Remember, diamonds are normally sold on a retail basis. This is where you, the consumer, buy most stones. As one purchases stones of a higher quality and larger weight, stones that are designed for investment purposes rather than ornamentation, it is possible to actually buy at or near wholesale prices. When one goes to sell the stone, if one simply walks into a jeweler or New York-type diamond seller, one expects to lose from the retail price the stone may have been purchased at.

A number of factors establish the value of a diamond, one of which is the size of the stone. There are certain levels where the value of a high grade stone jumps appreciably simply because the stone is over this weight. In general, a large high-rated stone is worth logarithmically more than a number of small stones equaling the larger stone’s weight. It is, as one would expect, considerably harder to find flawless or near flawless large stones.

When the jeweler or professional goes to buy a stone there are several things he will evaluate in order. Generally the stone is graded using the four C’s of diamond grading. These are:

1. Clarity

2. Color

3. Cut

4. Carat weight

There are established methods and models for grading stones and one could reasonably expect to take a stone of a certain grade from one professional to another and come out with a similar rating. One should also remember this grading is subjective and there will be times when two accredited gemologists will give a different rating, possibly affecting the stone’s value, by hundreds or thousands of dollars to the very same stone. It is wise to be able to at least make a good amateur estimate of the various rating points on your own instead of having to blindly depend on someone you may not know.

An oriental Diamond formerly belonging to Nadir Shah, Sultan of Persia, deserves the next place: it is without flaws or faults of any kind, and weighs 193 carats. Its form is that of a flattened ovoid, and it is about the size of a pigeon’s egg.

The next in size is a rough Brasilian Diamond, found in the river Abatio in, possession of the Prince Regent of Portugal weighing near an ounce troy.

The Pitt or Regent Diamond, is said to, have been found in Malacca, It was purchased by Mr. Pitt, an English gentleman, then Governor of Bencoolen in Sumatra, and was sold by him to the Regent Duke of Orleans by whom it was placed among the crown jewels of France, and of which it still forms the great glory. It is cut in the form of a brilliant, and is absolutely faultless. It weighs 136 carats, and its value as estimated by a commission of jewellers in the year 1791, is twelve millions of livres.

Perhaps one of the largest and most beautiful coloured Diamonds is a rich sky-blue brilliant, belonging to the crown jewels of France: it weighs 67 carats, and is estimated at three millions of livres.

In this list I have not enumerated the supposed great Diamond of Portugal, because it is now the general opinion, both of mineralogists and jewellers, that this stone is a white topaz. It was found in Brazil, in the Diamond mines, is as yet in its rough state, and weighs 1680 carats, above eleven ounces.

From the centre to the circumference of the iron plate are lines or shallow grooves formed by rubbing it in that direction with a fine-grained gritstone; these grooves serve to retain the mixture of oil and Diamond powder with which the plate is charged. In order to keep the Diamond perfectly steady while the polishing of each facet is going on, the following contrivance is had recourse to. A copper cup (called a dopp) about three quarters of an inch in depth and in width, and furnished with a stem about four inches long of stout copper wire, is filled with plumbers’ solder, which also projects in a conical form beyond the rim of the cup: in the apex of this cone, the solder being softened by heat, the Diamond is imbedded with one of the facets projecting.

The stem of the cup is now put into very powerful pincers, which screw up with a nut and a wrench or lever, and thus hold it perfectly tight. The handles of the pincers (called tongs) are of wood, are broad and terminated by two feet, about an inch high, so that when laid horizontally they are supported exactly as a pair of candle snuffers is, the studs fixed to the handles of the snuffers representing the legs of the pincers, and the single stud near the point of the snuffers representing the inverted copper cup holding the Diamond, and at the same time having its stem strongly griped by the pincers. In this position the Diamond is placed on the plate, the pincers resting on their legs on the wooden bench or table that supports the plate, and pressing at the same time against an upright iron peg; the broad part of the pincers between the legs and the Diamond, is then loaded with weights, both to steady the machine, and to increase the pressure of the Diamond against the skive.

Matters being thus adjusted, a little oil and Diamond powder is dropped on the plate, it is set in motion at the rate of about 200 revolutions in a minute, and the process of grinding down, and at the same time of polishing is begun. The Diamond is taken up and examined from time to time, and is adjusted so as to give the facet its true form. The heat occasioned by the friction is at all times pretty considerable, and when the pincers are heavily loaclen it occasionally increases to such a degree as to soften the solder and displace the Diamond. This is a serious accident, frequently occasioning a flaw in the Diamond, and always tearing up the surface of the skive so as to damage it very considerably. There is room on the skive for three or four Diamonds at the same time; and to give each its proper share of attention is as much as one person can well manage. The completion of a single facet often occupies some hours.

Diamonds are brilliant cut, rose cut, and table cut. The brilliant is deservedly in the highest estimation, as it is the form which shows to the greatest advantage the peculiar lustre of this gem. The proportions and method of forming the brilliant are described by Jeffries; and with regard to the shape and position of the facets no change has hitherto taken place, although, from the present fashion of preserving as great a spread or surface as possible, the rules for proportioning the dimensions of the brilliant are by no means strictly adhered to.

The brilliant may be considered as formed of two truncated pyramids united together by one common base, the upper pyramid being much more deeply truncated than the lower one. The plane formed by the truncature of the upper pyramid is called the table (a); that formed by the truncature of the lower is called the collet (b); the common base is called the girdle (c); the space between the table and the girdle is the bizel (d) and that between the girdle and the collet is the collet-side (e).

Both the table and the collet are regular octagons; the bizel is formed by eight lozenges and twenty-four triangles; the collet side is occupied by four irregular pentagons alternating with as many irregular lozenges, radiating from the collet as a centre, and usually called the pavilion facets, and bordered by sixteen triangular facets, adjoining the girdle. The brilliant is set with the table side upwards, and the collet side implanted in the cavity made to receive the Diamond.

The regular rose Diamond, is the form given to those stones the spread of which is too great in proportion to their depth to admit of being brilliant cut, without a great loss of substance. It is formed by covering the whole surface of the stone with equilateral triangles, each pair being placed base to base, so as to form a kind of rhomb.

The table Diamond is the least beautiful mode of cutting, and is applied only to those stones or rather fragments, which with a considerable breadth have only a very trifling depth.

Good stones, from one to four or five carats, if skilfully cut either into brilliants or rose Diamonds, lose in the process somewhat less than half their weight; hence the value of a cut stone is twice that of a rough stone of equal weight, independently of the cost of cutting.

The Diamond-cutters of England are confessedly the best in Europe, but their number is unfortunately so small as to, occasion many stones to be sent to Holland ; where, from the greater number and more active competition of the artists, the price of workmanship is considerably lower, but in at least an equal degree inferior to that of London. Brilliant cut Diamonds are so infinitely superior to the others, that of late many rose-cut stones from Holland have been recut into brilliants, notwithstanding the additional expence and the loss of size necessarily attendant on this operation.

Diamonds themselves are always equally in fashion, but the mode of setting them varies according to the caprice of taste or the desire of novelty : hence the jeweller has perpetual opportunities of exercising and displaying the inventive elegance of his taste in the assortment of hues and the arrangement of groups. He will cluster together the smaller stones so as to aggrandize and enhance the effect of the whole; the larger and more perfect ones will generally be set open and displayed to the greatest advantage, while the inferior ones will be assisted by setting them solid on black, or, if need be, with coloured foil.

But whatever be the occasion that calls forth his art, whether the construction of a star, a bandeau, a tiara, a plume, a necklace, or an ear-drop, he will bear in mind that his greatest merit is the concealment of his art: the display of belts and borders of gold can add nothing to the superlative splendour of the Diamond.

Silver fades in the presence of gold, gold itself yields to the more brilliant and costly materials of the jeweller, and of these the most beautiful, the most costly, the very perfection of the gem creation is a colourless brilliant without speck or flaw, large enough to attract notice, yet not so bulky as to be cumbersome in itself, or too disproportionate to the smaller ones with which it is associated.

The removal of flaws is a matter of great importance, for, owing to the form in which the Diamond is cut, and its high degree of refrangibility, the smallest fault is magnified and becomes obtrusively visible in every facet. For this reason also, it is by no means an easy matter, at all times, to ascertain whether a flaw is, or is not superficial; and a person with a correct and well-practised eye, may often purchase to great advantage stones which appear to be flawed quite through, but are in fact only superficially blemished.

The first thing that the artist has to do when a rough Diamond is put into his hands, is to examine carefully, in what direction the stone may be cut, so as to afford the greatest breadth, or spread as it is technically termed, after the flaws, if any, shall have been taken out. So great a stress is laid by modern fashion, on the superficial extent of a brilliant, that the old rules for proportioning its dimensions are now nearly obsolete: the best cutters have entirely discarded the use of measures, and in forming the facets, trust wholly to an accurate and well-practised eye.

The direction being determined on, the artist must be well aware which are the hard points, and which the soft ones; the former being those solid angles of the original octohedron, which it is necessary to cut directly across, and the latter, those solid angles which are to be obliquely divided.

A degree of force which may be safely applied, and is even requisite in making a section through the former, will be very apt to flaw and tear up the laminae when applied to the latter. On these accounts it probably is, that the fatiguing and even painful process of performing this part of the business by hand, is not yet superseded by the use of machinery.

These preliminary matters being settled, the Diamond is imbedded in strong cement, fixed at the end of a stout spindleshaped-stick about a foot long with that portion only projecting, the removal of which is to form the first facet.
The instrument employed for this purpose is another Diamond fixed in a stick similar to the former, with one of the solid angles projecting. In order to collect the powder and shivers that are detached during the process, the cutting is performed over a strong box four or five inches square, furnished with a false bottom perforated with excessively minute holes, in order to sift, as it were, the dust from the shivers; and also with two upright iron pegs fixed on the sides, for the workman to support and steady his fingers against, while with a short repeated stroke somewhat between scratching and cutting, he is splitting off or more laboriously wearing away the Diamond in that part where the facet is to be placed.

This being done, the cement is softened by warming it, and the position of the Diamond is changed, in order to bring a fresh part under the action of the cutting Diamond. When in this slow and laborious way all the facets have been placed upon the surface of the Diamond, the cutting is completed. The stone, if examined by a moderate magnifier, now presents ragged rough edges; and a broken foliated surface with a glistening lustre on those facets that are nearly in the direction of the natural laminae, and on the other facets a more even surface, but of a dull opake greyish white colour.

The shape of many Diamonds is so irregular, that it is necessary to remove pieces of considerable magnitude, in order to bring them to a form proper for cutting. Where the lines of these proposed sections coincide with the natural lamellar structure of the stone, the workman has recourse to the delicate and perhaps somewhat hazardous operation of splitting the Diamond, by which a double advantage is obtained. In the first place there is a great saving of time, and in the second place the slices of shivers are themselves sufficiently large to admit of being cut and polished. The method of splitting is made a great mystery of, thus much however may be mentioned, that when the direction in which the section is to be made has been determined on, it is marked by a very fine line cut by the point of another Diamond; the stone is afterwards fixed by strong cement in the proper position in a block of wood, and then by the application of a due degree of force the section is effected.
The Diamond being thus, by the joint action of splitting and cutting, brought to the required form, the next object is to polish the facets, and at the same time to redress any little inequalities that may have taken place in the cutting.

We have seen a large and costly Brazilian diamond fractured accidentally in two by some such means ; but if we remember right, this was occasioned by a fall, after having been subjected to heat. Many authors have permitted their fancy to rove on some attribute peculiar to the diamond, either real or supposed; thus, we are told, that a diamond is softened and broken if steeped in the blood of a goat; but not, according to others, unless it be fresh and warm, nor even then, fractured without blows; and that it will also break the best hammers and anvils of iron.

Sir Thomas Brown says, that a diamond being steeped in goat’s blood rather receives thereby an increase of hardness; ” for,” he observes ” the best we have are reducible to powder without it; and are so far from breaking hammers, that they submit to pistillation, and resist not an ordinary pestle.”
The truth is, as far as the goat’s blood is concerned it makes no difference either way ; and we know very well that it is a matter of no difficulty to crush the diamond in a steel mortar; from its lamellar texture it is also capable of being split and cleaved, and jewellers are by these means enabled to work it. The test of a diamond, in the Brazils, we believe to be this: when placed on a hard stone, and struck with a hammer, if it either resist the blow, or separate into laminae, it is concluded to be one. The introduction of a steel point will easily separate the laminse of the diamond. Small round diamonds cannot however be split.

From the extreme brilliancy of the diamond, and its purity, it was consecrated to all that was celestial, and accordingly supposed that it would triumph over all means employed to subdue it, the solar ray, excepted. It did triumph indeed over the hot furnaces to which it was exposed in the crucible of the alchymist, but the spell which united it to the sunbeam is now dissolved, and it has yielded to the severity of the ” torture and inquisition” of modern chemistry. Newton, reasoning from its great density and high refractive property, concluded that the diamond was combustible, or, to use his own language, ” an unctuous substance coagulated,” though he was in some measure anticipated by Boetius de Boot, in 1609. The event has amply verified this conjecture, and the Tuscan philosophers and the Honourable Mr. Boyle ascertained the fact.

The first grand experiment to prove the combustibility of the diamond took place in the presence of Cosmo the III. Grand Duke of Tuscany, wherein the diamond being exposed in the focus of the great lens (still in the Grand Duke’s laboratory at Florence), it was entirely volatilized. Guyton de Morveau, and others, consumed the diamond, and it was readily dissipated in the focus of the great mirror of Tchirnhausen, as we believe it subsequently was in that of Parker’s burning lens. In the year 1771, Macquer observed the diamond to inflame. Guyton de Morveau had proved that the diamond was destroyed when projected into red-hot nitre; and it was also burnt by means of melted nitre in a gold tube, by Mr. Tennant.
When fragments of diamond were introduced into the brilliant arch of flame, evolved between points of charcoal in the galvanic batteries of the Royal Institution, consisting of 2,000 double plates, and exposing a surface of 128,000 square inches, they rapidly disappeared, being completely volatilized. The diamond may be easily consumed by being placed in a cavity of charcoal, and urging on it the flame of a spirit lamp, by means of a stream of oxygen.

So far the combustibility of the diamond was completely ascertained, but its nature remained still undetermined. Lavoisier had proved and pointed out that carbonic acid gas was evolved as a product both in the combustion of the diamond and that of charcoal, and thus their identity was inferred. The researches of Clouet, Messrs. Allen and Pepys, and others, have confirmed this conclusion- Sir George Mackenzie converted iron into steel by powdered diamonds. Mr. Children’s immense battery consisted of twenty triads, each six feet long, by two feet eight inches broad, exposing a total surface of thirty-two feet; when iron, with diamond powder interposed, was exposed to its influence, the iron was converted into steel, and the diamond disappeared; and Mr. Smithson Tennant, having placed a diamond in a gold tube, supported in a state of incandescence ; a stream of oxygen, by means of gentle pressure, was made to traverse it, and the result proved that the oxygen was transformed into an equal volume of carbonic acid gas, which was found in an opposite receiver resting over mercury.

Sir Humphry Davy, when at Florence, made some experiments with the Grand Duke’s burning lens, on the combustion of the diamond. He found that when the gem was introduced into a glass globe supplied with oxygen, and kindled by the lens, it continued to burn after it was removed from the focus—the oxygen was supplanted by an equal volume of carbonic acid gas, while there was no deposit of aqueous vapour. On the other hand, when plumbago and charcoal were consumed under similar circumstances, there was a sensible diminution of volume, and also a formation of watery vapour, clearly proving that the latter contained hydrogen.

It was once stated that some approximation had been made to the formation of the diamond in the laboratory of the Royal Institution, with their extensive galvanic battery. By acting on charcoal in vacuo, minute hard crystals were said to be formed round the superior wire. Our informant, however, had but an indistinct idea of the mode adopted, and the general features of the experiments ; and as it has never been announced or described, in all probability there is some mistake in the case. It does not seem to us at all probable that diamonds are likely to be formed by an artificial process, though we know the attempt has been made both by means of the galvanic battery and the compound-gas blowpipe; no fear need, however, be apprehended from any such rivalry, more than from the method of forcing by artificial means the unio margaritifera or meleagrina margaritifera to form pearls at command. These molluscs either would not obey the commission, or they were misshapen, unsightly, and worthless.

Spherules of shells, or some other substance, flattened at the bottom, are forcibly inserted between the animal and the shell, in such a way as the animal may not be able to displace them. These, in a short time, are covered with a layer of pearly matter, which is supposed to be secreted by the mantle. It has been stated in France, that a solution of phosphorus in sulphuret of carbon yields minute diamonds. We have been in the habit of using this compound for many years, and have never discovered any thing of the kind; and the diligent search we have made, since this strange announcement, has been equally unsuccessful—we believe diamonds are not so easily formed. From the result of our experiments, we are inclined to think, that in steel the charcoal assumes a crystalline form and arrangement.

The diamond is a gem characterised by its extreme hardness ; notwithstanding this, it often presents, in its rough state, sufficient evidence of having undergone abrasion by friction. There is a peculiar and almost indescribable grating sound produced by rubbing two diamonds together in the hand, which is a tolerably good test.

The diamond is sometimes externally, and always internally, bright, and causes a single refraction of the rays of light.
It is generally crystallized of various forms, of a lamellar structure, strikes fire with steel, and is the hardest of all known bodies; it cuts the hardest crystals, even rubies and sapphires, and the oriental amethyst.
Nothing but diamond powder, obtained by rubbing two diamonds against each other, can polish it, and it is cut by fragments of diamond set in a maule. The diamond is stated to be consumed and volatilized at a temperature which melts silver. It requires a temperature of 5000° F. for its combustion. When exposed to the sunbeam, and carried afterwards into darkness, it exhibits phosphorescence, and it has been stated that such diamonds as do not display this peculiarity may be made to do so by dipping them into melted borax. It becomes phosphorescent also when fixed to the prime conductor of an electrical machine, and a few sparks are taken from it.

The diamond becomes electric by friction, and the Honourable Mr.Boyle obtained electric gleams on rubbing two diamonds together in the dark. It is said, that when fulminating silver is exploded in contact with the diamond, reduced silver is precipitated on it. By igniting fulminating mercury both on and near some diamonds, I found however only faint and equivocal evidence of reduction. The specific gravity of the diamond has been estimated at 3500, water being 1000,—though it must be admitted, that the comparative hardness and specific gravity have been variously estimated, thus:

—An oriental diamond from Ormus, possessed a specific gravity of 3′ 4, and a comparative hardness equal to 20
—a pink diamond with a similar specific gravity, exhibited a hardness equal to 19
—while a bluish diamond, and one of a yellowish tint, with a similar hardness of 19, possessed a specific gravity of 3′ 3, and a cubic diamond of 18, a specific gravity of 3′ 2.

Thus we know distinct names were given to the two pillars that were reared in the porch of the temple at Jerusalem ; and the two chief diamonds belonging to Persia are hyperbolically termed, in the language of the east, ” the Sea of Glory,” and ” the Mountain of Splendour.”

The ancients seem to have been well acquainted with the use of the diamond in etching, and it is even stated that the figure of Mars, or of Hercules surmounting the Hydra, was engraved on it. The diadem, which is more ancient than the crown, was not worn until after Constantine, in the lower empire. This was a fillet, tied in a knot behind, and adorned with pearls and diamonds, either in a single or, a double row, which empresses were also permitted to wear. The diadem thus decorated may be observed on some of the coins of Constantine and Jovian.

There is in the British Museum an ancient Roman gold ring, with an octahedral diamond set in it: and in the clasp of the mantle of Charlemagne, still preserved at Paris, there are four diamonds, natural crystals. It was sometimes considered a talisman, and when under the planet Mars, esteemed favourable.

In former times it was supposed to cure insanity, and to be an antidote to poisons; notwithstanding which, Paracelsus was said to have been poisoned by diamond powder :* we believe it to be as inert in the one case as it is harmless in the other.

The Greeks called this gem “unconquerable” and AdaMant was given to it in consequence of this suppositious virtue, in that it was esteemed victorious over fire, and to resist the hardest things.

Ancient Greek writers describe it as only found in Ethiopia, between the island Meroe and the temple of Mercury. The notions of the ancients about it seem to be altogether confused and indistinct.

According to Pliny, there existed between the diamond and the magnet a natural antipathy. ” There is,” says he, ” such a disagreement between a diamond and a loadstone, that it will not suffer the iron to be attracted ; or if the loadstone be put to it and take hold of it, it will pull it away.”-)
- It is needless to observe, no such antipathy can now be discovered in the case; and if the grand test of inductive truth, ” experimentum fiat,” had been then applied, it would, like the witty monarch’s problem propounded to the Royal Society, have been found an equally gratuitous assumption. We, at least, have found no diminution of the attractive powers of the magnet, when we interposed between a magnet and a fine needle no less than five fragments of diamond.

Emeralds also break under applications of heat and should never be in a ring that is soldered. Under ultraviolet light they may fluoresceslightly, orangish red to red, or they may be inert.

Emeralds come from a number of sources. The best come from Colombia. These are the purest colored and generally the finest stones. The emeralds from Brazil are lighter, have more inclusions and are generally smaller than from other areas. Zambia, Africa, produces some bluish stones and some near-Colombian stones. Zimbabwe is home to a particular emerald known as the sandawana emerald which is generally small with a rich green color. Anything over 1/3 carat is rare.

South Africa produces some low-quality emeralds. Tanzania produces a few very good quality emeralds. Pakistan has just discovered some high-quality emeralds. Afghanistan tends to produce flawed but good colored emeralds. USSR does produce emeralds but doesn’t like to let them out of the country. Australia produces some dubious quality emeralds and North Carolina a few gems. Austria and India occasionally produce emeralds.

Emeralds are not unusual as the word emerald simply indicates an extremely nice version of a fairly common stone known as beryl. It is possible to buy something legitimately called an emerald for about $5 a carat. Obviously this is full of flaws, not transparent and so impure in color it looks more like jade than an emerald. They would never be sold in a jewelry store but emeralds do sell on TV and some of the better magazines for $5 per carat.

Gem quality emeralds range anywhere from $400 to $18,000 a carat, depending upon their quality. As the stones get larger, they become increasingly rare and sell for considerably more money.

Color is a critical factor in emeralds and constitutes about half of the stone’s value (clarity 30% and cut 20%).

Hue describes the primary color and any other colors in the stone. Most emeralds are green hued with a bluish hue also visible, especially the better Colombian-type emeralds.

Tone is the depth or darkness of the color as perceived by the eye.

Saturation is the amount of hue present in any given color.

Depending upon where the emeralds come from, they can exhibit a wide range of color; i.e., Brazilian emeralds are usually lighter toned and less saturated than their Colombian cousins.

The green in the emerald is caused by trace elements of chromium and/or bandium. If the color is very light green, the stone is more correctly referred to as green beryl, not emerald.

Emeralds are often oiled to help their appearance. Normally an uncolored oil such as Merck cedarwood oil is used. The stone may soak in the oil for several days and will actually take the oil in somewhat, helping bring out the color and “wedding” on some of the dry inclusions, making the stone look better.

If one finds an emerald that is mild in color or has a grayish hue, it is a good bet to soak it in oil a couple days and it may regain its green color, not to mention its value.

A more unscrupulous “improvement” is to use dye or oil with color in it. It is possible to influence the color of a stone by having it soak up colored oil.

Other problems with buying emeralds are the fact that there are a number of stones that look like emeralds and overlap colors. Tsavorite, a garnet found in Kenya and Tanzania, looks quite a bit like emerald and has a pure green hue, although it tends to be a little bit more yellowish and never has the blue hue of emerald.

Chrome tourmaline is another stone that looks much like an emerald with a moderately strong green color. Another emerald look-alike comes from Africa and is called chrome diopside. All these stones can, and are, sold as emeralds to the unwary.

Different emeralds from different areas tend to have individually shaped inclusions; i.e., slight pyrite inclusions are typical of emeralds from Colombia although they can be seen in stones from other sources.

A three phase inclusion that shows up under a 1 Ox or stronger microscope, which has a distinctly liquid area, a gas bubble in a solid square rock crystal, salt Iying superimposed on each other inside a jagged edged cavity, is typical of emeralds from Colombia and proves their natural origin.

Tropiche emeralds from Colombia sometime exhibit six fine radiating arms of black carbon inclusions, spoke-like in appearance. Another type of this stone has six arms of emeralds extending from the center of the crystal with a white shaped wedge area in between. When these stones are cut and mounted, they are valuable because of their inclusions.

Emeralds are subject to not only customs duty but market restraints as there is no OSO type organization supporting them. It is possible, if one is smart and has verification equipment, to buy emeralds in other countries, notably South America, and smuggle them to America for profit. Coincidentally, the areas one smuggles emeralds from are the same areas one smuggles cocaine from and these passport stamps tend to yell search me, search me. Some people even go to the trouble of swallowing and then recovering emeralds although obviously, we do not encourage or advise this dangerous practice.

There’s also a device known as a color meter which electronically measures the
color or lack of color in a stone. This meter is quite accurate although
fairly hard to come by unless one is a member of the Gemological Institute of
America.
The GIA color rating system has been established using alphabetical
nomenclature. The stones are rated from pure (totally colorless) down through
a sliding scale to yellow, which is the least valuable stone. The GIA color
rating system starts with the letter D and progresses through the alphabet as
shown below to Z, which would be very yellow.

A B C D E F ) Colorless
G H I J ) Near Colorless
K L ) Faint
M ) Yellow-White
N O ) Very Light Yellow
P ) Light Yellow
Q ) Yellow
R S T U ) Light
V ) Yellow to Fancy
W ) Fancy
X Y Z ) Yellow

After the letter Z, indicators are used to suggest the stone is more valuable
because of its hue; i.e., a “fancy” color. As you can see from the above chart,
D, E and F stones are considered completely colorless. G, H, I and J are near
colorless stones and take a lot of practice for the amateur to see any color
at all, while after J the stones begin to pick up a small tint of yellow that
is noticeable to practiced gemologists.
To correctly grade a gemstone, the stone must be loose, not in a setting,
should be on a perfectly white background, should have a white gem quality
temperature light and should be viewed from the rear of the stone. In other
words, the stone should be upside down Iying on its table. It is also
extremely helpful to have stones of known color grades nearby for active
comparison.
Never attempt to judge the color of a diamond when it is set in any kind of
setting, be it earring, ring, or whatever as it is strictly impossible to
judge the color of a mounted stone that is taking on hues and tints from the
mounting itself.
Color is a very important consideration in choosing investment quality
diamonds and, in fact, the differences in large sizes such as one carat and
over from a D to an E color (again these are the top rated stones and are both
considered colorless to the naked eye) can be double the price between these
two grades.

10 – Flawless – no blemishes can be found.

9 – VVS-1 – no flaws inside the table. Possible very small internal
flaws outside the table. If any external flaws are present,
must be very minor.

8 – VVS-2 – very difficult to see flaws with 1 0x magnification power
employed.

7 – VS – 1 – flaws readily seen using 1 0x glass but almost impossible
to see when the stone is viewed from from the back.

6 – VS – 2 – the back looking down through the stone.

5 – Sl – 1 – flaws unable to be seen with the naked eyes but quite
apparent using 1 0x magnification.

4 – Sl – 2 – inclusion may include carbon spots or clouds or feathers
underneath the table or larger flaws outside of the table.

3-1 – I-1 to 3 – this is the least valuable group. They are heavily flawed
and the flaws can be determined with the naked eyes. There
are going to be internal flaws inside the table, maybe
clouds, groups of carbon spots, feathers and/or cracks
that can be seen with the eye.

VVS – Very, very, slightly imperfect
VS – Very slightly imperfect
Sl – Slightly imperfect
I – Imperfect

A flawless stone is simply that. No flaw can be found even with the use of a
10x jeweler’s loupe or 10x microscope. As you go down the scale, the VVS-1 may
have one very small inclusion, generally not in the table (which I’ll cover it
later in the file) portion of the diamond but possibly on the edge. Again,
this flaw is seen only from the front and only on using 10x magnification. It
should not be visible to the naked eye.
As we get into VVS-2, there may be more than one flaw wlth magnification but
they’re still extremely small. One small inclusion may be in the table area of
the diamond.
Into the VS grades, the flaws become larger and more prominent than their VVS
cousins. VS2 may have larger flaws or a number of small spots possibly located
in the table of the diamond that group together and are almost considered one
flaw. They are generally in the same area.
When we talk about 10x magnification, this can be in the form of a jeweler’s
loupe which is a fairly inexpensive must-have item for anyone serious about
stones or a step upward which is the two eyepiece (stereo) microscope, which
many jewelers will have on the premises and will let one borrow when perusing
their stones.
It is wise to always make sure that the magnification device employed is 1Ox.
This is the standard and any variation from this will affect the rating of the
stone to a great degree.
Note that flawless VVS and VS rated stones are rated when looking at the stone
right side up with a 1 Ox magnification device. If you pick up a stone that
supposedly falls under one of these ratings and you can see inclusions with
the naked eye, you’re not looking at a stone that is properly rated.
An Sl-1 rated stone will have inclusions that are very obvious under 1Ox
magnification, but should still be borderline visible or not visible when
viewed with the naked eye. The Sl-1 stone may have these borderline visible,
small dots or inclusions in the table or edge of the stone. An Sl-2 rating
will have larger flaws and probably more than one. These will be easily
visible to the naked eye.
In the I grades, the stones can be considered either quite flawed or imperfect.
Flaws are probably inside the table. There may be flaws of more than one
variety, clouds, cracks or groups of black or white carbon spots will be
visible. This last group of stones obviously are the least valuable and the
least interesting for anyone trying to convert from cash to gems and back
again.
Looking backward we can infer several things, the first of which being if you
can spot a number of inclusions without the use of magnification device, the
stone is going to be graded 1, whether l-1, I-2 or l-3 is open to some
subjective effort, but it will be an I rated stone.
If you can’t find flaws with your eye alone but they do become visible when
using a loupe, one can assume that the stone is an Sl rated stone.
The differentiation between an S stone and a VS stone is that in a VS stone
inclusions may not be seen extremely clearly even with the loupe. If the stone
is turned over and laid on the flat front part (the face of the stone – this
is the table) and one views down from the back of the stone where all the
facets come to a point and the flaws are more readily seen here, one can
assume it is a VS-2 or above rated stone.
Note this viewing is done under white light and with the stone loose. It is
very difficult to judge any of the 4 C’s when the stone is mounted. Mounted
stones are not generally considered for investment grade purchases. The stone
should be loose and one should be able to turn it freely.