“He remains unharmed in the strongest fire, this is the light of the sun, thickened in the earth and cooled by time, he plays with all colors, but he himself remains transparent, like a drop of water ...” These words were written long before the well-known phrase of Marilyn Monroe, but do not lose their relevance today.

Needless to say, what every woman would like to have. The price of products with precious minerals, and primarily with cut diamonds, largely depends on the quality of the stone. Therefore, it is very important to be able to correctly decipher the characteristics indicated on the product tag.

Diamond grading system: 4 "C"

When conducting an expert assessment of a stone, a gemologist takes into account 4 mandatory criteria, called 4 "C".

The first parameter is carat weight (stone weight). As you know, the generally accepted measure of the mass of jewelry stones is a carat, equal to 0.2 grams. The word "carat" itself comes from the name of the leguminous tree, the seeds of which were originally measured minerals.

The second is color (color). To the non-specialist, diamonds appear to be completely transparent, but in fact, their shades vary.

The third parameter is clarity (purity). The purity of a mineral is determined by the presence of inclusions in its composition, as well as their features.

The fourth parameter is cut - the cut of the diamond.

It is these indicators that are the basis for determining the quality of a diamond and, accordingly, the cost of the entire product. And now about everything in order.

Let's decipher the characteristics

certificate for fixed jewelry stones is a tag. It is on it that the main characteristics of diamonds are indicated, encrypted in a special code. Each cipher corresponds to either one or several identical stones fixed in the product.

The first number indicates the number of diamonds with identical characteristics.

This is followed by a code for the type of cut of the stone, which includes the letter designation of the shape of the diamond and the number of facets. Then the total carat weight of stones with such characteristics fixed in the product is written. The next two digits, indicated through a fraction, indicate the class of color and purity, respectively (according to Russian specifications). Next, the quality of the cut of the diamond is noted in accordance with the reference.

Cut quality

At the beginning of the 20th century, the mathematician of Russian origin Marcel Tolkovsky published a study “Diamond Design”, in which he presented the proportions of a diamond cut that is ideal in terms of refraction of rays, which provides maximum play of light. So, round diamonds with 57 facets became known as "Tolkovsky diamonds" and received the designation Kr-57. It is this type of cutting that is called Russian all over the world and is considered the world standard.

For small diamonds, a round shape with 17 facets (Kr-17) is considered ideal. This cut allows you to maintain the most optimal ratio of the quality characteristics of the stone with its price.

In Russia, diamond cutting parameters are regulated by TU 117-4.2099-2002. The document specifies some geometric parameters of diamonds, according to which the stones are classified into one of four categories: from A to G. The highest quality cut, in which all recognized reference parameters are observed, is indicated by the letter "A". So, diamonds in SOKOLOV jewelry have just such a cut.

Diamond color

There are several shades of diamond. Some of them have such insignificant, in the opinion of the layman, differences that only an experienced gemologist can distinguish between them.

In Russia, the criteria for assessing the color of a diamond are regulated by TU 117-4.2009-2002. The hues of the stone range from bluish white to cognac and are numbered from 1 to 9. Assessing the color, like determining other characteristics of a diamond, is a painstaking process that requires a highly skilled gemologist. This is evidenced by the terms “hardly perceptible”, “brightly visible”, “insignificant shade”, etc., used in the TS, on the basis of which the diamond is assigned to one or another color group.

In accordance with the current specifications, the color of diamonds with 17 facets is graded differently, from 57 to 0.29 carats and 57 facets from 0.30 carats. Therefore, the shade of a small crystal of color 4 will be more saturated than the color of a larger class 4 diamond from 0.30 carats.

Among 17-sided stones, diamonds of the 2nd group (“with a subtle tint” or “with a slight yellow tint”) are considered the most optimal in terms of price and quality. And for larger crystals with 57 faces, this is the 3rd color class. According to the American GIA system (from the name of the Gemological Institute of America), these numbers correspond to the designations F, G and H.

Color scale for different sizes of diamonds

*The second number after the main one indicates the intensity of the color in one color group.

Diamond clarity

Like determining the color of a stone, grading its clarity is not the same for all diamonds. The Russian specifications describe in detail the nature of inclusions (their volume, quantity, location, etc.) that affect the classification of a diamond to a specific clarity class.

For diamonds Kr-17 used in jewelry, the optimal clarity groups are 2 and 3. For Kr-57 up to 0.29 carats, these are groups 4 and 5, and for larger diamonds with 57 facets - 4-6.

It is important to consider that the groups have a fairly wide range. In simple words: five five different. Therefore, do not rush to conclusions when you see a cleanliness class that is too “low”, in your opinion. In this case, it is better to check with the jewelry manufacturer for more detailed information about diamond suppliers, cutting features and other aspects that affect the quality of the stone.

Black diamonds

AT last years jewelry with black diamonds came into fashion. Some mistakenly believe that these minerals are low grade.

The cost of black diamonds is indeed much lower, but they are more rare. Because of this, jewelry with them is often considered exclusive. When selecting black diamonds, the saturation of the color of the stone, the uniformity of color, the absence of chips and cracks are taken into account.

Choose jewelry with diamonds wisely and please yourself and your loved ones with precious gifts.

Today, there are several systems for grading diamonds in the world. At the same time, the most stringent of them are the Russian TU (the so-called “Specifications”) and the GIA (the grading system of the Gemological Institute of America). Each of them has its own advantages (in Russia there is only one - a more strict color assessment), but the GIA system is more perfect, as it reflects such important characteristics of the cut as the quality of polishing, symmetry and the presence or absence of fluorescence, which is in Russian certificates never reflected. Moreover, for export diamonds are sold only with GIA grades, while they enter the Russian market with TU characteristics, since the Russian consumer is not so sophisticated.

Color.

Diamonds are distinguished by color shades - from colorless to yellow-brown. To determine the color of a diamond, a stone is compared to a color standard of the same size, after which it is assigned the appropriate color group. In accordance with the international GIA system, color shades are characterized by letter designations from D - colorless to Z - rich yellow or brown. The domestic scale of specifications provides for designation by numbers from 1 (colorless) to 9 (brown). The color scale is divided into groups, it starts with colorless diamonds, then goes smooth transitions with increasing saturation yellow color, and ends with the last group, which has a clear yellow or yellow-brown color. The so-called commercial stones have a color of at least 7.

Diamonds, like most other stones of mineral origin, have natural inclusions and defects in their structure. The fewer of them, the more valuable the diamond. There are practically no absolutely transparent diamonds in nature, one can only talk about the purity of a diamond at a tenfold magnification. If no defects are found at the same time, the stone is recognized as a pure diamond. When determining the clarity of a diamond, the number and nature of defects are determined, as well as their size and location in the diamond. The clarity of diamonds is assessed at 10x magnification using a magnifying glass or a special microscope.

Hello, our dear readers! Do you agree that the flawless light play of diamonds always attracts the attention of even the most unprejudiced person? Did you know that it depends not only on the quality of the diamond before processing? How does the incredible transformation into a work of art from precious stone? What does the clarity of a diamond mean in the evaluation table? Why does a diamond need a certificate and what is this piece of paper?

Answers to these questions and many more interesting facts you will find out after reading this short, informative, interesting and hopefully helpful article.

We wish you an interesting, informative and exciting reading!

What does the concept of "diamond clarity" mean?

According to many jewelers, this best feature. Why, you ask?

Everything is very simple. All, even minor inclusions, are included in the table. According to the presence of chips and cracks, a diamond is assigned a certain class. This is a kind of verdict of the court. The higher the grade, the purer the diamond. The cleaner it is, the more it costs.

Let's take a closer look at the purity and grade ratio table according to the grading system proposed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and try to figure it out. TU up to 0.29 ct - small stones weighing up to 0.29 carats. TU from 0.30 ct – medium and large diamonds.

Diamond stones classified in groups 7-12 are considered technical. They are not valued in jewelry. They have found their application in various industries, where the main parameter is the strength of the mineral.

Groups 1 to 6 represent jewelry value. As practice shows, inclusions that can be seen with the help of a normal human eye begin with the 9th group. To see the rest of the inclusions, you need a microscope or a magnifying glass. By the way, it also has its limitations. Defects are visible only at tenfold magnification.

Group 1 - the rarest specimens are able to reach this level. A diamond should not only be clean in terms of cutting, but also free of inclusions inside. This allows light transmitted and reflected in the stone material itself to be refracted only at right angles.

Only such diamonds can provide a truly perfect play of light, which is visible to the naked eye. If you take such a stone and lower it into clean water, then you really will hardly see it, since the ideal refraction inside the stone allows the beam to penetrate through it and the effect of “miraculous disappearance” occurs. It should be noted that this is a rather sophisticated way to hide value from prying eyes (though not 100%).

At the bottom of the table, opposite the inscription GIA, there are classes to which a precious diamond is classified after passing the examination.

Agree, nothing complicated. Now you have a clear understanding of the jewelry valuation system and can now safely show off at the opportunity in front of your friends.

Characteristics of the color of the diamond in the table

Have you ever noticed that some gemstones beckon with their color, while others just nicely convey their color? Some minerals are impossibly saturated, while others are “gloomy”, but also majestic. Do you know why this happens?

In addition to purity, the cost and quality are also affected by the play of color, which is also evaluated by experts according to a special table. The stone may not be a bright color, but it also looks graceful and elegant.

Recently, colorless diamonds have “lost” their popularity a bit, as they began to find diamonds of different color shades. A new recently discovered field in Australia is now producing the most rare diamonds purple hue, which are a miracle of natural thought.

We have quite recently easily figured out the purity table. Therefore, it will not be difficult for us to deal with the color purity table.

As in the previous table, the characteristics of TU up to 0.29 ct are small stones weighing up to 0.29 carats. TU from 0.30 ct - medium and large diamonds weighing from 0.30 carats.

Each shade group is identified by a letter. English alphabet. D is the colorless variant and Z is the yellow specimens. That is, both color and its saturation are taken into account. The saturation of the color of the stone depends not only on the purity of the mineral, but also on the construction of the crystal lattice. The denser the lattice and the smaller the distance between carbon molecules, the more saturated the color of the stone.

Numbers from 1 to 9 indicate how pure the diamond is. It is logical that, first of all, the purity of the mineral is evaluated. Indeed, if the stone initially has strong inclusions, then the color saturation is immediately lost and will no longer be ideal.

To better determine the purity of the color, reference samples are used to help compare the test sample with the reference stone and give the most accurate assessment.

Unlike the previous table, the color characteristic is not so severe. There is no such clear concept as "not good". Although the assessment is subjective, it helps, among a wide variety of color shades and saturation, to structure information and classify the prototype as one of the grouped species.

After examination of the “color component”, the values ​​are also recorded and logged. Clarity and color tables assign a grade to a stone. What does it give?

Firstly, they are immediately visible in the product passport. With the same purchase, a person can make sure for himself that the consultant is talking about this particular stone, and is not trying to sell you a cheap impure and unsaturated diamond.

Secondly, the class assigned after evaluation directly affects the value of the gem. Nothing new. The higher the class, the higher the cost.

Diamond Certificate. What does this paper mean?

After passing the examination, the stone is assigned a unique number. It's like a car's VIN - an alphanumeric value that displays all the "parameters" of the stone's assessment. A certificate is an official document confirming the true characteristics of a precious piece of jewelry. Issued by the company that performed the appraisal.

Below you can see an example of an official certificate from the company "GIA", known throughout the world. We won't go into too much detail on what's in there, as it's long and not that interesting. Especially since we covered the main points earlier.

The certificate confirms the quality and authenticity of the jewel. If the stone was sent for restoration, then the company that carried out the work is obliged to notify the company that issued the certificate of authenticity about the work carried out.

The certificate of authenticity of a diamond treasure is like a passport for a person, where all the data necessary for its “identification” in case of theft, loss and other points are entered.

Here are some tips for you:

1. Always keep the certificate in a place that is hard to reach but known only to you. The thing that belongs to you is still expensive and refined;
2. Before the final purchase, be sure to check the availability of an official document. Make sure that all characteristics on paper correspond to the parameters of the mineral, as fakes are becoming more and more common. An inexperienced person in jewelry can easily make a mistake.

How to decipher the inscription with the parameters of a precious mineral?

Let's say you're buying a diamond. A tag (certificate) is attached to it, on which it is written: 1-KR57, 0.58, 4 / 1A. Let's decipher these initially incomprehensible designations. There is nothing complicated here either.

• 1 is the number of diamonds. There may be more than one if we consider jewelry (ring, necklace, necklace, etc.);
• KR57 - type of cut. In this case, the diamond is round and has 57 facets. The most common form of cutting;
• 0.58 is the total carat weight of the piece. Naturally, the greater the value, the more pleasant .... and more expensive….;
• 4 - color class assigned according to a separate color purity table, which we considered earlier;
• 1 - class of purity of the precious stone, estimated according to the table of purity;
• cut quality. Evaluation of the work of a jeweler.

Now you know the main aspects and points, and when buying jewelry, you can safely use them.

Differences between the Russian assessment system and the American GIA

The Russian system for grading diamonds and other precious items and minerals is deservedly considered one of the most complex in the world, as it takes into account many more parameters.

For example, the GIA system considers two groups: small stones (up to 0.29 carats) and medium and large stones (from 0.3 carats). The Russian system already initially provides for three groups: small (up to 0.29 carats), medium (from 0.3 to 0.99 carats) and large stones (from 1.0 carats and more).

There are also many other differences. Don't bother with this head. Moreover, the correspondence between the American and Russian grading systems can be easily found on the World Wide Web.

Best feature or subjective assessment?

Finally, let's understand and briefly find out how the process of turning a diamond into a brilliant work of art takes place.

1. It all starts with search and processing. Not all diamonds will be able to turn into beautiful diamonds (recall that a diamond is a cut diamond). Only a small part has a chance. It all depends on the purity of the stone, its carat weight (1 carat - 0.2g), color and the possibility of further processing.
2. Then, a noteworthy mineral falls on the table to the jewelry master. Without a doubt, this is one of the most difficult professions in the world. Not only non-shaking and really “golden” hands are required, but also special knowledge of at least the basics in geometry, optics, resistance of materials, jewelry and other sciences related to this art.
3. Cutting can take more than one day and even more than one month. Sometimes it takes years. Polishing and sanding the edges can also be very time consuming. Here, not only the experience and knowledge gained during many years of practice is important, but also the quality of the mineral itself, since it can have chips and internal bubbles, which already initially affect the purity. The jeweler can try and remove them. Thus, he will improve the quality of both the diamond and his work.
4. After cutting, a diamond undergoes an examination, where both the quality of the stone itself and the work carried out on it are assessed. All this is recorded and recorded. At the final stage, the diamond appears before the public, its value becomes known and, in most cases, the name of the cutter and / or the name of the company that performed the cutting work, which can thunder all over the world.

We tried to easily and clearly convey to you the material that is difficult to understand the first time. We hope that we succeeded, and when reading the article everything was clear and understandable to you. Thank you very much for your interest and attention!

Team LyubiKamni

“A diamond of pure water”… Such a familiar expression. And what does it really mean? In this article, SA&GA Jewelry House consultants will talk about characteristics of diamonds, about how to read the tag for products.

Every woman wants to have diamond jewelry. And when buying, it is important to correctly decipher the characteristics indicated on the tag, because the price of the jewelry depends on them.

Characteristics of a tag on a piece of jewelry

A sealed tag for jewelry is a quality certificate. The manufacturer must be indicated on it. jewelry, the main characteristics of a precious stone, encrypted in a special code, as well as a test of the metal. The tag is your guarantee for the jewelry.

Now let's take a closer look at what each number means.

4c diamond grading system

In the world there are generally accepted characteristics of diamonds. We will analyze each in detail.

The 4c ​​system is a classification of diamonds based on their characteristics:

Color - color

Clarity - purity

Carat - weight in carats

Cut - cut

All these four factors directly affect the beauty and value of a diamond.

Carat(weight) + Color(color) + Clarity(clarity) + Cut(cut) = cost of a diamond

Color - color

Basically, diamonds are colorless. To the layman it seems that all diamonds are transparent. But in fact, diamonds have different shades- ranging from pale yellow to brown shades. This can only be determined by a specialist gemologist.

A pure water diamond is an absolutely pure diamond without flaws. These are the most highly valued, and they are also the most expensive. Diamonds with a yellowish tint are no longer valued so highly. Sapphire-blue diamonds are quite rare and are very expensive.

According to the current technical specifications, the color characteristics of diamonds are indicated by numbers. So, diamonds with 57 facets and weighing up to 0.29 carats are divided into 7 groups. Diamonds of the same cut, weighing more than 0.3 carats are divided into 9 color groups.

Optimal in terms of price and quality, a diamond of 57 facets is considered to be third-class diamonds.

In the international system GIA diamond grades The color of a diamond is indicated by letters of the Latin alphabet.

carat - weight

The generally accepted measure of the mass of diamonds, as well as other precious and semi-precious stones usually measured in carats. One carat is equal to 0.2 gr.

Tables have also been developed to roughly estimate the size of a diamond.

Clarity - purity

Diamond clarity depends on the state of the crystal lattice. Only gemologists can determine it with the help of a special gemological 10x magnifying glass and a microscope.

The most ideal option is when there are no inclusions at all either inside or on its surface. These are unique stones that are not found on the mass market, these are auction stones and they are very expensive.

In international practice, it is customary to designate the purity of a stone with numbers and it looks like this:

In jewelry, the optimal clarity groups are 2 and 3. For diamonds KR-57 up to 0.29 carats - group 4 and 5, and for diamonds over 0.3 carats - 4 - 6.

Cut - cut

A shining diamond is a skillfully cut diamond. It is the cut that allows you to reveal the magic and beauty of the stone, and it is selected individually.

The proportions of an ideal cut in terms of the refraction of light rays were presented by the mathematician of Russian origin at the beginning of the 20th century, Marcel Tolkovsky, in his work “Diamond Design”. Round diamonds with 57 facets around the world began to be considered the world standard.

The quality of the cut depends on how the facets of a diamond refract and transmit light, and not on the type of cut (emerald, marquise, heart, etc.). Such a magical property of the return of light is only possible in a diamond, in its highly artistic and technical work of cutting.

According to the specifications, the geometric parameters of diamonds are divided into categories - from A to G. The highest quality cut, in which all recognized reference measures are met, is considered "A".

There are several types of diamond cuts:

- this is one of the characteristics that everyone has heard of, but few can give a clear definition of what it is. However, buying jewelry as an investment or as a gift close person, we want to make sure they are of excellent quality. And then we begin to wonder what are the characteristics of diamonds, how to distinguish them from each other and how to choose a diamond so as not to be mistaken.

Classification of diamonds by clarity (clarity)

The purity of a diamond and its clarity are one and the same evaluation criterion, which on English language called Clarity. Depending on the origin and place of purchase, the purity of a diamond on the tag can be indicated either in English letters and numbers, or simply numbers.

The first classification is the value according to the American GIA (Gemological Institute of America) system. According to it, 11 classes are distinguished, indicating the degree of purity of a diamond. The class depends on the number of defects on the outer surface of the stone and inside it, their volume and degree of visibility. External defects are less significant than internal ones, since they can be eliminated by grinding. The most commonly used is the GIA system.

The Russian system is more complex. It takes into account not only the number and size of defects, but also the weight of the stone. The clarity of a diamond according to the Russian scale is indicated by a number from 1 to 6 for small pebbles with 17 facets, from 1 to 9 for minerals with 57 facets, and from 1 to 12 for medium and large stones. Usually this characteristic has the form 4 / 6B, where clarity is indicated under the number 6. 4 in this case is an indicator of color, and B stands for class B cut quality.

If you are thinking about how to determine the quality of a diamond, first of all pay attention to this designation. The certificate issued by the GIA laboratory is the best guarantee of the specified clarity of the stone. Professionals working using this scale use standards to determine, while in Russian system Diamonds are valued based on verbal descriptions.

The Russian scale, which determines the clarity of diamonds, and the more common global GIA system are easily comparable with each other. Experienced jewelers by eye, without using reference literature, can determine the purity of a diamond. Of course, in most cases this requires a 10x loupe, but some mineral groups have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye.

Find out what is considered a good diamond clarity: here is an approximate correspondence table, which presents the scale of the Russian and American systems for determining the clarity of diamonds.

So, if you decide to buy a diamond, then its clarity must be at least SI3 according to the GIA. This criterion is one of the main ones that indicate the qualities inherent in. Choose carefully and be sure to ask for certificates if you doubt the clarity indicated by the seller.

Other properties of the stone

AT jewelry store carefully examine the tag attached to the diamond jewelry you have chosen. It should indicate not only clarity, but also the very appearance of the stone. The one that interests us in Russia is denoted by the letters Br. The number of stones in the product is placed in front of the view, that is, 3Br means that there are three diamonds in the jewelry. Next comes the weight of the inserts in carats (of course, 2 diamonds are better than 5, with a total weight of, for example, 0.3 carats). After that, in the line you can see the letters "Kr". This means that the standard cut of the mineral round shape. There may be other letters instead of them, for example, “G” (pear), “Pr” (princess), “M” (marquis), etc.

Another number that is usually paired with clarity (for example, 4/7, where 7 is clarity) is the color of the diamond. In Russia, the colors of diamonds are divided into groups, and their number also depends on the mass and number of facets, just like clarity. Thus, the color characteristic can consist of 4 to 9 groups.

In other countries, the color of diamonds in documents must be deciphered based on the laws of a particular state. But abroad there is no longer a division into groups by color and weight. The ratio of the Russian and any of the international systems is quite feasible for an experienced person.

What color are diamonds?

A real diamond can be white, green, or blue. Fancy colored diamonds (Fancy, bright colors other than white) are highly valued in the jewelry hobbyist market. The most expensive colored diamonds, each of which is a unique work of nature and art, are bright red.

However, if, say, you inherited a diamond ring from your grandfather, and its color is not white (not transparent), do not rush to rejoice. It may just be hazy white. Usually these stones are yellowish or brownish in color. These are not colored diamonds and are generally considered less valuable than fully transparent ones.

The most famous types of diamonds

To simplify our story a little, let's dilute it with a description of the most popular stones.

Diamond 1/1

This is a mineral of excellent quality, which is very rare. Collectors hunt for it, and a certain public, made up of fabulously wealthy individuals, seeks to acquire it as a financial investment or an indicator of their high status.

Diamond 2/2

It occurs a little more often than the previous one, and is slightly less valuable. Recall that it has small rare spots, but they cannot be seen without a magnifying glass.

Diamond 3/3, 4/4 and others

They are already more popular among ordinary buyers. A diamond clarity of 4/4 or 3/3 is an indication that there are flaws, but they are still not visible to the naked eye. Therefore, in the eyes of any person, except for an experienced jeweler, such a copy will be impeccable - but its cost is already much lower.

It is far from certain that in any jewelry store you will come across a diamond of a high level of clarity and good color. You need to choose places to buy wisely, consult with experienced people, and most importantly, decide in advance which stone you need. Then you can get a valuable acquisition, the quality of which no one will ever doubt.