Diamond Carat Weight

Diamond Carat Weight: 

Carat is a unit of measure used for diamonds, and is one of the most misunderstood terms. The term carat refers to the weight of the diamond rather than the visual "size" as most people think. When comparing diamonds you will want to consider the cut as well, as diamonds cut too deep or too shallow may look bigger or smaller than similar carat weight diamonds with a very good or excellent cut. 

Carat Weight on Price 

Carat weight has a large impact on the price of diamond but is not always the most important, as the cut, color, and clarity must be considered as well. Diamond pricing is also based on carat weight as the higher the carat weight of a diamond, the more rare it is considered, therefore causing the price to be higher. Diamond pricing based on weight is not linear but rather is exponential as the carat weight increases. For example, the price of two diamonds together that are 1/2 carat each is not the same price as one diamond that is 1 carat. 

Diamond Carat Size:

Although the carat weight of a diamond does not represent the actual dimensions of the diamond, there is a generally accepted diamond weight to millimeter dimension chart. For example a 6.5mm diamond is approximately 1 carat.

Diamond Cut

What is Cut?

A diamond's cut refers to the proportioning, symmetry, and polish of a diamond rather than the shape of the stone. The cut of a diamond takes into account the depth of the stone and how well the diamond's facets interact with light. Expert wormanship and stone cutting skills are required to cut a stone so its proportions, symmetry and polish cause the diamond to reflect and return as much light and brightness as possible. 

Diamond Cut Grading:

The GIA scale grades Round diamonds from Excellent - Poor. A diamond that is well cut reflects white and colored light and is luminous, while a poor cut diamond can seem dark and dull.

OLIVE AVE does not sell "Fair" or "Good" cut diamonds. All diamonds over 1/2 carat that Olive Ave sells are hand picked. We only procure and sell diamonds that are "Very Good" or "Excellent" cut, so they can meet our standard of quality and value.

Color

Diamond Color:

Color of a diamond is another factor when it comes to choosing diamonds. Color refers to the actual color found in the body of the diamond, and higher color actually refers to lack of color. An ideal diamond has is colorless and shows as much white as possible. Diamonds are graded by The Gemologic Institute of America which grades them on a scale of D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The less color a diamond shows (or higher on the color grading scale) the more rare and expensive the diamond is. Diamond between D-F color are considered "Colorless", H-J as "Near Colorless". This color scale does not apply to Fancy colored diamonds.

We believe that diamond color is an important factor to consider when purchasing diamonds. At Olive Ave, we offer diamonds by default that are I color or above, in order to keep a certain level of quality among our jewelry. 

Clarity

Diamond Clarity:

Clarity refers to the lack of natural inclusions and blemishes of a diamond. Since diamonds are formed from carbon under immense heat and pressure, the process can result in internal characteristics called inclusions, and external characteristics called blemishes. Almost all natural diamonds have some form of inclusions or blemishes, and ones that don't are considered extremely rare. The grading scale used for diamonds ranges from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3). The higher the clarity on a diamond, the more rare and valuable it is.

Clarity Chart:

Many times the inclusions in a diamond are not visible to the naked eye and can be seen only under a loupe or microscope. These diamonds are considered "Eye-Clean", which means there are inclusions present, but they do not take away from the physical beauty of the diamond. At Olive Ave, we offer diamond center stones that are SI2 or above that meet our "Eye Clean" standard. We find that diamonds that are between SI1 and VS2 provide the best value, but will source a higher clarity diamond to meet your needs.