Information Center

Prong Setting

• Description: The most common setting, where the gemstone is held in place by metal prongs (usually four or six). The prongs lift the diamond above the band, allowing maximum light to pass through it, enhancing its brilliance.
• Pros: Maximizes the diamond’s visibility and brilliance; classic and timeless.
• Cons: Prongs can catch on clothing and require periodic maintenance to ensure they remain secure.

Bezel Setting

• Description: A metal rim encircles the gemstone, holding it securely in place. The bezel can be full or partial.
• Pros: Excellent protection; sleek and modern; unlikely to snag.
• Cons: Can make the diamond appear smaller; less light reaches the stone.

Pavé Setting

• Description: Small diamonds are set closely together along the band, creating a continuous sparkle.
• Pros: Adds significant sparkle; enhances overall brilliance.
• Cons: Can be harder to resize; small stones may loosen over time.

Halo Setting

• Description: A central gemstone surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds to enhance brilliance and perceived size.
• Pros: Makes the center stone appear larger; adds glamour.
• Cons: Higher cost; may require more maintenance.

Channel Setting

• Description: Diamonds are set within a channel in the band with no prongs separating them.
• Pros: Sleek, modern look; excellent protection; smooth surface.
• Cons: Difficult to resize; reduced light exposure.

Tension Setting

• Description: The gemstone is held in place by pressure from the band, creating a floating appearance.
• Pros: Unique, contemporary design; maximum light exposure.
• Cons: Hard to resize; less secure; not suitable for all gemstones.

Bar Setting

• Description: Diamonds are secured between metal bars rather than fully enclosed.
• Pros: Good security; modern and elegant look.
• Cons: Less light exposure; resizing can be challenging.

Flush Setting (Gypsy Setting)

• Description: The gemstone sits flush within the band, creating a smooth, low-profile design.
• Pros: Extremely secure; minimalist; does not snag.
• Cons: Reduced brilliance and visibility; difficult to resize.

Cathedral Setting

• Description: The band arches upward toward the center stone, resembling cathedral arches.
• Pros: Adds height and drama; enhances the presence of the stone.
• Cons: Bulkier feel; raised design may snag.

Vintage / Antique Setting

• Description: Inspired by historical designs, often featuring filigree, milgrain, or engraving.
• Pros: Romantic and unique; intricate craftsmanship.
• Cons: Delicate details may require extra care and make resizing harder.

Each setting style offers a distinct balance of beauty, security, and maintenance. When choosing a setting, consider your lifestyle, desired level of protection, and personal aesthetic.

The Importance of Diamond Cut

The cut of a diamond is the most significant factor affecting its brilliance, fire, and overall sparkle. While many think of cut as the shape of a diamond (like round, oval, or princess), it actually refers to how well the diamond’s facets are proportioned and angled to interact with light.

A well-cut diamond ensures light enters the stone, reflects internally, and exits through the top, creating a stunning display of brightness and sparkle. On the other hand, a poorly cut diamond may allow light to escape through the sides or bottom, making it look dull.

Where to Find It on a Diamond Report

On grading reports from reputable organizations like the International Gemological Institute (IGI) or the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the cut grade is prominently listed. The diamond cut scale ranges from Excellent to Poor for round brilliant cuts. For non-round shapes (fancy cuts), cut grades are removed from the diamond report and replaced by evaluations of proportions, symmetry, and polish.

Understanding Diamond Proportions

Proportions describe the relationships between a diamond’s dimensions, such as its table size, depth, crown height, pavilion depth, and girdle thickness. These measurements are essential because they determine how light moves through the diamond. When proportions are ideal, light reflects and refracts efficiently, maximizing the stone’s brilliance and sparkle.

Key Proportional Aspects to Consider

• Table Percentage: The flat, top surface of the diamond as a percentage of the stone’s width.
• Depth Percentage: The depth of the diamond relative to its diameter—neither too shallow nor too deep for optimal light performance.

Where to Find It on a Diamond Report

Both GIA and IGI reports include a “Measurements” or “Proportions” section, detailing depth percentage, table percentage. These numbers are critical to evaluate if the diamond’s cut achieves its intended brilliance.

Shallow, Deep, and Ideal Cut Diamonds: Key Differences

• Ideal Cut Diamonds: Perfectly balanced proportions that maximize brilliance, fire, and sparkle. Light reflects internally and exits through the top, creating stunning beauty.
• Shallow Cut Diamonds: Flatter with a low depth percentage. Light leaks out the bottom, reducing sparkle. They appear larger for their carat weight but lack brilliance.
• Deep Cut Diamonds: Steeper with a high depth percentage. Light escapes through the sides, making them appear darker. They may look smaller for their weight but are less brilliant.

Tips

• Aesthetic Appeal: Most people prefer diamonds that appear colorless or nearly colorless because they reflect light more effectively, making them sparkle more.
• Value: As you move down the color scale from D to Z, the diamond's value typically decreases, with colorless diamonds being the most valuable.
• Personal Preference: Some individuals may prefer diamonds with a slight tint, especially if they are set in yellow gold, where a near-colorless diamond might appear more harmonious with the metal.

• Unit of Measurement: Carat is a unit of weight used to measure gemstones and diamonds. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams (0.2 grams).
• Impact on Size: While carat weight is related to a diamond's size, it doesn't tell the whole story about how big a diamond appears. The diamond's cut, shape, and proportions also influence its perceived size.
• Value: Generally, the higher the carat weight, the more valuable the diamond is, assuming all other factors (cut, color, clarity) are equal. However, the relationship between carat weight and price is not linear; diamonds increase significantly in price as the carat weight goes up, especially at certain benchmark weights like 1.00 carat, 2.00 carats, etc.
• Symbol: Carat weight is often denoted as "ct."

Formation

Natural diamonds form over billions of years at depths of about 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 118 miles) beneath the Earth's surface, where temperatures are around 1,000°C to 2,000°C (1,832°F to 3,632°F) and pressures are about 725,000 to 870,000 pounds per square inch. Under these conditions, carbon atoms bond in a tetrahedral structure, resulting in the diamond's characteristic hardness.

Characteristics

• Hardness: Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on Earth, rated 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. This makes them highly resistant to scratching.
• Optical Properties: Diamonds have a high refractive index and dispersion, giving them extraordinary brilliance and fire (the ability to disperse light into various colors).
• Purity: While pure diamonds are colorless, they often contain impurities like nitrogen, boron, or other elements, which can give them various colors, such as yellow, blue, pink, and green.
• Inclusions: Natural diamonds often have internal features called inclusions, which can include other minerals or small flaws within the diamond. These inclusions are like fingerprints, making each diamond unique.

Mining and Distribution

Natural diamonds are typically mined from kimberlite or lamproite volcanic pipes, which are deep-rooted volcanic formations. Major diamond-producing countries include Russia, Botswana, Canada, and Australia. Once mined, diamonds are sorted, cut, and polished to enhance their appearance before being sold as gemstones.

How They Are Made

Lab-grown diamonds are typically created using one of two methods:

• High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT): In this method, carbon is exposed to high pressure and high temperature conditions that mimic the natural process of diamond formation. A small diamond seed is placed in a carbon source, and under extreme conditions, carbon atoms bond to the seed and form a larger diamond crystal.
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): This method involves placing a diamond seed in a chamber filled with a carbon-rich gas (such as methane). The gas is ionized into plasma, which allows carbon atoms to deposit onto the seed layer by layer, growing into a diamond crystal.

Identification

While lab-grown diamonds are identical to natural diamonds in every way and form, they can only be distinguished using advanced equipment that uses spectroscopy to identify the presence of elements like nitrogen or boron. Humans can't detect these minute differences without this technology.

Diamond Detection Pen

While diamond pens were once a method for distinguishing diamonds from simulants, they are no longer sufficient in today's market because:

• They cannot distinguish between natural and lab-grown diamonds.
• They mistakenly identify moissanite as a diamond.
• They fail to consider the evolution of advanced simulants.
• They ignore other critical diamond properties.

Modern jewelry professionals need to use multi-faceted testing methods, like spectroscopy or fluorescence analysis, to ensure accurate identification of diamonds and their origins.

Rough diamonds from various origins: laboratory-grown CVD rough diamond (left), laboratory-grown HPHT rough diamond (middle), natural rough diamond (right).

GIA Research Collection

Cost and Ethics

• Cost: Lab-grown diamonds are generally less expensive than natural diamonds because they do not involve the extensive mining process and can be produced in a controlled environment.
• Ethics: They are a more ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to mined diamonds, as they avoid the environmental damage and human rights issues associated with some diamond mining practices.

In summary, lab-grown diamonds offer a sustainable and affordable alternative to natural diamonds without compromising on quality or appearance.