DIAMONDS
Diamonds are a mineral composed essentially of carbon crystallized at extremely high temperatures and pressure. In nature, diamonds form at depth of ninety to one hundred and twenty five miles or more below the surface of the earth. Throughout time the diamonds are forced closer to the surface through the movement of the ground. A diamond forms in a cubic or isometric crystal system, to create the hardest natural substance known to man.

The four essential items to look at while looking for a diamond are Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat. These four characteristics are also known as the 4 Cs. All four have an impact on the value of the diamond equally.

	Normal Color diamonds are graded by their lack of color. A “fine color” diamond has little or no visible coloration. The less color the higher the value. The color scale is an alpha scale from D to Z, with D being the best. The scale was brought about by the Geological Institute of America to standardize the classification of the color of a diamond. Throughout the world this scale is used to determine the color of a diamond.

	Clarity is just as important as the rest of the 4 Cs. Flawless diamonds are very rare. In fact flawless diamonds are so rare that one can spend a lifetime in the jewelry industry and not see one. At the other end of the spectrum are diamonds with inclusions that stand out so much you can see them with the unaided eye. These diamonds are then used for non visual items like saw blades and other cutting tools. Most retail diamonds fall in the middle of the scale.

	When you think of cut, you probably think of the overall shape and style of polish. But actually the cut refers to the proportions and angles. The cut is also referred to the “make” of the diamond. A good cut will speak itself to you through its bright, fiery, symmetrical, sparkle of light. There is more than one way to cut the diamond to get the desired optical properties. One main factor is the pavilion depth. If it is too deep or too shallow the light will be reflected through the sides or bottom of the diamond. The perfect depth will reflect the light back up through the table of the diamond. But the pavilion depth also has to work with the size of the table and crown angle. All three must be proportioned to create a bright brilliant cut diamond.