THE PERFECT DIAMOND YOUR GUIDE TO SELECTING · BOOK A VISIT Book an appointment to visit us at our Affinity Diamonds Sydney Boutique and receive your complimentary diamond education

YOUR GUIDE TO SELECTING THE PERFECT DIAMOND

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ROUNDThe most traditional and

popular of all the diamondshapes. 58 facets for the mostbrilliance and sparkle of any

shape.

EMERALDRectangular shaped diamond

also known as the Step cut.Fewer facets highlights the

clarity of the diamond.

OVALA beautiful shape providinggreat brilliance and fire. Cut

well, it can be almost as brightas a Round Brilliant shaped

diamond.

MARQUISEOval shape with elongated

ends at both edges. Cancreate the illusion that thediamond is larger than it

actually is.

PEARTeardrop shaped with a

rounded bottom and pointedtop. This shape is popular forits uniqueness and brilliance.

ASSCHERSimilar to the Emerald cut but

more square. Developed atthe turn of the century.

RADIANTA rectangular or square stone

with cut corners. Offers theelegance of the Emerald cut

with the brilliance of thePrincess cut.

CUSHIONAlso known as the 'pillow cut'.Rounded corners and larger

facets that highlight thediamonds clarity.

DIAMOND CUTS

Page 2Affinity Diamonds: Your Guide to Selecting the Perfect Diamond

PRINCESSSquare or rectangle shape

with pointed corners.

THE FOUR C'S OFDIAMONDS

CUTRather than describing the shape of a stone, cut refers to the proportion, symmetry

brilliance and polish of a diamond. This means that the diamond cutter has taken

into account the inherent characteristics of each individual stone and chose the best

way to shape it to accentuate its beauty.

A diamond gets its brilliance and scintillation by the cutting and polishing of its

facets, allowing the maximum amount of light that enters through its top to be

reflected and dispersed back through the top.

TOO DEEP PERFECT CUT TOO SHALLOW



CLARITYClarity is a judgment of the internal presence of inclusions (birthmarks) and the

external visibility of blemishes. These make each diamond individual and unique.

The regularity, size, nature, and position of these characteristics is considered and

graded on a scale of F (Flawless/no inclusions) to I3 (inclusions apparent to the

naked eye). These are graded according to GIA, the worldwide standard for

grading gems.

DIAMOND CUT BY DEPTH

With proper cutting (diagram 2 above) the light passes through the top, bounces off

the sides, and then travels back out the top, giving the diamond optimum brilliance.

If the diamond is cut too deep (diagram 1), light passes through the side of the

diamond. If the diamond is cut too shallow (diagram 3), light passes through the

bottom of the diamond, also inhibiting maximum brilliance.

A poorly cut diamond will lack the lustre and glow of its premium-cut counterparts,

and for this reason, master diamond cutters will often sacrifice carat weight to

improve the cut of a stone.

DIAMOND POLISH AND SYMMETRY

Polish and symmetry are two important aspects of the cutting process. The

diamond polish expresses the smoothness of the diamond’s facets where as the

symmetry refers to alignment of the facets. A poor diamond polish, or rough facets,

can diminish a diamond’s brilliance, as well as its value.



CARATCarat is the weight of the diamond and the metric that denotes its size. Although

size is an important factor in determining the value of a diamond (the greater the

carat weight, the rarer and more valuable the diamond becomes), the cut, colour,

and clarity are equally important.

COLOURColour is the hue of the diamond or the lack thereof. While white or colourless

stones are traditionally used in diamond engagement rings, diamonds are found in

a wide spectrum of colours. Engagement ring diamonds are graded from D to Z,

with D being the prized colourless diamond. The hue of D, E and F coloured

diamonds is difficult to differentiate to the untrained eye, but the amount of colour

becomes more apparent as the alphabet progresses. Z graded diamonds are a

pale yellow or brown colour, and anything falling outside of this range is

considered a fancy coloured diamond. The colour of the metal in a mounting can

either mask or enhance the diamond colour. Yellow gold makes slightly yellow or

brown diamonds appear more colourless. If a diamond is mounted in white gold or

platinum, the colour becomes more apparent.


DIAMONDCERTIFICATION GUIDE

Acquisition of a diamond or diamond jewellery is an important expression of love

or accomplishment but at the same time it also represents a major investment of

money.

It is essential for you to know the credentials of the diamond and obtain

confidence in the integrity of what you have acquired.

A diamond certificate or diamond grading report is a statement, issued by an

independent Gemological Laboratory, that at the time of evaluation, the diamond

in question has been examined, measured, and scrutinised by experienced

diamond graders, using various gemological instruments, and determined to

contain the characteristics as stated in the certificate or report.

In other words, a diamond certificate can be accurately described as the blueprint

of a diamond.

This certificate or report includes an analysis of the diamond’s characteristics in an

easy to understand format. This certificate doesn’t state monetary value of a

diamond.


ENGAGEMENT RINGMETAL GUIDE

While the diamond is the star of your engagement ring, it is important to choose

the right precious metal to set it in. The colour and tone of the metal can enhance

the diamond, making it appear bigger, brighter and more scintillating.

As a rule, white metals; platinum and white gold, are best for diamonds that are

colourless or near colourless – D, E, F, G. Diamonds with a yellowish tint become

more obvious when set in white metals, and for this reason, you will often see

diamonds lower on the colour scale set in yellow gold.

WHITE GOLD Probably the most popular choice for contemporary

engagement rings, white gold is classic and suits almost

every skin tone. It starts life as yellow gold, and is alloyed

with a white metal – usually palladium or manganese – to

give it a soft, white glow. This is then coated with rhodium to

make it appear more “white” and this will slowly wear off over

time. Some people prefer the look of un-plated white gold,

but if you like yours bright and shiny, don’t forget to bring it

back to Affinity Diamonds each year and we will re-plate it for

you as part of our complimentary care service.

PLATINUMConsidered the most precious of the metals, platinum has a

grey-white hue which perfectly compliments diamonds in the

colourless to near-colourless spectrum. Darker in colour than

white gold, platinum is the perfect setting for quality

diamonds. Over time and wear, the metal acquires a distinct

and desirable patina which will add to the beauty of your ring.

The heavy weight of platinum means your ring will feel

substantial and solid on your finger – it’s definitely the choice

for those with a discerning eye.


ENGAGEMENT RINGMETAL GUIDE

ROSE GOLD Everything old is new again, as rose gold makes a comeback!

No longer associated with vintage jewellery, rose gold is now

adorning the ring-fingers of fashion conscious ladies around

the globe. An alloy of yellow gold and copper, one of the

advantages of rose gold is that it complements almost any

coloured stone and skin tone. It also matches readily with

either white or yellow gold, and is often used as an accent

colour in a halo, or band or prongs. It works especially well

with rare and beautiful pink diamonds, and brown and

cognac diamonds look modern and chic when set in rose

gold.

YELLOW GOLDYellow Gold is an extraordinary and rare precious metal, with

an unmatched combination of chemical and physical

properties. It is the only yellow metal and the most non-

reactive of all metals and it does not oxidize under ordinary

conditions, meaning that it will never rust and never tarnish.

Yellow gold is the traditional choice for engagement rings, and

while its popularity began to decline towards the end of the

last century, it remains a popular choice for women who value

tradition, heritage and classic styling. It is a popular metal for

stones with more of a yellow tint, and is becoming increasingly

popular as a setting for fancy colour diamonds, and other

precious gemstones.

Perhaps the most important factor when choosing a precious metal, is personal

preference. Some women prefer white metals while others are yellow gold girls.

If you are surprising your beloved with a ring, take note of the colour of the

jewellery she wears and use that as your guide.


BOOK A VISIT

Book an appointment to visit us at our Affinity Diamonds Sydney

Boutique and receive your complimentary diamond education

consultation.

How to book:

Visit www.affinitydiamonds.com.au and request an

online booking.

Email us at [email protected]

Contact our boutique on (02) 9221 0717.


Documents

THE PERFECT DIAMOND YOUR GUIDE TO SELECTING · BOOK A VISIT Book an appointment to visit us at our Affinity Diamonds Sydney Boutique and receive your complimentary diamond education