CUT

Cut refers to how a diamond is transformed from a piece of dull rough into the beautiful gem that adorns her hand. Cut is the one and only variable that is controlled by man. It is cut that is responsible for the amount of brilliance and fire, resulting in a diamond that sparkles and shows a play of color when light hits it. The earliest diamonds were nothing like their beautiful counterparts of today.

THE CUTTING PROCESS

Cutting diamonds requires much experience, skill, and patience. Cutters apprentice for many years under the watchful eye of a Master. A rough diamond will be passed through many hands on its journey to the final polish.

The first step in the cutting process is marking the rough. The cutter will plan the cutting of the rough and mark it accordingly. He will determine what inclusions can be eliminated, how well the stone will be proportioned and how large the final gem will be.

After marking, the stone will be given to a cutter for splitting either by a process known as cleaving (splitting the stone parallel to the grain) or sawing (splitting the stone by sawing through the crystal against the grain). Sawing is a difficult process that can take several hours and literally be done one millimeter at a time.

The next step in the process is called bruting or rounding. This is when the girdle will be shaped and the cone that will become the pavilion is fashioned. The cutter tries to retain as much of the rough as possible in keeping with the original goals. The result could be that the diamond has something called a girdle natural which is retention of part of the original skin of the rough to eliminate unnecessary loss of weight, and is considered the mark of good craftsmanship.

The next step is performed by the blocker. This is when the culet, the four bezel facets on the crown, and the four pavilion mains are fashioned. The rest of the faceting is accomplished in the step called brillianteering which adds 24 crown facets and 16 pavilion facets.

Lastly the diamond will be ready for its final polish when any external blemishes like girdle fringing is removed and the diamond is finished as the beautiful gem that will out-shine all others.

Color

Color refers to the actual body color (the color of the material itself) of the diamond. This is different from the play of color (the flashes of rainbow colors) that results from dispersion. Diamonds will range from colorless (D on the scale) to yellow to brown (Z on the scale), with only very slight tinges of color separating each grade in between. Without a set a guide stones for comparison, it is very difficult to discern color differences or to see color in a mounted stone through I color. Most diamonds are shades of white to yellow to brown, however, there is a rare classification of diamonds called fancies that come in a wide variety of colors.

While diamonds are 99.95% simple carbon in composition, the presence of certain trace elements will create color in a diamond. The presence of nitrogen will create yellow in a diamond. Boron causes a diamond to be blue. The Hope Diamond is the number one most visited exhibit in the Smithsonian. Its mysterious legend and rich blue color make this 45.52 cushion cut diamond an object that people have admired for many years. The rarest of the fancy diamonds is red of which only 10 are known to exist in the world. Blue is the next most rare. Pink is also very rare and the recent highly publicized celebrity engagements with pink diamonds have created more awareness and desire for pink stones.

The best way to think of colorless is to imagine a drop of pure, distilled water; of course, true colorless diamonds are very rare, and therefore, very expensive. D color represents 1% of all diamonds. D-E-F color is considered colorless, G-H-I near colorless, J-K-L slightly tinted. Diamond is the only gemstone where “no color” is the preferred color. Virtually every other gemstone is valued for intensity and saturation of color.

COLOR GRADING

GIA is the most widely accepted system; it is also the most stringent, with a smaller classification at the upper end. View a diamond through the pavilion to see body color (how much yellow or brown).

Differences between D-H in a mounted stone are very difficult to discern.

D - Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare.
E - Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond.
F - Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologit, but still considered a “colorless” grade. A high quality diamond.
G-H - Near colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value.
I-J - Near colorless. Color slightly detectable. An excellent value.
K-M - Faint yellow.
N-Z - Very light to light yellow.

ABOUT FLUORESCENCE

A physical property that a diamond may or may not possess. Causes a diamond to appear a different color than it actually is when viewed in certain lights. Actually is a radioactive property.

It can produce a yellowish, bluish, or whitish glow in Sun-light or fluorescent light. Blue is the most common, and it can mask yellow; viewed in incandescent light (normal candle or regular lamp), the diamond will appear yellow, if indeed it is.

Doesn’t add or take away from value. Actually, it makes a diamond look bluish, which enhances color. Diamonds that exhibit strong yellow florescence, however, will be lower in price, since it detracts from the beauty of the stone.

WHAT COLOR GRADE IS THE BEST?

For the purist, look for a colorless diamond with a grade of D-F and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none, or negligible.
For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable color to the unaided eye, look for a near-colorless grade of G-I, and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue.
Or, if you'd rather not compromise on color but would like to stay on budget, choose a diamond with a good cut, SI1–SI2 clarity, and consider going with a strong fluorescence. It will still be beautiful to the unaided eye and you may prefer the unique effect of a strong fluorescence.

NATURAL FANCY COLOR DIAMONDS

Red, pink and blue are extremely rare. Fancy color diamonds are valued for hue, tone, saturation, and intensity. The grading ranges from fancy, fancy light, to vivid. The least valuable but still expensive is black. On 4/28/87, Christies sold a 0.95 purplish red stone with 2 large flaws for $800,000. There are 10 known reds in the world!

IRRADIATED DIAMONDS

Color is artificially enhanced through bombardment in a cyclotron field. Irradiated diamonds are much less expensive. Tests can be done to determine if color was enhanced artificially.

CLARITY

Clarity refers to the presence or absence of certain diamond identifying characteristics, known as inclusions. The location, size, types and color of these inclusions all help to determine where a diamond falls on the clarity grading scale. Clarity is only one characteristic of quality, so don’t use the terms interchangeably. Keep in mind that the higher the clarity, the more rare, and consequently more expensive. Only about 2% of the world’s diamonds are flawless.

CLARITY GRADING TERMINOLOGY

The most widely accepted standard for clarity grading is the scale developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Its greater number of classifications makes it the strictest system. (An alternative scale is the AGS, which has slightly fewer classifications.)

Internally FLawless - No inclusions visible at 10x magnification.
VVS1 - Minute inclusions, extremely difficult to see at 10x magnification.
VVS2 - Minute inclusions, very difficult to see at 10x magnification.
VS1 - Minor inclusions, difficult to see face-up at 10x magnification.
VS2 - Minor inclusions, somewhat easy to see face-up at 10x magnification.
SI1 - Noticeable inclusions, easy to see at 10x magnification.
I1 - Obvious inclusions at 10x, visible to the unaided eye.
I2 - Obvious inclusions, easily visible to the unaided eye.
I3 - Prominent inclusions.

CARAT WEIGHT

The more a diamond weighs, all things being equal, the more it will cost. Weight is different than size. A diamond can look bigger and weigh less, depending on how it’s proportioned.

Diamonds are weighed in terms of points and carats. Carat comes from the carob seed, (from a tree in the Mediterranean region) which was a method of measure in ancient times. There are 142 carats to the ounce!

Because of the density difference between gemstones, two stones can appear to be the same size, yet have different weights. For example: Emerald weighs less than diamond, so an emerald that actually weighs 1 carat will look bigger than a 1 carat diamond. On the other hand, ruby weighs more than a diamond, so a ruby that weighs 1 carat will look smaller than a 1 carat diamond. As discussed previously, this is the result in differences in specific gravity.

CARE

Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth. They are uniquely resistant to damage by heat or scratching, and can be cut or polished only by another diamond — but an extremely hard blow to the girdle can cause a diamond to chip. By having your diamond set in a relatively protective setting, and remaining conscious of it on your finger, you can keep your diamond intact for a lifetime. Exposure during ordinary wear to perspiration and household chemicals, like chlorine and hairspray, can cause buildup that dulls the surface of a diamond. We suggest periodic cleanings to keep the diamond brilliant and refractive.

CLEANING YOUR DIAMONDS

A solution of one part ammonia and six parts water can be used to clean diamond jewelry at home. If cleaning by hand, gentle scrubbing with a soft brush should loosen most dirt and greatly increase the brilliance of the diamond, but be careful not to scratch the metal of your setting. Once a year, it is a good idea to have your diamond cleaned and have the security of the setting checked.

STORING YOUR DIAMOND JEWELRY

We recommend that all diamond jewelry is stored individually in soft cloth pouches when not being worn to prevent the diamond or diamonds from scratching or dulling other jewelry.

CLARITY ENHANCED DIAMONDS

OUR UNIQUE WEIGHT-SAVING, SIZE-RETENTION TECHNOLOGY

During the Yehuda clarity enhancement process we insert a microscopic amount of material into the part of the diamond that contains a feather. This material has the same optical properties as the diamond itself. When light travels from one medium to another, it either changes its course or reflects in a different direction. When light attempts to pass through a non-enhanced diamond that has a feather, the light hits the feather and reflects off in any number of directions. That is why we see the feather, and the diamond doesn't appear to be clean. With a Yehuda diamond, the light passes through the natural feather because the material used for the enhancement has the same optical characteristics as the diamond. The beam of light "thinks" it's still traveling through the same material (diamond) and continues its original course.

WHO INVENTED THIS CLARITY ENHANCEMENT PROCESS?

In 1982, Zvi Yehuda, an extremely famous Israeli scientist discovered a way to enhance the clarity of diamonds. The revolutionary process optically eliminates "feathers", which are naturally occurring in most diamonds. The result is a more visually stunning diamond that you can purchase for significantly less then a similar-looking, non-enhanced diamond. Best of all, Yehuda Diamonds are totally natural and come from the same diamond mines as all other diamonds. The clarity enhancement process is not visible to the naked eye. Only your trained jeweler will ever know that you own a natural Yehuda Clarity Enhanced Diamond.

DOES CLARITY ENHANCEMENT "CHANGE" A DIAMOND IN ANY WAY?

No, it is still a natural diamond - it just looks better. The amount of material used to fill the feather is so microscopic that even the world's greatest diamond laboratory, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has reported that Mr. Yehuda's clarity enhancement process adds ZERO WEIGHT to a diamond. Take a look at the before and after pictures below and judge for yourself.

HOW JEWELERS CAN IDENTIFY A YEHUDA DIAMOND.

An enhanced diamond sold by Yehuda Diamond Company has a built-in signature "flash effect." Easily seen under normal 10X magnification, the flash effect appears as a line of vivid color at the location of the enhancement.

The flash is usually purple or green in color. When jewelers see the flash, they can easily identify the precious stone as a Yehuda Diamond and take the proper precautions of not introducing the stone to the jeweler's torch or boiling acids or bases - the only things that may effect the enhancement.

Be sure you receive the Yehuda Lifetime Guarantee CD with every purchase of a Yehuda Clarity-Enhanced Diamond. The lifetime guarantee safeguards your purchase and ensures that you have purchased a genuine Yehuda Diamond, not an inferior imitation.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE YEHUDA GUARANTEE.

Your Yehuda Diamond is a natural diamond from deep in the heart of the earth which has been technologically enhanced to become as brilliant, clear and beautiful as modern science can make it. The only things likely to compromise the integrity of your diamond's enhancement are the flame of a torch or boiling acids and bases. In the unlikely event your Yehuda diamond should lose its enhancement, Yehuda will gladly restore the enhancement of your diamond at no charge

No questions asked.

Be sure you receive the Yehuda Lifetime Guarantee CD with every purchase of a Yehuda Clarity-Enhanced Diamond.

The lifetime guarantee safeguards your purchase and ensures that you have purchased a genuine Yehuda Diamond, not an inferior imitation.

OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Learn what we and other jewelers are doing to prevent the sale of Conflict Diamonds. All our diamonds have been obtained from reputable sources not involved in the funding of conflict and in accordance with the Kimberly Process.

To learn more, go to www.diamondfacts.org

BIRTHSTONES

GOLD

Gold is an excellent medium for jewelry, maleable yet durable, pure and beautiful, with a rich appearance that complements many gemstones. The intrinsic value of gold makes it an excellent choice for any jewelry selection. Most gold jewelry is 58.5% pure gold with numerous other alloy metals making up the remaining percentage to provide additional durability, coloring, and other properties conducive to the purpose. Often alloyed with white metals to change the color to silver(white), even then gold must be plated with a platinum metal to give it a bright white color.

KARAT DEFINITION

The karat system is used to reveal the amount of pure gold found in a piece of jewelry. Solid gold jewelry is not actually solid at all. A portion of the gold is mixed with different alloys. Each shade of gold uses a different combination of alloys. Karat values range from 24K down to 9k. The gold content on anything 8k or less is so low that it wouldn't be considered solid gold jewelry. Karat is also used on gold filled and gold plated jewelry. Even though these pieces are not solid all the way through, the portion of gold included also has a certain percentage of pure gold.

RANGES OF KARAT VALUES

24 karat (24K) gold is pure gold.
18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts another metal or metals, making it 75% gold.
14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals, making it 58.3% gold.
10 karat (10K) gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal or metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10k gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold in the US.

These values are primarily used on gold from the Unites States. You will see a lot of 22k gold in other countries as well as 9k gold. Jewelry from other countries also has a different set of gold markings they use.

Platinum

Platinum is an excellent choice for jewelry, with a natural white color that develops a deeper sheen as it ages through wear and use. Platinum jewelry is typically 90-95% pure platinum with the metal alloyed with other Platinum Group metals such as irridium, palladiium, or others. Platinum is an excellent choice for setting diamonds, and is one of the most durable and longest lasting metals used in jewelry manufacturing.

PALLADIUM

Palladium is a Platinum Group metal and is often used as a white metal without the expense of Platinum but is better for stone setting and longevity than Silver.

Silver

Silver is a very popular white metal, and while it is more abundant and therefore not valued quite as high as its siblings, it is still an excellent choice for jewelry. It is beautiful, durable, and easily worked into intricate and beautiful designs.

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TRADITIONS

Tradition tells us that each wedding anniversary should be celebrated by giving your loved one a gift made from a different material. Paper symbolizes the first year of marriage, but with each passing year, the gifts become more precious or more rare. This progression is meant to symbolize the growth in a couple's relationship through the years.

The origins of the traditional list are not known, however some of the traditions are believed to date back to medieval times. Today, we accompany these traditions with a more modern list that not only offers greater variety, but in many cases, puts a higher value on earlier anniversaries. In addition, a list of jewelry and gemstone traditions offers recommendations for those who prefer to adorn their loved one with something truly precious each year.