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FREQUENTLY ASKED DIAMOND QUESTIONS

Q: WHAT IS USED TO CUT A DIAMOND? WHERE DO THE LEFTOVERS GO?
A: Diamond is by far the hardest substance known, and as such the only thing that can cut or polish a diamond is diamond. Diamond saws and diamond wheels are impregnated with diamond dust. The leftovers of the diamonds being cut are "recycled" and used in this manner. The larger leftovers are cut into smaller diamonds, or used for industrial purposes.

Q: HOW DO YOU TELL A REAL DIAMOND FROM A FAKE?
A: Identifying a real diamond from a true synthetic diamond is truly difficult and takes a gemologist, with specialized equipment, to make a proper identification. Synthetic diamonds are currently being marketed in jewelry qualities. Identifying a diamond from any other imitations is a matter of training. There are many substitutes available on the market, and each one has certain characteristics that diamonds do not have, to help Gemologists identify them.

Q: WHEN LOOKING AT A DIAMOND WITH A LOUPE, HOW DOES A FLAW SHOW UP?
A: Flaws or imperfections are anything that may be found in a diamond. Flaws come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Flaws can be black, white or even blue and orange. A flaw can also be any size or shape. Common flaws are "feathers", which look like a wisp, or curved line and are usually white. Carbon can be geometric or look like lint, and black. Included crystals can be a perfectly formed square or hexagonal shape.

Q: ROUGHLY HOW LARGE ARE DIAMONDS BEFORE THEY ARE CUT AND POLISHED?
A: Diamond rough is mostly found in smaller sizes. The amount of rough lost in the cutting is approximately 1/2 the original crystal. So if the rough crystal is 1/2 carat, the finished, polished diamond will be about 1/4 carat.

Q: WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TRAVELING TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO BUY DIAMONDS.
A: The most obvious advantage is the joy of traveling. The most obvious disadvantage, is the high cost of traveling. The prices of diamonds are really standardized throughout the world. The major dealers and sight holders have sales representatives that travel to all the jewelers.

Q: CAN DIAMONDS BREAK?
A: Yes. Diamonds can chip and break if they are hit the right way, with a sharp enough blow. Diamonds have a "Grain", like wood has a grain, and can splinter in the same manner. We can repair chipped and broken diamonds. Surprisingly, little weight is lost from the stone.

Q: PLEASE EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT DIAMOND CUTS, I.E., MARQUISE, BAGUETTE, ETC.
A: The cut of the diamond, refers to the outside shape or perimeter. Most common are round diamonds. A marquise is a Canoe shape; long with both ends pointed. A Pear shape has one end pointed and one end rounded. Baguettes come in tapered or straight. Straight baguettes are rectangle shape, tapered are a trapezoid shape. Diamond cutters are always creating new shapes. A beautiful new cut is the Radiant, also called the Princess or Quadrillion. There are patents on these names, although the cut is similar. The outside diameter is a square shape, with or without beveled corners. They differ from the Emerald cut by the faceting on the bottom of the stone, which is similar to the round brilliant.

Q: CAN DIAMONDS BE REPAIRED OR RECUT?
A: Yes. Diamonds can chip and break if they are hit the right way, with a sharp enough blow. Diamonds have a "grain", like wood has a grain, and can "splinter" in the same manner. Chipped and broken diamonds can sometimes be repaired. Surprisingly little weight is lost from the stone if the chip is small. Sometimes it makes sense to re-cut an older style cut to modern proportions if the brilliance is "dull".



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