Diamond Education

Four specific characteristics give a diamond its beauty and value. These are CUT, COLOR, CLARITY, and CARAT WEIGHT, collectively known as the Four C's.

Of the Four C’s, cut is what gives the diamond its sparkle. Not to be confused with shape (i.e. round, princess, marquise, and so forth), cut refers to the symmetry and proportions of the stone’s facets, and is the C most directly influenced by man. The other three C’s—color, clarity and, to a degree, carat weight—are dictated by nature.

Whatever its shape, a well-cut diamond’s facets will always reflect light better and sparkle more. Diamond facets are tiny flat surfaces that follow a mathematical formula, placed at precise angles in relation to each other. This maximizes the amount of light reflected through the diamond to increase its display of fire/brightness and brilliance.

At Fakiér Jewelers, every diamond in our Momenti di Luce™ collection is cut specifically for you. This special collection allows you to decide the size, color, and clarity of your diamond. From there, our master cutters add extra faceting in our special patented process to ensure that your diamond is the most brilliant and beautiful it can be. Read about the Momenti di Luce process here. A Fakiér Momenti di Luce diamond only gets this special treatment after you’ve picked it out, so it’s a unique and custom stone, created just for you!

Diamond colors are graded on a scale from D to Z. The most desirable diamonds are colorless, assigned a “D.” From there, the color scale descends through the alphabet toward Z, moving further away from colorless toward yellow, brown, or gray tints. This body color is caused by the presence of trace elements, such as nitrogen, within the atomic framework of the carbon crystal; minute enough to be scientifically measured in parts per million (ppm). Color gradations are so gradual that discerning a single grade (even by an expert) under less than ideal laboratory conditions is extremely difficult. Most consumers are unable to detect a difference until they are at least two or three color grades apart. We recommend selecting a diamond with a color grade of K or better. (Fancy color diamonds are a different category; read about those below.)

Diamond Clarity Chart, GIA Clarity Scale & Buying Guide

Almost all diamonds contain tiny natural birthmarks known as inclusions; the fewer inclusions, the rarer and more valuable the stone. In addition to internal inclusions, surface irregularities are referred to as blemishes. These two categories of imperfections-inclusions (internal) and blemishes (external) comprise a diamond’s clarity.

Many inclusions are not discernable to the naked eye. To determine a diamond's clarity, an expert views it under 10-power magnification. We recommend a clarity of SI2 or better; this represents the point at which inclusions are typically not apparent to the average naked eye.

Higher clarity does not always make a more beautiful diamond. If the inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, a higher clarity doesn’t necessarily improve the diamond’s appearance, only its rarity and price. For some customers, that rarity is important; for others, the outward appearance matters more. Knowing that you have selected the right clarity for the right reasons is most important.

How to Pick the Perfect Diamond | Shane Co.

Carat Weight is the size of the stone. The word carat comes from the carob tree, whose tiny seeds are well known for their uniformity and consistent weight and were used to balance scales in ancient times. Traditionally diamonds and gemstones were weighed against these seeds until the system was standardized, and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams.

The larger the diamond, the more it weighs. One carat is divided into 100 points. A diamond weighing one quarter of a carat can also be described as weighing 25 points or 0.25 carats.

The rarity of a diamond is greatly affected by its size. A one-carat diamond is more than twice as rare as a half carat, and a two-carat diamond is infinitely rarer than a one-carat diamond. Hence the price of natural diamonds is not a linear relationship based on size

Whatever shape and quality you prefer, a grading report from a professional grading lab should accompany any significant diamond purchase. A professional gemological laboratory has more advanced grading capabilities than most jewelers have in-store, and it also provides a third-party verification of your diamond’s value for appraisal and insurance purposes.

Fakiér diamonds are graded by the most prestigious and trusted gemological laboratory in the world, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA, based in Carlsbad, CA or NY is accepted around the world as the gold standard of gemological grading

Fluorescence is a separate characteristic referring to some diamonds’ ability to fluoresce (glow) under ultraviolet (UV) light. When exposed to UV light—such as a black light—fluorescent diamonds will give off a distinctive glow. Fluorescence can occur in different colors, but the most common is blue. Although fluorescence is a characteristic that can be measured, it is seldom an issue when selecting a diamond. Fluorescence is ranked by its intensity as either None, Faint, Medium, Strong, or Very Strong.

Diamond color is ranked from D to Z. But at a certain point—beyond Z—a diamond’s color saturation is deep enough that it becomes an asset rather than a detraction. At this point, it becomes known as a Fancy Color diamond, and it is even more rare than a white diamond.

Color Diamond FAQ

Diamonds naturally occur in all colors, such as yellow, blue, pink, red, orange, green, and more. Fancies are evaluated by a different set of color standards to determine value, which because of extreme rarity can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for diamonds less than one carat.

A laboratory-grown diamond is chemically, physically, and optically the same as a diamond mined from the earth. All diamonds, whether mined from the earth or grown in a laboratory, are made of carbon that’s been compressed under intense heat and pressure until it becomes the clear gemstone we know as diamond.

The only difference between a natural mined diamond and a lab-grown diamond is the amount of time it takes to create and, subsequently, its rarity, which affects its price. Natural diamonds are created deep in the earth over billions of years, while lab-grown diamonds are created in a growing machine that replicates the heat and pressure of the earth. Read more about the lab-grown process here. Both are equally beautiful and desirable.