The Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry's experienced staff will help you select the perfect diamond. We welcome your questions and special orders, and we are proud to feature rare natural colored diamonds as a regular part of our designs.
Clarity |
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Almost all diamonds contain minute traces of non-crystallized carbon or small non-diamond crystals. Most are not discernible to the naked eye and require magnification to become visible. Called inclusions, they are nature's fingerprint and make every diamond unique. Minute inclusions neither mar its beauty nor endanger its beauty; however, the fewer they are, the rarer the stone will be. |
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Carat-Weight |
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As with all precious stones, the weight -and therefore the size -of a diamond is expressed in carats. The carat originated as a natural unit of weight: the seeds of a carob tree. Diamonds were traditionally weighed against these seeds, however, the system was later standardized and one carat was fixed at 200 milligrams (1/5 of a gram). One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 25 points is described as a quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats. Size is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond, but two diamonds of equal size can have unequal prices, depending on their quality. Diamonds of high quality can be found in all size ranges. A finished diamond can have one of several shapes which are known as "cuts". This cut should not be confused with cut, one of the four major factors (the "4C's") that helps to determine the value of a diamond, the others being color, clarity and carat weight. The most popular of all diamond "cuts" is the brilliant of round. |
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Cut |
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Of all the 4 C's, cut is the most directly influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature. Diamonds are cut into a number of shapes, depending on the nature of the rough stone. The cut or make of a diamond will dramatically influence its fire and sparkle, for it is the cutter's skill that releases its beauty. |
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Color |
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Although the majority of gem diamonds appear to be colorless, others can contain increasing tinges of yellow or brown, some of which are referred to as champagne diamonds. It is a totally colorless diamond that allows white light to pass effortlessly and be dispersed as rainbows of color. The color grading scale is from totally colorless to light yellow. Rare stones of exceptional color – green, red, blue, pink or amber – are known as “Fancies”. |