setting with four V-shaped prongs, eight prongs with two at each corner (called split prongs), or a bezel setting will keep the corners unscathed and preserve a princess cut diamond’s regal profile.

Princess cut engagement ring with scroll engraving, milgrain edging and filigree

Simple yet elegant, this Kirk Kara tapered solitaire engagement ring has a princess cut center stone, scroll engraving, milgrain edging and filigree. Courtesy: Kirk Kara

An added bonus to this striking diamond cut may be its price. You may find that princess cut diamonds cost less per carat than comparable round brilliant cut diamonds. That’s because the cutter is able to retain more of the original diamond crystal.

Rose gold princess cut engagement ring with round cut white diamonds

18K rose gold Duchess collection ring with princess cut center stone and round cut white diamonds. Courtesy: Simon G Jewelry

So whether you select a princess cut for a diamond engagement ring because of its distinctive shape or its brilliant sparkle, your future bride will feel just as regal as her diamond’s namesake.

Ready to start shopping? Don’t leave home without learning more about diamonds and the 4Cs of Diamond Quality.

March Birthstone: What You Need to Know About Aquamarine

March 1, 2017

Winter is on the way out; aquamarine is on the way in. The placid hues of the March birthstone are a tranquil antidote to the season’s bluster. Read on to learn more about this gorgeous gem and how to pick a beautiful one.

In this post, we’ll cover:
Gemological Information on Aquamarine
Aquamarine History & Lore
Where Aquamarine Comes From
Qualities to Look for in an Aquamarine
Aquamarine Care & Cleaning

March Birthstone: Gemological Information on Aquamarine

Aquamarine is the green-blue to blue variety of the mineral beryl. (Emerald is the green to bluish green variety of the same mineral.) Most of the aquamarine in the marketplace is a light pastel slightly greenish blue. Traces of iron in beryl’s crystal structure cause aquamarine’s color. Like many beryls, aquamarine may form as large crystals suitable for exceptionally large fashioned gems and carvings.

10,000+ carat Dom Pedro Aquamarine has been described as “the one gem that can rival the Hope Diamond.”

A celebrated attraction at the Smithsonian Institution, the 10,000+ carat Dom Pedro Aquamarine has been described as “the one gem that can rival the Hope Diamond.” Courtesy: Donald E. Hurlbert, Smithsonian Institution

March Birthstone: Aquamarine History & Lore

Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin for seawater, and ancient mariners claimed the gem would calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. March’s birthstone was also thought to bring happiness to marriages. Beryl was believed to give the wearer protection against foes in battle and litigation. It was also thought to make the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and to quicken the intellect.

Aquamarine is not only the birthstone for March, the gem is also given as a present on the 19th wedding anniversary. As for famous ones, in 1936 the government of Brazil gave First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt a dark blue rectangular step cut aquamarine that weighed 1,298 carats (ct). It was the larger of two stones faceted from a piece of aquamarine rough that itself weighed an impressive 2.9 pounds (1.3 kilograms). It is now housed at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York. A celebrated attraction at the Smithsonian Institution is the 10,363 ct Dom Pedro Aquamarine – believed to be the largest faceted aquamarine in the world. The 14 inch (36 centimeter) high obelisk was fashioned by acclaimed German lapidary Berndt Munsteiner using the fantasy cut technique.

The government of Brazil gave this 1,298 ct rectangular step cut aquamarine to Eleanor Roosevelt when she and President Roosevelt visited Rio de Janeiro in 1936. Courtesy: The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park, New York.

March Birthstone: Where Aquamarine Comes From

The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been an important source of aquamarine for the past two centuries. Travel there and you’ll find a changing panorama of landscapes: rocky hills, rivers and scrub brush dominate the central and eastern regions; savannahs, forests and streams checker the west; and lush green hills roll southward. Aquamarines are found in primary (hard rock) and secondary (weathered) pegmatite deposits in the eastern portion of the state, near the gem center of Teófilo Otoni.

Disguised as “love doves,” 14K white gold prongs hold a 32 ct cushion cut aquamarine from Brazil. Courtesy: Loretta Castoro Signature Collection

Aquamarine is also found high in the Karakorum foothills of Pakistan. To reach the deposits, miners must climb steep paths to elevations of 9,800 to 13,000+ feet (3,000 to more than 4,000 meters) and work the sides of forbidding cliffs. Below this inhospitable rocky world lie fertile valleys, rushing rivers and small towns. Aquamarine from this area has been described as “water clear.”

Pakistan’s gem-rich Shigar Valley lies between foothills of the majestic Karakoram range.

A sliver of an opening (on the far left) is the entrance to an aquamarine mine. Pakistan’s gem-rich Shigar Valley lies between foothills of the majestic Karakoram range. Photo: Vincent Pardieu/GIA

Aquamarine is also mined in Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia and Mozambique, as well as elsewhere in Africa. U.S. sources include the Mount Antero area of Colorado (it’s the state gem) and California’s Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In addition, aquamarine has been found in China, Myanmar, Russia and Ukraine, among other countries.

March Birthstone: Qualities to Look for in an Aquamarine

Aquamarine is pastel blue, greenish blue or green-blue. The preferred color is a moderate slightly greenish blue to dark blue. Fine stones are an even blue with no bands of color (called “zoning”). Most faceted aquamarines are free of eye-visible inclusions. Aquamarine is readily available in large sizes – with many fine gems 25 ct or greater. Aquamarine can be cut into almost any shape, and is often fashioned as emerald cuts, pear shapes, or round or oval brilliants. It also lends itself well to fantasy cuts.

A delightfully icy look: a 10.06 ct pear shaped aquamarine is surrounded by 72 round diamonds (0.35 carats) that are set in platinum. Courtesy: Omi Privé

March Birthstone: Aquamarine Care & Cleaning

With a hardness of 7.5 on the Mohs scale, aquamarine is durable enough for everyday wear. Caring for the gem is easy. Use warm water, mild dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dirt can collect. Ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaning are usually safe options as long as there are no feathers or liquid inclusions in the gem.

Nearly all the blue aquamarine in jewelry is produced by heat treatment of bluish green, green, greenish yellow and even brownish yellow beryl. The process removes the yellow color component and leaves a purer blue hue. The treatment is undetectable and appears to be permanent.

The aquamarine cabochons in this necklace look like drops of water from the Caribbean. Courtesy: Petra Class

The March birthstone aquamarine has it all: It’s beautiful, eye clean, rich in lore and exceptionably wearable. Now you know how to pick one that will become a cherished addition to your jewelry wardrobe.

Born in March? Pisces and Aries are your zodiac signs. Jewelry designers have fashioned some creative pieces, and we’ve found ones for you to enjoy.

Valentine’s Day Jewelry Celebrates Cupid

February 14, 2017

Cupid, whose arrow causes one to fall madly in love, is arguably the mascot of St. Valentine’s Day. If you’re looking for Valentine’s Day jewelry ideas, take a look at the jewelry he inspires and learn some fun facts about the winged matchmaker.

Cupid wasn’t always Cupid: Go back to ancient Greece, and Cupid was called Eros (Greek for sexual love), the god of love. An irresistibly handsome youth, Eros was a mischief-maker, wreaking havoc on the other gods by shooting them with his arrows and causing them to fall in love with the wrong person.

Eros as a young man decorates this pendant from ancient Greece (circa 300 – 400 BCE). Courtesy: The Walters Art Museum.

An antique agate intaglio pendant (circa 1600) depicts Eros as a muscular, winged youth. Courtesy: Elaine Souza, Gladstone Jewelry

Cupid becomes a child: Romans, around 300 BCE, began depicting the romantic trickster as a child. Images of Cupid (cupido is Latin for desire) adorned the walls in the homes of Pompeii, and later they appeared in paintings and sculptures by Renaissance masters. These works often also contain depictions of cherubs (angels) and decorative putti (male toddlers). But Cupid is the one with the bow and arrow. These formed our modern-day conceptions, which you’ll see in jewelry and other Valentine’s Day mementos.

Cupid is the adorable child in this 18K gold ring with wings studded with 1.90 carats of diamonds. Even his face wears a sweet smile. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

Cupid has two kinds of magical arrows: An arrow of gold causes the one struck to fall madly in love, according to the ancient Romans. An arrow of lead fills the receiver with revulsion toward their would-be lover. In the myth of Apollo and Daphne, Cupid created chaos when he launched a gold arrow at the boastful Apollo and a lead arrow at Apollo’s beloved Daphne.

18K gold, sterling silver and diamond-accented earrings. The bow is carved to resemble pieces of knotted wood.

Cupid is only shooting arrows of love in these 18K gold, sterling silver and diamond-accented earrings. A bit of reality is artfully added to the myth: The bow is carved to resemble pieces of knotted wood. Photo: Orasa Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: McKenzie Santimer

Cupid sometimes wears blindfolds: Love is blind, so the saying goes, and Cupid is frequently depicted as being blindfolded. Unable to see, his arrows fly about wildly, bringing together unlikely couples.

Sometimes Cupid is blindfolded; sometimes he’s not. And sometimes he just sports a blindfold on his forehead – as in this 18K gold pin. His unfurled wings and red-tipped arrow are lovely touches. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

Cupid reinvented: Cupid is still fluttering around the hearts of lovers and firing the imagination of contemporary designers. Here are some reinterpretations of the myth – they might inspire your search for the perfect piece of Valentine’s Day jewelry.

These 1.50 carats of diamond earrings set in 14K gold of arrows piercing hearts is a creative way to evoke Cupid.

Arrows piercing hearts is a creative way to evoke Cupid. With 1.50 carats of diamonds set in 14K gold, these earrings glow like new love.

A Platinum ring with two heart-shaped diamonds joined by a coil of pavé-set diamonds.

My heart will be wrapped around your finger – so says this platinum ring with two heart-shaped diamonds joined by a coil of pavé-set diamonds. We think Cupid would have approved of the sentiment. Courtesy: Platinum Guild International, USA

A Omi Privé heart shaped ring is the essence of Cupid, and has a 5.10 carat (ct) sapphire surrounded by 1.22 carats of diamonds.

A heart-shaped ring is the essence of Cupid. This one by Omi Privé has a 5.10 carat (ct) sapphire surrounded by 1.22 carats of diamonds. Courtesy: Omi Privé.

Now you can bring the spirit of Cupid to your Valentine’s Day jewelry. Have fun shopping!

Want to learn more about Valentine’s Day and see some breathtaking jewelry? Read our blog on heart-shaped jewelry – you’re sure to fall in love!

February Birthstone: What You Need to Know about Amethyst

February 7, 2017

Amethyst, the February birthstone, has adorned the nobility for centuries. Now it’s in reach of most consumers. Here’s how to pick a stunning amethyst for the king or queen of your heart – or treat yourself to a royal present.

In this post, we’ll cover:
Gemological Characteristics of Amethyst
Amethyst History & Lore
Where Amethyst Comes From
Amethyst Qualities to Look For
Amethyst Care & Cleaning

If this ring with an amethyst center stone seems a bit otherworldly, it’s because it comes from the Galaxy collection by Arya Esha. Courtesy: Arya Esha

February Birthstone: Gemological Characteristics of Amethyst

Amethyst is the purple variety of the quartz mineral species. Its color ranges from a strongly saturated violetish purple to reddish purple in fine quality gems; to weak grayish violet in commercial quality stones. Natural irradiation acting on trace amounts of iron in its crystal structure causes amethyst’s characteristic color. Amethyst also commonly shows color zoning, which often occurs as angular bands of darker to lighter purple. The saturated purple color is typically limited to the tips of amethyst crystals, while the rest of the crystal fades to colorlessness. Cutting an amethyst crystal often produces a few high-quality, deep purple stones and many more low-quality, light-colored stones.

Gemologists and consumers alike love amethyst because it is a beautiful gem that is also affordable. Even fine amethyst can have a modest price tag. Here’s another reason: Amethyst rough comes in fascinating packages. In gem localities like Brazil, amethyst sometimes forms in hollow, crystal-lined geodes so big you can stand in them.

A 22.62 carat (ct) cushion cut amethyst is the dramatic foreground to the amethyst rough behind it. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

February Birthstone: Amethyst History & Lore

The name amethyst derives from the Greek amethystos, which means “a remedy against drunkenness,” a benefit long ascribed to the purple gem. It’s no coincidence that methy is the word for wine, typically of a color very similar to that of this gem. Amethyst was also believed to keep the wearer clear headed and quick witted in battle and business affairs. Renaissance Europeans thought it calmed lovers overrun by passion.

Amethyst is the gem traditionally given for the sixth wedding anniversary. Wear it in celebration of your wedding nuptials or as your February birthstone and you’ll be in royal company: Catherine the Great (Empress Catherine II of Russia; 1729–1796) had a penchant for the gem, and decked herself in necklaces, earrings and other amethyst-adorned ornaments. The famous jewelry connoisseur Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (1896–1986) made a memorable statement when she wore a lavish Cartier-designed amethyst bib necklace to a gala in Versailles in 1953.

The Duchess of Windsor’s bib-style necklace boasts 27 step-cut amethysts, one oval faceted amethyst, and a large heart-shaped amethyst in the front, as well as turquoise cabochons and brilliant cut diamonds, all suspended from a rope-like gold chain.

A colorful medley of purple and blue, the Duchess of Windsor’s bib-style necklace boasts 27 step-cut amethysts, one oval faceted amethyst, and a large heart-shaped amethyst in the front, as well as turquoise cabochons and brilliant cut diamonds, all suspended from a rope-like gold chain. Courtesy: N. Welsh, Cartier Collection © Cartier

February Birthstone: Where Amethyst Comes From

Amethyst was as expensive as ruby and emerald until the 19th century, when large deposits were found in Brazil. The country is still an important source for amethyst, and its southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, is a particularly productive area. Along with its rich amethyst deposits, the region is also home to vast grassy plains, thick forests, waterfalls, panthers and jaguars.

The Anahí mine in Bolivia is another famous source for amethyst. Hidden in the Pantanál wetlands, the Anahí mine is shrouded in fascinating lore. It was discovered by a Spanish conquistador in the 1600s, given to him as dowry when he married Anahí (a princess from the Ayoreo tribe), forgotten for three centuries, and rediscovered in the 1960s.

A treasure trove of amethyst crystals lines the walls of the Anahí mine. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA.

The February birthstone is also found in Zambia. The country is a major producer, and the Kariba amethyst mine is an important source. Amethyst mined here tends to be of superb quality with richly saturated colors.

On the left is amethyst from Zambia. On the right is amethyst from Brazil. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Pala International

February Birthstone: Amethyst Qualities to Look For

To pick a stunning gem, consider these tips:

Color: The finest amethyst is a strong purple or reddish purple, with no visible color zoning. Any brownish or bronze-colored tints lower the value dramatically. Amethysts that are a little less saturated in color are usually more affordable than those with more color saturation. A light lilac amethyst is usually much less expensive than an intense purple.
Clarity: Almost all faceted amethyst is eye clean; that is, no inclusions can be seen with the naked eye. Material with eye-visible inclusions is usually cut into beads or cabochons.
Cut: It is not unusual to see faceted amethysts of 10 or 20 carats and even larger. Because the gem is so plentiful, matched sets of faceted amethyst are relatively easy to obtain for bracelets and necklaces. The gem can also be found in a variety of fancy cuts and nonstandard sizes.

A Striking fantasy cut amethyst pendant.

A series of grooves and concave facets breathe movement and life into this striking fantasy cut amethyst pendant. Courtesy: Sonja Kreis Unique Jewellery and Gems

February Birthstone: Amethyst Care & Cleaning

Amethyst is a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This means that it is appropriate for daily use in rings and other jewelry, but over time may show wear and require repolishing. Because amethyst is more susceptible to damage than harder gems such as rubies, sapphires and diamonds, do not store your amethyst jewelry next to these, as they can scratch it.

Heat treatment is the most common technique for improving the color and marketability of natural amethyst. Heat treatment can’t make pale amethyst darker, but it can lighten the color of very dark amethyst and make it more attractive. It can also remove unwanted brownish inclusions in some amethysts. Some amethyst turns yellow–to citrine–with heat treatment.

Heat treating amethyst results in a durable and permanent change in color. However, submitting it to intense heat may render it slightly more brittle than usual, and care must be taken not to damage pointed faceted corners and edges. Note, too, that excessive heat can remove the color entirely, and some amethyst fades with prolonged exposure to strong light. Though the color is stable with normal use, this is not a gem to wear to the beach every day.

Amethyst jewelry can be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner or a steamer, but use caution to avoid thermal shock. A soft brush with mild soap is the safest option.

As you shop, you’ll also encounter lab-created amethyst. Having the same chemical properties as its natural counterpart, synthetic amethyst has been manufactured since the 1970s. As manufacturing processes became increasingly sophisticated, it became more difficult for gemological labs to distinguish natural from synthetic amethyst. GIA can tell the difference, but many in the jewelry industry do not request testing because of the expense and time required to determine the origin of what is a comparatively inexpensive gem. Still, merchants are required to tell you if a gem is natural or synthetic.

These gems from the Montezuma mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil show the varied coloration of quartz: untreated amethyst (left), heated green quartz (center) and heated and irradiated violet quartz (right). Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Gift of Henrique Fernandes and Gabriel Freitas, Pinkstone International, Governador Valadares, Brazil.

Amethyst has enchanted kings and queens for many centuries. Now you know how to buy a royal gift for your love with a February birthday. And for some quick tips, take along our Amethyst Buying Guide the next time you go shopping.

The Heart-Shaped Engagement Ring – A Symbol of Love

January 31, 2017

A heart-shaped engagement ring is unabashedly romantic and the perfect symbol of love. But did you know that heart-shaped diamonds are relatively uncommon in diamond engagement rings?

There are many reasons for this. Perhaps top among them the fact that the heart shape works best for larger diamonds – those that are at least one-half carat in size. But although uncommon, heart-shaped diamonds are having their moment in the spotlight. If you have your heart set on a heart-shaped engagement ring, read on for some tips to help you pick the perfect one.

Heart-Shaped Engagement Ring: It’s All about the Outline and Symmetry

The outline needs to reflect a traditional heart shape. You may find some that have pointed lobes or very flat wings, rendering an outline that resembles an arrowhead. Symmetry is a key indicator of quality in a diamond of this shape. (After all, who wants an off-kilter sign of affection?) Both left and right sides of the heart should match in size and shape, although it’s not unusual for the width of the diamond to be greater than its length.

Here’s a helpful tip you can use when you’re in a jewelry store:
1. Draw an imaginary line down the center of the diamond you’re eyeing.
2. Check to see if both halves of the heart match in size and shape, from cleft (the center V-shaped region) to lobes (the rounded portions) to point.
3. A symmetrical heart-shaped diamond should also have a length-to-width ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.2.

Fancy yellow 7.02 carat (ct) symmetrical heart-shaped diamond surrounded by 1.08 carats of yellow pavé-set diamonds.

Romance can sometimes be rocky, but the heart remains steady in this fancy yellow 7.02 carat (ct) symmetrical heart-shaped diamond surrounded by 1.08 carats of yellow pavé-set diamonds. The left and right sides look identical. Courtesy: Norman Silverman.

You’re likely to see a number of heart-shaped diamonds that are asymmetrical. Examples of this include a poor length-to-width ratio, misshapen wings and an undefined point. Take a look at the asymmetrical heart-shaped diamond below.

Asymmetry detracts from the innate appeal of a heart-shaped diamond as the high shoulders, flatish wings and short length-to-width ratio of this stone illustrate.

Heart-Shaped Engagement Ring: Clarity Counts

Clarity characteristics can be easier to spot in heart-shaped diamonds. It’s best to look for a stone with good diamond clarity. Avoid diamonds with eye-visible inclusions that could diminish their beauty and affect their durability and value.

This beautiful platinum ring featuring a 1.25 ct heart-shaped diamond surrounded by pavé-set diamonds is sure to tell her you love her.

All clear? Only a closer look – and a GIA Diamond Grading Report – can tell. This beautiful platinum ring featuring a 1.25 ct heart-shaped diamond surrounded by pavé-set diamonds is sure to tell her you love her. Courtesy: Leo Ingwer

Heart-Shaped Engagement Ring: Settings

Most heart-shaped engagement rings are relatively simple in design: streamlined styles emphasize the special silhouette of the diamond’s shape, which offers plenty of drama on its own. Consider classic solitaire settings or elegant halo designs that trace the outline of the central diamond in small, pavé-set stones.

Surrounding a heart-shaped diamond by melee and placing it in a halo setting protects the point – and creates a stunner of a ring. Courtesy: Yael Designs

As a practical matter, it’s smart to look for a diamond engagement ring that shields the point of a heart-shaped diamond, since it’s the part of the stone most vulnerable to damage. Once you’ve found the heart of your dreams, you’ll want to protect it.

Simple yet stunning, this lovely fancy brown-yellow 1.03 ct heart-shaped diamond makes the perfect engagement ring. Courtesy: Mark Broumand

Ready to go shopping? Pick up more tips with our blog post on Picking a Heart-Shaped Gem. It gets into the details of choosing the perfect heart-shaped gem to symbolize your love.

Main Image: Per Lei single shank heart-shape engagement ring. Courtesy: Danhov

How to Get the Most Diamond Sparkle

January 24, 2017

Diamond sparkle might be one of the most-desired requirements for an engagement ring. A diamond’s breathtaking light show is one of the reasons we love this gem. But finding a diamond that sparkles requires some knowledge. So let’s get to it!

In this post, we’ll cover:
What Makes a Diamond Sparkle
How to Choose a Diamond that Sparkles
Maximize Diamond Sparkle – What Works/What Doesn’t

A pavé set diamond halo surrounds a center stone. The diamonds weigh a total of 1.46 carats.

A pavé set diamond halo surrounds a center stone, creating numerous opportunities for sparkle. The diamonds weigh a total of 1.46 carats. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

What Makes a Diamond Sparkle?

The short answer: light’s interaction with a diamond’s cut. The type and quality of the cut govern how a diamond reacts to the light around it. The angles and relative measurements of a diamond’s facets, as well as its other proportions, have a dramatic effect on how light performs when it strikes a diamond.

The long answer: You probably use the word “sparkle” in a very general way to describe the overall visual effect of a diamond’s interaction with light. But gemologists who have closely studied diamond’s signature light show break it down this way:

When light enters a diamond, it travels through it, reflecting off its interior surfaces, called facets. It then either leaves the diamond as white light, called brightness, or it divides into the spectral colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, called fire.

Light leaving a diamond as spectral colors can be quite breathtaking. Copyright: GIA and Harold & Erica Van Pelt.

As you or the diamond moves, an effect called scintillation occurs – visible as alternating flashes of white and spectral-colored light and the contrast of dark and light that moves around the diamond. This contrast is dynamic and causes, in layperson’s terms, sparkle.

How to Choose a Diamond that Sparkles

Since diamond sparkle is all about how well the stone interacts with light, the environment in which you view the diamond and the diamond’s cut quality are critical.

1. Be sure to examine the diamond under four different light sources. Spot lighting (or a lot of individual light sources) is the best way to see all the elements that produce sparkle. However, if there are too many spot lights and they are too bright, there will be so much glare that one diamond will look just as good as any other.

To avoid this, observe the diamond in an environment where the spot lighting is not overwhelming. Then look at the diamond in diffused lighting — fluorescent lights that bounce light off a white ceiling are best. Third, try to view it in a mixed lighting environment of spotlights and diffused lighting. And, finally, don’t forget to view the diamond in natural daylight.

Learn more about how light affects the appearance of a diamond.

A 1.52 carat (ct) round brilliant diamond engagement ring.

A 1.52 carat (ct) round brilliant diamond is a visual delight in this engagement ring. Courtesy: EraGem

2. Pay attention to cutting style. The more facets a diamond has, the more reflective surfaces there are to bounce and scatter light. A round brilliant cut diamond with its 57 or 58 facets will appear to have more sparkle than a single-cut diamond with only 17 or 18 facets. Learn how to pick a round brilliant diamond engagement ring.

If you have your heart set on a shape other than round, you can still get the sparkle if you look for diamond shapes cut in the brilliant faceting style. These include princess, radiant, oval, pear, heart and marquise.

This 8.06 ct Asscher cut diamond from Cartier, circa 1935, is spectacular. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com

3. Pay attention to cut quality. There’s another solution for standard round brilliants, if you’re unsure about judging a diamond’s sparkle. A GIA Diamond Grading Report can be of great value in finding a diamond that sparkles. GIA issues one of five cut grades for a round brilliant diamond: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.

A diamond with an Excellent cut grade is very bright. It shows an even pattern with good contrast between light and dark areas, so the reflections appear crisp and well balanced. This tells you that the cutter created the best possible stone from the rough.

A Very Good cut grade means the diamond has bright areas evenly distributed across the stone’s crown and few distracting areas.

A diamond with a Good cut grade isn’t quite as bright – reflections aren’t as sharp and there’s more darkness or dullness in the diamond.

A diamond with a Poor cut grade has much more prominent dark areas or dullness. Given the choice, most people would pick diamonds with either Very Good or Excellent grades.

This diamond has an Excellent cut grade: It is very bright and shows an even pattern with good contrast between light and dark areas. Reflections appear crisp and well balanced. If all else is equal, an Excellent cut grade pretty much guarantees an extremely attractive diamond. Photo: Al Gilbertson and Barak Green/GIA.

This diamond has a Good cut grade. Its bright-reflections aren’t as sharp and there’s more darkening around the girdle. Photo: Al Gilbertson and Barak Green/GIA.

This diamond has a Poor cut grade. It has significantly more prominent dark areas; there’s a much smaller bright area. Photo: Al Gilbertson and Barak Green/GIA.

Learn more about how GIA grades diamond cut.

Maximizing Diamond Sparkle – What Works/What Doesn’t

Looking for more visual bang for your buck when purchasing a diamond engagement ring? Here are some tips for getting the most diamond sparkle.

1. Bigger is not necessarily better. You may think: the larger the diamond, the more sparkle. But in reality, diamonds with identical proportions, color and clarity have the same amount of sparkle regardless of size. Visually, you might perceive a difference when comparing two diamonds that are dramatically different in size. For example, a 0.25 ct diamond may appear to sparkle less than the 1.00 ct diamond next to it. But when it comes to choosing a diamond, typically you’re making a selection between diamonds that fall within a narrow size range, so slight differences in diamond size would have no effect on your perception of sparkle. Again, this assumes the cut quality of the diamonds being compared is the same.

A marquise-shaped diamond in the center is flanked by two half–round brilliant cut diamonds, all of which are surrounded by more diamonds in a pavé setting that extends along the ring’s shank.

Talk about sparkle! This three-stone engagement ring seems to have it all. A marquise-shaped diamond in the center is flanked by two half–round brilliant cut diamonds, all of which are surrounded by more diamonds in a pavé setting that extends along the ring’s shank. Courtesy: ZIVA Jewels Inc.

2. Choose a diamond with good color and clarity. Researchers have found that brightness diminishes in diamonds that grade lower on the D-to-Z color range. Likewise, clarity issues in diamonds graded SI2 or I can diminish the appearance of fire. Both will reduce the sparkle in a diamond.

3. More diamonds, more sparkle. Definitely yes! More diamonds, whether big or small, will add more sparkle to your engagement ring. This is one reason why diamond side stones and pavé settings are so popular.

4. Pick the right setting. If you’re looking for a bigger visual display, a prong setting is better at allowing light to enter the diamond than bezel settings that cover more of the top surface of the diamond. Learn more about different setting styles.

This solitaire engagement ring by Tiffany & Co. features a 2.28 ct round brilliant diamond.

You can have lots of sparkle and still have a simple ring design. This solitaire engagement ring by Tiffany & Co. features a 2.28 ct round brilliant diamond. Courtesy: Pampillonia Estate and Fine Jewelry

5. Keep the diamond clean. This is probably the most important (and affordable) tip. A diamond that’s dirty will not sparkle. Diamonds have an affinity for grease, so it’s important to clean them regularly. Find out how to keep your diamond clean.

In the end, nothing adds sparkle to an engagement ring like the love with which it’s given. So follow your heart and relish the moment — you really can’t go wrong.

If you need a little extra help as you shop, check out our glossary of common engagement ring terms. They’ll help you better communicate your needs and desires with a jeweler.

Q&A with Neil Lane: Engagement Ring Designer to the Stars

January 17, 2017

Neil Lane engagement rings are coveted by celebrities, brides-to-be and contestants vying for a “final rose” on ABC-TV’s hit reality show “The Bachelor.” Find out how the Brooklyn-raised artist became a designer to the stars.

For this post, we turn to guest blogger and industry veteran Dawn Moore, who mined her contacts to get an exclusive interview with Neil Lane. Read on to learn how humble beginnings, a chance encounter in Paris and a life-long love affair with antique jewelry made him one of the most sought-after engagement ring designers in the industry.

Neil Lane meets with contestant Nick Viall on ABC-TV’s “Bachelor in Paradise.” Nick will try for love again as he stars as “The Bachelor” in the show’s 21st season debuting January 2017. Photo: Rick Rowell. Courtesy: ABC Copyright: 2016 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

DM: How did you become Hollywood’s go-to jeweler for vintage engagement rings?

Neil Lane: When I came to California in the late 1980’s, I had a little counter at a vintage mall called Antiquarius in Beverly Hills and I didn’t really know where I was within Los Angeles or even in relation to Hollywood. Barbra Streisand and Goldie Hawn were my first clients at that little counter. I never really liked diamonds per se, that really wasn’t my thing. Actually, I didn’t even like engagement rings – it’s kind of crazy. They were annoying to me! My expertise was in 19th century gold. But I really started looking and studying these Edwardian and Art Deco engagement rings and began to love them. I would study the detail – tiny little diamonds, curves, millgrain, unusual stones, and I was fascinated.

Eventually, Hollywood started appreciating antique and vintage styles and young celebrities were looking for something different. I started making rings for their engagements. I made so many engagement rings – people liked my aesthetic and I began to get noticed.

This Art Deco diamond and emerald engagement ring from the Neil Lane Archival Collection takes us a step back in time. Courtesy: Neil Lane

DM: You were going to be an artist – a painter – what turned your creativity to jewels?

Neil Lane: Because I loved the flea market! As a teenager in Brooklyn, I was fascinated by what people threw out. I grew up in a house with antiques. My father would say, “Be careful, that’s expensive!” So I had this concept that older objects were more valuable. I was in high school and I was exhibiting at the Brooklyn Museum.

DM: Wait… you were exhibiting your painting at the Brooklyn Museum while you were still in high school? Something in you must have shifted…

Neil Lane: What shifted was, I was finding these things in the street – you know I never worked for anyone – and I discovered the Sunday 26th Street Flea Market. I didn’t even have a table – I’d put my items on a cloth and I’d make $300 at 17 years old. Then I’d go home and paint and draw. With this money I went to Paris.

DM: Paris is definitely vintage jewelry heaven! Did you go with the intent to start collecting?

Neil Lane: No! I went to see the Mona Lisa. I took the ferry from Dover to Calais and then that long schlep into Paris. My first night I went to the Louvre. I walked past The Winged Victory and ran down the hall asking, “Where’s the Mona Lisa?” And when I found it and saw it’s actual size, I thought, “That’s it?”

DM: Tell us about the jewel that sparked your business…

Neil Lane: I might have been 20 or 22, drawing and painting in Paris – studying art in the museums. But I was becoming fascinated by enameled jewelry and color and started buying little bits of art nouveau jewelry – not expensive.

One day, wandering the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore I found myself in front of a store. In the window was a demon-like brooch with a big pearl in its belly and a big diamond in its mouth covered in red and green enamel. I couldn’t take my eyes off it! The shop was closed, but I kept knocking on the door until they finally let me in and showed me the brooch. It was priced at $4,000 – an incredible sum at the time: I only had $10,000 to last me for my entire trip. I tried to negotiate with them and they threw me out.

I probably walked around the block 30 times until I went back to shop and the same routine – but this time I bought the brooch. And I trembled with it. It was my first visceral, experience with jewelry.

A dragon diamond and pearl brooch that sparked Neil Lane’s interest in vintage jewelry during his studies in Paris.

The dragon diamond and pearl brooch that sparked Neil Lane’s interest in vintage jewelry during his studies in Paris. Courtesy: Neil Lane

DM: Fancy cuts and colored diamonds are clearly your passion. What are you looking for in a stone?

Neil Lane: Shape, shape, shape. I’m a very visual person. Shapes inform me, they teach me. A lot of the cuts today are based on the yield, but they didn’t have that technology 100 years ago, so some of the diamonds are much more lumpy and imperfect – they have character. So when you find an Asscher cut from the 1920’s, there is much diamond material above the girdle and when you look into it you can see eternity. I just fall in love with these old diamonds.

4.5 carat (ct) Asscher cut diamond Edwardian engagement ring is from the Neil Lane Archival Collection.

Neil Lane engagement rings are inspired by his passion for vintage and antique jewelry. This 4.5 carat (ct) Asscher cut diamond Edwardian engagement ring is from the Neil Lane Archival Collection. Courtesy: Neil Lane

DM: Your sophisticated eye for the glamour of estate diamonds translates beautifully in your collection for Kay Jewelers.

Neil Lane: I believed intuitively that bridal would be for me a very, very important part of my life, so it was a kismet moment with Kay Jewelers. We had a great first meeting where I described to them what I thought America should do (laughs). I thought America was ready for pretty. I also suggested they should sell cushion-cut diamonds. When Jenna Dewan received a cushion cut for her engagement to Channing Tatum it got a lot of attention. The next year, the cushion collection was the best seller. Then we started introducing my aesthetic: pear shapes, marquise shapes, and it was fantastic.

A 5 ct round-cut diamond designed for actress Jennifer Hudson’s engagement to David Otunga.

A 5 ct round-cut diamond has the starring role in this Neil Lane engagement ring designed for actress Jennifer Hudson’s engagement to David Otunga. Courtesy: Neil Lane

DM: What trends do you see in engagement rings? Are we ever going to see yellow gold prevail again?

Neil Lane: I worked with athlete Amy Purdy to design a yellow gold ring with a cognac diamond surrounded by filigree and beadwork. The Miley Cyrus ring got a lot of attention – that was yellow gold. I created an Art Nouveau style ring – hand chased with a vintage diamond. Yellow gold is a beautiful thing. I don’t like to make claims … but I don’t think we’re going to see yellow gold take over again. What’s doing very well is rose gold and we mix it with white gold and it’s very, very pretty. It’s evocative of a past.

This yellow gold and platinum vintage-style engagement ring features a brown cushion-cut diamond.

The Neil Lane engagement ring for athlete Amy Purdy. The yellow gold and platinum vintage-style engagement ring features a brown cushion-cut diamond. Courtesy: Neil Lane

DM: You’ve loaned jewels to some of the most stunning women in Hollywood. Your designs are on their ring fingers and you have one of the world’s premier vintage jewelry collections. What’s still looming out there for you?

Neil Lane: Interesting… Maybe taking my design elements into china patterns or a silver vase or linens. Or maybe… a wedding dress!

ABC-TV’s “The Bachelor” Nick Viall © 2016 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

DM: Speaking of weddings – don’t miss Neil Lane’s guest appearance on the 21st season of ABC-TV’s hit reality series “The Bachelor” as he helps Nick Viall pick out an engagement ring – or so we hope! After being a castoff as a runner-up on two episodes of “The Bachelorette,” we hope to hear wedding bells for Nick Viall and his ladylove.

More posts by Dawn Moore:
The Five Non-Negotiable Rules for Buying Jewelry Online
Pearl Jewelry Essentials: 5 Easy Pieces
A Conversation with Martin Katz – A Jeweler Like No Other

GIA Guest Blogger: Dawn Moore, GIA AJP
Drawing on her experience as Regional Director at Harry Winston, Mikimoto and Chopard, Dawn Moore writes about world-class jewels for The Huffington Post, C Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and Santa Barbara Magazine. Read more about her: www.mooreabout.com

(Main image: Neil Lane engagement rings get their start at the drafting table. Courtesy: Neil Lane)

What Is a Real Diamond?

January 10, 2017

What Is a Real Diamond?

It’s unlikely that you’ll hear a professionally trained gemologist call a diamond a real diamond, or use the word “real” to describe any material. If you want to come across as a smart shopper, you’ll need to rephrase the question.

For decades, diamonds have been the gem of choice for engagement rings. But with the advent of synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants, it’s only natural to ask about real diamonds. “Real” is not a gemological term. But to the consumer, it’s an important one.

A Diamond Is a Diamond Is a Diamond

From a gem professional’s point of view, a diamond is a diamond if it has a characteristic chemical composition and crystal structure. Diamond is composed almost entirely of a single element: carbon. It forms under conditions of high temperature and pressure that cause its carbon atoms to bond in essentially the same way in all directions. Another mineral, graphite, also contains only carbon, but its formation process and crystal structure are very different. The result is that graphite is so soft that you can write with it, while diamond is so hard that you can only scratch it with another diamond.

This definition of diamond applies to diamonds that come from the earth, as well as those that are created in a laboratory. It does not apply to other materials that might masquerade as diamonds.

So, when you ask a jeweler for a real diamond, you could be asking for a diamond created by nature or one created in a lab – since both materials qualify as diamond. Reputable jewelers avoid the term “real” altogether and, following U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, clearly distinguish between natural diamonds, synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants (or imitations).

In other posts we explain synthetic diamonds and diamond imitations. Here, we’ll dig a little deeper into natural diamonds and their incredible journey from deep below the earth’s surface to the engagement ring worn by your loved one.

A Brief Description of a Natural Diamond

Natural diamonds are one of nature’s wonders. Billions of years old, they formed deep in the earth’s mantle and were brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions. Two types of magma, kimberlite and lamproite, sometimes carried diamond rough with them. The magma quickly solidified into a diamond-bearing kimberlite or lamproite pipe.

A craton is an ancient, deep and stable portion of a continent. Its high heat and pressure provide the right conditions for diamond formation. Conditions under a craton are also stable enough to preserve diamonds for hundreds of millions of years after formation. Illustration: Peter Johnston/GIA

Most of the world’s diamonds are found in kimberlite, but the famed Argyle mine in Australia–once the world’s leading diamond producer– is a lamproite deposit. Major companies recover the diamonds by digging large open-pit mines to find the buried treasures. Over time, as the typically cone-shaped pipes narrow down, the companies switch to underground mining to capture the last of the diamonds.

Some diamonds end up in rivers, streams and even the ocean after forces of erosion released the crystals from their host rocks and gradually washed them into bodies of water. When diamonds are found this way, it’s called alluvial mining – a process of digging and sifting through mud, sand and gravel. While river sediments are often worked by small-scale miners using rudimentary techniques, large boats are used to scour the ocean sands off the coast of Namibia in search of fine diamonds.

A natural diamond rough in an octahedron shape.

Natural diamond rough is often shaped like an octahedron. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Fusion Alternatives

For most of recorded history, the extreme scarcity of diamonds made them available only to the elite. In fact, up until 1730, the Golconda region of southern India and the Pacific island of Borneo were the only known diamond-producing regions in the world. Then diamonds were discovered in Brazil around the 1720s and a diamond ‘rush’ began. Soon, Brazil eclipsed India as the world’s top diamond producer, holding this title through the mid-1800s. With the discovery of large diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes in South Africa in the late 1860s, mining began on an industrial scale, increasing supply to meet broader consumer demand. Diamonds are now mined in several countries around the world, including Russia, Botswana and Canada, as well as South Africa and Australia. Learn more about where diamonds come from.

The face-up view of this diamond showcases the beauty of the round brilliant cut. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Rogel & Col, Inc.

Turning Rough Diamonds into Polished Gems

The diamonds recovered have survived a brutal birth and then a rough ride to the earth’s surface. Diamond mining companies must remove a million parts of host rock to find one rough diamond. Workers then sort the rough diamonds into categories based on their size, shape, clarity and color. The mining company might cut a finished diamond out of the rough, or sell it to dealers and manufacturers.

Rough diamonds are often shipped to cutting centers in India, Israel, New York, Antwerp, China and Thailand. Highly skilled diamond cutters often use the latest technology, such as lasers, to transform the piece of rough into a highly polished faceted diamond. Most finished diamonds are sent to grading laboratories to determine their quality based on the GIA 4Cs standard: color, clarity, cut and carat weight. Every diamond will have unique qualities: no two will be identical.

A diamond cutter at Diacore Botswana examines the initial facets made on a fancy yellow diamond. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

Diamond Treatments

Some manufacturers may try to alter the color or clarity of a diamond to make it more appealing and marketable. The methods used to alter color range from crude ones like coloring girdle facets with a permanent marker, to more sophisticated ones like covering facets with an optical thin film, subjecting the diamond to radiation, or exposing it to high pressure, high temperature annealing. The most common clarity enhancement is fracture filling. All of these may improve the appearance of the diamond, but the seller is legally bound by the FTC to disclose that the diamond has been treated.

$A before and after image of a fractured filled diamond.$

This diamond has been fractured filled to make it more attractive. Photo: Shane F. McClure/GIA.

A 1.05 ct diamond owed its apparent Fancy Light brown-pink color to a coating. After the coating was removed by acid cleaning, the diamond was given a color grade of J

This 1.05 ct diamond owed its apparent Fancy Light brown-pink color (left) to a coating. After the coating was removed by acid cleaning, the diamond was given a color grade of J (right). Photo: Jian Xin (Jae) Liao/GIA

Given their timelessness, resilience and durability, is it any wonder so many choose ”real” diamonds as a symbol of love and commitment? If you’re considering a natural diamond for an engagement ring, be sure to ask for a GIA Diamond Grading Report . The report is your proof that the diamond is natural and that its quality is what the seller describes, giving you the important information you need to make your purchase with confidence. And if you opt for a lab-grown diamond, a GIA Synthetic Diamond Grading Report is your assurance that the material is actually diamond and not an imitation.

Have you ever wondered about do-it-yourself tests to determine whether a specific gem is natural, synthetic or something else? Our post, How to Tell if a Diamond is Real, decodes the most common myths about such tests and why they don’t work.

GIA 4Cs Diamond Blog