The Guide to Diamonds
When choosing the one perfect diamond either for yourself or for your special someone, you need to pay attention to the 4 C’s in order to make the right choice and an investment for life.
Cut
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All our diamonds are carefully selected to emphasise their dazzling beauty.
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The diamond shines and sparkles the most when it is ideally cut, allowing the light to travel through the diamond and exit in a heirloom radiance of a colorful rainbow. If a diamond is improperly cut, the light is lost and the diamond appears dark and dull and doesn’t sparkle.
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Ideal cut: Allows the light to travel freely through the diamond and exit in a rainbow of sparkles.
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Shallow cut: When a diamond is shallow, the light is lost out of the sides and the diamond loses its captivating brilliance;
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Deep cut: When a diamond is cut deep, the light escapes from the bottom and the diamond appears dark
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Polish & Symmetry
Just like the cut, polish and symmetry dramatically affect the appearance of a diamond. Poor polish will leave a diamond’s facet dull and that will have a diamond appear blurry and sparkling poorly. Symmetry allows the light to travel freely through the diamond and poor symmetry will dramatically subtract from the diamond’s appearance.
Colour
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Diamond differ in colour. Some appear naturally colourless and are considered to be the most precious because of their rare find while others are not colourless. The diamond’s colour is defined according to a scale from D to Z.
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D is an absolutely colourless and a rare diamond.
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E is also a colourless diamond can be detected by an expert gemologist, also a rare diamond.
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F is considered to be colourless, however very slight color can be detected by an expert gemologist.
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G-H, these are near colourless diamonds. The colour is noticeable only when compared to diamonds of higher grade, at the same time these diamonds provide the greatest value. Most of the diamonds used in jewellery items carried by Galio are G-H color.
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I-J quality diamonds are near colourless. Colour is slightly detectable.
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K-Z grade diamonds are not carried by Galio. These diamonds are considered to have a noticeable colour to them that detracts from the beauty as well as the value of a diamond.
Clarity
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Clarity defines the natural quality of a diamond.
Absolutely clear diamonds are rare and therefore are most expensive. Clarity means that the diamond may or may not have the natural inclusions such as scratches, trace of minerals or other characteristics that can detract not only from the beauty but also from the value of the diamond.
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FL, IF means Flawless, with no internal or external flaws. These Diamonds are rare.
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VVS1, VVS2 means Very Very Slightly Included. It is very difficult to see inclusions even under a 10x magnification. These Diamonds are considered of excellent quality.
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VS1, VS2 means Very Slightly Included. The inclusions are not visible to the unaided eye, and barely visible under 10x magnification. Most of the diamonds used by Galio are either VS1 or VS2.
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SI1, SI2 means Slightly Included. Inclusions are not typically visible to the unaided eye, although they are visible under a10x magnification. These diamonds provide a very good Diamond value and can be used in Galio jewellery when specified by clients.
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I clarity means that there are slight inclusions to the Diamond that are visible to the unaided eye.
Carat
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Carat denotes the weight of a diamond, not the size.
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Carat weight can appear differently across different diamond shapes such as round brilliant, princess & oval. A diamond may have a higher carat weight without appearing larger and two diamonds of the same carat weight can vary in size if one is cut deeper than the other. It is important to note that carat weight does not necessarily denote size.
Caring For Your Diamonds
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As you know, diamonds are the hardest substance on earth. They are uniquely resistant to damage by heat or scratching, and can be cut or polished only by another diamond. Only an extremely hard blow to the girdle can cause a diamond to chip. By having your diamond set in a relatively protective setting, and remaining conscious of it on your finger, you can keep your diamond intact for a lifetime.
Note that exposure during ordinary wear to perspiration and household chemicals, like chlorine and hair spray, can cause buildup that dulls the surface of a diamond.
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We advise that at least once a year you have your diamonds cleaned and setting checked by a professional.
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It is also a good idea to have you diamond jewellery stored individually in soft cloth pouches when not being worn. That will prevent the diamond or diamonds from scratching or dulling other jewellery.
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