Wholesalers and manufacturers often describe their inventory as rounds and fancies, with the latter being a catch-all for non-round shapes. In the market for colorless natural diamonds, the increased popularity of fancy cuts reflects the way styles are being promoted today.
The shape of things
Ovals and elongated fancies generally top the list when it comes to sales. The big three as oval, radiant and emerald cuts, followed by cushions and pears. We predicts that marquises will make a big, powerful statement in 2024 and 2025, attributing the increased demand to 22- to 39-year-olds getting married, When everyone else has a round engagement ring, fancy shapes allow them to express their own individuality. Instead of an oval, they select a marquise that is a little bit off the radar.
Catch a falling star. A 102.39 carat D-Flawless oval diamond in the palm of a hand. This beauty, found in the Victor Mine in Ontario, Canada, was auctioned off at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2020 for US$15.7 million. The buyer won the bid over the phone and named the diamond “Maiko Star” after his second daughter. He is also the owner of the 88.22 carat D-Flawless “Manami Star” named after his oldest daughter. Less than one-half of one percent of all diamonds over one carat submitted to GIA are D color and Internally Flawless or Flawless clarity, which makes these diamonds very rare.
“More than any other diamond cut, the cushion cut allows for a large degree of variance in cutting style, making it the ideal choice for someone craving a completely unique look for their stone…”
Click the link below to discover why cushion-cut diamonds are the best. They sure are for Jennifer Garner, Miley Cyrus and Ivanka Trump!
Cushion cut diamonds are one of the most popular diamond cuts on the market. They offer a unique blend of vintage and modern style, with their rounded corners and brilliant sparkle.
Cushion cut diamonds are also known for their versatility. They can be set in a variety of different ring styles, from classic solitaire to more ornate halo settings.
If you’re looking for a diamond that is both stylish and unique, a cushion cut diamond is the perfect choice for you.
Here are just a few reasons why you should choose a cushion cut diamond:
Vintage and modern style: Cushion cut diamonds offer a unique blend of vintage and modern style. Their rounded corners give them a classic look, while their brilliant sparkle is sure to turn heads.
Versatility: Cushion cut diamonds can be set in a variety of different ring styles, so you can find the perfect ring to match your taste and personality.
Fire and brilliance: Cushion cut diamonds are known for their excellent fire and brilliance. This means that they reflect a lot of light, giving them a dazzling sparkle.
Variety: Cushion cut diamonds come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, colors, and clarities. This means that you can find the perfect cushion cut diamond to match your budget and style.
Art-Novo diamond engagement ring, set in platinum with cushion cut diamond, from $4500.
If you’re interested in learning more about cushion cut diamonds, contact us today. We’ll be happy to help you find the perfect cushion cut diamond for your engagement ring or other special occasion.
Way to glow! The 127.01 carat Ascher cut Portuguese Diamond is a spectacular example of an “overblue” diamond. That means when it is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, its fluorescence is so strong that it looks hazy or oily under sunlight. While “overblue” diamonds aren’t typically sought after, the intense fluorescence of this diamond, combined with its large size and history, make it remarkable. Harry Winston purchased the Portuguese Diamond in 1951 and traded it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1963 in exchange for 3,800 carats of smaller diamonds.
Add side stones: Side stones can add a touch of sparkle and elegance to your ring. You can choose side stones that match the center stone in shape, color, and clarity, or you can choose side stones that are a different color or shape to create a more unique look.
Engraving: Engraving is a great way to add a personal touch to your ring. You can engrave your ring with your name, your partner’s name, or a special date. You can also engrave a meaningful message or quote.
Unique setting: There are many different types of ring settings available. You can choose a traditional setting, such as a solitaire setting or a three-stone setting, or you can choose a more unique setting, such as a halo setting or a pavé setting.
Customized design: You can also work with a jeweler to create a custom design for your ring. This is a great option if you have a specific vision for your ring.
Here are some additional tips for personalizing your diamond ring:
Consider your personal style: When you are choosing how to personalize your ring, it is important to consider your personal style. If you have a classic style, you may prefer a more traditional setting. If you have a more modern style, you may prefer a more unique setting.
Think about the occasion: If you are getting engaged, you may want to choose a ring that is sentimental and meaningful. If you are buying a ring for a special anniversary, you may want to choose a ring that is unique and special.
Set a budget: Personalizing a diamond ring can be a big investment. It is important to set a budget before you start designing your ring.
Do your research: It is important to do your research before you choose a jeweler to design your ring. Make sure to find a jeweler who has experience and expertise in designing custom jewelry.
Be patient: Designing a custom ring can take some time. It is important to be patient and work with your jeweler to create the perfect ring.
I hope this helps you to personalize your diamond ring.
Rio Tinto unveils iconic A$2 million Argyle RoseTM jewellery piece mined from the Argyle mine in Australia The Argyle Rose™ features a total of 3.25 carats of rare Argyle pink and blue diamonds encrusted in a rose motif, surrounded by white diamonds and hand-set in platinum and 18K gold.
The heart of the piece is an “extremely rare” 1.36 carat, Fancy Deep Pink radiant cut diamond – just one of 12 radiant-cut diamonds over 1-carat with a colour grading, 1P, from the last 30 years of production from Argyle. The surrounding petaled design of pink and blue Argyle Diamonds™ totals 1.89 carats, together with 2.80 carats of white diamonds.
Some diamond cut’s never go out of style, especially when they boast a royal heritage and have been redesigned and reinvented. Such is the case with the popular Asscher cut.
The Asscher cut was first developed in 1902 by Joseph Asscher, and became popular in the Art-Deco movement and following World War I. Although similar to an emerald cut, the Asscher cut’s 58 facets are larger and wide-set (three rows on the top, three rows on the bottom), and the stone is nearly octagonal in shape. Joseph Asscher saw an opportunity to better use rough diamond crystals to his advantage, therefore retaining more weight than the stone could with other styles of cutting.
Because of the shape of the stone and the way the facets are cut, Asscher cut stones retain a classic appearance with a better balance of scintillation than a similar emerald cut, while still exhibiting a quieter aesthetic than a modern brilliant style cut.
A Cut of Royalty and Reinvention
Although the original Asscher cut is mostly seen in Art-Deco style jewellery from the early twentieth century, two very important (and world-renowned) gems carry the Asscher name. Originally cut from the same 3,105 ct. rough diamond by Joseph Asscher and Abraham Asscher, the Cullinan I diamond and the Cullinan II diamond are two of the most famous stones in the world. The pear-shaped Cullinan I, at 530.20 cts, sits atop the royal scepter in the British crown jewels, and the cushion-shaped Cullinan II (317.4 cts.) lies in the British imperial state crown.
Over the last ten years, it seems as though mentions of Asscher cut diamonds in popular bridal media has increased in the United States, which may be due to Edward Asscher’s redesign of the diamond. After visiting the GIA’s International Gemmological Symposium in 1999 and realizing that the Asscher cut was still popular in the United State, Edward Asscher (grandson of Joseph Asscher, who created the original cut) returned to the Netherlands with an idea to craft a new, more dynamic species of Asscher cut diamonds, with even more brilliance and shine than before. The Royal Asscher cut diamond boasts 16 more facets than the original Asscher cut’s 58, allowing the diamond to catch light much better. Edward Asscher added two additional rows of eight facets each to the bottom of the stone, and subsequently making the rows narrower, he was able to keep the classic feel of his grandfather’s original cut while making the stone’s appearance more dynamic. With both the Asscher cut and the Royal Asccher cut, these angles and proportions used are critical to the beauty and brilliance of the diamond.
Nowadays, both the original Asscher cut and the Royal Asscher cut diamonds are popular, either in vintage jewelry stores or as new stones. Asscher cuts can often vary slightly in cut, proportions, and angles, as the cutter of the diamond decides the ultimate details of their rendition of the cut. However, the Royal Asscher cut boasts an international patent, meaning that the Royal Asscher Company limits the range of angles that can be used in cutting the diamond and is the only company allowed to cut a Royal Asscher stone.
This chart shows the range of colour for orange-yellow diamonds and their relative position in the GIA Coloured Diamond Scale. The term brown is associated with weaker and or darker hues, so the predominantly brown colours are located toward the lower left of the chart. Fancy Vivid and Fancy Intense are generally the most coveted grades for fancy colour diamonds. The warm colour of these diamonds reminds us of the progression of fall leaves from yellow to orange to brown!
Lab grown diamonds (also known as lab created diamonds, man made diamonds, engineered diamonds, and cultured diamonds) are grown in highly controlled laboratory environments using advanced technological processes that duplicate the conditions under which diamonds naturally develop when they form in the mantle, beneath the Earth’s crust. These lab created diamonds consist of actual carbon atoms arranged in the characteristic diamond crystal structure. Since they are made of the same material as natural diamonds, they exhibit the same optical and chemical properties.
How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?
Lab grown diamonds are created from the tiny carbon seeds of pre-existing diamonds. Advanced technology – either extreme pressure and heat or a special deposition process known as CVD – mimics the method of natural diamond formation. Some man made diamonds created through deposition may also undergo pressure and heat treatment after they are grown. Man made fancy coloured diamonds are formed when small amounts of specific trace elements are present during the growth phase of the created diamond, just like in nature. In both white and fancy coloured man made diamonds, the exact composition of trace elements may differ from their natural diamond counterparts. A man made diamond can only be distinguished from natural diamonds using specialized equipment that can detect the minor differences in trace elements and crystal growth.
Lab Grown Diamonds vs. Diamond Simulants
It is important to note the major distinction between lab grown diamonds and diamond simulants. Diamond simulants, such as cubic zirconia and moissanite, look similar to diamonds but are not true carbon crystals. Simulants do not have the same chemical and physical properties as natural diamonds and therefore sell at much lower prices than lab created diamonds. Simulants can be distinguished from natural or lab created diamonds using only the naked eye.
Natural and lab created diamonds have thermal conductivity properties that differentiate them from cubic zirconia with a handheld diamond tester. Some lab created diamonds, along with some natural coloured diamonds, may be mistakenly identified as moissanites when using certain diamond testers due to similarity in their electrical conductivity. However, gemmologists can typically distinguish between diamond and moissanite due to their differing refractive properties, with moissanites being double refractive and diamonds being single refractive.
Lab Diamonds
What Are The Benefits of Lab Grown Diamonds?
Environmentally friendly
Greater affordability
Colours that are rarely found in nature can be created, making unique and coveted pieces more obtainable.
Lab created diamonds are grown through a sustainable process using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), making it easier to keep up with demand without sacrificing quality.
This post is about the last of the 4Cs – CARAT WEIGHT. A carat is the unit of measurement specifically used to determine and describe the weight of a diamond or other precious stone. The word ‘carat’ originates from the carob seed, a seed with a uniformity of weight that diamond traders in the past used to use as a counterbalance when weighing gems. A single carat is the equivalent of 0.2 grams, and divided into 100 points.
A diamond grading report will measure the weight of a diamond to the nearest 100th of a carat e.g. a 1 carat diamond has 100 points where as a quarter carat stone has 25 points. In pre-set jewellery diamond weight is divided into fractions and will be graded with their decimal equivalent. Below is a carat weight grading chart:
Many people think that the weight of the diamond is the ‘C’ that determines value. This is not so. If a diamond is of very high quality i.e. the colour, clarity and finish is exemplary then it will be worth more per carat weight. All of these factors must be taken into consideration, and an experienced diamond retailer such as Australia-Diamonds, one of Australia’s foremost diamond retailers, will guide you to your perfect diamond.
