diamond cut Archives

Celebrating Cushion Cut

February 20, 2015

By Amanda L. Colborn One of the most popular and consistently trending diamond and gemstone shapes is the cushion cut. Originally referred to as the “old mine cut,” the cushion cut is essentially a square cut with rounded corners, much like a cushion…hence it’s name. Arguably, one of the top most popular cuts today – the round cut diamond being the first – the cushion cut has been around for approximately 200 years. Cushion cuts have evolved over time, refinements have been made since the 1920’s to improve the brilliance and light return of the cut causing a big increase

So fancy!

January 16, 2015

By Alethea Inns, CG Did you know that diamonds aren’t just round? They are cut in all shapes and styles to suit any personality or occasion. With diamonds, a “fancy shape” is anything other than a round. Usually, the rough diamond crystal is shaped as an octahedron – a three-dimensional shape with eight faces, much like two pyramids stuck together at their base. When the diamond crystal isn’t the typical octahedron because of how it was formed in the earth or transported to the surface, diamonds are cut into fancy shapes to get maximum yield from the crystal. Fancy shapes

Finding Your Jeweler

January 2, 2015

By Alethea Inns, CG As a jewelry industry professional, I am often asked where to find a jeweler, how to find one that is trustworthy, or where to get professional appraisals. My answer is always the same. Find an American Gem Society credentialed jeweler or appraiser, and you are guaranteed a jewelry industry professional committed to your best interests. AGS credentialed jewelers are pledged to consumer protection, business ethics, and continued education. Jewelry stores that are AGS members are admitted to the Society after going through a series of approvals by an anonymous panel of fellow industry professionals, and their

How do you sparkle?

October 24, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn How do you sparkle? You’re likely familiar with the 4 C’s of Diamonds: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat – however, there is another very important aspect of diamonds to keep top of mind: Sparkle! Sparkle, or Scintillation as it is also known, is the play of white and colored flashes of light seen when the diamond is viewed in motion. Viewable with the naked eye, sparkle is the life of the diamond. Sparkle does have two different aspects, flash scintillation and fire scintillation. Flash Flash scintillation is the dynamic pattern of white sparkles observed across a

4 Reasons Diamonds are Not Expensive

May 7, 2014

By Preston Wallace, CGA, K-Jon’s Jewelery Customers walk in my door every day and say “Wow! $8,000 for that? Diamonds are expensive!” But they’re not. I know what you’re thinking: I’m crazy, right? No, I meant what I said, and no, I’m not crazy. If you consider what diamonds are, how we get them, and what their value does over time, I think you’ll agree that diamonds are NOT expensive. Here are 4 reasons why: 1. Diamonds are Rare On average, one million diamonds must be mined to find one 1ct diamond. Think about that! Diamonds are extremely rare, especially

The American Gem Society

October 3, 2013

by Beau Davis, CSA Shelton Jewelers – ABQ, NM What it is all about – A diamond is the world’s most precious gemstone. Between their unique optic qualities and sheer hardness, these little beauties, though miniscule, have become a valuable part of civilization today. But how do you know that you, as a consumer or buyer of diamonds, are getting what you’re paying for? With such small sizes and high values, there can be much ambiguity and misinformation throughout anyone’s shopping experience. These are some of the primary issues the American Gem Society works tirelessly to prevent. How the AGS

Smart Phones & Diamonds

July 18, 2013

By David C. Rotenberg, Certified Gemologist Appraiser DID YOU KNOW that your smart phone can make your diamond shopping experience easier? Now I don’t mean surfing the net, I mean actually looking at and comparing diamonds. Professional Jewelers like American Gem Society Jewelers have a tool called the ASET (Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool) which will reveal a well cut diamond, or a not so well cut diamond. What you want to see in a diamond with the ASET device are symmetrical patterns with lots of red which shows brilliance, some blue which is contrast and some green which is light

What Can Pink Floyd Teach Us About Sparkle?

May 25, 2013

By Donna Jolly Deputy Executive Director, American Gem Society We all love diamonds, right? They are a multi-purpose gemstone, filling in the blanks for an array of emotions and symbols. A diamond can represent love when given to someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, or it can be a calling card for status when worn as a big honker on the ring finger of your right hand. Diamonds can be passed down for generations, proving that, well, a diamond really is forever. We know we love them, but what about this romantic gem makes

Considerations Cutters Take When Shaping Diamonds

March 27, 2013

Today’s blog post is written by American Gem Society member, By Marc Nanasi, from NEI Diamond professionals swear that Cut is the ‘C’ which has the most influence on a diamond’s beauty,and interestingly enough, it is also the only C that is controlled by humans (a diamond’s color, carat weight, and clarity are dictated from the rough stone found in nature). What most people don’t realize about cut is the extensive amount of consideration that goes into the cutting process. Cut can influence a diamond’s value by up to 50%! The decisions which have the largest affects on the final

Why Is a Diamond's Cut Important?

January 3, 2013

Today’s Guest Blogger is Alethea Inns, CG, Director of Diamond Grading for the American Gem Society Laboratories. Alethea’s post today is on a topic she knows very well: a Diamond’s Cut, and how it helps make a diamond even more beautiful. Cut is, without a doubt, the most important of the 4 Cs. The cut of a diamond has the greatest overall influence on the diamond’s beauty. Facets that are correctly placed on the diamond allow it to act like a system of windows and mirrors that return the most light to the eye in the most balanced way. That being

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