iLoveDiamonds.ca Gem Goldsmith

The 4 Cs | Conflict Free | Canadian Diamonds | 5th C Certificate & Confidence

Cut and Shape | Color | Clarity | Carat Weight

Cut and Shape

Cut is often confused with shape. Shape refers to the overall outline of a diamond when viewed from the top. Examples include princess, emerald, marquise, oval, pear, heart and cushion. These are referred to us fancy shapes.

The overwhelming majority of diamonds, however, are round, and the most common cut is the round brilliant. A diamond’s and cut grade refers to the placement and proportions of facets in a round brilliant diamond, measuring to the extent to which they maximize brilliance (light return), scintillation (sparkle), and fire (flashes of color).

There is no single set of angles and proportions that constitute an ideal round-brilliant cut, but there are general parameters that dictate the quality of a diamonds cut. Width and depth affects how light travels through a diamond and when it exits diamond. The goal is to angle the facets in a way that causes them to reflect light out through the top, or the table, of a diamond. When a diamond is too shallow, light will exit through the bottom or pavilion. When a diamond is too deep, light will exit to the sides of the pavilion.

Color

A diamond with the highest color grade is a diamond with the least amount of color. The highest color is D, which indicates that a diamond is colorless, and therefore extremely rare and valuable. An E grade indicates minute traces of color that can only be detected by an expert. An F grade indicates slight traces of color. A diamond in the G-H range is near colorless, with traces of yellow generally visible only when compared with whiter diamonds. I-J diamonds are also near colorless, with color slightly detectable to the unaided eye. K-M diamonds begin to display noticeable color.

Clarity

The vast majorities of diamonds contain some impurities, known as inclusions, which can detract from their beauty and impede light return. The size, number, type and location of these inclusions all factor into the final diamond clarity grade. The universal system for grading diamonds is the F (flawless) – I3 (inclusions III) system as noted below:

Carat Weight

Although it is important to consider clarity, color and cut when purchasing a diamond, carat weight is the “C” most likely to determine a diamonds value. Fortunately, it is the easiest characteristic to measure. A carat is divided into 100 points, so a half carat is 50 points, and is expressed as .50ct.

Conflict Free ~ The Kimberley Process

We at Gem Goldsmith agrees and fully acknowledges all governmental requirements to act ethically when dealing with diamonds. We follow the Kimberley Process to ensure that our customers have peace of mind when purchasing a conflict-free diamond.

The Kimberley Process (KP) is a joint governments, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds – rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’. As of September 2007, the KP has 48 members, representing 74 countries, with the European Community and its Member States counting as an individual participant.

Canadian Diamonds

Northern Canada is an oasis of pristine wilderness, where for millions of years, a major repository of spectacular diamonds lay dormant. Canada’s magnificent gems were once buried under fields of ice 3,000 meters thick. As the glaciers melted, the indicator minerals that traditionally lead to the source were spread out over thousands of kilometers across the barren tundra. In recent years, Canada has become the third largest supplier of gem quality diamonds to the world.

5th C Certificate & Confidence

Although many diamonds look the same, no two are alike. Each diamond has its own characteristics of clarity, color, carat and cut, and many have other attributes such as origin certificates manufacturer’s warranties. Certificate is a record of these characteristics. It is essential in determination of a diamond’s value.

To provide the confidence for our customers, all our Diamond Certificates are guaranteed to the highest international standards. We not only provide certificates from the World’s most trusted grading companies, but we also provide Independent Appraisals that are also guaranteed to the World’s standards.