My Pink Diamonds

The cut of a diamond is the physical measurement and relative proportion of a polished diamond and is the most important characteristic in producing a diamond’s beauty. A single number does not define cut. Instead, it is a myriad of measurements, relative percentages, angles, finish, and performance of light within the diamond.

The brilliance and sparkle of a diamond is the result of the reflection and refraction of light within a diamond and is the cumulative effect of the many facets on the surface of the three-dimensional diamond shape. What makes judging cut difficult is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Different people perceive the beauty of a diamond differently in terms of what they perceive as beautiful.

In recent years, major diamond grading laboratories like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) have established cut grades to help the consumer make better decisions for purchasing diamonds based on cut characteristics. However, the cut grading systems are different from each other and constantly changing. As a result, there is no single official cut grade but the current systems are a giant leap ahead of the past with no cut grades.

The quality of the cut is most visible in terms of how light performs in a diamond to produce Brightness, Fire, and Scintillation.

Brightness is the visual effect of all the internal and external reflections of white light. This brightness (also known as brilliance) results primarily from the angles of the facets and the relative size of the top facet called the table.

Fire is the visual effect of rainbow colored flashes of light caused by the separation of white light into various colors when the diamond acts as a prism.

Scintillation is the visual effect of sparkle and patterns of light and darkness. Sparkle is the points of light that flash as the diamond, the light source or the observer moves. The arrangement and contrast between the bright and dark areas is important to what the eye perceives as beautiful. An all-bright diamond or an all-dark diamond is less attractive than a diamond with a balanced, symmetrical and contrasting pattern of reflection.

Some of the more important diamond measurements influencing the cut grade are depth percentage, table percentage, crown angle, and pavilion angle. The initial cut grade research focused on round brilliant diamond shapes but the grading laboratories are slowly introducing cut grades for the fancy shapes like the princess, emerald, oval, radiant, cushion and others. Each diamond shape has its own set of cut parameters that produce the optimal light performance and beauty for that particular diamond shape.

If the cut of the diamond is the key to its beauty, why would anyone purchase a diamond without great cut? Probably the main reason is lack of knowledge by the consumer. Until recent years, it has been difficult for the consumer to assess the cut of the diamond because jewelers focused on color, clarity and carat weight. The jeweler used the bright lights in the showroom to mask the light performance of the diamond. As the diamond shopper becomes more aware of what constitutes cut and has access to the GIA or AGS cut grades on the diamond grading reports, they will be able to filter out the average and poor cut diamonds in their purchase decisions.

Sometimes budget is a factor in purchasing something less than the best cut. However, cut is typically a real bargain since there is little visual difference between the top echelons of diamond cut and the price difference between average and exceptional cut is often minimal. Perhaps the real cost of getting better cut in a diamond, is the time and effort to learn about cut and to find a retailer who can provide diamonds with exceptional cut at reasonable prices.

Once a diamond shopper has determined what shape of diamond they want to purchase, they need to research what cut parameters contribute to desirable appearance. Some diamond shoppers fall into a trap of narrowly defining their acceptable range for every diamond measurement, not realizing that the beauty of the diamond results from the interrelationships of all the facets. Simply picking the middle of the range for each parameter can lead to a mediocre result. The cut grades are an attempt to rate how a combination of factors work together in the diamond.

Regardless of the cut grade systems today or in the future, only the diamond shopper can determine what is most appealing to their eye. Cut is critical to the beauty of the diamond so making the best diamond purchase decision means understanding the importance of cut and finding that special diamond that is beautiful to behold.

Natural Flaws within a Diamond

Many natural flaws can be discovered inside the formation of a diamond under the inspection process, these precious gemstones are considered imperfect. Most diamond flaws that occur during the formation of the diamond naturally are not visible to the naked eye and will rarely hinder its market value. The natural flaws that are found in diamonds are actually the inclusions of trace minerals and composites that were present in the area during the time of the natural formation process of the precious gemstone millions of years ago.

These minor inclusions can on occasion, cause the diamond it have a dull appearance or slight discoloration. A common diamond flaw, a tiny crack, will affect the stones clarity. As light passes through the stone, it is interrupted by the distorted reflection. More noticeable diamond flaws are inclusions of a mineral composite, creating a discoloration in the overall look. Rarely, is a diamond graded as “no flaw” and, to find one on the market would be an even rarer find.

Small natural flaws in a diamond will rarely affect the value of the diamond. On the other hand, diamond flaws that are large enough can cause a weakness in the gemstone itself. These larger than normal infractions and over sized inclusions may cause the precious stone to shatter or break under normal wear. Flaws of this nature, you need to be aware of since they do reduce the value of your gemstone. Diamond Pinpoint Inclusion Flaws

A diamond that appears to have dark speckles, which resemble dirt clusters displaced throughout the gemstone, it is considered to have a natural diamond flaw called a pinpoint inclusion. If the dirt cluster like crystals are too dense to the naked eye and resembles a cloud, the clarity of the diamond will be affected when the diamond is graded by a gemologist or jeweler. Diamond Imperfections caused by Laser Treatments

When a jeweler finds an imperfect diamond possessing cloud like crystal flaws he may choose to perform a laser treatment on the diamond, provided the diamond is feasibly large enough to maintain the market values. Laser treatments are often used on imperfections to increase the diamonds appeal and to either gain or maintain market value for the precious stone. Laser treatments are visible from the outer edge of the diamond and works inward to the discoloration area of the diamond cut. The laser performs a bleaching effect on the area that is discolored. After treatment is completed, a glass like substance may be used to fill in the space created by the laser. Diamond Flaws caused by Mineral and Crystal Inclusions

Not all diamond imperfections have a negative impact on its market value. Diamonds can also create eye catching and pleasing flaws within its character. Minerals that were trapped during the natural processes of the diamond formation can cause imperfections. These various minerals or crystals can give the diamond a hue of yellow to brown, green, and pink, or blue like in the case of the infamous Hope Diamond.

In rare instances, another precious gemstone can be found inside the diamond, and is not seen or graded as an imperfection flaw. Diamonds have been recovered that had another valuable carbon based gemstone embedded inside of the diamond. In which case, the diamond would take on an extremely rare characteristic and would be graded highly by the jeweler in respect to market value.

Asscher Cut Diamonds are nearly identical to emerald cut diamonds and they are often reffered to as a square emerald cut. Joseph Asscher an eminent diamond cutter, who cut the 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond, developed and patented the Asscher cut diamond in 1902. The Asscher cut is a squarish step cut with an almost octagonal outline. Asscher cut diamonds have a distinctive windmill reflection and wide cut corners that are characterized by concentric square patterns.The Asscher cut diamond has a small table, a high crown, wide step facets, a deep pavilion and square culet.

An Asscher cut diamond is cut with a series of many parallel steps, creating a hall-of-mirrors effect when looking deeply into the stone. These steps create more internal refraction and diamond fire than typical step cut stones, such as the elongated Emerald cut. Because of its high crown and small table, the Asscher cut diamond has more light and fire than an Emerald cut diamond.

The Asscher cut diamond became very popular in Art Deco jewellery and was a forerunner of the emerald cut. Since an Asscher cut diamond produces more fire than you see in a typical step cut diamond it has become extremely popular especially with many Hollywood stars and celebrities. If you choose a SI-clarity graded Asscher cut diamond be sure to view the clarity plot on the diamond certificate, because this shape can highlight the clarity of the diamond. When choosing an Asscher cut diamond consider the colour grade, for colours below J-colour, in various fancy-shaped diamonds the colour may be slightly visible in its corners.

The optimum shape for an Asscher cut diamond has a Length to Width ratio of 1:1, acceptable length to width ratios can be 1.00 – 1.40 : 1 depending on the shape of the Asscher cut you desire, noting that the greater length to width ratio the more rectangular the Asscher cut diamond will become.

You may copy this article and place it on your own website, as long as you do not change it and include this resource box including the live linksCopyright © 2008 Diamond Imports Pty Ltd

http://www.diamondimports.com.au

For every season, for every motif, for every person and for every color symbolism, there will always be the right wedding dress. Choosing what to wear in your wedding is as critical as choosing the the man you will be spending your sunset days with.
There’s a multitude of wedding dress styles to choose from – in some countries that have veered away from much of wedding rituals and traditions, dress styles number in the thousands. With this dizzying array, how do you choose yours? How do you make sure that your dress will be a reflection of the real YOU, not the fashion model on the glossy cover of magazines that grace bridal boutiques and corner stalls in the metropolis?
Buying a Wedding Dress: Style
The style of your wedding dress will depend on about four factors. There may be more but these are the most common ones we can think of:
• Type of wedding
• Your personality
• Your budget
• Your culture and that of your future husband
If you write down your thoughts about these four factors including any other detail you can think of, you’d have a good starting point for discussions with the boutique consultant. By rattling off your preferences, she can already come up with a short list and show you the styles immediately. This will save you time from browsing through voluminous catalogues and the sometimes crowded store racks.
Type of wedding: are you going to be married in a church and will the reception be inside a hall, OR are you going to be married in the beach, garden or in some enchanted island where guests will be free to roam around and then gather in an outdoor tent to offer their best wishes and congratulations?
An outdoor wedding would narrow your choices. You will certainly want to consider not wearing a gown that would require you to wear high heels, unless you want to leave permanent marks on that beautifully manicured lawn. Wear a gown that looks right with a pair of sensible but stylish flats to keep you from boring holes on the ground. For practical reasons, you may want to seriously not wear a long, down to the ankles type of dress. This will spare you from having to deal with a muddy hem. Make sure the hem is heavy enough not to fly up at the first sign of a sudden gust of wind.
For the same reasons, a train is not ideal for an outdoor wedding. You will likely find it covered in mud and grass stains by the end of the reception. If your dress comes with a veil, keep it weighted to keep it from blowing around too much, unless again you’d want your groom and pastor to chew on the lace by the end of the service, or risk the veil pin landing on someone’s cake.
Your personality: “tell me what you wear to your wedding and I’ll tell you what kind of person you are” may ring true, but remember that you need not be forced into wearing anything because it’s tradition or your rich mother-in-law has done the cherry picking in some designer’s rack. Your dress is you, inside and outside. Let it bring out the message on this special day.
Also, you’ll have to take your body type into account. If you have a good figure, show it off within the limits of decency, of course, especially if you’re getting married in church. Not that the pastor’s opinion should carry weight in the choice of your dress, but it is his church nevertheless, so be respectful of the place where your marriage will be solemnized.
A sleeve dress (one that clings to your body from neck to ankle) looks best on someone with a slim figure and curves to show off. If you’ve always been proud of your hips, look for a dress that flairs out a bit at the waist. If you want an overall slimming effect, do not invest in fluffed up sleeves and huge skirts, or you will look bigger than you really are. A skirt with lots of fabric so that it drapes and folds would be ideal. Do not add puff to the lower portion by adding a hoop or other fabric.
Your budget: who says you need a designer dress? One does get “suffocated” by the usual styles out there. You could spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress that will end up in an attic somewhere, only to be looked at when nostalgia strikes. Many brides think of their future daughters when they buy their wedding dress, but remember that your daughter could end up saying, “how could you wear a thing like that to your wedding, mum?”
If you have other wedding expenses and don’t want your wedding dress to take up the lion’s share, you can ask a sister or close friend to help you design a wedding dress. We know of a few friends who asked a private seamstress to do their dress, and they charge considerably less than boutiques and designer outlets.
Culture: The factor of culture plays a dominant role in weddings and when one wears a wedding dress that is typical of one’s culture, then the conversation gets livelier. For example, if you’ve been to a Scottish wedding, you’ll know that tartans and Highland kilts will be the dominant features of the wedding attire. Tartans are colorful fabrics that are also known as plaid. Scottish people also put accents to make the dress more attractive – like a Celtic knot that stands out.
Or you’ve seen the traditional Chinese attire. Brides will usually wear a red Chinese dress because red symbolizes love. If you’ve been to a Greek wedding, you’ll notice that both bride and groom wear flowers on their head instead of a veil.
Buying a Wedding Dress – Color
The color white, traditional for wedding dresses, was originally used to signify the bride’s virginity to the gathered witnesses. This virginity was likewise attested to by the hanging of a blood-soaked sheet the next morning. Though the custom of the bridal sheet has died, the customary bridal color still seems to be alive and well for the most part. Widows or divorcees might choose an ivory color to keep from claiming the white, but if tradition prevails, brides stick with what is expected in this sense.
The color white is not mandatory though. A differently colored dress would make a wonderful splash on your wedding day. The color red, for example, means joy, love, and fertility and is traditional for brides in China. No rules exist saying brides cannot wear purple or sage; indeed, an outdoor wedding might look even lovelier with a deviation from strict tradition. Always check with your pastor to see if you and your entourage can wear different colors, and ask him which colors are strictly forbidden.
Buying a Wedding Dress – Stories for You
If you’re feeling a tad overwhelmed by wedding preparations and agonizing over your wedding dress, you may want to take a break, sit and lounge on your favorite armchair, and curl up with a good book. We’d like to suggest My Wedding Dress: True-Life Tales of Lace, Laughter and Tulle published last month (January 2007) by Random House (ISBN: 978-0-676-97846-9; 0-676-97846-0). It’s an anthology of thoughtful essays that cover the full range of bridal sentiments, before and after the wedding. One of the contributors said that “the most important thing about the dress was that it wasn’t white, it wasn’t long and it had not a whisper of tradition clinging to it.”
There are about 26 essays from different women who talked about their wedding dresses and some of them, already divorced, described how their dress “felt all wrong” or “didn’t fit” or “it just wasn’t me.”
By taking time off from wedding preparations, you can re-charge yourself by reading about weddings. Wedding stories never fail to bring a warm glow to heart or trigger your love for laughter. For example, we looked for a story about wedding dresses and we found a funny one online from the Canadian Press (May 2005). It tells the story about a couple, Christopher Cummings and Charity O’Brien, both from Missouri, who got married on the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. The title of the news story caught our attention: Weddings on Ice. Exchanging Vows on Alaskan Glaciers.
Guess what the bride wore to her glacier wedding?
The usual, white traditional – complete with sequins. But what else did she wear with it? We’ve chosen this paragraph and want to share it with you:
“The bride wore a curvy, strapless white satin gown sprinkled with sequins. She also had on tights, sweat pants, rain pants and a pair of hefty hiking boots fitted with spikes.”
“The groom was charmed. ‘That’s the way she is…’ ‘although the dress was a surprise.’
Don’t forget. YOU get to choose, not anyone else. It’s personal, it’s special, and it’s an occasion that may happen only once in your life.