Diamond clarity 3 3 what does it mean. The main qualitative characteristics of diamonds. Correctly read the characteristics of diamonds
Today, there are several systems for grading diamonds in the world. At the same time, the most stringent of them are the Russian TU (the so-called “Specifications”) and the GIA (the grading system of the Gemological Institute of America). Each of them has its own advantages (in Russia there is only one - a more strict color assessment), but the GIA system is more perfect, as it reflects such important characteristics of the cut as the quality of polishing, symmetry and the presence or absence of fluorescence, which is in Russian certificates never reflected. Moreover, for export diamonds are sold only with GIA grades, while they enter the Russian market with TU characteristics, since the Russian consumer is not so sophisticated.
Color.
Diamonds are distinguished by color shades - from colorless to yellow-brown. To determine the color of a diamond, a stone is compared to a color standard of the same size, after which it is assigned the appropriate color group. In accordance with the international GIA system, color shades are characterized by letter designations from D - colorless to Z - rich yellow or brown. The domestic scale of specifications provides for designation by numbers from 1 (colorless) to 9 (brown). The color scale is divided into groups, it starts with colorless diamonds, then there are smooth transitions with increasing yellow saturation, and ends with the last group, which has a clear yellow or yellow-brown color. The so-called commercial stones have a color of at least 7.
| < или = 0,29 ct | > or = 0.30ct | GIA | Description |
| 1 | 1
2 | D E | bluish white |
| 2 | 3 | F | With a subtle hint |
| 3 | 4
5 | G H | Grayish white, yellowish white With a slight tint of yellow |
| 4 | 6
7 | I J | White with a subtle color tint |
| 5 | 8 (1-5) | K-L | pale yellowish |
| 6 | 6 (1) | M-N | yellowish tint |
| 7 | 9 (1-4) | O-R S-Z | yellowish tint yellow |
Diamonds, like most other stones of mineral origin, have natural inclusions and defects in their structure. The fewer of them, the more valuable the diamond. There are practically no absolutely transparent diamonds in nature, one can only talk about the purity of a diamond at a tenfold magnification. If no defects are found at the same time, the stone is recognized as a pure diamond. When determining the clarity of a diamond, the number and nature of defects are determined, as well as their size and location in the diamond. The clarity of diamonds is assessed at 10x magnification using a magnifying glass or a special microscope.
| Picture | < или = 0,29ct | > or = 0.30ct | GIA | Description |
| 1 | 1 | IF | Clean under a magnifying glass | |
| 2 | 2 | VVS1 | Very, very small inclusions | |
| 3 | 3 | |||
| 4 | VVS2 | |||
| 4 | 5 | VS1 | Very small inclusions | |
| 5 | 6 | VS2 | ||
| 7 | SI1 | Small noticeable inclusions | ||
| 7a | SI2 | |||
| 6 | 8 | SI3 | ||
| 9 | I1 | Inclusions visible to the naked eye | ||
| 7 | 10 | I2 | ||
| 8 | 11 | I3 | ||
| 9 | 12 |
Delightful beauty, incredible play of light and bewitching brilliance of diamonds leave no one indifferent. They are made into exquisite jewelry, used to inlay rare designer creations, purchased for investment purposes, and even used for industrial purposes. Today, like many years ago, they are beautiful, unique and in great demand.
Diamond Appraisal Options
The assessment of cut diamonds in world practice is carried out according to the 4C system proposed by the GIA. This name is not accidental, and was formed from the capital letters of such English words as clarity, color, cut, carat. It symbolizes the "rule of four Cs" that must be followed when purchasing diamonds.
Pricing is influenced by four main characteristics of diamonds: color, clarity, weight, cut. Their weight is indicated by carats. The equivalent of 1 carat is 200 milligrams.
The color of diamonds ranges from completely colorless to a definite yellow. The shade of color and its intensity are the basis for the classification of stones and their assignment to different groups.
White diamonds are the most popular. The more transparent they are according to the generally accepted classification, the higher their cost. With an ideal color tone, a diamond stone immersed in water becomes completely invisible.
In addition to white, there are diamonds with a pronounced fantasy color - pink, red, yellow, green, blue. Such diamonds come across rather infrequently, and their price is much higher. Over time, the color of a diamond remains unchanged.
The clarity of a diamond is a characteristic that shows how easily and freely light can penetrate into it and, reflected from its faces, shimmer with iridescent colors. It implies the absence or presence, as well as the degree of internal or external defects, which cannot be eliminated without significant loss of its weight or size.
The cut is used to emphasize the brilliance and brilliance of the gemstone. The level of quality characteristics of a cut is determined based on its proportionality, symmetry and smoothness of polishing. There are a great many forms of cutting: circle, oval, heart, emerald, pear, princess, radiant, marquise, usher. The most common and popular is round.
International GIA system
Gemological Institute of America - The American Gemological Institute sees its mission in ensuring public confidence in all precious stones in general, and in particular in diamonds, as well as in jewelry with them.
Thanks to the professionalism of scientists and the high standards of the laboratories, GIA has earned an international reputation in the field of evaluation, quality assurance and certification of diamonds.
The GIA system is a unique system for classifying diamonds according to four main characteristics. The weight, quality parameters of the cut are assessed - from "Ideal" to "Poor", the clarity of diamonds - on a scale from "Fl" to "I3" and color by groups - from "D" to "Z".
The characteristic of the cut made is classified into groups:
- ideal;
- premium;
- very god;
- good;
- poor.
It is possible to qualitatively determine the purity of a diamond only by using a loupe with a 10x magnification. This is a generally accepted international standard for detecting various kinds of defects that reduce quality and purity. Diamonds ranging from "cleanest" to stones with flaws visible to the naked eye are classified in the GIA into the following clarity groups, in descending order:
Determination of color shades is carried out using a specially prepared set of diamond standards. Comparing the evaluated diamond with the standards, it is assigned to a certain color category.
Colorless diamonds are classified as group "D". Diamonds are assigned to subsequent groups as their yellowish tint increases. The “Z” group includes conditionally yellow stones. The characteristic of a special category of diamonds with a fancy bright color is carried out with the help of other color groups. To describe diamonds of this category, the English word “Fancy” is used, which means “fantastic” in translation, indicate the color and characterize its intensity.
Russian system
The Russian system of classification and evaluation of cut diamonds is considered the most complex in the world. The standard cut in Russia is considered to be round with 57 or 17 facets. The latter is used for cutting small diamonds.
Depending on the quality parameters of the cut, 57-sided diamonds belong to one of four groups A, B, C, D, systematized in descending order, and 17-sided diamonds belong to two: A, B. Diamonds with known fancy cuts are classified into two groups: A and B.
In the Russian system, depending on the weight, cut diamonds are divided into three groups: large, medium and small. Large stones are characterized by a mass of 1 carat and more, medium ones - from 0.3 to 0.99 carats, small ones - from 0 to 0.29 carats.
The dependence of the diameter of diamonds on weight
| Weight, in carats | Diameter, in mm |
|---|---|
| 0,03 | 2,0 |
| 0,07 | 2,7 |
| 0,33 | 4,4 |
| 0,40 | 4,8 |
| 0,85 | 6,2 |
| 1 | 6,5 |
| 3 | 9,3 |
| 7 | 12,4 |
| 8 | 13,0 |
Depending on the color and clarity, diamonds are classified into groups indicated by numbers. In this case, their mass and the number of faces are taken into account. Colorless stones belong to the 1st color groups in this classification. Having 17 facets, small diamonds correspond to 4 color groups, having 57 faces, to 7. Medium and large stones - according to 9 main color groups with several subgroups.
The clarity of a diamond also has a complex classification in the Russian system. Small stones with 17 facets belong to one of the 6 purity groups, those with 57 facets - to one of the 9 groups. Medium and large - to one of the 12 groups. The 1st group in all classifications by purity includes clean stones, that is, they do not have defects.
The final characteristics of diamonds can be seen on the tag in jewelry stores. It is displayed in this way: Kr-57 1.25 4/7B.
It is deciphered as follows: the diamond has a round cut with 57 facets, its weight is 1.25 carats, it belongs to the color group 4 and the purity group 7, the cut quality is group B.
Compliance with the clarity characteristics of diamonds of the Russian system and GIA
In order to be able to profitably purchase diamonds both in the domestic and international markets, one needs to understand the current grading systems. In addition, it is necessary to develop the ability to correlate similar categories of differing classifications.
Clarity of a diamond according to the Russian system and the GIA system, correspondence table.
| Russian system | GIA | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| More | Less | Less | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | F | Absence of any defects. |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | IF | No more than 2 points of light shades are found in the center or on the periphery; a visible band is possible. |
| 3 | 3 | — | VVS1; VVS2 | No more than 3 points of light shades are found; no more than 2 subtle dots of dark shades or stripes. |
| 4 | — | — | — | No more than 2 almost imperceptible dots of dark shades are found in the center; in any part no more than 4 small dots of light tones. |
| 5 | 4 | 3 | VS1 | A small cloud of a light shade is found in the center; the crack is quite small, no more than 3 dark dots; no more than 6 dots or stripes of light colors. |
| 6 | 5 | — | VS2 | No more than 8 small stripes, dots, cracks and bubbles of light shades are found; no more than 5 dark dots; graphite inclusions no more than 1. |
| 7; 7a | — | — | SI1; SI2 | A maximum of 2 inclusions of graphite are found; no more than 8 small defects; small cloud with graphite inclusions. |
| 8 | 6 | 4 | SI3 | Numerous small defects are visible, some of which may be barely visible under magnification. |
| 9 | — | — | I1 | You can see a lot of cracks, or a combination of them with inclusions that can be seen without magnification. |
| 10 | 7 | — | I2 | Multiple defects are visible, the transparency of 60% of the faces and more. |
| 11 | 8 | 5 | I3 | Multiple defects are visible, transparency is 30% - 60% of the faces. |
| 12 | 9 | 6 | — | Multiple defects are visible, transparency is 30% or less. |
Clarity of a diamond is an important factor in the selection and purchase of these cut diamonds and is often the determining factor.
Top Selling Diamonds
The quality of diamonds with color and clarity groups of 1 1 and 2 2, respectively, is very high, but they are very rare and cost fabulous money.
The best-selling and popular stones have such characteristics of color and clarity as 3 3, 4 4, 6 6. The clarity of a diamond from the 3rd to the 6th group makes it attractive in terms of investment. The cost of such stones from the size of 1 carat never decreases, even its stable growth occurs. Therefore, they are considered an excellent way to invest and save money.
The clarity of a diamond with color 3 and clarity 3 will satisfy and even please the most demanding customer. When magnified, only three light, inconspicuous dots can be found in them. These imperfections cannot be seen with the naked eye. The color of such a cut diamond will also please the buyer. Without being an expert in the field of gemology, it is very difficult to capture all the color nuances of diamonds. Therefore, the differences between diamonds 3 4 and 3 5 will not be obvious.
The color and clarity 4 4 diamond is practically the most popular, especially with a flawless round cut.
When magnified, two small small inclusions can be found in it right in the center, or in other zones there are 2 stripes or from 2 to 4 dots of a light shade. For stones of this category, the presence of a small crack on the side is acceptable. On the other hand, the presence of natural defects allows you to determine the origin of the diamond and establish its authenticity. Clarity group 4 stones do not have conflicting quality characteristics, which is common with clean stones.
A diamond with the characteristics of 6 6 is an excellent option for those who want to buy a large diamond of good presentation, but who have limited budget. A diamond with a clarity of 6 and a color of 6 belongs to the most common group - the average one. At the same time, it is visually identical to purer stones.
Differences are visible only when using a loupe with 10x magnification. So you can detect up to 8 small inclusions of light shades located in different zones, or about 5 dots of dark shades or a small graphite inclusion. Such diamonds are especially popular in European countries.
The clarity of diamond 7 already suggests the presence in its structure of many inclusions of natural origin. Inclusions can be of a different nature.
In stones belonging to the purity group 7, one can find a couple of graphite specks, or a couple of cracks, or a graphite island with a small feather. It can also be a combination of cracks and a graphite speck.
How to determine which diamond to choose? Depending on the purpose of the purchase, you need to decide which criterion should be decisive: weight, color, clarity, cut. Then select the desired technical characteristics according to the selected criterion. And after that, you can go directly to the search for your diamond.
Jewelers classify natural diamonds according to a variety of characteristics, defining quality by color, transparency, chromaticity, cut quality, proportions...
But the size of a diamond, its weight is the main decisive parameter that determines the cost of one carat. A carat of a large diamond is significantly more expensive than a carat of a small stone of the same quality.
The valuation of diamonds is based on the Tavernier rule.
Tavernier's rule
The total value of a diamond is equal to the product of the mass (weight) of the stone in carats squared by the base price of a diamond of one carat. Thus, the price of a diamond grows exponentially from the total mass of the stone.
Comparative description of systems of expert evaluation of diamonds
Absolutely all existing diamond grading systems are based on the description and evaluation of the four main criteria for precious stones (system 4C):
- weight (Carat)
- color
- purity
- shape and cut quality (Cut)
The differences between diamond grading systems lie in the way in which these criteria are evaluated.
It is important to understand how subjective criteria are evaluated, namely color, clarity and cut quality. Especially how the color of a diamond is valued.
Below are comparative tables of evaluation criteria by foreign systems and the Russian system.
To date, the following diamond grading systems are most widely used in the world:
- GIA
- IDC or HRD(High Diamond Council of Belgium)
- Scan D.N.(Scandinavian Nomenclature)
- CIBJO(International Confederation of Jewelry, Pearls and Silver)
A comparative analysis of these systems shows that they are quite similar to each other.
As a rule, the difference in the evaluation of a diamond in terms of color and clarity appears only in the definitions of these characteristics, while the ranges are practically the same.
Translation from one system to another is carried out according to tables.
The purity rating system deserves special attention. IDC, which involves measuring the size of inclusions and brightness with the correction of the purity group according to a special table.
Thus, the IDC diamond grading system can be considered more objective than other grading systems.
The main focus is on the GIA international diamond grading system and the Russian grading system.
Foreign diamond grading systems, with rare exceptions, are easily converted from one to another. However, all these systems cannot be unambiguously translated into the Russian system of diamond grading and vice versa.
Since it is quite difficult to determine whether a surface defect is also internal, the IDC system provides for the adjustment of the clarity group for diamonds that have noticeable surface defects. This may result in some stones being valued differently by different systems. However, the proximity of these systems to each other allows, knowing one of them, to use assessment reports made in other systems. The growing authority of the GIA system has made the system internationally renowned. In particular, the GIA color terminology has almost supplanted the traditional terminology. When comparing domestic and foreign assessment systems, the GIA system is usually selected from the latter. Differences are manifested both in the principles underlying the assessment, and in specific parameters and ranges.
Diamond Color Rating
According to GOST and TU in force in Russia, color assessment is carried out differently for small (up to 0.29 carats) stones with a cut of Kr-17, Kr-57 and for the rest (from 0.30 carats) with a cut of Kr-57. At the same time, the verbal description of different groups of diamond color, given in GOST, is of great importance, and standards have a very limited distribution.
The terms used in GOST (for example, “color”, “nasvet”, “hue”, “slight shade”, as well as “barely perceptible”, “very faintly colored”, “clearly visible”) allow for different interpretations, therefore - subjective and not accurate. This is why expert gemologists often rate diamond color based on description alone, resulting in very low repeatability. According to the Russian grading system, a small diamond weighing up to 0.29 carats, for example, 5 color groups, is more saturated than a diamond of 5 color groups, but weighing from 0.30 carats.
When grading a color according to the GIA system in the range from D to Z, the color hue does not matter, only hue and saturation are taken into account. The color group does not depend on the size of the stone at all, and a special separate color rating system has been developed for fancy color diamonds.
Compared to the previously existing TU GOST 52913-2008, new subgroups are added within 6, 8 and 9 color groups. This brings Russian color groups closer to their foreign counterparts. In particular, the yellow color standards 8-1, 8-2, 8-3 are close to the color standards K, L, M (GIA), respectively.
In Russia, based on the analysis of a large number of diamonds, several tables of the ratio of color ranges according to GOST and GIA have been developed, which are close in content, but are acceptable and are not used in the assessment for all stones, since, starting with the manifestation of a clearly visible shade of color, GOST assumes a breakdown standards for the yellow and brown series, which is not in the American GIA grading system.
Classification of diamonds by color groups in the GIA system
| color designation | color | |
| blue white | D | bluish transparent |
| ice white | E | transparent |
| fine white | F | with a subtle hint |
| fine white | G | grayish white |
| Top Commercial White | H | white with a subtle hint of yellow |
| Commercial White | I | |
| Top Silver | J | white with barely noticeable yellowness |
| K | white with barely noticeable yellowness | |
| Silver Cape | L | pale yellowish tint |
| Light Cape | M | slightly yellowish tint |
| N | yellowish tinge | |
| Cape | O | yellow tint |
| P | yellow tint | |
| Dark Cape | Q | clear yellow tint |
| S-Z | rich yellow color | |
Approximate correspondence between the color characteristics of diamonds according to GOST 52913-2008 (Russia) and the international system GIA(Gemological Institute of America)
| GOST small up to 0.29 carats |
Kr-17 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
| Kr-57 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| GOST medium and large from 0.30 carats |
Kr-57 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6, 6 (1) | 7 | 8 (1-5) | 9 (1-4) | |
| GIA | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K-Z | |||
Diamond Clarity Rating
GIA and GOST clarity assessments, as well as color assessments, are based on several different principles.
The system for assessing the clarity of a diamond according to the GIA is based on the following principle - how difficult it is for an averagely trained expert gemologist, and, on the contrary, how easy it is to detect inclusions with the naked eye or with a magnifying glass, and also whether these inclusions can affect the integrity of the stone.
The purity assessment according to the Russian system is based on the principle of describing the ratio of the number, size, nature and location of inclusions for each purity group, and there is also the concept of transparency when viewing the bottom faces through the top faces.
As with the assessment of the color of a diamond, the number of clarity groups is different for small and large stones, as well as for diamonds of the Kr-17 cut.
A comparison of the clarity groups of diamonds for both systems is given in the conversion tables, however, as for color, it is not applicable to all stones.
To illustrate the exceptions that arise in translation, consider a diamond (weighing 0.30 carats), whose defining defect is a microseam, which is difficult to detect with a magnifying glass. Such a diamond will be assigned to the 6th clarity group according to GOST and to VS1 or VS2 according to the GIA system. When assessing the clarity of a diamond according to GOST, if a dark defect is classified as a point, the diamond is assigned to the 3rd clarity group, and if it is an inclusion - to the 6th group.
When assessing the clarity of a diamond according to the American GIA system, it is not the nature or type of inclusions that determines, but their size, position and relief.
Evaluation of the quality of a diamond cut
The current standards for gemstones in Russia are designed for the production of diamonds, and not for their expert evaluation.
That is why GOST introduced tolerances for diamond parameters, according to which diamonds can correspond to different cut groups (A, B, C, D) or be outside the standard.
Strictly speaking, a diamond that does not meet GOST is not subject to evaluation.
The GIA system evaluates the cut quality of any diamond using three composite criteria:
- proportions
- symmetry
- polishing
Classification of diamonds by clarity groups in the GIA system
| designation | purity group | ||
| F | Flawless (spotless) | when observed in a 10x magnifying glass, no visible defects are observed | |
| IF | INTERNALLY FLAWLESS (clear) | at 10x magnification, internal imperfections are not visible, only minor surface defects are detected, which can be easily eliminated by re-polishing. | |
| VVS1 | VERY, VERY SMALL INCLUSIONS |  |
at 10x magnification, the smallest dots in VVS1 class stones are extremely difficult to see through the platform, they can only be detected when viewing the stone through the pavilion. This class also includes diamonds with very small and shallow inclusions, which are removed by re-polishing. In VVS2 class diamonds, the smallest inclusions can be detected with great difficulty when viewing the stone through the platform. |
| VVS2 |  |
||
| VS1 | VERY SMALL INCLUSIONS (tiny inclusions) |  |
at 10x magnification, very small feather and cloud inclusions are difficult to detect in VS1 diamonds and somewhat easier in VS2 diamonds. |
| VS2 |  |
||
| SI1 | SMALL INCLUSIONS (small defects) |  |
small visible inclusions At 10x magnification, visible inclusions in SI1 grade diamonds are easily detected and very easy in SI2 grade diamonds. Sometimes small inclusions in SI2 diamonds are visible to the naked eye. |
| SI2 |  |
||
| I1 I2 I3 | IMPERFECT (there are explicit inclusions) |  |
in diamonds of these clarity groups, obvious inclusions are visible at 10x magnification and even with the naked eye through the platform. These inclusions affect the durability of the gemstone and are so numerous that they seriously affect the clarity and brilliance of the diamond. |
GIA(Gemological Institute of America)
| purity group characteristic | purity group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| central zone | middle zone | peripheral zone | large and medium less than 0.30 carats |
small over 0.29 carats |
|
| without internal and external defects | 1 | 1 | |||
| one tiny defect in the form of a bright dot, visible only when viewing the diamond from the side of the pavilion | - | - | 2 | 2 | |
| - | no more than two smallest defects in the form of bright dots | 2 | 2 | ||
| - | one tiny defect in the form of a strip | 2 | 2 | ||
| no more than three small defects in the form of light inclusions | - | - | 3 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | |
| - | 3 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | |||
| - | no more than two small defects in the form of a strip | 3 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | ||
| no more than two small defects in the form of dark inclusions | - | - | 4 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | |
| no more than four minor defects in the form of light inclusions | 4 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | |||
| no more than two minor defects in the form of stripes | 4 (VVS2) | 3 (VV 2) | |||
| no more than one minor defect in the form of a strip and three minor defects in the form of light inclusions | 4 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | |||
| - | - | 4 (VVS 2) | 3 (VVS) | ||
| one minor defect in the form of a light cloud | - | - | 5 (VS 1) | 4 (VS) | |
| one minor defect in the form of a crack | - | - | 5 (VS 1) | 4 (VS) | |
| - | - | no more than three minor defects in the form of a crack | 5 (VS 1) | 4 (VS) | |
| no more than three minor defects in the form of dark inclusions | - | - | 5 (VS 2) | 4 (VS) | |
| no more than six minor defects in the form of light inclusions and stripes | 5 (VS 2) | 4 (VS) | |||
| no more than eight small scattered defects in the form of light inclusions, stripes, cracks, transparent volumetric inclusions | 6 (VS 2) | 5 (VS) | |||
| up to five minor defects in the form of dark inclusions | 6 (SI 1) | 5 (SI 1) | |||
| one minor defect in the form of a bulky dark inclusion | 6 (SI 1) | 5 (SI 1) | |||
| no more than eight small scattered defects in the form of light and dark inclusions, stripes, cracks, clouds, transparent volumetric inclusions | 7 (SI 1) | 5 (SI 1) | |||
| one small defect in the form of a dark inclusion | 7 (SI 1) | 5 (SI 1) | |||
| no more than two small defects in the form of dark inclusions | 7a (SI 2) | 5 (SI 2) | |||
| no more than two small defects in the form of cracks | 7a (SI 2) | 5 (SI 2) | |||
| no more than one small defect in the form of a cloud in combination with a small dark inclusion | 7a (SI 3) | 5 (SI 3) | |||
| several small defects in the form of cracks in combination with a small dark inclusion | 7a (SI 3) | 5 (SI 3) | |||
| numerous small defects in the form of various inclusions and cracks | 8 (SI 3) | 6(SI 3) | |||
| one big crack | 8 (I 1) | 6(I 1) | |||
| numerous large defects in the form of various inclusions and cracks | 9 (I 1) | 6(I 1) | |||
| numerous large defects in the form of various inclusions in combination with cracks | 9 (I 2) | 6 (I 2) | |||
| numerous very large defects of various types and transparent for viewing at least 60% of the facets of the pavilion of the diamond | 10 (I 2) | 7(I2) | |||
| numerous very large defects of various types and transparent for viewing from 60% to 30% of the facets of the pavilion of the diamond | 11 (I 3) | 8 (I 3) | |||
| numerous very large defects of various types and transparent for viewing less than 30% of the facets of the pavilion of the diamond | 12 (I 3) | 9 (I 3) | |||
Approximate correspondence between the clarity characteristics of diamonds according to GOST 52913-2008 (Russia) and the international system GIA
| GOST small up to 0.29 carats |
Kr-17 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||||
| Kr-57 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |||||
| GOST medium and large from 0.30 carats |
Kr-57 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7a | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| GIA | F IF VVS1 VVS2 | VS1 | VS2 | SI1 | SI2 | SI3 | I1 | I2 | I3 | |||||
Hello, our dear readers! Do you agree that the flawless light play of diamonds always attracts the attention of even the most unprejudiced person? Did you know that it depends not only on the quality of the diamond before processing? How does the incredible transformation into a work of art from a precious stone take place? What does the clarity of a diamond mean in the evaluation table? Why does a diamond need a certificate and what is this piece of paper?
You will learn the answers to these questions and many more interesting facts after reading this short, informative, interesting and, we hope, useful article for you.
We wish you an interesting, informative and exciting reading!
What does the concept of "diamond clarity" mean?
According to many jewelers, this is the best feature. Why, you ask?
Everything is very simple. All, even minor inclusions, are included in the table. According to the presence of chips and cracks, a diamond is assigned a certain class. This is a kind of verdict of the court. The higher the grade, the purer the diamond. The cleaner it is, the more it costs.
Let's take a closer look at the purity and grade ratio table according to the grading system proposed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and try to figure it out. TU up to 0.29 ct - small stones weighing up to 0.29 carats. TU from 0.30 ct – medium and large diamonds.
Diamond stones classified in groups 7-12 are considered technical. They are not valued in jewelry. They have found their application in various industries, where the main parameter is the strength of the mineral.
Groups 1 to 6 represent jewelry value. As practice shows, inclusions that can be seen with the help of a normal human eye begin with the 9th group. To see the rest of the inclusions, you need a microscope or a magnifying glass. By the way, it also has its limitations. Defects are visible only at tenfold magnification.
Group 1 - the rarest specimens are able to reach this level. A diamond should not only be clean in terms of cutting, but also free of inclusions inside. This allows light transmitted and reflected in the stone material itself to be refracted only at right angles.
Only such diamonds can provide a truly perfect play of light, which is visible to the naked eye. If you take such a stone and lower it into clean water, then you really will hardly see it, since the ideal refraction inside the stone allows the beam to penetrate through it and the effect of “miraculous disappearance” occurs. It should be noted that this is a rather sophisticated way to hide value from prying eyes (though not 100%).
At the bottom of the table, opposite the inscription GIA, there are classes to which a precious diamond is classified after passing the examination.
Agree, nothing complicated. Now you have a clear understanding of the jewelry valuation system and can now safely show off at the opportunity in front of your friends.
Characteristics of the color of the diamond in the table
Have you ever noticed that some gemstones beckon with their color, while others just nicely convey their color? Some minerals are impossibly saturated, while others are “gloomy”, but also majestic. Do you know why this happens?
In addition to purity, the cost and quality are also affected by the play of color, which is also evaluated by experts according to a special table. The stone may not be a bright color, but it also looks graceful and elegant.
Recently, colorless diamonds have “lost” their popularity a bit, as they began to find diamonds of different color shades. A new recently discovered mine in Australia is producing some of the rarest purple-hued diamonds that are a wonder of nature.
We have quite recently easily figured out the purity table. Therefore, it will not be difficult for us to deal with the color purity table.
As in the previous table, the characteristics of TU up to 0.29 ct are small stones weighing up to 0.29 carats. TU from 0.30 ct - medium and large diamonds weighing from 0.30 carats.
Each color shade group is designated by a letter of the English alphabet. D is the colorless variant and Z is the yellow specimens. That is, both color and its saturation are taken into account. The saturation of the color of the stone depends not only on the purity of the mineral, but also on the construction of the crystal lattice. The denser the lattice and the smaller the distance between carbon molecules, the more saturated the color of the stone.
Numbers from 1 to 9 indicate how pure the diamond is. It is logical that, first of all, the purity of the mineral is evaluated. Indeed, if the stone initially has strong inclusions, then the color saturation is immediately lost and will no longer be ideal.
To better determine the purity of the color, reference samples are used to help compare the test sample with the reference stone and give the most accurate assessment.
Unlike the previous table, the color characteristic is not so severe. There is no such clear concept as "not good". Although the assessment is subjective, it helps, among a wide variety of color shades and saturation, to structure information and classify the prototype as one of the grouped species.
After examination of the “color component”, the values are also recorded and logged. Clarity and color tables assign a grade to a stone. What does it give?
Firstly, they are immediately visible in the product passport. With the same purchase, a person can make sure for himself that the consultant is talking about this particular stone, and not trying to sell you a cheap impure and unsaturated diamond.
Secondly, the class assigned after evaluation directly affects the value of the gem. Nothing new. The higher the class, the higher the cost.
Diamond certificate. What does this paper mean?
After passing the examination, the stone is assigned a unique number. It's like a car's VIN - an alphanumeric value that displays all the "parameters" of the stone's assessment. A certificate is an official document confirming the true characteristics of a precious piece of jewelry. Issued by the company that performed the appraisal.
Below you can see an example of an official certificate from the company "GIA", known throughout the world. We won't go into too much detail on what's in there, as it's long and not that interesting. Especially since we covered the main points earlier.
The certificate confirms the quality and authenticity of the jewel. If the stone was sent for restoration, then the company that carried out the work is obliged to notify the company that issued the certificate of authenticity about the work carried out.
The certificate of authenticity of a diamond treasure is like a person's passport, where all the data necessary for his "identification" in case of theft, loss and other points are entered.
Here are some tips for you:
- Always keep the certificate in a place that is hard to reach but known only to you. The thing that belongs to you is still expensive and refined;
- Before the final purchase, be sure to check the availability of an official document. Make sure that all characteristics on paper correspond to the parameters of the mineral, as fakes are becoming more and more common. An inexperienced person in jewelry can easily make a mistake.
How to decipher the inscription with the parameters of a precious mineral?
Let's say you're buying a diamond. A tag (certificate) is attached to it, on which it is written: 1-KR57, 0.58, 4 / 1A. Let's decipher these initially incomprehensible designations. There is nothing complicated here either.
- 1 is the number of diamonds. There may be more than one if we consider jewelry (ring, necklace, necklace, etc.);
- KR57 - type of cut. In this case, the diamond is round and has 57 facets. The most common form of cutting;
- 0.58 is the total carat weight of the item. Naturally, the greater the value, the more pleasant .... and more expensive….;
- 4 - color class assigned according to a separate color purity table, which we considered earlier;
- 1 - class of purity of the precious stone, estimated according to the table of purity;
- cut quality. Evaluation of the work of a jeweler.
Now you know the main aspects and points, and when buying jewelry, you can safely use them.
Differences between the Russian assessment system and the American GIA
The Russian system for grading diamonds and other precious items and minerals is deservedly considered one of the most complex in the world, as it takes into account many more parameters.
For example, the GIA system considers two groups: small stones (up to 0.29 carats) and medium and large stones (from 0.3 carats). The Russian system already initially provides for three groups: small (up to 0.29 carats), medium (from 0.3 to 0.99 carats) and large stones (from 1.0 carats and more).
There are also many other differences. Don't bother with this head. Moreover, the correspondence between the American and Russian grading systems can be easily found on the World Wide Web.
Best feature or subjective assessment?
Finally, let's understand and briefly find out how the process of turning a diamond into a brilliant work of art takes place.
- It all starts with search and processing. Not all diamonds will be able to turn into beautiful diamonds (recall that a diamond is a cut diamond). Only a small part has a chance. It all depends on the purity of the stone, its carat weight (1 carat - 0.2g), color and the possibility of further processing.
- Then, a noteworthy mineral falls on the table to the jewelry master. Without a doubt, this is one of the most difficult professions in the world. Not only non-shaking and really “golden” hands are required, but also special knowledge, at a minimum, of the basics in geometry, optics, resistance of materials, jewelry and other sciences related to this art.
- Cutting can take more than one day and even more than one month. Sometimes it takes years. Polishing and sanding the edges can also be very time consuming. Here, not only the experience and knowledge gained during many years of practice is important, but also the quality of the mineral itself, since it can have chips and internal bubbles, which already initially affect the purity. The jeweler can try and remove them. Thus, he will improve the quality of both the diamond and his work.
- After cutting, a diamond undergoes an examination, where both the quality of the stone itself and the work carried out on it are assessed. All this is recorded and recorded. At the final stage, the diamond appears before the public, its value becomes known and, in most cases, the name of the cutter and / or the name of the company that performed the cutting work, which can thunder all over the world.
We tried to easily and clearly convey to you the material that is difficult to understand the first time. We hope that we succeeded, and when reading the article everything was clear and understandable to you. Thank you very much for your interest and attention!
Team LyubiKamni
Characteristics of diamonds that you should pay attention to in the first place
Usually, independent certification of stones in many cities of the world is carried out by special gemological certification centers and private gemologists. But, no matter how much you trust the experts, when choosing diamonds, additional knowledge will not interfere with you. Of course, without significant practice, it is unlikely that you will be able to see all the subtleties of the stone being purchased, but, nevertheless, you will not get lost in all these letters and numbers after reading the basic information.
So, the value of a cut diamond is affected by four main characteristics that add up to 4C system. This diamond grading system includes such concepts: “carat” (ct, k) - weight, “color” - color, “clarity” - clarity and “cut” - cut. From the combination of these characteristics, the price of the stone is formed.
Appraisal of the value of a diamond.
There are quite a few subtleties in this process, but in general terms, we can say that the cost of diamonds with other similar characteristics always increases exponentially with increasing stone weight. The smaller the number (or the letter closer to the beginning of the alphabet) that characterizes the color and clarity of a diamond, the more expensive it is. The quality, type and proportion of the cut are also important in the evaluation. Fancy diamonds are graded on a special scale. Here are the nuances of the characteristics:
carat (weight).
It is not practical to measure the weight of a diamond in grams. In nature (and on sale), faceted diamonds weighing even around 1 gram (5 carats) are extremely rare and very expensive, while small and medium stones (up to 0.2 grams, which just correspond to 1 k) are much larger. Therefore, since ancient times, a constant value for measuring the weight of a diamond has been adopted, based on the weight of 1 seed of the Caribbean tree "carat", equivalent to 0.2 grams.
For convenience, all stones weighing up to 0.29 carats are considered to be small, over 0.3 and up to 0.99 carats - medium, and more than 1 carat - large. By the way, the concept of "solitaire" refers exclusively to large diamonds. And proper names ("Korloff Noir" - 88 ct, "Great Mogul" - 279 ct, "Orlov" - 190 ct, etc.) are given to faceted diamonds weighing more than 25 carats. The weight of a diamond less than 1/100 (0.01) of a carat is not specified and is considered a diamond crumb.
Transitional masses of diamonds.
Although with an increase in the mass of a stone, its value increases, this process is uneven (jump-like). A sharp price jump occurs at certain values (0.3 ct, 0.5 ct, 1 ct 1.5 ct, 2 ct, etc.), which are called “transitional diamond masses”. Knowing this pattern will allow the buyer to save money by purchasing, say, a stone of 0.48 ct rather than 0.5 ct - the difference in weight (and visually) is negligible, and in price - very significant.
Color (color).
Often, the color of a diamond appears to the layman as “steel”, “white”, “transparent”. For a specialist, all the nuances of colors and shades are important - from this the price of a stone can rise and fall with a huge difference. An important condition for determining the color of a diamond is a 10-fold increase and comparison with the standard by the selection method, since the difference between "neighboring" colors can be very conditional. It is even more difficult to determine the color of the stone in the product - its removal is required for certification.
The color of a cut diamond can range from very rare, virtually colorless ("clear water"), through the grayish and yellowish scale, to brownish.
Fancy diamonds are a separate type, which have obvious saturated shades - black, brown, green, pink, blue (the most unique are bright red and blue). They are extremely rare and are valued on a different scale, often cost fabulously expensive, eclipsing "white" diamonds. Here it is important to catch the difference between a unique fancy diamond and its cheap dark-colored “brother”.
Different countries use different color scales for diamonds, but they are easily comparable and have similar criteria.
The system for grading the color of diamonds in Russia.
In domestic jewelry practice, the weight of the stone matters, so three scales are used:
- for 17-sided diamonds, the number of colors is divided into 4 groups;
- for 57-sided cut diamonds from the “small” group (up to 0.29 ct), the number of colors varies from 1 to 7;
- for all other 57-sided cut diamonds (from 0.3 ct), a different scale is used, which implies 9 color groups.
International Diamond Color Grading System .
It differs from the domestic international system (GIA) in the absence of separation of color scales according to the weight category of the stone.
All color values for "white" diamonds are in the range of letters D to Z, where the price falls as the letter range increases to the right (and the color "darkens").
Fantasy colors of diamonds are evaluated according to a special scale of color standards, where, on the contrary, the darker, more saturated the shade, the more expensive the stone.
Clarity (purity / defectiveness).
The quality and, accordingly, the price of a diamond is also affected by the presence (absence) of inclusions of natural origin inside the stone, such as bubbles, haze, cracks, inclusions, etc. This is a completely natural phenomenon for a mineral, but that is why a large number of diamonds have a very low value. And only a small part of the extracted raw material is turned into high-quality diamonds.
As with the determination of color, a 10x magnification is used to determine the defectiveness of the stone. The degree of visibility of these inclusions through a magnifying glass, as well as with the “naked eye”, is the criterion for the purity of a diamond.
Domestic system for assessing the purity of diamonds.
Our system, just like with color, takes into account the weight and cut of the stone, only the ranges of groups increase slightly: diamonds with 17 and 33 facets - from 1 to 6, for diamonds with 57 facets - up to 0.29 carats from 1 to 9, for stones from 30 carats and above - from 1 to 12.
International system(GIA) .
Unlike the alphabetical (in alphabetical order) designation of color, the international scale for the clarity of diamonds is indicated by an abbreviation with the addition of numbers (degrees) of defective stones. For example, the ideal clarity of a diamond has an index “F” (Flowless - flawless, devoid of inclusions), and the worst option is indicated by the letter “I” (Imperfect - imperfect, with noticeable inclusions) with an index of 1, 2 or 3.
Cut (cut).
The processing of the mined mineral is, of course, of paramount importance. In most cases, it depends on the professionalism of the jeweler whether a dull shapeless stone will sparkle with amazing brilliance or become mediocre "glass".
Rough diamonds can be cut in a number of ways, of which the round "brilliant" cut is the most popular, preferred in more than 90% of cases, despite being very expensive. This type of cut allows from 57 (classic) to 17 (simplified) facets. "Brilliant" processing is the most optimal for revealing the unique optical properties of the stone.
All other types of cuts belong to the group of fancy cuts, which, in turn, are wedge (round-oval proportions) and stepped (angular, polygonal).
The most popular types of fancy cut are: “oval”, “marquise” (oval with pointed top and bottom), “pear” (in the form of a drop), “princess” (square), “heart”, “baguette” (rectangle), "emerald" (polygon).
Diamond cut quality groups.
The maximum brilliance and play of a diamond is achieved as a result of the most precise observance of proportions calculated according to a certain formula, which takes into account the following ratios: depth - stone diameter, platform diameter - stone diameter.
According to the international GIA system, the quality of a diamond cut can be: “Ideal” (ideal), “Premium” (excellent), “Very Good” (very good), “Good” (good), “Poor” (good quality). The foreign cut quality system (geometric conformity, polishing quality, symmetry) is very convenient in terms of clarity, unlike the domestic one, denoted by letters:
- for Kr-57 - ranges from "A" to "G";
- For Kr-17 and fantasy forms - "A" and "B";
- non-traditional cut proportions are usually classified as group "B".
By the way, often the proportions of a diamond cut are violated not because of the unprofessionalism of the master, but because of the need to preserve the size of the stone as much as possible.
What is written on the tag?
After reviewing the characteristics that make up the price of a diamond, we can understand what the tag attached to the product is talking about. The characteristic of the stone is placed opposite the "insert" column. The information is usually given in the following form:
Br. Cr. 57 1 pc. 3/4 A 0.07 ct
"Br. Cr." - type of cut, here - "round diamond";
"57" - the number of faces;
"1 PC." - the number of stones with the same characteristics in the product;
"3/4" - color / purity;
"A" - cut quality;
"0.07 ct" - carat weight.
In addition, the state of the tag itself is important, because it is the “face” of the manufacturer, and reputable offices do not save on it. Typically, the tag is located on a heavy-duty thread attached to the product, where there should be a seal-imprint with the manufacturer's emblem. It must contain information about the manufacturer and its legal address, product name, metal and sample, insert (characteristics of all stones), article number, regulatory documents, price for the entire product, size, have a quality control stamp.
Images: “© Depositphotos.com/Norman Chan”
