Color and Clarity

Color and Value

color value in diamond comes from extremes

• either the degree of the presence of color

• or the degree of the absence of color

• the presence of color is much rarer than the • the presence of color is much rarer than the

absence of color

• the creation of a mass market for colorless

diamonds is a miracle of advertising

“a diamond is forever”

Color Grade

• the degree of the absence of color is graded using the GIA scale of “D” through “Z”

• the market was confused by a multitude of competing proprietary grading systems using competing proprietary grading systems using the letters A,B,C

• the GIA scale, starting with the first unused letter “D”, has been adopted world wide

• Clear simple standards results in effective comparison and an informed consumer

Color GradeGIA Color Grade Descriptive Term

DEF Colorless

GHIJ Near Colorless

KLM Faint ColorKLM Faint Color

NOPQR Very Light Color

STUVWXYZ Light Color

Each grade is a range not a point.

DEF ranges are very narrow.

STUVWXYZ much wider

Color Grade

• To grade a diamond for degree of absence of color, the diamond is compared to a set of master stones.

• The color of each master stone is at the top of its range so any stone with less color is in the letter range so any stone with less color is in the letter grade higher (“D” Highest, “Z” lowest)

• Typically the diamond is placed between two master stones so that it has more color than the higher grade, less color than the lower grade

• View master set

Color Grade

D MSD

E MSE

F MSF MSF

G MSG

H MSH

MS = Master Stone

Color Grade

• Because diamonds pick up color from around them, they must be in a neutral environment and the grader must wear neutral clothing

• Standard results can best be achieved by • Standard results can best be achieved by viewing under specialized north-daylight-equivalent fluorescent lighting with diamond and master stones placed in a tray

• The direction of view through the diamond can be important

Color Grade

• After “Z” the diamond has sufficient color to be reliably valued for the presence of color

• After “Z” the color is given the term Fancy

• the most common colors are brown (caused • the most common colors are brown (caused by plastic deformation) and yellow (colored by nitrogen impurities)

• The rarest colors are Blue (colored by boron) and Red

• Example GIA PINK DIAMOND COLOR CHART

Color Grade

Just some of the colors

of natural diamonds

Diamond Color Grade - Pink

• “Fancy Light Pink”

• “Fancy Pink”

• “Fancy Intense Pink”

• “Fancy Vivid Pink”• “Fancy Vivid Pink”

• “Fancy Dark Pink”

• “Fancy Deep Pink”

• and the rarest color – “Fancy Red”

Color Grade

• Red has only been found in small sizes - so far.

The largest faceted red diamond is the

“Moussaieff Red” 5.11cts

• The third largest at 5.06cts was on display at • The third largest at 5.06cts was on display at

the L A County Natural History Museum

Color Grade

Moussaieff Red 5.11cts $7,300,000

Color Grade

two large blue diamonds are the subjects of speculation. Were they originally one crystal?

• the Wittelsbach-Graff Blue 31.06cts

Fancy Deep Blue Fancy Deep Blue

Value 24 Million USD (Dec 2008 before re-cut)

• the Hope Diamond 45.52cts

Fancy Dark Grayish Blue

Est. Value 200-500 Million USD• GIA Gems & Gemology article Spring 2010 Wittelsbach-Graff/Hope Not Same Crystal

Color Grade

Wittelsbach-

Graff Blue Hope Diamond

Clarity Grade

• Clarity value in diamond comes from the

degree of transparency, which together with

the quality of the cut, effects brilliancy

• The clarity grade is diminished by any • The clarity grade is diminished by any

imperfection internal, or on the surface, which

reduces the amount of light returned to the

eye from internal and external reflections i.e.

reduces the brilliance

Clarity Grade

How do we think of imperfections?

• To the customer, these are flaws

• To diamantaires and jewelers, these are:

inclusions (imperfections which are in the inclusions (imperfections which are in the

diamond or extend beneath the surface)

blemishes (essentially on or above the

surface)

Clarity Grade

GIA clarity grading, in order of decreasing grade

• Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF)

• Very Very Slightly Included (VVS 1, VVS 2)

• Very Slightly Included (VS 1, VS 2)• Very Slightly Included (VS 1, VS 2)

• Slightly Included (SI 1, SI 2)

• Imperfect (I 1, I 2, I 3)

(note: in European grading, there are 3 SI grades SI 1, SI 2, and SI 3. Also Imperfect is spelled Pique and is listed as P 1, P 2, P 3)

Clarity Grade

• nothing beats a large diamond, FL clarity, D color, and Excellent cut for rarity and beauty

• However, for the economically minded, the best bang for the buck may be gained at best bang for the buck may be gained at VS2/SI1 clarity. G, H or I color, and with Very Good cut

• To most eyes, a diamond sized just under a break point looks as big as one sized just over(0.99cts versus 1.01cts)

Clarity Grade

• Imperfect Grades I1, I2, and I3 should be

treated with caution

• There may be hidden weaknesses. The

weakness may reduce the durability with weakness may reduce the durability with

time, and a piece may break off

• In I3, distinctions are based on the combined

effect of durability, transparency, and

brilliance – there may not be much

Clarity Grade

• After Independence (1947), India re-established itself in the diamond industry.

• To jump-start its industry India specialized in small, poor quality stones (who would trust small, poor quality stones (who would trust valuable diamonds to cutters with little experience and no reputation)

• As a result, many stones that would have been used as industrial diamonds became available for cheep jewelry

Clarity Grade

• Bombay is now a recognized cutting center

• In just 60 years, India has changed the

diamond industry worldwide

– It is now the world’s leading cutter by volume– It is now the world’s leading cutter by volume

– It has improved the economics of diamond mining

• (economy jewelry stores are no longer

ashamed to sell a diamond setting where

everything shines except the diamond)

Clarity Grade

• Clarity grading is conducted at 10 times

magnification (10x)

• 10x is the magnification of a standard loop

• If an inclusion cannot be seen at 10x it doesn’t • If an inclusion cannot be seen at 10x it doesn’t

effect the clarity grade

• If an inclusion can be seen with the naked eye

through the crown, the clarity grade will

usually be Imperfect

Clarity Grade

• on a practical note, synthetic diamonds are getting closer to perfect day by day. Technical problems that protect us now, are being overcome

• in the future, Internally Flawless, or Very Very Slightly included diamonds, which have proof

of natural origin on the surface or inside, may have more value in the market place than a Flawless diamond that does not!

Clarity Grade

Growth lines in the form of equilateral

triangles (“trigons”) may be left on the

girdle after cutting

Clarity Grade

the equilateral triangle may be a single

step, or a series of steps as shown here

Clarity Grade

• Often the cutting process will expose an

internal crystal inclusion

• If the crystal remains in place, the inclusion is

called a “knot”called a “knot”

• However, the cutting process may drag the

crystal out of the host material, leaving behind

a “cavity”

Clarity Grade

• diamond breaks as a combination of cleavage and fracture

• many of these breaks give the appearance of a “feather”, hence the name of this inclusion“feather”, hence the name of this inclusion

• surface-reaching “feathers” can be treated by injecting a filler. Filling can diminish, but not eliminate, the impact on the clarity grade

• fracture filling can improve the “appearance” one or two clarity grades. It must be disclosed