Resources
diamond grading
At The Millionhands we have a simple policy. We believe our clients need to be sure of what they purchase. This means our opinion is always offered, but furthermore, every natural-mined diamond that we sell is graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
The reason we always provide a GIA grading report with your diamond purchase, is we believe it is in the buyer’s best interest to have an independent third-party opinion on the quality of the diamond that is being purchased. The GIA is a ‘non for profit’ organization, established in 1931, that serves the diamond and jewelry industry. It is not affiliated to any retail store or diamond manufacturer. The buyer of any GIA graded diamond is therefore assured of a strictly objective opinion as to the quality of the diamond.
Each GIA graded diamond is subjected to the scrutiny of a trained and qualified gemologist, working with state of the art gem grading equipment, thereby assuring the buyer of a diamond report that is accurate and prepared to the highest grading criteria and industry-accepted standards.
Worth the Weight
The unit used to measure a diamond’s weight and size is known as the Carat Weight. There are 100 points in a Carat. So, a “25 pointer” is also known as a “Quarter Carat” or 0.25ct.
The higher a diamond’s weight, the rarer and more valuable the stone. Because the rarity increases as the weight increases, the value of the diamond increases exponentially. In other words, a 2-carat diamond will be much more valuable than double the amount of a 1-carat diamond. This is because 2-carat stones are less plentiful than 1-carat stones. Therefore, the value may be four or five times the value of the smaller stone.
Undoubtedly, weight is an important aspect to consider when purchasing a diamond; however, it is only one aspect in determining a diamond’s value — along with the Color, Cut and Clarity.
We’ll be more then happy to guide you through the diamond buying process, we’re sure you we’ll find out semi-private boutique cozy, the selection outstanding and the service beyond compare.
Making Light Dance
The true beauty of a diamond lies in its ability to reflect light, so the Cut can have a significant influence on its value. Of all the Four C’s (Carat, Cut, Color and Clarity) the Cut is the only one governed by a person’s skills as opposed to nature’s power. Cut is therefore a highly important factor in determining a diamond’s beauty and ultimate value.
Diamond-cutting is a complex process that demands great skill.
If a diamond is cut too deep, light will escape from the side of the base and brilliance is lost. If it is cut too shallow, light will escape through the bottom of the stone resulting in a glassy appearance. When a diamond is cut to perfect proportions, light is reflected through the top, giving it fire and sparkle.
Only perfect Cut diamonds are selected and showcased at The Millionhands. We carefully hand-select the very best diamonds ensuring that each diamond is perfect Cut, maximizing its brilliance and beauty.
Shades of White
The less Color a diamond has, the greater its value and rarity. The vast majority of diamonds contain slight traces of yellow and brown colors. An increase of a single color grade can increase a diamond’s value by thousands of dollars.
The Millionhands diamonds are all color-graded according to the GIA color scale. Color gradings begin at D (Blue-White Color) and end at Z (Strong Brown Color). The scale begins at D simply because ‘D’ is for Diamond.
The majority of the Millionhands diamond are H color or better, defined as near colorless or higher.
The Step Closer to Perfection
Diamonds contain natural “inclusions,” or fingerprints, these inclusions occurred when the diamond was formed. The inclusions are natural imperfections that make each diamond unique. In gem quality diamonds these imperfections are normally visible only under magnification.
In weaker quality diamonds, these imperfections may be visible to the naked eye. Inclusions can interfere with the passage of light, affecting the quality of the diamond. In principle, the fewer inclusions, the finer the clarity and the more valuable the stone.
At The Millionhands, our diamonds fall within the IF to SI2 range of Clarity.
