The greatest value, not merely among precious stones, but among all mankind’s possessions, is given to the adamas (diamond), for long known only to kings – and only to a very few of these.

-Pliny, Historia Naturalis, A.D. 77

The diamond has long since been the symbol of the fidelity promised with the marriage vows on account of its indestructibility.  Since the 20th century, the diamond has been the preferred gemstone for the engagement ring among brides.  Perhaps adding to that credibility, Vogue (May 1918) pointed out that brides preferred this now conventional engagement ring, “not only because of its symbolic value, but also because there may some day be young girls who will look with romantic longing upon ‘mother’s engagement ring’ or there will be sons or grandsons who will place the same ring ‘my mother’s’ upon some other adorable finger.  In a way it is the founding of an heirloom”.

Indeed, diamonds are often heirlooms, passed with in families from generation to generation.  So much goes into the formation of a diamond: centuries of heat and pressure, decades waiting to be found beneath the earth’s surface, months being analyzed before being faceted by hand to reveal its internal brilliance and the precious time that goes into selecting the perfect diamond for an engagement, wedding or anniversary ring.

Buying a diamond can be intimidating, it is such an important purchase and there is so much to learn.  At Maertens, we have bridal experts to help guide you through the process.

The 4 C’s

Cut

Nothing sparkles like a diamond does.  By rocking and tilting a diamond on your finger, you create constantly changing viewing angles that create the fire and brilliance.  Maertens diamonds are cut for maximum brilliance.  Our diamonds are precision cut to yield the highest amount of light returned to the eye as sparkle.

Some diamonds are cut for maximum size, sacrificing brilliance.  But diamonds are meant to sparkle and a smaller, perfectly cut diamond will always outshine any poorly cut bigger diamond.

The cut of a diamond is analyzed in all diamonds regardless of the shape.  The proportions of the diamonds are strongly considered when grading a diamond’s cut as well as the finish and polish of the stone.

Clarity

Nearly all diamonds have some clarity characteristics or inclusions.  Think of them as birthmarks; ways that one diamond can easily be distinguished from another.

Clarity characteristics are graded on a scale, diamonds with a higher clarity grade have virtually no inclusions.  On the opposite end of the scale, clarity characteristics are easily identifiable and in some cases affect the durability of a diamond.

There are eleven grades in the diamond grading scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).  They are determined based on the following factors: Size – how big the inclusions are in relation to the size of the diamond, large inclusions may negatively affect the durability of a diamond; Number – how many clarity characteristics there are in a diamond, a higher number of inclusions doesn’t necessarily mean a lower grade since several tiny inclusions would have less of an effect than a single large inclusion; Position – inclusions are most visible under the table (center) of the diamond and the grade is most affected when an inclusion is located in a position where it is reflected around the diamond; Nature – this refers to an inclusion, or interior clarity characteristic, versus a blemish, or surface clarity characteristic; and Relief – or color, this refers to the contrast between the inclusion and the diamond.

The eleven diamond grades are:

Flawless, essentially no inclusions or blemishes of any kind under 10X magnification.  Extremely rare and valuable.

Internally Flawless (IF), this diamond has no inclusions but may have some blemishes.

Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2), diamonds with these grades contain minute inclusions that are extremely difficult to see under 10X magnification.

Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2), these diamonds contain minor inclusions that range from difficult to somewhat easy to see and do not in any way affect the diamond’s beauty.

Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2), diamonds with these grades contain noticeable inclusions that are easy to very easy to see.

Included (I1, I2, and I3), these diamonds range significantly from containing obvious inclusions that can typically be seen with out magnification (I1) to having inclusions that may affect  a diamond’s durability (I2) or that may also have so many inclusions that the transparency and brilliance of the diamond is affected (I3).

Color

The color of a diamond, in most cases, actually refers to the lack of color.  Diamonds lacking in color are generally more desirable than colored diamonds with the exception of fancy colored diamonds, which are graded with different considerations.

The GIA diamond color grading scale ranges from D to Z.

Colorless (D, E, and F), diamonds graded as D and E have virtually no color and F has a nearly undetectable amount of color.  These are extremely rare and valuable.

Near Colorless (G, H, I, and J), these diamonds look colorless face up and nearly colorless face down.  Slight traces of color are unnoticeable to the untrained eye when mounted.

Faint Yellow (K, L, and M), these diamonds have a very faint yellow color when viewed face up or face down.

Very Light Yellow (N through R)

Light Yellow (S through Z)

Diamonds graded beyond Z are classified as fancy color and are graded against a different set of factors.

Carat

The carat refers to the weight of a diamond.  One carat equals 1/5 of a gram.  When divided equally, there are 100 points in one carat, meaning that a “60 point diamond” is equal to 0.60 carats.  If all other grades are equal (cut, clarity, and color), the larger diamond is more rare and valuable.

At Maertens Fine Jewelry & Gifts, we hand select diamonds to show you based on your priorities when it comes to the 4 C’s and price.  We don’t keep a large inventory of diamonds at the store, allowing us to bring in diamonds from around the world to cater your needs.  We’ll walk you through the 4 C’s of each diamond, allowing you to view diamonds under a microscope.  Once you select the perfect diamond, we’ll help you pick the perfect setting.  Our experience jewelers will mount your diamond with care to ensure that it is showcased perfectly in your setting.  Our gemologist will provide you with an appraisal, outlining the 4 C’s of your diamond, with a written description and photographs of your finished ring.

Come see us today!  Maertens Fine Jewelry & Gifts is open Monday – Thursday 10am – 6pm, Friday 10am – 7pm, and Saturday 10am – 4pm.  Located in the Solomons Town Center at 13342 HG Trueman Rd., Solomons, MD.  Phone: 410 – 394 – 3990 Email: hlmaertens@aol.com