Diamond Course

Lesson 1. Diamond Formation

Introduction
This first week we are going to look at how and where diamonds form, and how they get
from where they form to the surface of the earth. This is the beginning of the diamond
story. Over the coming weeks we are going to look at all aspects of diamonds. I hope you
enjoy this little adventure that we are about to start.........

Section 1 Where diamonds are found..

Where do all of the beautiful diamonds that we see form? Well, they form deep inside the
earth and are brought to the surface by the movement of magma that can go by many
names. For our purposes we will deal with an example shown below called blueground
or kimberlite. You can see in the photograph below from the pages of
YourGemologist.com that this rock really has a blue color to it. From which it got its
name.

Kimberlite or blueground
As you can see in the photograph below the kimberlite has diamonds in it. Like the
octohedron crystal that you can see in the photograph. The kimberlite was once molten
with the diamonds floating around inside. As the kimberlite cooled it formed the
blueground rock that we see here, with the diamonds existing throughout the rock. Its is
the number of diamonds per cubic meter of kimberlite rock that determines if a diamond
mine will be profitable...as well as what quality of diamonds are included within those
that are found.

Diamond crystal in kimberlite rock

But how do the diamonds form deep in the earth to be able to travel in molten rock to the
surface? Before we look at their trip to the earth's surface, let's look to see how diamonds
form deep within the earth before their journey starts to the surface..............

Section 3. The formation of

diamonds...
As shown above, diamonds occur as crystals. They are pure carbon. One of the only gems
to be a single element. Most others are combinations of elements, as in the case of
sapphire which is essentially aluminum and oxygen, along with some impurities that give
it color. But diamonds are pure carbon. And it takes a lot of heat and pressure to force
carbon to form crystals. This occurs deep inside the earth where the temperature and heat
are high enough to make this process work.
Most diamonds form at depths deeper than 150 kilometers below the surface of the earth.
And at temperatures in the thousands of degrees C. At this depth and temperature the
carbon atoms are forced together to the point that they join to make molecules that are the
orginal formation of diamond crystals. In their pure state these form white or colorless
diamonds. We will talk about how impurities get into the crystal a little bit later. For now,
we will just deal with colorless diamond.

One interesting point to ponder....where did the carbon come from so deep within the
earth? It is said that some types of diamond were formed from carbon that came from the
surface of the earth. So it may be that the carbon contained in some of our ancient,
ancient ancestors is being worn on your hand right now as an engagement ring.

At any rate, let's look at how a diamond crystal forms from the original carbon atoms that
form to make the diamond. It starts with 18 carbon atoms joining to form the first
diamond molecule. Remember we are looking at the diamond crystal forming on the
atomic level. So we are looking at very, very tiny formations here. The process works
like this:

As the process continues, more and more diamonds come together due to heat and
pressure to add to the group. But always in an orderly fashion...
Pretty soon the formation gets so big that we can zoom out and away from of our very,
very high powered microscope and start seeing a real diamond crystal before our eyes....

Finally, the diamond crystal is big enough to become visible without magnification, and
ready for its trip to the surface of the earth....
 Another look at a diamond octahedra crystal....

Section 3 How diamonds get to the surface areas of the

earth....
Let's take a look at the graphic images below to see the order of events that occur to form
a diamond bearing field. The following demonstration is essentially what took place in
most of the diamond bearing field areas of the world. It is a fairly simple process that has
put diamond deposits in fields, rivers, and even ocean beaches.

The diamonds form deep within the earth. Many of the diamonds found in Africa are over
3.3 billion years old. But here is something to consider....the kimberlite rock in which
they are found is only about 100 million years old. Meaning that the diamonds formed
and were just hanging around deep within the earth for almost 2.1 billion years before
they made their trip to the surface of the earth. A long time to wait to get to be worn in
your ring, wouldn't you agree? At any rate, when the time was right the diamond bearing
magma started its journey to the surface of the earth. Here is how that journey took
place...........
This is how most diamonds get from the deep reaches of the earth into the mining
companies hands.

Well, there you have Lesson 1, Diamond Formation. Next lesson we will look at how
diamonds go from the mines into the market place, and see how diamond crystals form
with colors. I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it.

Lesson 2. Diamond Color / Marketing Rough Diamonds

Introduction
This lesson we are going to look first at how diamonds get their sometimes yellow body
color, and then take a look at what happens to the diamonds once they leave the mines.
But first, let's review from last lesson so we can better understand what is going on with
yellow colored diamonds...........

Section 1
You remember how a diamond is made of a crystal lattice of 18 carbon atoms.

As the process continues, more and more diamonds come together due to heat and
pressure to add to the group. But always in an orderly fashion...
Pretty soon the formation gets so big that we can zoom out and away from of our very,
very high powered microscope and start seeing a real diamond crystal before our eyes....

Finally, the diamond crystal is big enough to become visible without magnification, and
ready for its trip to the surface of the earth....
Now, let's see how some diamonds get their yellowish body colors. We will go into
greater detail about the classifications of the diamond types in a later lesson. But for now,
we want to understand the basics of diamond body color. It starts with an impurity getting
into the crystal lattice. This impurity is the element nitrogen...just like in the air that we
breathe. This nitrogen occurs in tiny platelets on the crystal lattice, and imparts a yellow
color to the crystal. The more the nitrogen, the more intense the color. Here are some
images to show how this works:
 Nitrogen in the
carbon crystal lattice

As the crystal grows the nitrogen color adds a specific amount of yellowish tint to the
diamond until it gets big enough to cut......
 Continues to
grow as a yellow diamond..

Eventually we get a nice yellow octahedron diamond crystal that can be cut into a nice
fancy yellow diamond. Or we might get an off color yellowish looking diamond that is
really quite inexpensive due to the body color not being intense enough to qualify as a
fancy yellow diamond.
Next lesson we will start talking about the different diamond types. These are divided
into four basic categories and will allow us to further understand some of the other fancy
colors that occur in diamonds. Now, let's go to the marketing of diamonds and see how
they get from the mines to the cutting centers of the world.......

Section 2. How diamonds get from the mine to the cutter

and to you...
You remember from last lesson that diamonds form in volcano pipes of kimberlite. There
are a number of different types of diamond bearing rock but for our purposes we will
stick to the term kimberlite or blueground. And reviewing the image below, the mines cut
down into these ancient pipes to retreive the diamonds from the ground. Now, let's see
where in the world most of these diamond mines exist.
Africa continues to be the main producer of rough diamonds, although several other
places are quickly catching up. The African nation of Botswana is the world's largest
producer at this time with an expected production of over 24 million carats of diamonds.
Other African diamond producing nations are shown below with the lighter colors
denoting nations that produce fewer diamonds, and the darker colors showing countries
that produce diamonds by the millions of carats per year.
Next place is Russia, which is right behind Botswana in production of rough diamonds.
About 20 million carats annually and growing all of the time. Most of the Russian
diamonds are produced in the frigid Northeast areas close to Siberia. Russia could well
outproduce Africa in the coming years as their economy becomes more efficient...
The next stop is Canada and their Ekati mine. Canada is just now coming on-line with
diamond production and could well become a top producer in the coming years as more
and more diamond fields are being discovered in the frozen Northwest Territory.

And on to Australia. The largest producer of rough diamonds as far as weight with over
26 million carats per year. But many are off colors. But this is a good thing. Since
Australia is the world's largest producer of rare pink diamonds. Based on the average
production, Australia will be producing gem quality diamonds for many decades to come
from the Western Australian province.

Most people do not realize that from around 1835 until the African diamond discoveries
in the late 1880's, Brazil was the world's largest producer of diamonds. And when you
look at a pre-historic world map when all of the continents were joined, the diamond
producing areas of Brazil were joined to the diamond producing areas of Africa. So its no
wonder that Brazil is a major producer of diamonds, since it is geologically connected to
the diamond producing fields in Africa. Brazil is still a major producer of rough
diamonds averageing around 650,000 carats of rough annually.
Now that we have the diamonds coming out of the mines in our various geographical
locations, what happens to them then? Well, a company formerly known as DeBeers
controlled the diamond production of the world markets for many years. Recently,
however, the world's production has grown so fast that DeBeers lost control. However, in
order to try to maintain some sort of pricing structure, most diamond rough producing
countries still send their rough diamonds to be marketed through the DeBeers offices in
London known as the Central Selling Organization. This office is located at 17
Charterhouse Street in London, just a couple of blocks away from the offices of the
Gemmological Association of Great Britain. (I got to tour the CSO offices on a recent trip
to London. It was a great experience!)

At the CSO rough diamonds from around the world are brought in to be sorted and grades
in preparation for selling in what is known as a sight. A sight is held 10 times a year,
about every 5 weeks, where a very select group of diamond dealers are allowed to come
to the CSO office and buy this rough. There are only about 120 of these dealers called
sightholders who are allowed to come to the CSO sight to buy the rough. At the time of
the sight, the sightholder is simply give a shoebox sized carton of rough diamonds to
either buy or refuse. No picking through, no asking for more or other types. You are
given what you get, take it or leave it, leave your money on the table. The diamonds don't
get shipped until they are paid for. We will follow the rough diamonds further on their
journey in a few minutes. But first........

Below is a look at the world map of how diamonds move. The blue shows the diamonds
coming into the CSO in London from the various world producing countries. The
diamonds are graded and sold to sightholders who take them to the cutting centers of the
world. The main centers are New York, Belgium, Israel, and India. Althought other
cutting centers do exist.

You will notice that some diamonds do not go through the CSO in London. That is
because some diamond producers like the Ekati mine in Canada and the Argyle mine in
Australia market some of their diamonds direct to cutters in various cutting centers.
While we may see more of this type of selling in the near future as China enters the
market as a diamond producer, in an effort to maintain world diamond prices most
producers have chosen to stay with the CSO for their diamond marketing.

Perhaps most important to our purposes is the path that the diamonds take to you, the
consumer. Once the sight is purchased by the sightholder, the sightholder will take some
of the diamonds and cut them in their own factories and sell them either to manufacturers
and wholesalers for making into jewelry, to retail jewelers, or they may sell them directly
to consumers through the internet. Some of the diamonds will be sold still as rough by the
sightholder to other cutters. Who will also cut the rough into finished product, and sell
them to wholesalers and manufacturers for jewelry purposes, or to jewelry stores. Then
its on to you. Below is a pathway that diamonds take from the mines through the system
to you.

And yes, there are diamond cutters who sell directly to the public. But I am not going to
go into that here because I do not believe that it is good for the market. For two reasons:
(1) Most of these cutters are located in far away countries and sell on the internet. If you
have a problem with a purchase you have no recourse. You are stuck. (2). This
undermines the integrity of the local jewelry industry and the local professional jeweler,
who is there to assist you with many other services and products. By these diamond
cutters short circuiting the market, this takes away an important source of revenue for the
local independent professional jeweler, which in the long run is bad for consumers. So
while this pathway can take you around the retail jeweler and direct to the cutter if you
are good enough to find them, the potential problems of shopping on the internet for
diamonds is exceptionally high. And not recommended in most cases for consumers.

And also, there are some manufacturers who sell directly to the public on the internet.
Again, this can be a savings as long as you do not need service. And as long as you do
not have a problem with your purchase. I will get off of this soap box now but just want
to remind you that your local professional retail jeweler is there for many reasons.
Confidence in your purchase and after-market service are well worth the price you pay in
the long run from these professional retail jewelers. And one more thing....in most cases
the prices you, the consumer, pay for diamonds and other items from manufacturers and
cutters on the internet are not that much better than you will find with your local
independent jeweler. So by supporting your local jeweler, you are also helping to protect
your purchase. Now, on to the sorting of rough diamonds.......
Now let's look at what happens to the diamonds at the CSO when they are brought in
from the mines. Diamonds are brought in from the mines in one big bunch that includes
all of the various sizes, shapes, colors and grades......

Image courtesy of KeyGuide. Please see bottom of page of more information.

The diamonds are then graded by very experienced diamond sorters at the Central Selling
Organization office in London.....

Image courtesy of KeyGuide. Please see bottom of page of more information.

And after being sorted into one of these 16,000+ categories, they are then presented for
sale to the sightholders and take one of the above pathways to your jeweler and to you.
Image courtesy of KeyGuide. Please see bottom of page of more information.

This is how most diamonds get from the mines to you.

Lesson 3. Diamond Properties

Introduction
This lesson we are going to look at the specific properties of a diamond. What makes a
diamond be a diamond. There is more here than you might imagine, which is why we are
taking this entire lesson on this subject. I hope you enjoy it....

Section 1. Hardness
Everyone knows that diamonds are the hardest substance in the world. Far and beyond
anything else that is even close. But why is it the hardest? The reason is that the carbon
atoms stick to each other in all directions so tightly that almost nothing but another
diamond scratching them can tear them apart.

The most important aspect of this is that a diamond is many, many times harder than its
closest neighbor on the Moh's Hardness Scale...corundum or ruby and sapphire. In fact, a
ruby is closer to the hardness of your fingernail than it is to the hardness of a diamond.
Diamond is that much more hard.

Now, it is important for you to know that hardness it much different that tenacity.
Hardness is the resistance to being scratched. Tenacity is the resistance to being broken.
And diamonds can be broken fairly easily. But we will get into that later.

Let's first look at the diagram below to understand just where a diamond sits on the
Moh's Hardness Scale. This is a scale developed by Mr. Moh, that places materials on a
scale of relative hardness. That is hardness based solely on the fact that a particular
gemstone will scratch any other gemstones of the same type, and any other gemstone
below it on the scale. The main point is that an apatite at #6 will scratch any other apatite
and any other material below a 6 on the scale. But this is not saying that the apatite is a
certain percentage more hard than the other stones. Just that it will scratch anything on its
same level or lower. This is important because while ruby is a 9 and diamond is a 10....a
diamond is far harder than a ruby. And there is simply nothing in between a ruby and a
diamond on the scale. So when you see the hardness number of a stone, this does not
mean that the stone is any percentage or times harder than other stones on the scale. It
only means that the stone will scratch anything else on its same level or lower.

Let's look at the Moh's Hardness Scale and compare a diamond to some other materials:
Now look at the diagram below and see that there is a directional property to diamond
hardness. And that is in the direction directly pointed down on the crystal faces. As you
will note below, diamond hardness is greatest perpendicular to the crystal faces or
surfaces. The hardness can vary in other directions. which is an important fact for
diamond cutters to remember.
Section 2. Cleavage
Diamonds can be broken or cleaved. If you look at the image below you will see the
arrows pointing the directions of easy cleavage for diamonds. This is in the plane of
direction that is parallel to the crystal surfaces. As you will note below, if a blow or
impact hits a diamond along a cleavage plane the diamond can slice off, just like putting
your hand between the sheets of your bed. If you put your hand down straight on the
sheet you cannot go through it. But if you move your hand to go across the bed in-
between the sheets, you can separate the sheets very easily. This is sort of a down home
example to show you how diamond cleavage works. Think of the bed sheets as layers of
a diamond. And if you hit it just right, you can cause it to separate and break off. Here are
some images to demonstrate this concept:
Section 3. Dispersion
When light enters a diamond it is broken up into its spectral colors...just like a prism.
This is because light is slowed down when it enters a diamond, and the various
wavelengths slow down at different rates...causing the wavelengths or colors to separate
and become visible individually. This is how a diamond creates the dispersion for which
it is so famous. Below are some images to help demonstrate a diamonds ability to break
light up into its spectral colors by dispersion...
Section 4. Density or Specific Gravity
Specific gravity deals with the volume of a substance based on its density. This has to do
with how much stuff or material is crammed into a specific space. For instance, one
pound of lead is much smaller than one pound of butter. That is because the lead is
compacted to the point that a small piece of lead will actually have more stuff than a
pound of butter. So the pound of lead will take up less space than a pound of butter...even
though they still both weigh one pound. Conversely, if you were to take a one inch cube
of butter and a one inch cube of lead, they would both still be the same size, but the cube
of lead would weigh far more than the cube of butter. That is the principle behind specific
gravity. Based on a comparison of a certain volume of water, how much of a material
does it take to make an equal weight or an equal volume.

Below you will see four materials that all equal 1.00 carat. Due to the difference in
density of the materials, some are larger than others...in order to maintain the same
weight as the others. This is why some gemstones will be larger in size but less in weight.
Opal, for example. A 1.00 carat opal will be much larger than a 1.00ct. jadeite. The
reason is that the jadeite is denser...there is more stuff compacted into a jadeite than an
opal. So the 1.00 carat opal will be larger in measurement than the 1.00ct jadeite.

A diamond has a specific gravity of 3.52. Which means that a diamond is 3.52 times
more dense than water. As a result a diamond weighing 1.00ct will be much smaller in
size than 1.00 carat of water. Let's look at some comparisons of this and other stones:

Now, a lot of people ask what caused an element so basic as carbon to become so dense.
The answer is heat...and pressure. Far below the surface of the earth carbon was
compressed under intense pressure and heat to cause it to crystallize and form diamonds.
The heat was very intense....about 1400 Centigrade. But the pressure is even more
astounding. The image below demonstrates just how much pressure it takes at 1400
degrees C to cause diamonds to form. Take a look and see:

Therefore, the density of a diamond is directly responsible for the specific gravity of a
diamond. And they both require enormous heat and pressure.

Section 5. Refraction
One of the most important aspects of diamond is its ability to slow down and refract light.
This is what causes the dispersion that we discussed above, and what gives diamond its
ability to return light and be brilliant. The way it does this is to slow the beam of light
down. In fact, a diamond causes light to slow down a remarkable amount. Much like the
demonstration that we did earlier on YourGemologist.com on a study of light with the
pencil in the dense water. Here is a chart to give you some idea of how much a diamond
can slow down a beam of light. It deals with how fast light travels in space or air, and
some other materials and how they cause light to slow down on its journey...
Now, we can take this known speed of light in air, and the known speed of light in
diamond, and come up with a verifiable refractive amount known as the refractive index.
This is the end number to the equation of dividing the speed of light in air by the speed of
light in any substance. And since gemstones slow light down at known and constant
speeds, we can use this number to help identify gemstones by testing the speed of light as
it travels through it. Most gemologists do not know that when they take a refractive index
reading of a gemstone, they are actually measuring the speed of light traveling through
the gemstone. Which to me....makes the whole thing a lot more fun to do...... Here is how
the math works for this concept:
Section 6. Electrical Conductivity
Diamonds are basically not very good at conducting electricity. Most are considered
semi-conductors meaning that they will only allow a current to pass if there is a great
deal of energy trying to get through. Some are even insulators that do not allow a current
to pass through at all. However...there is one type of diamond that is a good conductor.
That is a Type IIb diamond (we will talk about the diamond types next lesson) and it
covers mostly the fancy blue color diamonds. These are colored by an impurity of boron
which makes them conduct electricity as conductors. The importance here is that this can
be used to identify natural blue diamonds from treated stones, since the natural blue
diamonds will conduct electricity and other diamonds that have been radiated, for
instance, will not.

Section 7. Thermal Conductivity

Finally, thermal conductivity. The ability to transfer heat from one source to another.
Diamonds are very, very good at this, which is why there has for many years been
thermal conductivity testers used to separate diamonds from most imitations...such as
cubic zirconia, among others. Diamonds are even better than copper in transferring
thermal energy which makes them also useful in computer and electronic applications to
help cool tiny components.

The thermal conductivity test is no longer as accurate as it used to be since synthetic

moissanite is now on the market and is also a good conductor of thermal heat. Making
many thermal testers obsolete. However, a well trained gemologist with a 10x loupe
should be able to separate diamond from synthetic moissanite very easily.
Well, there you have the basic properties of a diamond. There are other properties that we
did not cover, like color change diamonds, triboluminescence, and fluorescence, to name
a few, but more of these are either covered on YourGemologist.com, or need to be
studied in a formal gemological school environment due to the technical nature of the
property. But from the properties listed above, most diamonds can be identified, and most
of the important features of a diamond can be understood. I hope you enjoyed this
installment of Practical Diamond Grading. Next less will be on Diamond Cut Grading.
The most important diamond grade when evaluating for purchase or appraisal.

Lesson 4. Cut Grading...Parts 1 and 2.

For those who have read Part 1...please read before going to Part 2....
Over the past few weeks since I wrote Part 1 I have received many e-mails suggesting
that I follow this person's or that organization's cutting policies. That the concepts of total
light return are best described by this or that person's research. And that the GIA and
AGS either are...or are not...on the right track. And that I should be going more into the
technical aspects of the interaction of facet angles......well, let's just say I have received a
lot of mail. I want everyone to know my position on the current debate about cut
grading.....its confusing a lot of consumers and causing problems. We are trying to
analyze the cutting of diamonds down to such minutia that consumers (1) will never be
able to understand it, (2) will get confused and feel they are not smart enough to be
buying diamonds, and (3) go buy something else.

I believe the grading and evaluation of the cutting of diamonds is the most important
factor of diamond grading and valuation. But when the industry is so caught up in a
variety of people saying that everyone else's system is flawed, we are taking it to the
extreme.

Diamonds are supposed to look pretty. They are supposed to be romantic. They are
supposed to be priced according to their quality. And the purpose of this lesson is to
provide consumers and gemology students a basic understanding of the evaluation of cut
and how it impacts a diamond beauty and value. I fully understand the why and how of
all of the cut grading research going on, but no one yet has come up with the single
perfect system of cut evaluation.

I admire and respect the work of the GIA, the AGS, EightStar Diamonds, Martin Haske,
Garry Holloway, et al...in your efforts to come up with the best possible cut grading
evaluation system. But folks....you call us when you have it completed, and you are all
settled on which system we are all to use.....and I will use it and teach it. Until then,
please keep your opinions to yourself. I've heard just about all of them. Right now I am
quite convinced that the American Gem Society is at the forefront of this
topic...................Robert James FGA, GG.....YourGemologist

Page down to Part 2 here! or start from the beginning

below.....

Introduction
This lesson we are going to look at the most important grading aspect of diamond quality
and beauty...the grading of cut or proportioning. What makes one diamond sparkle at the
party while another one looks lifeless and dull. Due to the number of images that I am
taking for this lesson. we are going to do it in two parts. This first one will explain that
concept behind diamond cut grading and some of the less serious cutting errors. In the
second part we will look at some of the major factors in diamond proportion
analysis...including an evaluation of some of the cut grading tools out on the market..
Let's start with learning parts of the diamond, then go on to why cut is such an important
grading in diamond evaluation....

Part 1. Section 1. Parts of a Diamond

Here are the parts of the diamond as far as the names of the various facets. It is important
for any jewelry industry professional to learn the parts of the diamond to be able to
properly communicate with consumers and dealers regarding diamond evaluation. Let's
take a look at this facets and parts, you should memorize all of them.
The numbers beside the facet names indicate how many of each of these facets there are
in one a modern brilliant cut diamond. This number may vary with different styles of
cutting. But for our purposes the modern brilliant will be the mainstay of our study. Here
are some of the different cutting styles that you may see:
Section 2. Evaluation of Cut
The evaluation of diamond proportioning began in 1919 when a mathematician named
Tolkowsky figured out by way of numbers how best to cut a diamond so that all of the
light entering the stone would follow a controlled path to go out the top of the diamond.
That is the reason for the modern brilliant cut.

Now, in 1919 the diamond cutting industry was not advanced enough to but the
mathematical angles and dimensions that Mr. Tolkowsky developed, but instead cut
variations of the cut based on what the technology of the time was able to do. And as the
technology advanced, so did the ability to come closer and closer to the Ideal Tolkowsky
cut, that would provide for the best return of light in a diamond. For this reason, it is
possible for an experienced diamond grader to actually come to within 10 years or so of
when a older diamond was cut, based on where the proportioning fell on that time line of
technology catching up with Tolkowsky's ideal cut formula.

The main point is that a diamond is the shape it is not because it is pretty, but because this
follows a mathematical formula that controls the path of light in a stone.

Before we look at some examples, let's look at the purpose of a diamond cut in the image
below. A diamond is cut so that if a beam of light were to shine on it, it would cast a
perfect shadow on the wall. Will they all do that? No. In fact very few would because
there are a lot of factors that cause diamonds to deviate from the perfect cut. And quite
honestly, the perfect cut diamond is a very difficult point to achieve, since so many
people have so many various opinions as to what a perfectly cut diamond really is. But
since we are dealing with diamond cut evaluation from a practical viewpoint, let's assume
that we have a perfectly cut diamond in the image below and see how it will react....
This is a difficult state of proportioning to achieve. But it is mathematically possible. The
reason is that a diamond is cut to capture light entering it from a 360 degree sphere.
Think of it like the image below......

A properly cut diamond will be proportioned so that no matter where the light enters the
stone...from the top, sides or bottom, the light will be directed out the top of the stone.....
Which takes us back to our original image, that of the perfect shadow on the wall. If the
diamond is cut properly, all of the light entering, no matter from what direction or angle,
will always exit out the top of the stone. Which is what makes diamond sparkle at the
party. Which is, in all truth, the only real reason to wear them. So you can show off the
fact that you are successful enough to own a bright, shiny diamond....
Section 3. How light reacts in a properly cut diamond
compared to poorly cut diamonds
Notice in the three images below. These are not drawings but rather are from a
demonstration tool sold by the GIA that is an excellent method of demonstrating how
light reacts in a diamond. Notice in the first image that the light is going out the side of
the diamond. This is because the stone is too deep. The light is not being controlled to go
out the top. Some diamonds are cut to save the maximum weight rather than the
maximum beauty. This is an example of that kind of diamond and the effect this cutting
has on the beauty.

Cut too deep to retain weight...not beauty

Now, in the next image, notice that the light is going out the bottom of the stone. This is
because the stone is cut too shallow. The purpose being that the stone...looking from the
top...appears to be much larger than it really is. This is called a "fish-eye" or sometimes
called a swindle cut, since you can take a diamond of perhaps .80 ct with this type of
spread cut and make it appear that you are selling a 1.00ct diamond by selling it only in a
mounting. Since it is difficult to tell the weight without a very good measurement, some
people are fooled into thinking that they are getting a larger diamond for the money.
Again, the beauty of the diamond has been sacrificed in order to have a diamond that
appears to be larger than it is...

Cut too shallow to appear larger than it

is...light is lost
Now, please remember that these are actual light demonstrations and not drawings. In
this image you can see that the light is going in the top and traveling around the diamond
interior and exiting out the top of the stone.. And no matter where the light enters this
diamond, the light will go out the top. This will be a very brilliant and beautiful stone.
And most important, consider this point....
The diamonds in the images above could be VVS1 clarity and G colors, while the
diamond below could be a SI2 clarity and I color. But which do you think would be the
most beautiful? You are right, the diamond below at SI2/I. Why? Because it will be more
brilliant. More of the...what do I always call it?:

The Flash for the Cash...that is what the difference is...the amount of brilliance you
get in your diamond.

This, my friends, is a very, very important point about diamond evaluation and diamond
buying. Because cut and proportioning can account for a 20 percent to 40 percent
difference in price between diamonds that are otherwise equal. In other words....

Store A may offer you a SI1/H 1.00ct diamond for $6,500.00.

Story B may offer you a SI1/H 1.00ct diamond for $5.000.00.

You may think that Store B is giving you a big discount or some fabulous..deal direct
from the wholesaler, right from the mines, your friend in the diamond business...type of
price, but what they are not telling you is that you are getting a cut and proportioned
diamond from one of the two types of cuts shown above, and not the one below. So know
when you shop for diamonds that there is more to diamond grading...and pricing...than
just the clarity and color. There is also the cut grade. The importance of this is
demonstrated below....

Ideal cut diamonds will always be more

beautiful

Section 4. The first cutting evaluation observations

Let's take a look now at some of the problems you may encounter with diamond
proportioning. We will first look at some of the more specific problems with the girdle,
facet pointing, culet, polish and symmetry. These are the finer points that we need to
cover before going on to the major cutting issues. To do this I have created some image
posters to explain in the simplest of terms what you are looking at with these
photographs. Rather than give you a bunch of long winded explanations that I do not
want to write and you do not want to have to read, just look at the images and see what
the specific point is to that cut and/or proportioning issue. If you need to, go back to the
top of this page and review the diamond parts and names. That will help you understand
what we are talking about below. When you are finished I will have some parting
thoughts about Cut Grading Section II....

The purpose of the girdle is to provide enough depth to help protect the diamond during
wear, while not being so thick as to take away from the beauty of the stone. Below are
some examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

A well made
girdle

Some diamond cutters will add facets to the girdle. This can improve the look of the
girdle, or it may be hiding a symmetry error as we will see in a little while.
Below you see a frosted girdle, which is very common. What you also see is an indented
natural. This is part of the original diamond crystal surface that was left on the stone
when it was cut, in an attempt to maintain the best possible symmetry or roundness of the

finished diamond.

Sometimes the naturals are so big that they are simply polished off as an extra facet on
the diamond, most often on the girdle as you see below. This is a huge extra facet and
will make the stone look flat from the top. Normally, small extra facets are not that rare
and do not take away from the beauty of a diamond to a great degree. But the one below
is a monster extra facet. And will count off very quickly from the beauty...and value...of
the diamond.

If a diamond is cut too fast it has a tendency to get tiny fractures that extend into the
stone. This is called bearding and is shown below. While most diamonds with frosted
girdles may show tiny bearding as a result of the cutting process, if the bearding becomes
too pronounced it can impact the beauty and value of the diamond. Notice that the
bearding of this diamond as the little white lines extending away from the girdle. These
are actually extending down into the diamond itself.

All of the facet junctions should meet in perfect points in a properly cut diamond. As you
will note below, the pavilion facet of this diamond does not meet at a point at the girdle
as it should. This is called a pointing error and is minor as long as only a few happen in
this manner, and the pointing error is minor.

Culets are the very bottom of the stone where it comes to a point. The only purpose of the
culet is to protect the bottom point from breakage. Some diamonds will have none. They
should actually be very small to small. The culet below is very big. It appears to be a hole
in the bottom of the diamond and will allow light to leak out. This will count very quickly
against the diamond in proportioning since a culet this big can become visible to the
unaided eye.
Out of round...what can you say about this one. This stone is a dog stone as I like to call
them. This much out of roundness should make this diamond very cheap...regardless of
the clarity and color...

And finally, some diamonds are cut so quickly that they get abraded junctions...just like
some colored gemstones. As you can see this diamond has abraded facet junctions at the
table where it meets the star facet. Which shows either a cutter trying to work too fast, or
someone doing a lot of really tough wear and tear on their stone. You will also notice that
the table should create a perfect square when looking down from the top. While this can
vary, if the lines are bowing in or out, this effect should be uniform across the entire
table. In this stone it is not. Another minor symmetry error.
Part 2 Section 5. The grading of diamond cutting
As we discussed earlier, the evaluation of the cut of a diamond is the most important
grading element determining beauty, and perhaps the most important regarding value.
Because you can have a flawless and colorless diamond that is not cut very well, and the
stone will not be pretty nor will it give much fire and brilliance. But you can also have a
SI1 clarity diamond with J color that is cut to correct proportions and you will have a
brilliant diamond in spite of the less than perfect grades in the other categories. This is
why cut is the first grade you should consider when buying or grading a diamond.

Every facet and ever angle that you see in a diamond

has been place there by a cutter who controls the final
product. Each cutter evaluates every diamond they cut
to get the best light return for the stone, but also to get
the best value return for their investment in the rough.
So they have to weigh out various factors when cutting
the stone. As a result, some diamonds are cut better
than others since the better cuts can cause a greater
weight loss. Therefore, when you are grading a diamond or making a buying decision,
you have to also make these same determinations. Mainly to consider what is the quality
of the cut of the diamond, and how that quality relates to the final value of the diamond.

In the sections above we looked at some of the finer points of symmetry and some of the
errors to be found in cut evaluation. These errors are considered rather minor as long as
they do not adversely affect the beauty of the diamond. These errors are usually just
that...errors. They are mistakes that a cutter has made from either being in too big of a
hurry, or else having so little invested in the stone that they just cut as quickly as possible
to get on to the next diamond to cut.

Below, however, we are going to look at the evaluation of diamond cutting as applied to
the real beauty of the stone. Looking at how you determine the numbers that go into that
evaluation, and look at some practice stones to see what a well cut diamond...and a
poorly cut diamond...will look like. First, let's see what the optimum numbers will be.
This is the mathematical equation that affects every facet and every angle that you see in
a diamond. The term for a diamond that has been cut to the best combination of these
numbers will be termed Ideal Cut after the term established by the American Gem
Society. This organization was and is the frontrunner in the diamond industry for the
evaluation of cut. The AGS is the only organization to issue a cut grade for diamonds.
Below we see the various numbers that go into making a diamond be an IDEAL CUT
diamond. Notice that even the Ideal Cut will have variables possible. Such as the table
percentage that can be from 53% to 57%. This is because these numbers can vary slightly
and still give optimum light return or brilliance. Take a few minutes and look at these
numbers. In a minute we will see how you obtain these diamonds in a cut grade
procedure of diamond grading.

Ideal Cut Diamond Proportions for an AGS 0 Cut Grade

The first question that most people ask is "How do you know if its a well cut diamond?"
Which is a good question. There are many instruments on the market that will
automatically grade the cut of a diamond. These are expensive and sometimes difficult to
obtain for a gemologist or jeweler...and certainly for a consumer. But there are a few
simple measurements that you can understand and know to look for that will help you get
a practical determination of a diamond proportioning and cut grading.
First you need to know the width of a diamond. And this is usually put forth as two
numbers: the highest and the lowest. To get these you simply measure a diamond in
several directions until you get the widest and narrowest dimension. And these can vary
very slightly or a lot. But you will never find a diamond that is a perfect circle. The
numbers will always vary. Here is how you measure for width:

One you have the greatest and least you add them together and divide by two to get your
average diameter of your diamond. This number becomes the control number. The
number that all of the other measurements are compared to and divided by to get you
various percentages.
The next number you need is the overall depth of the stone. This is done simply by
measuring the diamond from the table to the culet like this:

Now that you have the depth, all you need to do is divide the depth by the control number
from your diameter and you will get your overall depth percentage. A range in the 59% to
62% is the most desirable. More or less and you may have light leakage due to the stone
being too deep or to thin as shown in the demonstration images earlier in this lesson.
Here are some examples of the differences in depth...
Next you need your table percentage. To get this you will need to measure the table from
corner to corner...not side to side. Here is a demonstration of how to measure table
dimensions:

Now that you have your table measurement, you can divide that number by the control
number from your width. This will give you your table percentage which will also be a
very important cut evaluation factor. Here are some example of the various table sizes
and how they affect the diamond...

You will also find that there is a relation of the table size to the crown height as shown
below. I larger table will usually result in a flat crown, while a small table will result in a
higher crown. The importance of this is that a smaller table will usually result in the
diamond have more dispersion or fire. This is the light being broken up into its spectral
colors like a prism. But with a larger table, the light return will be more brilliant, that is to
say more white light will be returned without being broken up in the spectral colors. This
is why some people prefer a larger or smaller table. And should be a consideration to
anyone thinking of buying a diamond.

For most consumers the GIA Grading Report will be the most often seen diamond
grading certificate that you see. The GIA grading report does not offer a cut grade but
does provide the numbers for the cutting factors that we have seen so far, This includes
the:

Depth
Table
Girdle
Culet
Finish as polish and symmetry

,,,all of which we have now covered. So that if you see these reports or an AGS Diamond
Quality Document, you should be able to identify the various factors being discussed and
make a good decision based on the numbers provided. As we stated earlier, the AGS
offers a cut grade, the GIA does not. But if you learn the above information you should
be able to evaluate a diamond's cut grade for yourself.
Now, what if you do not have these numbers and do not have the necessary tools to do
these measurements for yourself? There are a few instruments on the market that are
consumer oriented that will help you in making an informed decision. These can be used
by consumers, jewelers and gemologists alike. Some are very good, some are
questionable in my opinion. But let's take a look at a couple of the more useful.

Section 6. Cut Grading Tools

There are some rather handy tools available for consumer and jewelers that can give you
a quick indication of how well a diamond is cut. The most accurate and more important is
the Hearts and Arrows Viewer as shown below.

This is sometimes
referred to as a
cut grading loupe
since the name
Hearts and
Arrows is a
trademarked
commercial
name. But the
concept is still
that it allows
viewers to see
how well the hearts and arrows show on a diamond. now, you may be asking yourself,
"What is a heart and arrow in a diamond?"

Well, these are light patterns that show in a properly cut diamond. And the more
pronounced and clear they are, the better the diamond is cut. As many people will (I am
sure) e-mail me about this topic, there is a great deal that these viewers do not tell you.
And I urge everyone to read my disclaimer on the cut grading issue at the top of this
lesson to better understand my position on this issue. But for my training, experience, and
use this viewer is simply the best for anyone to use as a quick and handy cut grading
evaluation tool.

It works simply by placing the diamond face up and putting the viewer over the top of the
diamond. It comes with red or blue gel filters to let you see your hearts and arrows in
either color. Then you simply turn the diamond upside down and view the hearts. Arrows
show through the top, hearts through the bottom.

Let's take a look at this cut grading loupe in action...

 Notice that you have a nice red hearts
showing in the left hand side, and a
beautiful arrows pattern showing on the
right.

The other cut grading loupe on the market

is the Ideal-Scope. And it works on the
same basis as the hearts and arrows viewer in that it allows the viewer to see the light
return by way of the pink filters. The darker red and more complete color you see in your
diamond through the loupe, the more light return you are getting. The only draw back to
this cut grading tool is the problem that has been outlined by the GIA and other institutes
doing research on the cut grading of diamonds, that is the variable of light source due to it
being hand held, and that the viewer themselves causes an impact on the result.

The problem is, you hold this viewer in your hand, meaning that if you look at two
different diamonds while standing in two different parts of the room, you are not going to
get an equal comparison due to the variable lighting available in the different parts of the
room. In fact, if you look at the very same diamond from different angles within a room,
you will again get different reactions on the same diamond due to the variable light
source.

The problem also is that you have to hold the diamond

in tweezers to the back of the viewer. Meaning that
your hand becomes an obstacle to the light source to the
diamond. Meaning also that if you hold the same
diamond in the same place in the room, you may still
get variable reactions as the positioning of your hand
will affect the source of the light entering the stone
through the viewer.

All in all, the technology is sound, but the design is

flawed. Perhaps when this unit can be attached to a microscope where both the light
source and the viewer angle can be controlled, then it may become an important cut
grading tool. But for now it just cannot give an honest comparison due to the variables of
light source and the impact that they person doing the looking has on the light source.
And I would urge caution to anyone using one of these when making a decision on a
diamond's cut and proportioning.

And before anyone says anything about my opinion of this unit based on the fact that I
have the hearts and arrows viewers for sale.....YourGemologist.com has an opportunity to
sell the Ideal-Scope as well. But until the design is worked out better to deal with the
above variables, I cannot recommend it, and will not sell it to my visitors.

Some final thoughts...

As I stated at the top, there are a lot of organizations doing a lot of research on the
grading of diamond proportions as related to the return of light by the stone to the wearer.
And there are not any hard and fast rules about whose research is most correct. But I urge
consumers to not get caught up in all of the hotly debated cut grading issues regarding
who is right and who is wrong. You should choose a diamond that is pretty to you. If you
are shopping with someone you know and trust, like your local independent, professional
jeweler, you can generally rest assured that you are paying a fair price for your stone. Be
aware of the cutting issues that we have covered, which should help you understand the
numbers you are reading on that AGS or GIA diamond grading report. But more
important is that the diamond sparkles for you. Because you may be told which diamond
is the best based on numbers on a page, but that diamond may not be the one you like
best. So be aware of the numbers, know what they mean, but don't get so caught up in
them that you pass on a diamond that you really like.

Lesson 5. Color Grading

Diamond Color Grading

The second most important grading aspect when buying or selling diamonds is
that of color. Diamonds are graded based on their overall body color, on a scale
developed by the GIA. This scale runs from "D" to "Z". As you will note in the
chart above the difference between any two colors can be very, very faint.
Therefore it is required to use a Master Color Grading set of diamonds, which
have been pre-graded to known color grades on the scale. Thereby allowing the
gemologist to accurately grade a diamond's color by comparing it to other
diamonds of known color. Of course, it is required that the Mater Color Grading
diamonds be graded by a qualified gemological laboratory to insure accuracy of
the master grading set. There are some new instruments on the market today
which electronically color grade diamonds. However, due to variations in
calibration, and the impact that fluorescence has on these machines, they should
only be used in conjunction with a Master Color Grading set to insure the most
accurate grading.

One note about the master color grading sets, certified master color grading sets
are very expensive. The stones should be of an average carat weight of .75ct to
1.00 carat each to be of most accurate use in grading larger diamonds. Some
gemologists have color master grading sets that can go as small as .35 carat each.
While these stones may be certified as to color, the truth is that it is very difficult
to grade a larger diamond of 1.50ct, for instance, with a master color grading set
of .35ct each average. So if you are shopping with a jeweler who grades their
own diamonds based on their own master color grading set, be sure to ask about
the master grading set to see if it is of a proper size to accurately judge the color
grade of the diamond you are buying.

Another important point, there are a lot of cubic zirconia color master sets on the
market. In general, these can be good for color grading if you are on the road and
don't want to carry your diamond masters if you are a jewelry buying for a store.
But the CZ sets should only be used as inicators and not actually grading tools.
The color variations that have to be created in these CZ sets are fairly close but
not close enough to make high dollar buying decisions on. For basic usage they
are fine, but for certification of diamonds they should not be relied on as
anywhere near as accurate as a certified master color grading diamond set.

A proper master color grading set will generally have 5 diamonds with grades:
E-G-I-K-M. This will allow the grader to see if the diamond is right on a grade or
is in between. Obviously, if the diamond is higher than a G and lower than an E,
it must be an F. Which is why you do not need diamond masters for every grade.
It is good if you can afford them, but this can get very expensive. So by having
every other grade you can still make a fairly accurate call. And based on the
current diamond markets, it will be rare to see diamonds below an N grade used
in jewelry. For color grades below this you normally are not going to have to do
a formal evaluation because they will be so heavily promotional in quality that
an accurate color grade will not be so important. It should be noted that some
diamond sellers will only have 3 master color grading diamonds. Usually of F-H-
J. This can be viable if somone is not doing a lot of high dollar selling or grading,
but for anyone selling larger diamonds that need to be more accurately graded,
the three diamond master set is normally not recommended.

Below is a master set carried to the extreme. This is obviously just a showcase
demonstration but will let you know how a color master set can work....

It should be noted that to achieve the highest degree of accuracy diamonds must
be color graded loose and with the proper equipment. The stones should be
upside down to provide the best viewing of the crystal color. And a proper
"North Light" source should be employed. And any diamond grade offered on a
stone while still in its mounting should be noted as being provisional based on
the limitations of grading while the diamond was in the mounting. More than
one diamond has looked yellowish inside an 18kt. yellow gold mounting, only to
be found as colorless when unmounted. So be careful when you are buying....or
selling.

D-E-F

The colors of D-E-F are known as the colorless grades. The color grade of "D" is
reserved for larger diamonds whose colors can be more accurately graded due to
a larger stone to work with. Diamonds of sizes under .50 carat usually will get a
top grade of "F" due to the greater difficulty in grading a small diamond to the
exact color grade.

G-H-I

These are known as the "face white" or "face up colorless" grades. Since these
diamonds will appear colorless when viewed through the "face up" position or
through the table, but when turned upside down for proper grading the stone
will show a slight tint of color. This is due to the brilliance of the stone masking
this very slight tint when viewed through the table.

J-K-L

Much beligned by jewelers and consumers, this grading range can offer some
very nice diamonds if they are proportioned properly. A well cut diamond of the
K-L color range will still appear mostly colorless and can save the consumer a
good deal of money over a color grade of a higher range. Again, the cut is the
key to keeping the stones of slight tint beautiful.

M-Z
The lower colors from "M" through "Z" will have a continuously increasing
amount of yellow tint. Ranging through the off colors and ending at the end of
the scale beyond which diamonds are considered to have a fancy yellow color.
You should be wary, though, of jewelers offering fancy yellow colored
diamonds. Sometimes they grade off color yellows as fancies without a proper
gemological evaluation by a recognized gemological laboratory. The term fancy
beside any diamond color imparts a higher value and higher price to the stone.
So you would not accept the term fancy for any diamond you purchase unless it
is accompanied by an origin of color report and a diamond grading report from a
recognized gemological lab that identfies the stone as being of natural color
origin and truly fancy in color.

Fancy Colors

Diamonds have been found in just about every color of the rainbow. From the
very rare red to the sometimes radioactive greens, the natural fancy colors will be
quite expensive in most colors. The exception will be the brown colors that can
range from a fancy champagne color down to a brownish color that is not
considered attractive. The lower quality brown diamonds are what are often
used in cheaper promotional quality jewelry items such as those sold by Wal-
Mart, Sears and the like. These are brownish colored diamonds that are very
cheap and are the reason that these stores can sell 1.00ctw diamond tennis
bracelets for US$299.00 and sometimes less. To make the color seem more
appealing a new term was introduced into the market to describe them. This
term is TLB, or Top Light Brown, as if the "Top" meant something special. And
while the browns can have a nice look to them in the fancy colors, most of the
promotional quality jewelry uses just off color brownies as we call them.
However, there is a fancy classification for some brown colored diamonds as we
will see next.

The most popular fancy color is the champagne color diamond, which is actually
a diamond that shows various intensities of the color brown. And since the GIA
grading scale covers tints of yellow and not brown, a new system had to be
developed to accomodate this color. This was mainly due to the opening of the
Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia that produces so many beautiful
brown/champagne colored diamonds. For this purpose the "C" scale was
developed, that being the scale to judge the level of intensity of champagne color
in a diamond. Here is an example of that scale:
Regardless of what anyone tells you, it is extremely difficult to color grade
diamonds simply by eyesight alone. The most accurate method is to have a
master color grading set with a controlled lighting environment...and most
inportant, a gemologist with a lot of experience in the color grading of diamonds.
Some people who hande diamonds everday, such as diamond dealers, can
indeed make a pretty close judgement call on a diamond's color simply by
eyesight. But since there are such a huge variation in prices based on very minute
variations in color grades, you should never take someone's word for a diamond
grade unless they have been tested and qualified by a proper gemological
institute in the color grading of diamonds. And consumers cannot make this
judgement call for color grading...even though I hear a lot of them make the
boast that they walked into a jewelry store and could tell a diamond was not
graded properly for color. This is just not possible unless the diamond is
extremely misgrades. So make sure that the diamond you are buying has been
graded by a proper gemologist using the proper tools, otherwise that slight
difference that is difficult to see with the unaided eye could wind up costing you
a lot of money.
Lesson 6. Clarity Grading

Diamond Clarity Grading

The least important diamond grade is clarity. Unfortunately,
it is what most jewelers tell consumers is most
important...only because it is the easiest to demonstrate.
Anyone can put a diamond under a microscope and see if it
has inclusions. But it takes some gemological knowledge to
cut and/or color grade a diamond. So most jewelry merchants
who have little or no formal gemology training settle for a
quick demonstration of clarity, which has made it the most important grade to
most consumers.

This could not be further from the truth.

Think about it! By definition, any diamond of a grade of SI2 and above requires
that magnification be used to be able to see the inclusion. Now, how often to you
have your friends look at your diamond under a loupe? Seldom? Hardly ever?
How about.....NEVER? And since any diamond of SI2 clarity and up is
considered "eye clean" meaning that you have to have magnification to see any
inclusion, why worry about clarity above the SI2 range. Of course, if you are told
you are getting a VS1 you want to be sure that you are actually getting a VS1.
But if you are just starting to buy a diamond you can save lots and lots of money
by buying a diamond that is very well proportioned and with good color, but is
in the SI1 or SI2 clarity range. Or...to put it another way, a perfectly cut diamond
of D color and SI2 clarity will look just the same to everyone around you as a
perfectly cut diamond of D color VS1. But the SI2 diamond could well save you
thousands of dollars. So which would you choose? I thought so.

Here is a break down of the diamond clarity grading scale. Please be aware that
these are only used to allow you to see the general level of inclusions that qualify
a diamond to fall in any one grade. The study of diamond clarity is lengthy and
involves many types of inclusions. Please note that when plotting inclusions in a
diamond the red colors indicate internal features, while green colors indicate
surface or surface breaking features.

No inclusions visible using 10x magnification.

Flawless

One tiny inclusion on the very upper outer edge of

the diamond.

Additional pinpoint inclusion but still on outer

perimeter of diamond
 Small pinpoint and small feather on outer edge of diamond

Small cloud of pinpoints and small feather, all on

outer edge

Larger cloud of pinpoint inclusions and feather on

outer edge
 Cloud of inclusions, feather, and small feather located in the
table of stone

Note that any diamond from the SI2 clarity grade and up will be considered eye
clean meaning that you should not be able to see any inclusions without
magnification. If you can see an inclusion without magnification it is not in the
above grades.

It should also be noted that there are some in the industry who try to use a SI3
clarity grade....in an effort to make what they call a "high I1" clarity grade
become a "low SI2"....so they create a SI3. This is not proper. It is not used by the
GIA or AGS. And the abuse of this SI3 grade by some jewelers who simply take
I1 stones and try to get more money out of them by calling them a SI3 has
become widespread. So be careful about anyone trying to sell you a diamond
with a clarity grade of SI3. This term does not exist in proper gemological circles,
and is a way to try to tell you that you are getting more than you really are.

There are three rules of thumb to go by regarding the I1-2-3 grades. Because in
these grading ranges you may have trouble determining which grade a heavily
included diamond should go into. Here are the rules of thumb:

 Any diamond that has an eye visible inclusion should be classified as an

I1.
 If the diamond has an eye visible inclusion that significantly takes away
from the beauty of the diamond or could potentially endanger the stone, it
should be classified as an I2.
 If the diamond has an eye visible inclusion that takes away from the
beauty of the diamond and endangers the diamond, that stone should be
classified as an I3. Here are the examples:
 Above features but large fissure that is visible to the
naked eye across table

Large fissure that breaks surface of diamond and

caused minor surface chips

Large fissure that breaks surface in multiple areas

with more possible
These are the big three diamond grades of which you should be aware. In far too
many jewelry stores the only grades being considered are the clarity grade and
color grade...and in that order. This is not the proper approach. Diamond values
are set as much on cutting and proportioning as they are on clarity and color.
And since the proportioning and color are the two most important factors in
determining a diamond's value, these should be considered first when buying a
diamond. Leave the clarity for last. Its the one area where you can save a lot of
money without giving up a lot of beauty.
And lets face it...diamonds are meant to be flashy. They are meant to show that
you can afford to wear them. That's what diamonds are all about. So be smart
when you shop.
Now lets look at a few demonstration diamonds to see what these inclusions are
all about. It should be noted that we are going to be looking at stones with a lot
of inclusions...in the I1 and I2 ranges. Perhaps as time permits we can add more
grades here to look at. But learning how to clarity grade a diamond requires
formal training in a controlled environment so I urge anyone interested to go
forward with your formal gemological training if you wish to become an
accomplished diamond grader. Let's take a look at a few examples...
 

Here we have a diamond with a large dark inclusion that is actually

an internal break around an included crystal. You can see some
other crystals just under the center of the table. This type of
inclusion is often called a carbon inclusion....but this is not
correct. Diamonds rarely have carbon as an inclusion because the heat and pressure it took to
make the diamond form out of carbon would have forced all of the carbon to crystallize. As a
result it is rare to find carbon in a diamond.
 

Here is a diamond more in the I2 range. This is what is used in a lot

of the promotional quality diamonds you see in the discount jewelry
stores. You know....the one's who offer that 2.00ctw diamond tennis
bracelets for US$599.00. This is the type of goods they usually
contain. Notice the many inclusions and the crack on the stone at
the lower right side.
 

This diamond has a large fissure running across the table. Although
easy to see here in this photograph, this inclusion is not as noticeable
as you might think since the inclusion is fairly clear in real daylight,
and therefore not as noticeable.
  

Here we have a series of included crystals at the lower part of the

stone. These are clear crystals that have formed with the diamond (or
before the diamond and were included in the stone). If you look
closely at a stone like this you can often see the crystal structure and identify the stone by that
crystal structure.
 

This diamond has a rather interesting feature showing as a

fissure that runs at a 90 degree angle to itself. The study of
inclusions in diamonds is very interesting as there are so many
different types of inclusions that can be found...and in so many different shapes and forms.
Sometimes you can even find little diamonds as inclusions inside of big diamonds.
 

We will just touch on this topic for now, and pick up on it in

the next lesson. What you are seeing here is the neon flash of
a fracture filled diamond. This is the diagnostic neon red
flash of a Yehuda treated diamond. Yehuda does an excellent
job with this process, and makes sure to put in a substance that will cause this flash to happen
so the treatment can be identified easily by a knowledgeable gemologist or consumer.

By turning the stone upside down you can also see the flash
effect of the clarity enhancement. We will talk about this treatment more in a future lesson.
Well, there is the basic, practical approach to diamond clarity grading. One of the
most famous diamond grades to consumers, and the least important to the
beauty of a diamond. Of course it is an important grade because you want to be
sure that you are getting proper grading, and that you are getting what you pay
for. But when making the decision to buy, you should be more aware of the cut
and proportioning and the color of the diamond. But at least you will know the
grades and know what you are talking about when you go diamond shopping.