The Four C's of Diamonds

Cut

The cut of a Diamond is very important to its brilliance and sparkle. The Diamond is cut to maximize its natural glow. A Diamond can have a perfect color and clarity but a poor cut can make the diamond lose its sparkle. A Diamond can be cut in various shapes such as: round, princess, marquise, baguette etc... for these shapes to sparkle the greatest their cut has to be ideal. Diamonds sparkle the greatest when they are ideally cut. This allows the light to travel through the Diamond and exit in a radiance of a colorful rainbow. If a Diamond is incorrectly cut, the light is lost and the Diamond will not sparkle properly. Diamonds sold by Jewelry Unlimited are always correctly cut.

Color

Diamonds vary in rage of color. They can appear naturally colorless and are considered to be the most precious because of their rare find, while others can be brown. A Diamond’s color is defined in a range from D to Z.

• D - is an absolutely colorless very rare diamond.
• E - is also a colorless Diamond that can be detected by an expert gemologist.
• F - is colorless, but very slight color can be detected by a gemologist.
• G-H - these are near colorless Diamonds. The color is slightly noticeable if compared to Diamonds of higher grade, at the same time these Diamonds provide the greatest value to the consumer.
• I-J - are near colorless. Color is slightly noticeable.
• K-Z - grade Diamonds range from yellow to brown

Clarity

Clarity defines the natural sparkle of a diamond. A higher clarity Diamond is much more rare and valuable than lower clarity Diamonds. Clarity is defined when rating a diamond in that the Diamond may or may not have the natural inclusions such as scratches, or carbon that can take away from the sparkle a Diamond reflects, and from its value. Clarity Scale Explaining the Grading:

• FL, IF - are Flawless diamonds that have no inclusions or flaws. These are very rare and very expensive.
• VVS1, VVS2 - is Very Very Slightly Included. It is very difficult to spot any inclusion under a 10x magnification. They are eye clean diamonds and are excellent quality.
• VS1, VS2 - stands for Very Slightly Included. The inclusions are not visible to the eye, and are barely if visible at all under a 10x magnification. Very good quality diamonds as well.
• SI1, SI2 - stands for Slightly Included. The inclusions in these diamonds are usually not visible to the unaided eye, but are visible under a 10x magnification. These diamonds are of very good quality and value to the consumer.
• I - clarity stands for a diamond that has slight inclusion that is visible to the unaided eye.

Carat

Total Carat weight measures the total weight of the diamonds that are set in your diamond jewelry item. Whether there is one diamond, or a numerous amount the total carat weight is measured. An example of the total carat weight is if you have a ring with ten diamonds weighing .10ct each, then the total carat weight is 1.0ct also noted as 1.0ctw.

Jewelry Care

Caring for your jewelry starts with proper wear. That means knowing when to put your jewelry on – and when to take it off. Remove your jewelry if you're going to do any manual labor, including housework. A bracelet can be easily broken or bent if it catches on a hook. Gems, even diamonds, can chip or crack if they're knocked against a hard surface. Another danger comes from the harsh solvents used in cleaning, which are not good for any kind of jewelry and particularly harmful to pearls. If you're right-handed, think about wearing a bracelet or watch on your left wrist since you don't use it as much as your right. The opposite applies if you're left-handed.

Proper Cleaning

Regular professional cleaning is a good idea. Not only does it keep your jewelry looking its best, it also ensures that a trained professional takes a look at it at least once a year, allowing for the earliest possible detection of wear or damage. Between professional cleanings, however, there are some things you can do to keep your jewelry clean.

For diamonds, use a soft-bristled non-metallic brush and a mild ammonia and water solution. Gently scrub away any grime, especially around the prongs or setting where buildup is likely. Even a clean looking diamond often has a thin layer of skin oil and will shine better after a cleaning. Avoid touching the diamond as much as possible.

Ultrasonic cleaners are machines that clean jewelry by bombarding them with sound waves. This vibration shakes off dirt, but the vibrations can also cause serious damage. The inclusions in gemstones, especially brittle stones like emeralds, can be greatly enlarged by the shaking, making the stones less attractive and even less valuable. In addition to particular stones, diamonds set in an invisible setting should never be put in ultrasonic cleaners. Invisible settings, use no prongs, and therefore are particularly vulnerable to the harsh cleaning method of ultrasonic cleaners. Because of the risk, we recommend against using the ultrasonic cleaners now available to consumers unless your jeweler specifically says it won’t cause any damage.