Diamonds

Each diamond is unique – a gemological marvel formed billions of years ago under extraordinary heat and pressure.

Value of a Diamond

Celebrating meaningful moments – emotion, gratitude, attachment, commitment and love – diamonds are universally admired, appreciated and desired.

The modern diamond market grew out of the major diamond mine discoveries of the 1870s in South Africa and was effectively managed as a monopoly until 2001. Today, Botswana, Russia, Canada and Angola are the world’s top four diamond producing countries by value respectively.

Arctic Canadian mines rough diamonds from Ekati Mine, located in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Ekati is Canada’s first surface and underground diamond mine and it’s renowned for the premium gem quality diamonds it produces.

The value of a polished diamond is calculated using four criteria known as the 4Cs.

By Clarity
Clarity (quality) is determined by how clean the diamond is inside. Very few diamonds can be described as “flawless”; most have inclusions which may be caused by carbon spots (piques), mineral inclusions (e.g. olivine, garnet, chromite), bubbles or cracks (gletz). The positioning of the inclusions within the diamond influences its value, as some inclusions may be polished out during the manufacturing process. Some diamonds may be so heavily included that it is almost impossible to see into them.
By Colour
Generally, the closer a diamond is to being absolutely colourless (white), the more valuable it will be. As the diamonds become more visibly yellow or brown, their value decreases. However, diamonds saturated with colour can be more valuable and are known as “fancies.” Diamonds can be almost any colour of the spectrum, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink. Impurities and different degrees of heat in which diamonds are formed cause various colours in diamonds.
By Cut
While diamonds can be cut into a number of shapes (e.g. round, heart, oval, marquise, pear), diamond “cut” actually refers to how well a diamond’s facets interact with light. Precise workmanship is required to fashion a stone so its proportions, symmetry and polish deliver the optimal beauty and value of the stone. Cut is the most complex and technically difficult to analyze of all the diamond 4Cs.
By Carat Weight
Originally the carat was the weight (size) of a carob seed which ancient lapidaries used to balance their scales, as the seeds in a carob pod are very uniform in weight. This weight was standardized to the metric system as 1 carat = 200 milligrams (one-fifth of a gram). A carat is further divided into points, with 100 points to a carat. In general terms, rough and polished diamonds are weighed to two decimal places.
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By Clarity
Clarity (quality) is determined by how clean the diamond is inside. Very few diamonds can be described as “flawless”; most have inclusions which may be caused by carbon spots (piques), mineral inclusions (e.g. olivine, garnet, chromite), bubbles or cracks (gletz). The positioning of the inclusions within the diamond influences its value, as some inclusions may be polished out during the manufacturing process. Some diamonds may be so heavily included that it is almost impossible to see into them.
By Colour
Generally, the closer a diamond is to being absolutely colourless (white), the more valuable it will be. As the diamonds become more visibly yellow or brown, their value decreases. However, diamonds saturated with colour can be more valuable and are known as “fancies.” Diamonds can be almost any colour of the spectrum, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink. Impurities and different degrees of heat in which diamonds are formed cause various colours in diamonds.
By Cut
A rough diamond can be classified into several main cuts (shapes). Stones (octahedron, dodecahedron), cleavage (broken stones), macles and cubes. Each of these main categories has a multitude of sub-categories and variations.
By Carat Weight
Originally the carat was the weight (size) of a carob seed which ancient lapidaries used to balance their scales, as the seeds in a carob pod are very uniform in weight. This weight was standardized to the metric system as 1 carat = 200 milligrams (one-fifth of a gram). A carat is further divided into points, with 100 points to a carat. In general terms, rough and polished diamonds are weighed to two decimal places.
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Rough diamonds are naturally occurring crystals and appear in a number of forms. As the hardest substance on Earth, for centuries diamonds have been used to mark the most important moments in peoples lives.

Natural Diamond Council ​

The mission of Natural Diamond Council is to advance the integrity of the modern diamond jewelry industry, and inspire, educate, and protect the consumer. This includes a behind-the-scenes look into the natural diamond industry, the latest trends in diamond jewelry design, as well as education and tips on how to buy the perfect engagement ring and other diamond jewelry.

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