Glossary
Glossary In Alphabetic Order
Listed below, in alphabetic order, are the most widely used terminology regarding diamonds.
The information below will help you when buying a Diamond. A
- Abrasion : Tiny nicks along facet junctions producing white fuzzy lines instead of sharp crisp facet edges.
- Adamantine Lustre : The brilliant look of a diamond’s surface under reflected light.
- Aggregation : The generic term used to refer to the process of blending (rolling together), like, rough diamonds from different countries that have already been accurately sorted and valued. The diamonds are then split into boxes for sale.
- Alluvial Diamond Mining : The excavation mining of deposits which have been transported and concentrated by flowing water.
- Artificial Stone : A gem material that is either a Man-made imitation or a Synthetic.
- Asscher Cut : A square emerald cut with wide corners, a high crown and a deep pavilion.
- Asterism : The optical phenomenon of seeing a rayed figure in the form of a star. This is caused by the reflection of light from minute oriented and aligned needle-like inclusions.
B
- Baguette : Rectangular style of step cut used for small gemstone materials.
- Barque : Irregular in shape, such as baroque pearls, tumble-polished stones, or freeform shaped gemstone materials.
- Beach Mining : The extraction of diamonds from the section of a beach that is left uncovered between high and low tides.
- Bearded Girdle : A girdle with a rough finish.
- Bezel Setting : The kite shaped facets that sit between the table and girdle called Bezel Facets. The bezel facets are diamond shaped and sit between the table and the girdle edge.
- Black Diamond : A very dark diamond that appears black and opaque due to numerous inclusions, which block the transmission of light through, within and out of the diamond.
- Blemish : Describes a defect on the surface of a polished diamond, which is an imperfection external to the diamond. This would refer to a nick, knot, scratch, abrasion, pit, polish mark, graining, minor crack or fissure (cavity), or a poor polish.
- Blue-White : Only diamonds with a distinct Blue body color may be traded as "Blue-White".
- Bow-Tie Effect : An effect caused by a shadowy area visible in some fancy shapes. This is usually due to light leaking out the bottom of the diamond.
- Brightness : Brightness is the amount of white light a diamond gives off.
- Brilliance : Brilliance is what makes a diamond sparkle. The brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond, is called Brilliance. A correctly cut diamond increases the reflection of the light and has a maximal brilliance. Proportions, polish, symmetry, clarity and overall workmanship, all affect a diamond’s brilliance.
- Brilliant Cut : One of three styles of faceting arrangements. This shape and faceting arrangement is designed for maximum brilliance, sparkle and beauty. Consists of a combination of triangular and kite shaped facets.
- Bruise : Damage consisting of surface crumbling, often accompanied by tiny, root like feathers.
- Burn mark : Surface clouding caused by excessive heat.
C
- CABOCHON : An unfaceted cut stone of domed form (having a convex surface). Often called a "cab."
- CANARY : A term referring to diamonds with an intense yellow hue. The term "fancy yellow" is often used if the yellow makes the stone very distinctive.
- Canary Diamond : A term used to describe an intensely yellow-colored diamond.
- Carat :
The unit of weight by which a diamond is measured. One carat equals 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams. When considering diamonds of equal quality, the larger stone will have considerably more value depends on cut, clarity, color or presence of a gemstone.
Sample Image
The word 'carat' comes from the carob tree whose seed was used as the standard of weighing precious stones in ancient India. - Carbon Spots : Any black-appearing inclusions in a diamond caused by the addition of the minerals graphite or hornblende. The term refers to included crystals that have a dark appearance, rather than a white or transparent appearance, when viewed under a microscope. In most cases, these dark inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, and do not affect the brilliance of the diamond.
- Change of Color (Color Change) : A phenomenon of some colored stones in which the gem material appears a different color in different types of light. This is caused by selective absorption and/or transmission of the specific type of light to which the gemstone is exposed.
- Clarity Enhanced : A gemstone that has been treated to improve its appearance by filling fissures or fractures with a transparent substance. Also called "fracture filled".
- Clarity : Virtually all diamonds have imperfections called inclusions and blemishes. The less the imperfections, the better the clarity. Inclusions can be white, black, colorless or even red or green.
- Clarity Grade : Clarity of Diamonds are ranked on a scale from flawless to included (eye visible inclusions). A stone is said to be �flawless� if, under ten-power magnification, no external imperfections are visible and no internal flaws are visible.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
D
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
E
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
F
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
G
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
H
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
I
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
J
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
K
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
L
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
M
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
N
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
O
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
P
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
Q
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
R
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
S
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
T
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
U
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
V
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
W
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
X
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
Y
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
Z
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
- Attribute : Attribute diamonds feature a primary reddish hue and a secondary orange hue, producing a fiery, vibrant gemstone.
