The Elements of Diamond Certification

Most people have heard of the 4 ‘C’s of diamond grading, i.e. the Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. However there are other factors that come into play when grading diamonds. These are Fire, Brilliance, Scintillation and Fluorescence. Whilst not so widely known these other qualities are good indicators of the value of the diamond you are intending to buy.

A Diamond’s Fire
The ancient Greeks took the view that a diamond captured the flame of love, in a symbolic sense and thus the association with jewelry and love tokens involving diamonds began. The fire of a diamond is of course a scientific notion, examining the light dispersed by diamonds which can be seen as flashes of rainbow color. This is more noticeable in a dull light or a darkened room. Older diamonds with more angular, steep cuts tend to be more ‘fiery’ simply due to their cut.

A Diamond’s Brilliance
This is also referred to as return of light. It measures the amount of light returned to the eye when the diamond is stationary. It is perceived by a lot of jewelers to be the most import aspect of a diamonds attributes as it is what attracts people to a particular gem and what they exclaim or enthuse over the most.

A Diamonds’s Scintillation
This is the flash of a light dispersed by a diamond when it moves through the light. This is basically the return of light whilst the diamond is moving as opposed to stationary brilliance.

These three qualities are very closely related and will be determined quite often by the cut. A certain cut will have more fire or be more brilliant and it is a matter of personal choice what is the most important factor for you.

A Diamond’s Fluorescence
This is caused by the presence of boron when the diamond formed. Fluorescence is activated by the presence of UV rays in the natural light spectrum. It is responsible for a blue tinge, which can be beneficial in offsetting the yellowish taint many diamonds inherently possess. Depending on the quality of the gem it can be a desirable trait, but on the whole jewelers would not recommend this quality in itself, unless you particularly wish to have a blue gem.

Colored Diamonds
Blue diamonds are sometimes in favor and sometimes not, according to consumer trend and preference. Of late, colored gems are definitely in vogue. Pink and canary diamonds are particularly highly sought after. A fancy blue, which is a bright vivid color, would not only be highly desirable and very beautiful, but its strong fluorescence could actually enable it to glow in the dark!

Diamond certificates issued by independent gemological laboratories, of which there are quite a few. One example is the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). These organizations will have already examined and graded the stone you are looking to buy. You will therefore see mentioned indicators of fire, brilliance etc on the certificate which the jeweler will hold. This is a diamond’s passport and no quality stone will be without one!

Unless your purchase of diamonds is strictly investment based, the element which really matters most is whether you like it or not! It is all well and good examining these scientific qualities in minute detail but these facts will be next to useless if you do not love the diamond to begin with. Diamonds are not just the ultimate in sparkling crystals, they do possess a personality. Ensure that personal bond is there from the outset you will have given yourself the most crucial factor in possessing such a gem!

Yellow Diamond Engagement Rings
Colored Yellow diamond information for prospective purchasers or yellow diamond rings and other jewelry