Determining the color of a diamond is the most pressing issue, which always gives rise to fierce debate. Why is that? Let's find out! There are several gemological systems, each of which describes the color of a diamond in its own way:

Photos of diamond color standards according to GIA (from D to M)

The international GIA system describes the highest color with the Latin letter D, and then descending colors are E, F, G, H, I, J, K, etc. Everything is simple here: D-E-F is the highest group of colors, they are called “colorless”. They differ from each other only in a slight tone, which can be seen by a specialist by turning the diamond upside down. This group belongs to very rare and investment diamonds. These diamonds are only available for custom made jewelry.

Diamonds in the G-H group are called “near colorless” because they have a slight yellowish tint that can be seen when comparing D and H color diamonds. If there is nothing to compare with, then a non-specialist will not notice any tint. For this reason, G and H color diamonds are the most sought after for jewelry making, because... D colors look no less impressive, and are several times cheaper.

The Russian system inherited the Soviet GOST R-52913, where the highest color of a diamond is indicated by the number 1, followed by colors 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. After color 6, complex color ranges begin: 6.1, 7, 8.1-8.5, 9.1-9.4 , which contain up to 16 shades according to GIA. To understand them, you will need special education. In addition, a 1-carat diamond and a 0.29-carat diamond have different color grading rules, which complicates an already difficult situation even more.

How to compare the international GIA and the Russian diamond color description system?

In itself, comparing Russian and international color determination systems is incorrect. From a logical point of view, numbers and letters are different categories that cannot be compared. We can only say that the Russian system for describing the color of a diamond is more scientific and complex; using it, you need to have special knowledge that only rare specialists have. The GIA system is international, unambiguous, simple. It has strict logic and does not allow ambiguous interpretations. That is why it is trusted all over the world and used both in conservative Europe and in high-tech Japan.

It is important to know:

The shade of fancy shaped diamonds will be more noticeable compared to a round diamond. The larger the diamond, the more visible its shade will be. To accurately evaluate a diamond be sure to find out its color according to the international GIA scale.

Do you want to buy a large diamond and still save a significant amount? Read below - in this article we will tell you how to do this.

Moreover, as soon as a stone reaches a mass of 1 carat, its value increases sharply. It is not surprising that when cutting stones, craftsmen always try to preserve weight, and give preference to carats rather than 0.9 carat diamonds. Hand on heart, the latter are more profitable for buyers than for manufacturers, so they are quite rare on sale. However, getting them is not a problem for us - we work directly with cutting factories and have access to the entire catalog of presented stones at competitive prices. We can also find 2 paired diamonds for making custom earrings.

How much does a 0.9 carat diamond cost?

On our website, the price of a 0.9 carat diamond starts from 112 thousand rubles. We also have stones in fancy cuts and colors. You can view them in this section, and send a request to search for diamonds with the characteristics you need by writing to us Whatsapp/Viber +7-964-712-97-96.

Expert evaluation is a procedure for evaluating a stone by comparing it with other diamonds according to certain criteria. The combination of such criteria constitutes an expert assessment system. Typically, an expert assessment of a stone is carried out according to four parameters (4 “Cs”):

    The first “C” is carat weight. At this stage, the exact weight of the stone is determined by weighing it on scales or calculating using formulas if the diamond is fixed in the product. The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats (1 ct = 0.2 grams).

    The second “C” is color. Completely colorless diamonds are quite rare, and almost all stones have shades of varying colors and intensities. The examiner's job is to accurately determine the intensity and color of a diamond under standard lighting using color standards and assign a color grade.

    The third “C” is clarity (purity). At this stage, all internal imperfections (defects) of the stone are identified. The stone is graded based on its purity.

    The fourth “C” is cut (cut quality). At this stage, characteristics of the diamond’s shape, cutting quality and finishing are given.

Based on these parameters, one can judge how a given diamond stands out among other diamonds, on the basis of which it may be more expensive, or, conversely, cheaper.

1. EXPERT ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS

In world practice, various diamond grading systems are used. The most common is the grading system developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and experts around the world are familiar with this system. Other well-known grading systems are the Higher Diamond Council of Belgium (IDC or HRD), the CIBJO system, the Scandinavian Nomenclature (Scan D.N.), and sometimes older terms are used, especially to describe color.

In Russia, the Russian assessment system is used (TU 117-4.2099-2002). This material focuses on the GIA and TU systems. Western systems, with the exception of rare cases, are easily translated into one another, while all of them cannot be unambiguously translated into the Russian system.

2. ESTIMATION OF THE MASS (WEIGHT) OF DIAMONDS

The weight of an unmounted diamond is determined by weighing it on a carat scale. Weighing is carried out with an accuracy of at least the third decimal place, the mass is recorded to the second decimal place, the third digit is discarded if it is not equal to 9. Simultaneous weighing of a batch of diamonds is allowed. Small diamonds are often screened into size groups and are then sold by size. When combining and splitting lots of diamonds, there may be some change in the weight indicated in the documents.

If a diamond is set in jewelry, its weight can only be accurately determined after setting. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to weigh the stones before setting them into products. The weight of mounted diamonds can be approximately calculated using formulas. For example, the formula for calculating the weight of a standard round cut diamond is:

M=D 2 xHx0.0061

Where M- weight in carats, D- diameter, N- height.

In the case of a thick girdle, depending on its thickness, the coefficient of 0.0061 increases to 0.0067.

The error in calculating mass using formulas is about 10% for properly cut diamonds and can be even greater for stones with distorted geometry, antique and unconventional cuts.

When determining the weight of diamonds using formulas, you must indicate the fact that the weight was determined by calculation.

The purity or transparency of a stone is the main criterion for determining its value, and a diamond is no exception. The cost of a diamond directly depends on the number of inclusions in the structure. Thus, a one-carat diamond with high quality indicators (for example, color/clarity = 1/1) costs around 30-35 thousand dollars, while a stone of the same weight with characteristics 8/12 is estimated at no more than one and a half thousand “green”. Diamond grading It is impossible to notice with the naked eye the difference in the clarity of a diamond with parameters 1/1 and the clarity of a diamond 3 3 or 3/4, therefore, you should not chase a perfectly clean stone. A diamond with average characteristics looks exactly the same as a clean one. but it costs an order of magnitude more. Defects in a diamond can only be seen with a 10x magnifying glass or microscope. Stones with clarity (8,9,10,11,12) are rated very low; these are cheap diamonds, but their purchase can hardly be considered profitable. It is better to compromise in color than in the transparency of the stone. Diamonds of the lowest purity groups have inclusions (flaws) visible to the naked eye, and can easily break if handled carelessly. If you are going to buy a defective stone, you should try to choose one whose inclusions are concentrated in the lower part of the pavilion. But it is better to refrain from purchasing diamonds with numerous defects in the area of ​​the platform (upper part), since the stone will greatly lose in brilliance and optical properties. Manufacturers strive to mask the flaws of stones using all known methods - often defective diamonds undergo a refining procedure. Thus, cracks in the structure of the mineral are filled with a special substance with a high refractive index. In addition, jewelers usually “hide” the defective area of ​​the diamond under the setting so that it is not possible to evaluate the diamond without damaging the jewelry.

Diamond 1 1

A “pure water” stone, also known as a 1/1 diamond, is the most expensive among other groups of diamond color and clarity. This is not surprising, since the 1/1 characteristic is assigned only to the best diamonds.

Nature of diamond purity defects 1

Diamond clarity is the number of natural inclusions in the stone's structure. They can be either internal (impossible to get rid of by polishing without losing weight) or external (surface defects that can be removed by polishing). A GIA grade 1 or IF diamond may have only minor external imperfections that can be easily removed with secondary polishing. As for internal defects, they may be present in the structure of the diamond, but are invisible when viewed through a 10x magnifying glass, and it is with its help that the diamond belongs to one or another purity group.

The best diamonds

1/1 diamonds are quite rare guests both in jewelry stores and in the bins of diamond dealers, and they cost several times more than stones of the same size, but with average characteristics. Usually such diamonds are ordered in advance.

Diamond 2 2

Diamonds with clarity 2 (GIA VVS1) are almost as rare in nature as the purest diamonds (quality group 1). If the presence of internal defects is not allowed in stones with clarity 1, then diamonds with clarity 2/2 have inconspicuous light inclusions-dots.

Defectiveness of diamonds 2/2

It is almost impossible to see these tiny dots from the side of the site - if you look closely you can catch them by looking from the side of the pavilion. There should be no more than two dots, or the presence of a barely perceptible stripe is allowed. To purchase a diamond of clarity group 2 or VVS1, you sometimes have to wait several years. If you are lucky enough to find a 2/2 diamond, do not rush to buy - First make sure the information on the certificate is correct. To protect yourself from scammers passing off an “average” stone as a diamond of exceptional purity, only require a GIA certificate, the world's most authoritative gemological center. Diamond 3 3 Diamonds with a clarity of 3 (or VVS1) open the category of the best-selling diamonds, both set and unset. The fact is that it is diamonds of 3 - 6 clarity groups that are excellent for investment, they show stable growth and are an excellent way to save money. Of course, you should only buy stones weighing one carat or more.

Defectiveness of diamonds of purity group 3

Internal defects of a 3/3 diamond at 10x magnification appear as three inconspicuous light dots (clouds, feathers) or two dark dots (stripes) Of course, if you take a microscope, you can find other “imperfections” of the mineral, however, when determining the clarity and color of a diamond, only 10x magnification is used and no more.

For the buyer, these minor flaws are completely invisible; he does not see the difference between,

for example, the first purity group and the third. The situation is similar with color assessment: experts, under certain lighting, compare the color of a diamond with standards, catch the slightest shades of color, blooms, and buyers examine stones with the naked eye and even with poor artificial lighting in the store. Naturally, there will be no difference between a 3/4 diamond and a 3/5 diamond. Diamond 4 4 One of the most popular diamonds are round diamonds with a clarity of 4 and a color of 3 or 4. These diamonds (4/4) do not fall in price and give a good increase in value from year to year. Of course, you shouldn’t expect super income, but they are perfect for preserving capital. Diamonds with a clarity of 4 are generally not assigned controversial quality characteristics, and for clear stones this is quite common (two different gemological centers may assign different characteristics to a stone).

Defectiveness of diamonds of purity group 4

It must be said that natural inclusions are a kind of “litmus test” that helps identify natural diamonds . The origin and authenticity of a diamond can be determined by the presence of natural defects.

When determining cleanliness defects, their size is assessed,

number, nature, location, color of defects, etc. Looking at a diamond of 4th purity category through a magnifying glass, at least two minor inclusions can be seen in central area or 2-4 light dots (or 2 stripes) in other areas. For a 4/4 diamond, a small crack on the side is omitted. Diamond 5 5 A diamond with a clarity of 5 (VS1) belongs to the so-called medium clarity stones. However, we need to make a small clarification: for a large diamond, transparency 5 is a very good characteristic, but a small stone (up to 0.29 carats) with a purity of 5 is considered frankly defective. This is due to the fact that in large diamonds the difference between clarity groups 3 and 5 (and the colors too) are impossible to notice with the naked eye, but the difference in clarity for small diamonds is visually noticeable. That is, visually a 4/5 diamond will be indistinguishable from a 5/3 diamond (with a weight of 1 carat), and the difference in price will be significant.

Defectiveness of diamonds of purity group 5

The study of the location, size, and nature of inclusions is comparable to human fingerprint identification procedure. Synthetic diamonds do not have natural inclusions, their physical and chemical properties are now close to those of diamonds, therefore, only the defects of the stone prove its naturalness. Diamond clarity 5 is a small light cloud (or crack or 5-6 light lines) in the center of the stone. If the inclusions are in the peripheral part, then for a 5/5 diamond, three small cracks are allowed. Diamond 6 A clarity 6 (VS1) diamond is an excellent option for buyers who want the largest marketable diamond possible on a limited budget. Diamonds of clarity group 6 are in great demand in European countries, but for some reason Russian buyers are scared off by the number 6. Meanwhile, a 6 6 diamond is an average quality diamond, the most common quality group. But stones weighing more than one carat in most cases look the same regardless of their clarity. A 6th grade diamond is visually identical to purer stones. The difference can only be seen with a 10x magnifying glass (this is about eight small light inclusions, dispersed over the entire area of ​​the stone, or five dark dots or a small inclusion of graphite). In natural light, these defects are completely invisible. And since there is no visual difference, why overpay?

Diamond 7

Diamonds of purity group 7 (SI1) are characterized by multiple natural inclusions in the structure.

In this case, the characteristics of the diamonds will be the same, but the nature of the inclusions will be different.

Everyone chooses what they like. We can only advise one thing: if you are offered several diamonds of clarity 7,

Diamonds without playing

When buying a diamond, you need to take into account a lot of nuances, study dozens of offers and, with a limited financial budget, decide for yourself the question: What do you have to sacrifice for the weight of the stone? Color or purity? Clarity is a kind of test of a diamond, one of its main parameters. When it comes to diamonds with a clarity of 10, 11, 12, it is better not to sacrifice anything, especially your money. These are diamonds without “play” or sparkle. They have numerous graphite and other inclusions, as well as cracks along the entire diameter of the stone. Defects are noticeable even to the naked eye and negatively affect the refractive and reflective properties of the diamond. Luxurious radiance and mesmerizing play of colors? Not with these diamonds. Another minus is numerous cracks. If a diamond suddenly falls out of a ring, it is quite possible that it will break. There can be only one recommendation here - give in to the mass of the stone, give up the color of diamonds, but take a clarity of at least 8.

Industrial diamonds

Industrial or industrial diamonds are much more common than jewelry diamonds, and their cost is much lower than jewelry diamonds. Industrial diamonds are mined in more than thirty countries. These are stones with numerous defects that there is no point in cutting. However, even low-quality industrial diamonds still have the highest hardness in the world, and therefore are widely used for industrial purposes. They are used mainly as an abrasive substance. Industrial diamonds can be found in diamond drill bits, dies, cutters, electronic devices, etc.