All About Diamonds

Join me as I share any and all information pertaining to diamonds. The basics of diamonds are important for anyone who wants to sound like a jewelry pro.

Close-up of a jeweler's hands inspecting a sparkling diamond with a magnifying loupe under bright light.

Anatomy of a Diamond

Diamonds come in many shapes, but they all share the same essential parts:

Table: The flat top surface.
Crown: The sloped facets from the table down to the girdle.
Girdle: The band around the diamond’s widest part.
Pavilion: The lower section beneath the girdle, mirroring the crown.
Culet: The tiny point at the bottom, often slightly flattened for stability.

Understanding Inclusions

All diamonds have flaws called inclusions, formed naturally millions of years ago. They can’t be cleaned away, and they’re part of what makes each diamond unique. Inclusions might appear as black flecks, cloudiness, or “feathers” (white lines that fan out like a feather). Some diamonds have natural cavities that can present on the surface or not. The number, size, and visibility of these flaws will significantly affect the stone’s value.

Cut: Refers to how well the diamond’s facets are angled and proportioned to reflect light and create sparkle. This is the only C controlled by human skill. Professional cutters use lasers to carefully slice the diamond as large as possible while avoiding as much of the inclusions as possible. Also, while doing all that, they need to make sure the geometry is just right to maximize the light reflected from it.
Color: Measures how colorless a diamond is, graded from D (colorless) to J (slightly tinted). Vibrant “fancy colors” like pink, blue, or yellow are graded on color separately. Fancy colors occur naturally and are more rare than clear to different degrees depending on the color. They can also be achieved through irradiated treatments (note: irradiated diamonds can change color if exposed to excessive heat).
Carat Weight: Indicates the diamond’s size. One carat equals 0.2 grams. Larger diamonds are rarer and more expensive than multiple small diamonds of equivalent total weight.
Clarity: Reflects the presence or absence of inclusions. Here’s a simplified clarity guide:
- FL: Flawless
- IF: Internally Flawless
- VVS1, VVS2: Very, Very Slightly Included
- VS1, VS2: Very Slightly Included
- SI1, SI2: Slightly Included
- I1, I2, I3: Included (flaws often visible to the naked eye)