Diamond Education

How to choose your diamonds

Understanding Diamond Anatomy and Cut Quality

A diamond’s brilliance begins with its cut – perhaps the most crucial factor in determining a stone’s overall beauty. Here at Nanaimo Jewellers, we believe in educating our clients about what makes a diamond truly exceptional.

The Anatomy of a Diamond

A well-cut diamond consists of several key components:

  • Crown: The upper portion above the girdle
  • Table: The flat top surface
  • Girdle: The outer edge where top meets bottom
  • Pavilion: The lower portion below the girdle
  • Culet: The small or pointed facet at the bottom

Cut Quality Factors

The magic of a diamond’s sparkle comes from how light interacts with these elements. Superior cut quality ensures:

  • Brightness: The white light reflected from both internal and external surfaces
  • Fire: The spectacular dispersion of light into rainbow colours
  • Scintillation: The captivating pattern of light and dark areas, creating that coveted sparkle

At Nanaimo Jewellers, we carefully select diamonds that meet exacting cut standards. Our collection features diamonds graded from Very Good to Ideal cuts, ensuring you receive a stone with maximum brilliance and fire.

Understanding the 4 C’s of Diamonds Shopping

Shopping for diamonds in Nanaimo? Let’s break down the famous “4 C’s” into simple terms that actually make sense. At Nanaimo Jewellers, we explain diamond quality in a way that helps you make the best choice for your budget.

Clarity: How Clean is the Diamond?

Shopping for diamonds in Nanaimo? Let’s break down the famous “4 C’s” into simple terms that actually make sense. At Nanaimo Jewellers, we explain diamond quality in a way that helps you make the best choice for your budget.

Diamond Clarity Descriptions
  • FL to VS2: No visible marks to the naked eye – perfect for engagement rings
  • SI1 to SI2: Small marks that usually need a magnifying glass to see – great value
  • I1 and below: Visible marks – we typically don’t recommend these

A Diamond’s Cut: The most important for sparkle factor

Cut is the most important factor that affects a diamond’s sparkle. The shape matters in how it refracts and reflects the light that shines into the stone.

Diamond Clarity Descriptions
  • Excellent Cut: Maximum sparkle – these are the show-stoppers
  • Very Good Cut: Great sparkle at a better price
  • Good Cut: Still sparkles, but might be less brilliant
  • Fair or Poor Cut: We don’t recommend these – they lack the sparkle you want

Diamond Colour Grades

Diamond colour is graded from D (completely colorless) to Z (light yellow).

Diamond Color Descriptions
  • D-F: Perfectly colorless – the most expensive
  • G-J: Near colorless – best value for engagement rings
  • K-M: Slight color – can look beautiful in yellow gold settings

Carat: How Big Is the Diamond?

While many think carat just means size, it’s actually the diamond’s weight.

Diamond Sizing Descriptions
  • 1 carat = 0.2 grams (about the weight of a paperclip)
  • Popular engagement ring sizes: 0.5 – 2 carats
  • Pro tip: Going slightly under whole numbers (like 0.9 instead of 1.0) can save you money

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