THE DIAMOND GUIDE
Whether Octavia Elizabeth is your first or last, we know that shopping for a diamond can be overwhelming. We help bring transparency, honestly, and excitement to the process. The qualities we use to grade our stones are known as the 4 C's. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the globally accepted standard for grading diamonds. Each mined diamond that Octavia Elizabeth buys, is certified through GIA.
CUT
There is no right or wrong when it comes to the cut of a stone! The beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder and a personal preference.
COLOR
A diamonds color grade refers to the lack of color in the store. GIA grades a diamond's color on a scale beginning with D and continues to Z. Diamonds in the D to F range are considered colorless and therefore are the most expensive. Diamonds in the G to I range are considered near colorless and are often considerably less expensive. Diamonds beyond the I grade are considered to have noticeable color.
CLARITY
A diamond's clarity grade is based on the number, size, and location of the imperfections that occur in almost every diamond. The internal imperfections in a diamond are called inclusions and the external imperfections in a diamond are referred to as blemishes. Most imperfections tend to be microscopic and generally do not affect the overall beauty of a stone. I encourage a buyer to choose an "eye clean" stone, which means that to the naked eye, you can't see any imperfections. These stones are usually VS1 or VS2. The imperfection in these stones will only be seen under magnification.
CARAT WEIGHT
The diamond carat weight is a literal measurement of how much a diamond weighs. All else being equal, diamond prices increase with carat weight because larger diamonds are more rate and thus more rare and thus more expensive.
OCTAVIA'S QUICK TIPS
The sparkle a well-cut diamond can make it appear larger than the actual carat weight might suggest.
The human eye tends to detect sparkle before color, which is why color is generally considered the second most important characteristic of diamond after cut.
As diamond size increases, color becomes more visible.
In general, one will not notice a difference in color without jumping two color grades. When considering an H versus an I where all color factors are similar, the lower grade might be worth the savings.
The type and color of the ring setting can effect the appearance of the diamond to a degree.
The sparkle a well-cut diamond can make it appear larger than the actual carat weight might suggest.
The human eye tends to detect sparkle before color, which is why color is generally considered the second most important characteristic of diamond after cut.
As diamond size increases, color becomes more visible.
In general, one will not notice a difference in color without jumping two color grades. When considering an H versus an I where all color factors are similar, the lower grade might be worth the savings.
The type and color of the ring setting can effect the appearance of the diamond to a degree.