Professional Documents
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Lab Manual
CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Clarity Grading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Cut Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Technical Assistance
Al Gilbertson, Brenda Harwick, Brooke Goedert,
Ilene Reinitz, PhD, Wuyi Wang, PhD
Photo Courtesies
Cathy Jonathan, 270; GemOro Superior
Instruments, 317; John O’Hara, 276;
Kathryn Kimmel, 272; Lauren Stomel
Advertising, 269 (left); Rogel & Co., Inc, 90;
Rose Tozer, 273; WorkingSilver.com, 35 (left)
©
©2014 The Gemological Institute of America
All rights reserved: Protected under the Berne
Convention.
No part of this work may be copied, reproduced,
transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any
means whatsoever without the express written
permission of GIA.
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
THE FOUR CS
Following is a brief description of each of the Four Cs of diamond quality. You’ll find
detailed grading instructions for each one in later sections of this manual.
Carat Weight
The weight of a diamond—its carat weight—is measured in metric carats.
One carat equals one-fifth of a gram (0.200 g).
0.50 ct. 0.75 ct. 1.00 ct. 2.00 cts. 5.00 cts.
Robert Weldon/GIA
Popular diamond cuts include (left to right) round brilliant, radiant, oval,
emerald, and pear cuts.
Star length
Table size
Crown
Crown height angle
Girdle thickness
Culet size
Evaluation of a diamond’s cut includes an analysis of its proportions (left), symmetry (right), and
polish.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Clarity
Clarity is the relative absence of inclusions and blemishes, collectively called
clarity characteristics. Inclusions are internal characteristics, while blemishes
are confined to the surface. Clarity is graded on a relative scale from Flawless
(with no inclusions or blemishes visible at 10X magnification) to Included
(with inclusions obvious at 10X magnification).
Diamond clarity is
graded on a relative
scale from Flawless
(left) to Included
(right).
Color
Color refers to the amount of basic color—called bodycolor—in a diamond.
Bodycolor can vary in hue, tone, and saturation. Most diamonds used in
jewelry range from colorless to light yellow and brown. Diamond color is
graded on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow, brown, or gray),
referred to as the normal color range. Diamonds in deeper shades of yellow,
brown, and gray as well as diamonds in colors such as blue, green, and pink,
are referred to as colored diamonds.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Upper Half 16
Upper half facet
Pavilion Main 8
Crown
Lower Half 16
Girdle Culet 0 or 1
Total 57 or 58
Culet
Pavilion
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Name: ____________________________________________
R1-101
Stone No.: ________________________________________
4.57 – ___________
Measurements: ___________ 4.60 x ___________
2.88 mm
min. diameter max. diameter depth
4.585 mm
Average Diameter: __________
GIA 1234567890
Inscription: ________________________________________
Brightness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EX VG G F P
Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EX VG G F P
EX VG G F P
Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Proportions and Design
9
Overweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________% EX VG G F
62.8
Total Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________% EX VG G F P
Key to Symbols:
55
Star Facet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________%
35.5
Crown Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________° EX VG G F P
15.0
Crown Height. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________% EX VG G F P
XUM
________________________
NON
Culet Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________ EX VG G F P
NEM
________________________
43.5
Pavilion Depth _______%, 41.2
Angle ________° EX VG G F P
80
Lower Half . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________% EX VG G CME
________________________
4.5
Girdle Thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . ________% EX VG G F P
________________________
THN to _______
_______ MED , ______________
Fac EX VG G F
min. max. condition ________________________
Painting/Digging Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EX VG G F
EX VG G F P ________________________
Combined Proportions (T/C/P Table) . . . . . .
Finish ________________________
VG
Polish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________ EX VG G P ________________________
rating
TP, Wht
___________________________________
________________________
features
________________________
VG
Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________ EX VG G P
rating ________________________
T/oc, C/oc
___________________________________
features ________________________
CUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________
VG Comments:
grade
CLARITY ________________________________________________
_________________________________
Pinpoints are not shown.
minor inclusions VS1
________
descriptor grade _________________________________
COLOR __________________________________________________
near colorless H
________ _________________________________
descriptor grade
_________________________________
medium
Fluorescence __________________________ blue
___________________________
intensity color _________________________________
p/n 111660 © 2014 GIA _________________________________
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
The GIA Diamond Grading Report™ includes a full assessment of the diamond’s Four Cs along with a
plotted clarity diagram. It’s available for loose diamonds in the D-to-Z color range.
6
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
DIAMOND GRADING
DIAMOND G RADING TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT 7
Gemcloth 7
Tweezers 9
Girdle-to-girdle: Hard-surface Pick-up 9
Table-to-culet: Soft-surface Pick-up 11
Stoneholder 12
Microscope 14
Components 14
Focusing the Microscope 15
Types of Lighting 16
Loupe 17
Louping Environment 17
How to Loupe 18
Pointer Probe 21
Water-grading Tools 22
Soap-and-water Solution 22
Cleaning and Turning the Diamond 22
Stone Papers 23
Unfolding 23
Folding 24
DIAMOND G RADING TOOLS AND
EQUIPMENT
This section describes the basic gemological tools and equipment used for
grading diamonds.
GEMCLOTH
You use a gemcloth to clean the diamond before and during grading. The
gemcloth has two sides, one rough and one smooth. Keep your gemcloth
folded with its rough surface on the inside. That’s the side you will use to
clean the diamond.
Smooth side
Rough side
Denise Conrad/GIA
A gemcloth has a rough side and a smooth side. To use the cloth to clean a diamond,
fold it so the rough surface is on the inside.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
To clean a diamond:
1. Place the diamond inside the folded cloth.
Be careful not to touch the inside of the gemcloth, as this can
transfer grease or dirt to its surface.
1 2 3
All by Denise Conrad/GIA
In order to clean the diamond effectively, the gemcloth itself must be clean.
Therefore, you should wash your gemcloth regularly.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
TWEEZERS 1
Tweezers are used to hold the diamond during grading. Depending on the
view you need, you can hold a diamond in the girdle-to-girdle or table-to-
culet position.
Hold the tweezers in the middle. It’s difficult to pick up and hold
the diamond if you hold the tweezers too close to either end.
2. Place the diamond table-down on a table or other clean, hard
surface. With the tweezers parallel to the diamond’s table, slide the
tips around both sides of the diamond.
3. Apply slight pressure and gently pick up the stone.
• Use only slight pressure, just enough to hold the diamond 3
securely. Applying too much pressure can damage the diamond
or cause it to pop out of the tweezers. It can also cause wrist
strain.
• Make sure that a little less than half of the diamond extends
beyond the end of the tweezers. This will allow the maximum
amount of light to penetrate the diamond and also reduce tweezer
reflections, making it possible to see most inclusions clearly.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
4. When using tweezers in the microscope, rest them against the stage
for stability and to allow more light into the diamond.
Use your non-writing hand so your writing hand is free to document
grading details.
Denise Conrad/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
1 2 3
NOTE:
Be sure to place the culet near the end of the tweezers
so a little less than half of the diamond extends beyond
the end of the tweezers.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
STONEHOLDER
The stoneholder is another useful tool for holding the diamond during grading.
Advantages:
• Attaches to the microscope, reducing strain caused by holding
tweezers for a long period of time.
• Allows for easy set-up when you’re showing and discussing a
diamond’s characteristics with another person.
• Reduces risk of damage because it places less pressure on the diamond.
Disadvantages:
• Stones can pop out and be lost.
• When used with smaller diamonds, the stoneholder covers too
much of the diamond, making it difficult to see inside.
To hold a diamond with a stoneholder in the table-to-culet position, you will
use the “soft-surface” pick-up technique as follows:
1. Place the diamond table-down on a gemcloth.
2. Open the stoneholder and carefully slide the bottom prong under
the diamond until it is centered under the table.
3. Allow the stoneholder to close slowly around the diamond’s culet,
then pick up the diamond.
To make sure the stone is securely seated in the holder, run the
diamond along the gemcloth so it rotates in the holder.
1 2
3 4
All by Denise Conrad/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Correct Incorrect
Both by Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Correct Incorrect
Both by Valerie Power/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
MICROSCOPE
During the grading process, you will use a stereo binocular microscope to
locate and identify clarity characteristics and treatments, and to evaluate
proportions. You will also use the microscope along with a 10X loupe to
evaluate clarity, polish, and symmetry.
Components
There are various makes and models of stereo binocular microscopes, but
they all have the same basic components.
Iris diaphragm
Fine focus adjustment ring open-close
Baffle
POD
Oculars
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Baffle open-close
Overhead light source
Variable zoom knob
Focus knob
NECK
Well
Stage
BASE
Eric Welch/GIA
It’s important to learn the parts of a gemological microscope and how to operate
them. A close-up (top right) shows the baffle and iris diaphragm.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Types of Lighting
You will use different types of microscope illumination during the grading process.
These include darkfield, brightfield, reflected light and, sometimes, diffused lighting.
You will most often use darkfield illumination.
Darkfield Illumination
The diamond is illuminated from the side. Inclusions stand
out as bright objects against a black background. To achieve
darkfield illumination, keep the baffle closed and the iris
diaphragm open, and turn the well light up all the way for
maximum brightness. Looking through the pavilion with the
diamond held table-to-culet, this illumination allows you to
observe the majority of inclusions in the diamond.
Brightfield Illumination
The diamond is illuminated directly from beneath. Inclusions
stand out as dark objects against a bright background. To
achieve brightfield illumination, use the same lighting condi-
tions as with darkfield and simply tilt the diamond until light
reflects off the opposing facet’s surface, creating a bright
background. Some inclusions, such as brown internal
graining, are best seen in brightfield illumination.
Reflected Light
Reflected light allows you to view a facet surface while
preventing any view of the diamond’s interior. You can
achieve reflected light with an overhead light source. You
can also tilt the diamond in the well to reflect the well light
off a facet surface.
Diffused Illumination
Diffused illumination offers softened or scattered light,
which is especially helpful for detecting surface coatings
on a diamond or looking for signs of laser drilling. To achieve
diffused illumination, place a diffuser plate (or white tissue)
over the well.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
LOUPE
In the GIA Diamond Grading System™, the final clarity, polish, and
symmetry grades are based on the diamond’s appearance in a fully corrected
10X triplet loupe.
In order to achieve accurate and consistent grading results, it is important
for your loupe to be well maintained. Be sure to clean it periodically with
lens cleaner and paper.
Denise Conrad/GIA
The cover of the GIA 10X loupe unfolds
to act as a handle.
Louping Environment
The standard louping environment consists of:
• A daylight-equivalent fluorescent overhead light source with a
translucent diffuser
• A non-reflective, darkened background
You can use the overhead light that’s attached to a standard gemological
microscope to create an ideal louping environment.
• Position the light with its diffuser cover parallel to the desktop and
use the base or the electrical housing to provide a black back-
ground. A dark material, such as black velvet, can be attached to the
back edge of the light source.
• It is important to remember that the light source takes about five
minutes to warm up and reach the proper intensity for louping.
When you do not have access to a microscope, use what you have and do
your best to replicate this environment.
Denise Conrad/GIA
The correct louping set-up includes daylight-equivalent lighting and a dark, non-reflec-
tive background.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
2 How to Loupe
To loupe a diamond girdle-to-girdle:
1. Clean the diamond thoroughly using a gemcloth.
2. Place your index finger through the loupe’s metal cover. Place your
thumb and middle finger on either side.
3. With the other hand, use your tweezers to pick up the diamond
girdle-to-girdle, using a hard-surface pick-up.
3 A little less than half of the diamond should extend beyond the end
of the tweezers.
4. Place the tweezers between the middle and ring fingers of your
loupe hand.
5. Rest the thumb of your loupe hand against a cheek as you examine
the diamond through the loupe. Keep both eyes open.
6. Hold the loupe 1 inch (2.54 cm) from your eye and 1 inch from the
diamond. This is the focal distance for a 10X lens. The diamond
should be about one-half inch (1.27 cm) below the overhead light
4 source.
• The eye, hand, and loupe connection cannot stand alone. It
needs a good base. Placing both elbows on the desk or on your
knees, or holding them close to your body, gives the necessary
support.
• Hold the table of the diamond approximately perpendicular to
the overhead light. Holding the diamond at any other angle will
allow the overhead light to reflect off the surface of the
diamond, masking the interior view.
5
• By keeping the lens stationary while finely adjusting the
diamond’s distance from the lens, an experienced grader can
focus on different depths within the diamond.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
POINTER PROBE
You use a pointer probe to rotate a diamond while holding it in the table-to-
culet position. Other uses are to remove foreign material, such as lint or dust,
from the diamond’s surface and to touch a characteristic to help determine
if and how it breaks the surface.
Denise Conrad/GIA
With the diamond in the table-to-culet position, you can use the pointer probe to
gently turn it in the tweezers.
Cautions:
• Be cautious when you touch the pointer probe to a diamond’s
surface. Careless probing of a surface-reaching inclusion can cause
further damage.
• Do not rub burned facets or bruted girdles with the probe. Dragging
the probe across a burned facet or a bruted girdle can leave
unsightly dark grayish lines that can affect the diamond’s color
grade.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
WATER-GRADING TOOLS
While examining a diamond in the microscope, you can clean and manipulate
it with a special sponge dipped in a soap-and-water solution. While some
graders prefer this “water grading” method, others use a combination of
gemcloth and pointer probe to clean and manipulate the diamond during
grading.
Soap-and-water Solution
To make a soap-and-water solution:
1. Fill a small glass container about halfway with distilled, bottled
water. Don’t use tap water, as it can leave a film on the diamond.
Kevin Schumacher/GIA 2. Add a small amount of liquid detergent. A few drops are enough:
Some graders use a small amount of Too much detergent will result in excessive soap bubbles.
liquid detergent mixed with distilled
water to help with the diamond examina-
tion process.
Cleaning and Turning the Diamond
During grading, use the sponge to turn the diamond and wipe its surface
clean. Be sure to remove any excess water before applying your sponge to
the diamond. As the water dries, it can leave a residue on the surface, so it
is important to clean the diamond with a gemcloth before evaluating polish,
symmetry, or clarity grades.
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
A sponge dipped in a soap-and-water solution can help you clean and manipulate the
diamond as you examine it.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
STONE PAPERS
In the trade, loose diamonds are usually stored in stone papers, also called
parcel papers. They are usually marked on the front with detailed information
about the diamonds inside—size, weight, cost, and so on. A stone paper
might enclose a single large gem or several small ones. The package is known
in the trade as a parcel.
Stone papers usually consist of two or three paper layers, folded together.
The innermost layer is a thin, translucent liner called a flute. The color of
the flute affects the apparent color of the diamonds it holds.
© Photolink Creative Group
After repeated folding and refolding, some creases can become worn, and Stone papers usually consist of two or
the contents might fall out. Be sure to replace papers as soon as they show three paper layers folded together. The
any signs of wear. color of the inner liner, called a flute, can
influence the apparent color of the
It’s important to know how to handle stone papers skillfully. These instructions diamond.
and illustrations show the proper sequences for unfolding and folding them.
Unfolding
Before unfolding a parcel paper, feel for the location of the stone. It’s helpful
to gently tap one edge of the paper to shift the contents into the center. If the
paper contains a large number of small stones, tap one edge to move them
to the side opposite the one you’re opening.
2. Fold the bottom flap down and carefully open one of the side flaps.
Be careful with parcels of small stones because a few might be
caught on the wrong side of the fold.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
3. Tilt the paper sideways and slightly away from you, toward the
unopened side flap. Slip a finger inside the unfolded flap and open
the pocket slightly. Hold the paper more level as you open the flap
on the other side.
Folding
1. Place the stone or stones in the middle of the second fold from the
bottom.
2. Fold the bottom flap up at this crease.
3. Fold the sides toward the middle, making sure you don’t trap any
stones on the wrong side of the fold.
4. Fold the bottom up and the top down.
5. Feel the paper to be sure the diamonds are still inside.
24
CARAT WEIGHT AND SIZE 25
Carat Weight 25
Weighing Loose Diamonds 26
Device Set-up and Verification 26
Weighing Procedure 28
Carat Weight Rounding 30
CARAT WEIGHT
Measuring Diamonds 31
AND SIZE
Recording Measurements 31
Minimum and Maximum Diameter 32
Length and Width 32
Depth 32
Average Girdle Diameter 33
Measuring Devices 34
Optical Measuring Devices 34
Millimeter Gauges 35
CARAT WEIGHT AND SIZE
The diamond trade has its own rules and tools for weighing and measuring
diamonds, and accuracy is essential. This section will provide you with the
skills and information you need to determine and express a diamond’s weight
and dimensions.
CARAT WEIGHT
Diamonds are weighed in metric carats. One metric carat (ct.) is equal to
0.20 grams. One carat can be divided into 100 equal units called points (pt.).
For example, 0.47 carat would be described as “47 points.”
Eric Welch/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Weighing Procedure
To weigh a loose diamond:
1. Set the scale to zero.
• If you use a removable weighing pan, make sure it’s on the scale
before you set it to zero so you don’t include the weight of the
pan in the diamond weight.
• Confirm that the scale is set to zero each time you use it.
2. Clean the diamond thoroughly using a gemcloth.
Dirt, oil, or grease can alter a diamond’s weight.
3. Place the diamond in the center of the weighing platform.
• Use tweezers to handle the diamond. Oils from your fingers can
affect the diamond’s weight.
• Many scales are not calibrated for off-center load balance.
1 2 3
28
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Eric Welch/GIA
Eric Welch/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Some in the trade use even greater precision when weighing diamonds. For
example, the GIA Laboratory weighs diamonds to hundred-thousandths of
a carat. In this case, the weight is first rounded to the thousandths place
following the simple rounding rule and then to hundredths following the
stricter rounding rule used in the trade.
Examples:
• 0.99849 ct. = 0.998 ct. = 0.99 ct.
• 0.99850 ct. = 0.999 ct. = 1.00 ct.
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
The GIA Laboratory and many gem professionals weigh diamonds to hundred-thou-
sandths of a carat, then round to hundredths.
30
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
MEASURING DIAMONDS
A diamond’s physical dimensions include its diameter or length and width,
and its depth. These basic measurements are used to identify a stone, analyze
proportions and cut quality, choose a proper size mounting, and estimate the
weight of a mounted stone.
Recording Measurements
Diamond measurements are usually recorded in a series. On round shapes,
measurements are listed as “minimum diameter – maximum diameter ×
depth.” (Read it as “minimum diameter to maximum diameter by depth.”)
Fancy-shape measurements are listed as “length × width × depth.”
Diameter Width
Length
Depth
Example:
6.50 – 6.55 × 3.92 mm
Example:
6.52 × 4.12 × 3.37 mm
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
diameter
Because even well-cut round diamonds are never perfectly round, you should
measure the diameter in several places and then record the minimum
(smallest) and maximum (largest) measurements.
Example:
Measurements: 4.23, 4.24, 4.26, 4.24, 4.27, and 4.28 mm
Minimum diameter = 4.23 mm
Maximum diameter = 4.28 mm
Depth
A diamond’s depth is the distance from the table facet to the culet.
depth
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Example:
A round diamond has a minimum diameter of 4.23 and a maximum diameter
of 4.28.
Average girdle diameter = 4.23 + 4.28 = 8.51
= 8.51 ÷ 2 = 4.255 mm
When you’re using AGD to calculate a diamond’s proportions, use the result
to the thousandths place. To state AGD more simply, or when using it to
select a mounting, use the result to the hundredths place, following simple
rounding rules.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Measuring Devices
There are many different types of instruments available to help you determine
a diamond’s basic measurements. No matter which instrument or measuring
system you use, it’s a good idea to pause after recording the measurements to
take another look at the stone and make sure the figures make sense.
Advantages:
• Provides the most comprehensive and accurate measurement results
for rounds and most fancy shapes.
• Quickly and accurately determines all measurements and propor-
tions needed when using GIA Facetware™ to determine the GIA
Cut Grade on round brilliant diamonds.
Limitation:
Eric Welch/GIA • Works only for loose stones with table facets. You’ll need to use
An optical measuring device scans a different measuring instruments for mounted stones and stones
diamond through a full 360° rotation to
accurately determine its dimensions.
without table facets, such as briolettes or beads.
Caution:
• To obtain accurate results, the device must be properly maintained and
calibrated, and the diamond must be clean. A tiny piece of dust or lint
on the diamond during use can result in inaccurate measurements.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Millimeter Gauges
Millimeter gauges are used to capture a diamond’s basic dimensions.
There are many different kinds of millimeter gauges, and they can have
dial or digital read-outs. The types vary in precision and accuracy.
Advantages:
• They are portable and less expensive.
• They can be used to measure loose and mounted stones of
any shape and cutting style.
Cautions:
• These devices come in contact with the diamond, so you
need to use them carefully to ensure that you do not damage
or chip the diamond. For example, the jaws on some
millimeter gauges are spring operated: If you let go, they will
snap shut and possibly damage the stone or the instrument,
or both.
• Over time, the measuring faces can become worn, affecting
the accuracy of the results. It is important to calibrate and/or
replace these devices regularly.
Caliper gauges (left) and millimeter gauges (right) are simple instruments that hold a diamond
while taking its measurements. They come with both dial and digital read-outs.
35
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Peter Johnston/GIA
A millimeter gauge measures the dimensions of both loose and mounted diamonds.
To measure a loose diamond, place it between the gauge’s inner jaws.
36
CLARITY G RADING 37
Clarity Factors 37
Size 38
Number 38
Location (Position) 39
Relief 39
Nature 40
Identifying Clarity Characteristics 41
Internal Inclusions 42
Surface-reaching Inclusions 45
Blemishes 49
Callable vs. Non-callable Clarity Characteristics 54
Non-callable Internal Graining 54
Non-callable Extra Facets 55
Non-callable Naturals 55
CLARITY GRADING
Other Features 56
Distinguishing Internal from Surface Characteristics 57
Windows and Mirrors 57
Focus and Depth of Field 60
Reflected Light 61
Clarity Grading Procedure 62
GIA Clarity Grades 68
GIA Clarity Grade Descriptions and Examples 69
Flawless (FL) 69
Internally Flawless (IF) 69
Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) 70
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) 71
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) 72
Included (I1, I2, and I3) 73
Special Case Guidelines 74
Reflections 74
Reflecting Surface Graining 74
Plotting 75
What to Plot 75
Plotting Objectives 75
General Guidelines 76
The Comments Section 77
How to Plot 77
Plotting Internal Inclusions 79
Plotting Surface-reaching Inclusions 80
Plotting Blemishes 81
Plotting Procedure 82
Clarity Status 84
Critical Weights 84
GIA Clarity Status Descriptions 84
Repolishing for Flawless 85
CLARITY G RADING
Clarity is a gemstone’s relative freedom from clarity characteristics, which
are classified as inclusions or blemishes. Clarity is graded on a relative scale
from Flawless to Included, based on the types of clarity characteristics
present and their overall visibility at 10X magnification.
The GIA clarity scale (far right) includes diamond clarity grades in a range from Flaw-
less—with no inclusions and no blemishes visible at 10X magnification (above left)—to
Included—with inclusions that are obvious at 10X (above right).
CLARITY FACTORS
Five factors determine the overall effect of characteristics on a clarity grade.
Most of them are related to how readily you can see the characteristics at
10X magnification. The five factors are:
• Size
• Number
• Location (position)
• Relief
• Nature
You will need to assess how all five factors relate to each other when
determining a clarity grade. The relative importance of each factor varies
from diamond to diamond. One factor sometimes makes more difference to
the clarity grade than others.
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Size
You must consider the size of the inclusion in relation to the size of the
diamond. When all other factors are equal, the larger the inclusion and the
more visible it is, the lower the diamond’s clarity grade.
Both of these diamonds have a single inclusion in the same location and with the
same relief. In the diamond on the right, the inclusion is larger, making it more visible
and lowering the clarity grade.
Number
When all other factors are equal, the more inclusions or reflections of
inclusions that are visible face-up at 10X, the greater their effect on the
clarity grade. Because a diamond’s facets act like mirrors, they sometimes
reflect inclusions multiple times. Even when a small inclusion is somewhat
easy to see, reflections make it more apparent. Keep in mind that grades are
established by how readily you can see the inclusions, not by an exact count
of how many there are.
Both of these diamonds have a single inclusion of similar size and relief. The inclusion
in the diamond on the right is reflected a number of times, making it more visible and
resulting in a lower clarity grade.
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Location (Position)
Generally, it is easier to see inclusions that are directly under the table. When
all other factors are equal, the closer an inclusion is to the center of the table,
the greater its effect on the clarity grade.
Both of these diamonds have a single inclusion of similar size and relief. The inclusion
in the diamond on the right is located under the table, making it more visible and
resulting in a lower clarity grade.
Relief
Relief refers to the contrast between the inclusion and its host diamond.
Relief can vary from high (more apparent) to low (less apparent). Generally,
the more an inclusion differs in brightness, darkness, or color from its host
diamond, the more visible it is and the greater its impact on the clarity grade.
Each of these diamonds has a single inclusion of similar size and in a similar location.
The inclusion in the diamond on the right has much higher relief, making it more visible
and resulting in a lower clarity grade.
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Nature
Nature refers to the type of characteristic and its inherent effect on the
diamond. The nature of a characteristic can cause refinement of the clarity
grade in a higher or lower direction. For example:
• An optical irregularity in the crystal structure, called internal graining,
has far less impact on the diamond’s clarity grade than a physical
break in the diamond, or feather, of similar size and appearance.
Vincent Cracco/GIA
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Blemish
All by Peter Johnston/GIA
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Internal Inclusions
Internal inclusions can become part of a diamond during its formation or
result from crystal distortion during growth. They might also be introduced
by lasers during treatment or the inscription process. The various types of
internal inclusions, including definitions and examples, are shown on the
following pages.
Crystal (Xtl)—A mineral crystal contained in a diamond.
Needle (Ndl)—A thin, elongated crystal that looks like a tiny rod at 10X.
Pinpoint (Pp)—A minute crystal that looks like a tiny dot at 10X.
NOTE:
Crystals, needles, and pinpoints are
all mineral crystal inclusions. The
only difference is their appearance
face-up at 10X. If an inclusion is not
visible in the face-up view at 10X, its
appearance and identity are deter- Mitchell Moore/GIA Gary Roskin
mined through the pavilion at 10X. Pinpoints are usually white, but might appear dark. They can occur singly (left) or in
groups (right).
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Surface-reaching Inclusions
Surface-reaching inclusions are often the result of damage that occurs during
diamond formation, mining, or manufacturing, or after the diamond has been
fashioned. They might also be introduced by lasers during treatment, manu-
facturing, or inscription.
The following pages show the various types of surface-reaching inclusions,
including definitions and examples.
Feather (Ftr)—A general trade term that describes a break in a diamond.
Most breaks occur on a cleavage plane, a structural weakness in a direction
along one of the diamond’s four octahedral planes. A break in any other
crystal direction is a fracture.
NOTE:
On a GIA Report, a bearded girdle is referred to in more general terms as
feathers in the girdle.
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Chip (Ch)—A shallow opening on the surface resulting from damage that
occurs after fashioning. Chips occur only on facet junctions, at the girdle
edge, or at the culet.
Cavity (Cav)—An opening on the diamond’s surface that occurs when part
of a feather breaks away or when a crystal drops out or is forced out, typically
during polishing.
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Knot (K)—An included diamond crystal that extends to the surface after
fashioning.
Etch Channel (EC)—An angular opening that starts at the surface and
extends into the diamond. It’s thought to be the result of high-temperature
igneous fluids that etched out a weak area in the diamond.
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Blemishes
Blemishes can be caused by conditions during setting or wear, introduced
in the cutting process, or result from the diamond’s crystal structure. They
might also be introduced by lasers used during manufacturing or marking.
The following pages show the various types of blemishes, including
definitions and examples.
Pit (Pit)—A minute opening that looks like a tiny white dot at 10X.
Mitchell Moore/GIA
A pit and a pinpoint both appear as a
tiny white dot at 10X. A pit, however, is
confined to the surface while a pinpoint
is internal.
Nick (Nck)—A small notch on a facet junction, usually along the girdle
edge or at the culet.
Nicks Chips
Scratch (Scr)—A thin, dull, white line across the surface that shows no
apparent depth at 10X.
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Dop burn (Dop)—A surface burn resulting from excessive heat at the
location where a mechanical dop (a device used to hold the diamond during
cutting) touches the diamond.
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Extra facet (EF)—A facet that’s not required by the cutting style and placed
without regard for the diamond’s symmetry. An extra facet only affects
clarity when it is visible face-up at 10X.
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This diamond has a pinpoint that is visible under higher magnification (left), but no
longer visible at 10X (right). It is considered non-callable or +10X.
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Non-callable Naturals
A natural is considered non-callable when it is confined entirely to the width
of the girdle and does not touch the crown or pavilion or thicken the girdle
or distort its outline.
Mitchell Moore/GIA
This diamond’s natural is confined entirely to its
girdle. The natural doesn’t thicken the girdle or
distort its outline, so it is considered non-callable.
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Other Features
A diamond can have inscriptions and other features visible at 10X magni-
fication. They are considered neither inclusions nor blemishes and have no
impact on clarity.
These other features are described below, along with definitions and examples.
Inscription (Ins)—A mark made on the diamond that consists of text,
numbers, symbols, or graphics. Inscriptions are typically rendered with a
laser, but other methods are possible. An inscription confined to the surface
when observed at 10X has no effect on clarity.
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Mirrors
Mirrors
You will often see reflections of clarity characteristics in the “mirror” facets.
The reflections will appear within a single facet. You might also see prism
images of a characteristic through multiple “window” facets. Prism images
appear across facet junctions. You can use mirror reflections and prism
images to determine if the characteristic is an inclusion or a blemish.
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This characteristic lies close to the crown and the girdle. It appears in prism images
across the crown, girdle, and pavilion, proving it is an internal inclusion.
NOTE:
All characteristics—inclusions and blemishes—can show prism images. The
presence of prism images proves that an inclusion is totally internal only when
the characteristic lies just beneath the facet you are looking through.
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1 2
Denise Conrad/GIA
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Reflected Light
You can also use reflected light to see where and how characteristics break
the surface. Surface-reaching inclusions typically appear black where they
break the surface. Blemishes will also be visible in reflected light.
Reflected light is helpful when a mirror reflection does not give enough
information to identify a characteristic. For example, you might know from
observing the reflection that a characteristic breaks the surface, but you can’t
tell how it breaks. You can also use reflected light when a characteristic is
close to or on the surface and a mirror reflection or prism image is not visible.
1 2
• You might find it easier to look through only one eye when
setting up reflected light.
• Very fine surface breaks might not be visible in reflected light.
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Suchada Kittayachaiwattana/GIA
GIA Laboratory graders use a microscope to locate and identify clarity characteristics (left).
However, all final grading decisions are based on the diamond’s appearance in a 10X loupe
(right).
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1 2 3
NOTE:
You can use a stoneholder or tweezers to hold the diamond table-to-culet. It
helps to hold the diamond in your non-writing hand so you can document char-
acteristics as needed.
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3 7
4 6
5
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7. Rotate the diamond from one section to the next, performing the
same thorough pavilion, girdle, and crown examination procedure
with each turn.
• Always turn the diamond in a consistent direction (for example,
always to the right).
• Keep count of which section you are examining. If you lose
track, you can always return to your marker characteristic and
then count your way back.
• You know you have examined all eight sections when you return
to your marker characteristic.
3 7 4 8
2 8 3 1
1 2
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9. With the diamond in the face-up position, examine its clarity char-
acteristics with a 10X loupe to determine their overall visibility.
• Be sure to use a standard louping environment and procedures,
as described on pages 17 to 20.
• View the diamond face-up in at least four different positions.
Some characteristics might be more or less apparent when the
diamond is oriented differently.
• For grade-setting characteristics that are not visible face-up,
loupe the characteristic in the table-to-culet position.
9 x
x
x
Denise Conrad/GIA
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VVS 1
Minute inclusions that range from extremely
Very Very Slightly Included difficult (VVS ) to very difficult (VVS ) to see at
1 2
10X magnification.
VVS 2
VS 1
Minor inclusions that range from difficult (VS ) 1
magnification.
VS 2
SI 1
SI 2
I1
I3
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I2 Crystals I2 Feathers
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Reflections
Reflections are only considered in the clarity grade when they are easily
visible face-up during routine louping, and are close to or on the same focal
plane as the physical inclusion(s). Reflections observed while focusing
beyond the culet or those seen only through the pavilion are not considered.
The crystal in this diamond’s table is Viewed face-up at 10X, this diamond
reflected a number of times in the has extensive surface graining with
pavilion. The reflections affect the clarity obvious mirror reflections.
grade because they are easily visible
face-up at 10X.
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PLOTTING
A plot is a map of a diamond’s clarity characteristics. The plot itself matches
or closely resembles the diamond’s shape and facet arrangement, and
consists of a crown and a pavilion view. Symbols are used to represent the
type, location, relative size, and sometimes the shape of the characteristics
being plotted.
To support a diamond’s clarity grade, identify it, and document its condition (left),
clarity characteristics are plotted on a diagram. On a GIA Report, the diagram is
oriented with the crown view on the left and the pavilion view on the right (right).
What to Plot
While plotting every characteristic is one way to represent a diamond, this
task is time consuming and unnecessary. In the trade, the level of detail on
a plot varies, depending on its purpose—whether, for example, it’s part of
a laboratory report or an appraisal document.
Plotting Objectives
There are three main objectives for plotting a diamond:
• To support the clarity grade
• To identify a diamond
• To document a diamond’s condition at the time it is graded
It’s important to keep these objectives in mind when you decide what to plot.
Characteristics that are not plotted are often noted in the comments section
of the report or appraisal document, especially when they’re needed to
support the clarity grade or disclose a treatment.
NOTE:
Every diamond you grade in the classroom presents you with a good learning
opportunity. Therefore, as an educational aid, you will find that the classroom
keycards contain more characteristics than are necessary, or that would be
shown on a report.
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General Guidelines
In the classroom, follow these general guidelines when deciding what
to plot or what to note in the comments section:
• Always plot the following:
Laser drill-hole
Crystal
Needle
Knot
Etch channel
Indented natural
Callable extra facet
Callable natural
• Plot clouds that are distinct. Note clouds that spread throughout the
diamond in the comments section.
• Plot enough twinning wisps to support the clarity grade and iden-
tify the diamond. Note any additional twinning wisps in the
comments section. Because twinned diamonds are typically heavily
included, there’s no need to plot every twinning wisp.
• It is not necessary to plot every pinpoint. Plot pinpoints only if they
set the grade or when they’re needed to help identify the diamond.
• In general, plot all feathers, bruises, chips, and cavities. If they’re
minute, only plot those needed to support the clarity grade.
• Always note the following characteristics in the comments section:
Internal laser drilling
Callable internal graining (including grain centers)
Patches of color
Indented and internal inscriptions
Surface graining
• Note a bearded girdle in the comments section when it’s needed to
support the diamond’s clarity grade or document its condition.
There’s no need to note a lightly bearded girdle that is not grade-
setting. On a GIA Report, a bearded girdle is described more
generally as “feathers in the girdle.”
• Do not plot polish features such as polish lines, burn, scratches, abra-
sions, and laser manufacturing remnants. These are accounted for
under the polish rating, and rarely impact clarity. On internally flaw-
NOTE: less diamonds, plot enough polish features to support the grade. On a
Do not plot non-callable clarity char- GIA Report, polish details, when present on IF diamonds, are noted in
acteristics. These might appear on the comments section to support the grade.
documents produced in the trade,
especially when needed to identify • Note a laser manufacturing remnant in the comments section only
FL or IF diamonds. when its depth can be observed at 10X and when it’s needed to
support the diamond's clarity grade or document its condition.
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How to Plot
Clarity characteristics are plotted in red, green, or black. Each category has
its own color:
• Red symbols indicate most inclusions.
• Red and green together indicate laser drill-holes, knots, cavities, in-
dented naturals, and etch channels.
• Green is used to indicate blemishes, except extra facets.
• Black indicates extra facets and, if the stone is mounted, the posi-
tion of metalwork.
When plotting, use fine-tipped ballpoint pens in appropriate colors. Try to
make the lines as fine as possible. For your reference, there’s a list of plotting
symbols and abbreviations on the next page.
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NOTE:
There are no plotting symbols for internal laser drilling, patch of color, or
laser manufacturing remnant inclusions. Symbols shown in the gray areas
are not plotted on a GIA Report but might be shown on the keycard used
in the classroom for educational purposes or on other diagrams
generated in the trade such as appraisal documents.
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Plotting Blemishes
Plot blemishes in green and extra facets in black, on the surface where they
are located. Draw the symbol so it represents the approximate size and shape
of the blemish as seen at 10X.
Here are some additional guidelines for plotting naturals located on the
girdle:
• Plot those confined to the girdle on the pavilion view.
• Plot those that reach the pavilion on the pavilion view.
• Plot those that reach the crown on the crown view.
• Plot those that reach both crown and pavilion on both views.
Mitchell Moore/GIA
This diamond has a natural on its pavilion
surface (above), so it is plotted in that
location on the diagram’s pavilion view
(right).
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Plotting Procedure
While following the clarity-grading process described on pages 62 to 67, you
plot clarity characteristics as you come across them. When you plot a diamond,
you must coordinate the crown and pavilion orientations so you know how the
face-up view corresponds to the face-down view. The best way to align the
diamond to the plotting diagram is to use a numbering system.
To plot a diamond:
1. Select a diagram that matches or most closely resembles the shape
and cutting style of the diamond.
2. Plot the reference point, or marker characteristic, in the number-one
section.
3. During your table-to-culet examination, plot any necessary charac-
teristics as you come across them.
• Use the guidelines explained earlier to determine what and how
to plot.
• Although you might need higher magnification to locate and
identify characteristics, be sure to plot their relative size when
viewed at 10X magnification.
4. Count your way around the diamond from one section to the next.
Use the numbered sections, as shown below, to plot characteristics
in their appropriate locations.
• Remember to rotate the diamond in one direction only. To follow
the example shown in the illustrations below, always turn the
diamond to the right.
• When you plot characteristics, rotate the diagram so it aligns
with your current view of the diamond.
These illustrations show
Diamond Diagram the relationship of the
three orientations of a
1
2 8 1 round brilliant diamond
(left) to its crown and
2 8 pavilion plot diagrams
3 7
(right). Numbering the
3 7 sections from 1 to 8 can
4 6
5 help you understand and
4 6 follow an orderly plotting
5 procedure. Each section
consists of a bezel and a
pavilion main, along with
their bordering half
facets.
5
4 6
3 7 3 7
2 1 8 8
2
1
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CLARITY STATUS
A fashioned diamond can sometimes be recut or repolished to
remove or reduce grade-setting characteristics and obtain a higher
clarity grade. Whether or not a diamond’s clarity can be improved
is referred to as its clarity status. Its status depends on the depth
of the grade-setting characteristics, the presence of other charac-
teristics, and the weight of the diamond. Removing too much weight
can lower a diamond’s value, even while improving the clarity.
Critical Weights
Diamond per-carat prices increase at certain weights, called price
breaks. The weights where major price breaks occur are referred
to as critical weights. Critical weights include all whole-carat sizes
(1.00 ct., 2.00 cts., etc.), as well as 0.30 ct., 0.50 ct., 0.70 ct., and
1.50 cts.
There are also some other minor price breaks. Most in the trade
will not recut a diamond if doing so would result in the diamond
falling below a critical weight.
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85
CUT G RADING 87
Cut Quality Factors 87
Visual Evaluation of Face-up Appearance 90
Viewing Environment 91
Evaluating Brightness 92
Evaluating Pattern 94
Evaluating Fire 98
Evaluating Proportions and Design 101
GIA Facetware® Cut Estimator 102
Accuracy, Precision, and Tolerance 102
Weight Ratio and Overweight Percentage 104
Effect on Cut Grade 105
Total Depth Percentage 106
Effect on Cut Grade 107
Table Percentage 108
Direct Measurement 108
Ratio Method 110
Bowing Method 112
Flash Method 114
Effect on Cut Grade 115
Star Length Percentage 116
Effect on Cut Grade 117
Crown Angle 118
Crown Angle Reference Card 118
CUT GRADING
Profile Method 120
Face-up Method 121
Effect on Cut Grade 122
Crown Height Percentage 123
Effect on Cut Grade 123
Culet Size 126
Special Case Guidelines for Culet Size 127
Effect on Cut Grade 128
Pavilion Depth Percentage and Pavilion Angle 129
Effect on Cut Grade 133
Lower Half Length Percentage 134
Effect on Cut Grade 135
Girdle Thickness Percentage 136
Effect on Cut Grade 137
Girdle Thickness Description 138
Special Case Guidelines for Girdle Thickness 139
Effect on Cut Grade 140
Girdle Condition 141
Girdle Thickness Variations 142
Painting 142
Digging Out 143
Visual Evaluation of Painting and Digging Out 144
Effect on Cut Grade 148
Combined Effect of Proportions 149
Table Percentage, Crown Angle, and Pavilion Angle 150
Evaluating Craftsmanship/Finish 158
Polish 158
Polish Features 158
Determining Polish 160
Effect on Cut Grade 162
Symmetry 163
Symmetry Variations 164
Determining Symmetry 170
Effect on Cut Grade 172
Estimating the Cut Grade 173
Optical Measuring Device with GIA Facetware® 173
Online GIA Facetware® Cut Estimator 174
Visual Estimation Techniques and Look-up Tables 175
CUT G RADING
The cut of a diamond can refer simply to its shape and its cutting style or
facet pattern. In diamond grading, cut also refers to a diamond’s overall cut
quality.
The GIA Cut Grading System is used to evaluate the cut quality of a standard
round brilliant diamond in all clarities across the D-to-Z color range. Cut is
graded on a relative scale from Excellent to Poor.
The standard round brilliant consists of 57 or 58 facets, fashioned with
modern proportions. Older style round brilliants, including the old European
brilliant and the circular brilliant, are not evaluated under modern cutting
standards and therefore do not receive a cut grade. You’ll find the quality
standards for these antique cutting styles in the Grading Fancy Cuts section
of this manual.
Face-Up Design
Appearance Weight Ratio • Durability
Brightness
Scintillation
Fire Craftsmanship
Polish • Symmetry
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Brightness is the face-up effect of all the diamond’s internal and external
reflections of white light.
Al Gilbertson and Maha Tannous/GIA Al Gilbertson and Barak Green/GIA Al Gilbertson and Barak Green/GIA
Fire is the appearance and extent of the flashes of color you see face-up in
a polished diamond.
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Durability describes the potential amount of damage that can result from
unusually thin girdles or points, which make a diamond highly vulnerable during
normal jewelry wear.
Polish describes the overall quality and condition of the facet surfaces of a
finished diamond. It includes evaluation of any blemishes created by the
polishing process or during wear.
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Viewing Environment
The same diamond can look quite different when it’s viewed in different
positions under different types of lighting. Also, diamonds reflect everything
around them, even a grader’s clothing. Therefore, a standardized viewing
environment is needed to make consistent and repeatable evaluations of a
diamond’s face-up appearance.
The GIA DiamondDock™ is designed to provide a standard viewing envi-
ronment. Its features provide the following:
Eric Welch/GIA
You can create a similar controlled lighting environment using the diffused
overhead light source on a standard gemological microscope (for viewing
brightness and pattern) and an LED penlight (for viewing fire). The LED
penlight should have a suitable number of diodes. Five is sufficient—too
many can overemphasize fire and make it difficult to evaluate.
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Evaluating Brightness
The first step in judging the diamond’s face-up appearance is to visually
evaluate its brightness.
1 4
Denise Conrad/GIA
Denise Conrad/GIA
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5. Slowly tilt the tray back and forth through a subtle range of motion
to observe the diamond’s brightness. Assign a brightness grade of
excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor. You can use the rating
guidelines and examples below to help you assign the grade.
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Evaluating Pattern
After evaluating the diamond’s brightness, evaluate its pattern.
NOTE:
Some patterns detract from a diamond’s appearance more than others. Fisheyes and
dark centers have very negative effects on a diamond’s appearance. Others, like dark
radiating mains and dark upper half facets, aren’t too distracting when slight.
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Excellent (EX):
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Good (G):
Fair (F):
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Poor (P):
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1 Evaluating Fire
After evaluating the diamond’s brightness and pattern, evaluate its fire.
NOTE:
Remember that it is difficult to evaluate differences in fire in diamonds
smaller than one-half carat (0.50 ct.). Therefore, for diamonds weighing
less than one-half carat, place more emphasis on your evaluation of bright-
ness and pattern.
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3. Slowly tilt the tray back and forth through a subtle range of motion
to observe the diamond’s fire. Assign a fire grade of excellent, very
good, good, fair, or poor. Use the rating guidelines and examples
below to help you assign a grade.
• Excellent (EX): Bright flashes of fire appear across most of the
crown facets, so the stone looks very fiery. It is common to see a
greater variety of colors and flashes in the table.
• Very Good (VG): Flashes of fire appear across many of the
crown facets, so the stone looks fiery. It is common to see fewer
flashes of color in the table.
• Good (G): Some flashes of fire typically confined to the crown
facets. Stone can still be somewhat fiery.
• Fair (F): Small flashes of fire, which might be confined to small
areas of the diamond’s crown facets.
• Poor (P): Stone appears dull and lifeless.
Examples:
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Plasma Etching
A nano-cutting process is sometimes used on polished diamonds to
enhance their appearance of fire. This process, called plasma etching,
involves etching a very fine nanoscale pattern onto the diamond’s surface
to disperse more light. A facet modified with plasma etching will appear
unpolished and display spectral colors. Plasma-etched diamonds are
marketed under the Fire Polish™ trademark.
Because the face-up appearance of the diamond has been altered, GIA
does not issue a cut grade. On GIA reports, it is described as having
“plasma-etching features.”
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Star length
Table size
Crown angle
Crown height
Girdle
thickness
Pavilion depth
Culet size
A polished diamond is a tiny set of mirrors that interact with light to create
its face-up appearance of brightness, fire, and scintillation. Contributing to
that interaction are the diamond’s proportions—the angles and relative
measurements of its facets.
Using a combination of visual observation and computer models of the way
light behaves within diamonds, GIA researchers mapped the appearances
created by different sets of proportions and divided them into five cut-grade
ranges. This makes the GIA Cut Grading System predictive, meaning that
manufacturers can plan diamond cuts to achieve top grades. It also makes
it possible for you to easily and consistently evaluate the cut of a diamond.
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Round to nearest 1%
Example:
A round brilliant diamond has an average girdle diameter of 4.025 mm
and weighs 0.27 ct.
Rounded average girdle diameter = 4.025 = 4.0 mm
Suggested weight = 0.23 ct.
Overweight % = (0.27 – 0.23) ÷ 0.23 = 0.174
= 0.174 x 100 = 17.4
= 17%
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Depth
To calculate total depth percentage:
1. Divide the depth in millimeters by the average girdle diameter and
multiply by 100.
2. Round the result to the nearest tenth of a percent (0.1%).
depth (mm)
Total Depth % = x 100
average girdle diameter (mm)
Example:
A round brilliant diamond has a minimum girdle diameter of 4.56 mm, a
maximum diameter of 4.59 mm and a depth of 2.56 mm.
Average girdle diameter = 4.56 + 4.59 ÷ 2 = 4.575
Total depth % = (2.56 ÷ 4.575) x 100 = 55.95628
= 56.0%
NOTE:
Total depth percentage calculated using diameter and depth measure-
ments rounded to the hundredths place might differ from the total depth
on a GIA Report by 0.1% or 0.2%. The optical measuring devices used
by the laboratory deliver diameter and depth measurements to the
thousandths place, and those figures—without being rounded—are used to
calculate total depth percentage.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
A diamond with a total depth below 55.0 percent is generally underweight, with a shallow
crown, shallow pavilion, thinner girdle, or any combination of these (left). A diamond with
a total depth of 65.0 percent or more is generally overweight, with a high crown, deep
pavilion, thicker girdle, or any combination of these (right). A well-proportioned diamond
with a 60.0 percent total depth percentage is shown for comparison (center).
A well-proportioned diamond (left) typically has a total depth near 60.0 percent. While
this generally indicates good proportions, it doesn’t guarantee them. For example, the
diamond might have a shallow or high crown, shallow or deep pavilion, or a thick
girdle (center and right).
51.0% to 52.9% F
53.0% to 55.9% G
56.0% to 57.4% VG
57.5% to 63.0% EX
63.1% to 64.5% VG
64.6% to 66.5% G
66.6% to 70.9% F
>70.9% P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Direct Measurement
To determine table percentage using a table gauge:
1. Hold the diamond face-up and girdle-to-girdle, under magnifica-
tion, using darkfield illumination or a combination of darkfield and
overhead lighting.
2. Press the table gauge flat against the table and measure the four
corner-to-corner table distances.
Denise Conrad/GIA
108
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 4
2 3
Round to nearest 1%
Example:
A round brilliant diamond has a minimum diameter of 4.52 mm and a
maximum diameter of 4.55 mm. Table size measurements are 2.55, 2.50,
2.55, and 2.50 mm.
Average girdle diameter = 4.52 + 4.55 ÷ 2 = 4.535
Average table size = 2.55 + 2.50 + 2.55 + 2.50 = 10.1 ÷ 4 = 2.525 mm
Table % = 2.525 ÷ 4.535 = 0.5567805
= 0.5567805 x 100 = 55.67805
= 56%
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Ratio Method
To visually estimate table percentage using the ratio method:
1. Hold the diamond face-up and girdle-to-girdle, under magnifica-
tion, using darkfield illumination.
2. Visually center the culet. If the culet is off-center, you will need to
tilt the stone so it appears centered.
1 2
3. Compare the distance from the edge of the girdle to the side of the
table (A) to the distance from the side of the table to the center of
the table, where you see the culet (B). Then, determine the ratio
between them (A:B). Check the ratio on opposing sides of the stone
before you settle on your estimate.
Distance A = 1
Distance B = number of times longer it is
than A
A B
4. Use this ratio to estimate the table percentage. Common ratios and
their corresponding table percentages are shown in the illustrations
on the next page. If the ratio falls outside of, or between, these
figures, you will need to estimate an intermediate percentage.
5. Adjust your estimate as follows if the table is not a regular octagon:
• Add 1% if the variation is slight.
• Add 2% if the variation is noticeable.
110
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
1 1 54%
1 11/4 60%
1 11/2 65%
1 13/4 69%
LARGER TABLES
1 2 72%
111
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Bowing Method
To estimate table percentage using the bowing method:
1. Examine the diamond face-up and girdle-to-girdle under magnifica-
tion, using darkfield illumination.
2. Look for the two squares formed by table and star facet junctions.
1 2
Denise Conrad/GIA
112
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
53%
Bows in noticeably
58%
Bows in slightly
60%
Straight
63%
Bows out slightly
LARGER TABLES
67%
Bows out noticeably
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Flash Method
The flash method is a quick and easy way to estimate a diamond’s table
percentage. It’s especially useful if you want to rapidly compare and sort a
large number of stones that don’t have to match exactly.
Small flash: 53% to 59% Medium flash: 60% to 64% Large flash: 65% or larger
114
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
44% to 46% F
47% to 49% G
50% to 51% VG
52% to 62% EX
63% to 66% VG
67% to 69% G
70% to 72% F
> 72% P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
115
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
4. Average your eight estimates and round that figure to the nearest
five percent (5%).
116
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
40% VG
45% to 65% EX
70% VG
> 70% G
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Crown Angle
crown angle Crown angle is the measured angle between the bezel facet plane and the
table plane. The average of eight crown angle measurements is rounded to
the nearest 0.5 degrees.
You can visually estimate crown angle using a crown angle reference card
or by using the “profile” or “face-up” methods explained on the following
pages. If you are not using an optical measuring device, examining the
diamond using a crown angle reference card is the most accurate method.
24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44
a r
Bezel facet flat in profile Star and upper half facet in profile
118
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
3. Line up the table plane with the horizontal baseline on the card. You
will not get an accurate estimate if the table is not parallel with this
line or if the diamond is tilted in any direction.
36 38 40
4. Holding the diamond still, move the card to the left and right to find
the best fit between the bezel plane and an angle line on the card.
The closest angle will be as parallel as possible to the bezel, with
equal spacing between the diamond and the top and bottom of the
line.
36 38 40 40 42 44
In this illustration, the crown angle is parallel to the 36-degree The crown angle is not parallel to the 40-degree line. Notice
line. Notice the equal spacing bettween the line and the top the unequal spacing between the line and the top and bottom
and bottom of the bezel. of the bezel.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Profile Method
To estimate crown angle using the profile method:
1. Hold the diamond table-to-culet in profile view, under magnifica-
tion, using darkfield illumination.
Turn the diamond so the bezel surface is flat in profile.
a r
Bezel facet flat in profile Star and upper half facet in profile
2. Examine the angle of the bezel facet in relation to the table plane.
You can use the tweezers as a reference.
• Remember that a right angle is 90°, half a right angle is 45°, and
one-third is 30°.
• You can compare other angles to these convenient references.
45°
60°
90 90° 90°
3. Rotate the diamond and examine all eight bezel facets to mentally
arrive at an average angle.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Face-up Method
If it is not possible to examine the diamond with the profile method, you can
estimate crown angle face-up by using the appearance of the pavilion main
facet as seen through the crown. This method is especially helpful for
mounted diamonds. This method is not as accurate with tables less than 55
percent or greater than 65 percent.
A
B
4. Use the descriptions listed below to help you estimate the crown
angle. Note that the greater the difference between the two widths,
the steeper the crown angle.
FACE-UP M ETHOD
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
20.0° to 21.5° F
22.0° to 26.0° G
26.5° to 31.0° VG
31.5° to 36.5° EX
37.0° to 38.5° VG
39.0° to 40.0° G
40.5° to 41.5° F
>41.5° P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
<7.0% P
7.0% to 8.5% F
9.0% to 10.0% G
10.5% to 12.0% VG
12.5% to 17.0% EX
17.5% to 18.0% VG
18.5% to 19.5% G
20.0% to 21.0% F
>21.0% P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
48 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.5
49 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0
50 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5
51 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5
52 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0
53 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0
54 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.5 13.5
55 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.5
56 8.0 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0
57 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5
58 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5
Table Percentage
59 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0
60 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0
61 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5
62 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0
63 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0
64 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5
65 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5
66 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0
67 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5
68 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5
69 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0
70 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0
71 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5
72 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0
73 5.0 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0
74 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5
75 4.5 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5
124
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.0 19.5 20.0 20.5 20.5 21.0 21.5 22.0 22.0 48
15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.0 19.5 20.0 20.5 20.5 21.0 21.5 22.0 49
15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.0 19.5 20.0 20.0 20.5 21.0 21.5 50
14.5 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.0 19.5 20.0 20.0 20.5 21.0 51
14.5 14.5 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.0 19.5 20.0 20.0 20.5 52
14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 17.5 18.0 18.5 18.5 19.0 19.5 19.5 20.0 53
14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 16.5 17.0 17.5 17.5 18.0 18.5 18.5 19.0 19.5 19.5 54
13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 16.5 17.0 17.5 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.0 55
13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.5 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.0 18.5 19.0 56
13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 17.5 18.0 18.5 57
12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 16.5 17.0 17.5 17.5 18.0 58
Table Percentage
12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.5 16.5 17.0 17.0 17.5 59
12.0 12.5 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.0 60
11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.0 16.5 16.5 61
11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 16.0 62
11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.5 15.5 16.0 63
11.0 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 15.0 15.5 64
10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 15.0 65
10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.5 14.5 66
10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 14.0 14.0 67
9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.5 13.5 68
9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 13.0 13.0 69
9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 70
8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0 12.5 71
8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 11.5 12.0 72
8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 73
8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 11.0 11.0 74
7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.5 10.5 10.5 75
125
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Culet Size
Culet size is described as the width of the culet facet, when present, relative
to a round diamond’s average girdle diameter at 10X magnification. Culet
size can range from none to extremely large.
Diamonds with undamaged or non-abraded points rather than culets are
sometimes described as “pointed.”
Culet
To determine culet size:
1. Examine the diamond face-up and girdle-to-girdle, under 10X
magnification with darkfield illumination.
2. Looking through the table at the culet area, compare the size of the
culet relative to the size of the diamond.
Culet size 3. Assign a culet size of none, very small, small, medium, slightly
large, large, very large, or extremely large.
• Use the illustrations and descriptions below to help you estimate
culet size.
• Some additional considerations are listed in the next section.
Slightly large (SLG): Large (LRG): Very large (VLG): Extremely large (ELG):
Obvious at 10X Very obvious at 10X Distracting at 10X Very distracting at 10X
126
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
127
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
MED VG
SLG, LRG G
VLG F
ELG P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
128
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Pavilion depth
percentage is rounded to the nearest half of a percent (0.5%). The depth of
a diamond’s pavilion is directly related to its pavilion angle and culet size.
Pavilion angle is the measured angle between the pavilion main facet plane
and the table plane. The average of eight pavilion angle measurements is
rounded to the nearest 0.2 degrees.
Pavilion angle
To visually estimate pavilion depth percentage and pavilion angle:
1. Examine the diamond face-up and girdle-to-girdle, under 10X
magnification with darkfield illumination.
2. Center the culet in the table and look for the reflection of the table
facet on the pavilion mains. It’s often outlined by connected “bow-
ties,” which are reflections of the star facets in the pavilion mains.
Disregard any reflections you see in the lower half facets.
Star facet reflections help you see the You can also use a pointer to locate the Star facets rarely form a perfect outline
reflection of the table. table reflection. Place its point at a table of the table’s reflection. Misaligned
corner. The pointer’s reflection on the facets might make some reflections
other side of the stone shows you the appear tilted, and some might not be
location of the table reflection. visible.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
42.0% 47.0%
About 1/4 of distance About 3/4 of distance
43.0% 49.0%
About 1/3 of distance Reflection fills table and looks dark
44.5% >50.0%
About 1/2 of distance Table and star facets look dark
130
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
40.8° 40.8°
43.0% 40.0%
These two diamonds show the same table reflection, and have the same pavilion
angle of 40.8°. However, the diamond on the right has a large culet, which makes its
pavilion depth shallower.
131
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Example: 43.0 40.8 43.0 42.5 42.0 41.0 40.0 38.5 36.5
43.5 41.0 43.0 43.0 42.0 41.5 40.5 38.5 37.0
• Pavilion angle: 39.4°
44.0 41.2 43.5 43.0 42.5 41.5 40.5 39.0 37.0
• Culet Size: Medium
44.0 41.4 44.0 43.5 43.0 42.0 41.0 39.0 37.5
• Adjusted pavilion depth: 40.0%
44.5 41.6 44.0 43.5 43.0 42.0 41.5 39.5 37.5
44.5 41.8 44.5 44.0 43.5 42.5 41.5 40.0 38.0
45.0 42.0 45.0 44.5 43.5 43.0 42.0 40.0 38.5
45.5 42.2 45.0 44.5 44.0 43.0 42.0 40.5 38.5
45.5 42.4 45.5 45.0 44.5 43.5 42.5 40.5 39.0
46.0 42.6 45.5 45.5 44.5 43.5 43.0 41.0 39.0
46.5 42.8 46.0 45.5 45.0 44.0 43.0 41.0 39.5
46.5 43.0 46.5 46.0 45.0 44.5 43.5 41.5 39.5
47.0 43.2 46.5 46.0 45.5 44.5 43.5 42.0 40.0
47.5 43.4 47.0 46.5 46.0 45.0 44.0 42.0 40.0
47.5 43.6 47.5 47.0 46.0 45.0 44.5 42.5 40.5
48.0 43.8 47.5 47.0 46.5 45.5 44.5 42.5 41.0
48.5 44.0 48.0 47.5 47.0 46.0 45.0 43.0 41.0
48.5 44.2 48.5 48.0 47.0 46.0 45.0 43.5 41.5
49.0 44.4 48.5 48.0 47.5 46.5 45.5 43.5 41.5
49.5 44.6 49.0 48.5 48.0 47.0 46.0 44.0 42.0
49.5 44.8 49.5 49.0 48.0 47.0 46.0 44.0 42.0
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
John Koivula/GIA
This diamond’s deep pavilion makes the This diamond’s pavilion is so shallow
center of the diamond appear dark. This that you can see the diamond’s girdle
effect is called a nailhead. reflection just inside the table facet. This
effect is called a fisheye.
37.4° to 38.6° F
38.8° to 39.6° G
39.8° to 40.4° VG
40.6° to 41.8° EX
42.0° to 42.4° VG
42.6° to 43.0° G
43.2° to 44.0° F
>44.0° P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
100% • Use the illustrations and descriptions below to help you estimate
0%
the percentage.
• If the appearance falls outside of, or between, these figures, you
will need to estimate an intermediate percentage.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
65% VG
70% to 85% EX
90% VG
>90% G
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
< means less than > means greater than
135
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Valley
On a round brilliant, the girdle consists of 16 narrow “valley” and 16 broader “hill”
positions. Girdle thickness percentage is measured at the hill positions located where
the bezel and main facets meet.
3.3 = 3.5%
x.3 to x.7 Round up or down to the nearest 0.5%
3.7 = 3.5%
Example:
A round brilliant diamond has a total depth of 60.3%, a crown height of
14.5%, and a pavilion depth of 43.5%.
Girdle thickness % = 60.3 — 14.5 — 43.5 = 2.3%
= 2.5%
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
5.0% to 5.5% VG
6.0% to 7.5% G
8.0% to 10.5% F
>10.5% P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
> means greater than
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Extremely thin (ETN): Very thin (VTN): Thin (THN): Medium (MED):
Knife-edge A very thin line at 10X A thin line at 10X Distinct at 10X
Slightly thick (STK): Thick (THK): Very thick (VTK): Extremely thick (ETK):
Obvious at 10X Very obvious at 10X Distracting at 10X Very distracting at 10X
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Gary Roskin
Two areas on this girdle are extremely An extra facet on the pavilion of this
thin. The girdle thickness range would diamond narrows the girdle at a hill posi-
be reported as extremely thin—at the tion. The thickness would be reported in a
location of the knife-edge—to slightly range from thin—at the location of the extra
thick. facet—to slightly thick—at the thickest
valley position.
The indented natural on the left breaks through both the crown and pavilion. There-
fore, you would not consider it when determining girdle thickness. The indented
natural on the right, however, breaks through on only the pavilion side, thinning the
girdle. In this case, the remaining portion of the girdle would be considered very thin.
Both indented naturals are considered when determining the diamond’s clarity grade.
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ETN G VG VG VG VG VG G F
VTN VG VG VG VG VG G F
THN EX EX EX VG G F
Minimum
MED EX EX VG G F
STK EX VG G F
THK VG G F
VTK G F
ETK F
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
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Girdle Condition
The surface condition of a girdle is described as bruted, faceted, polished,
or lasered. Most round diamonds get their shapes during the bruting process.
This leaves the surface of the girdle with a frosty gray appearance. Often,
the cutter will add facets on the girdle or polish its surface. Sometimes, the
diamond outline is cut with a laser, leaving the girdle with minute parallel
grooves.
Examples:
Bruted Polished
Faceted Lasered
When the condition differs from what is necessary to create the diamond’s
shape—whether it’s faceted or polished—it is listed on the GIA Report for
descriptive purposes. If more than one girdle condition is present, the
description lists the condition that represents the majority of the girdle.
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Normal girdle
During the brillianteering stage, the cutter sometimes changes the orientation
of the upper and lower half facets in order to retain weight or remove clarity
characteristics. This is referred to as painting or digging out and results in
indistinct facet junctions and hill positions of differing thicknesses.
Painting
Painting refers to the tilting of upper or lower half facets toward the bezel
or main. Painting might be present on a diamond’s crown, pavilion, or both.
A painted diamond shows:
• Thinner hill positions where bezel and main facets meet.
• The more painting on the crown, the fainter the bezel facet junctions.
• The more painting on the pavilion, the fainter the main facet junctions.
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Digging Out
Digging out is the opposite of painting. The cutter tilts the upper or lower
half facets, or both, away from the bezel or pavilion facets and toward each
other. Digging out might be present on a diamond’s crown, pavilion, or both.
A dug-out diamond shows:
• Thinner hill positions where upper and lower half facets meet.
• The more digging out on the crown, the fainter the upper half facet
junctions.
• The more digging out on the pavilion, the fainter the lower half
facet junctions.
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Painting Examples:
Significant painting on the crown can Severe painting on the pavilion creates Diamonds with painting on both crown
produce dark radiating mains. a strong visual impact with broad, radi- and pavilion can display more extreme
ating, bright and dark areas. effects, with broad, radiating, bright and
dark areas.
Digging Out Examples:
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146
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147
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Moderate VG
Significant G
Severe F
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
148
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149
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150
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Table 49%–51%
151
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Table 52%–54%
152
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Table 55%–57%
153
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Table 58%–60%
154
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Table 61%–63%
155
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Table 64%–66%
156
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Table 67%–69%
157
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EVALUATING CRAFTSMANSHIP/FINISH
A polished diamond’s craftsmanship is the care that went into its final manu-
facturing steps, as indicated by its finish (polish and symmetry). Although
polish and symmetry might or might not affect the diamond’s face-up
appearance, they are considered part of the overall cut quality.
Polish
Polish is the quality of a diamond’s surface condition that results from the
polishing process, or from blemishes created after fashioning, often referred
to as wear and tear. Polish is rated on a relative scale from excellent to poor,
based on the visibility of its polish features at 10X magnification.
Polish Features
The following characteristics, when present, are considered in the polish
rating:
Scratch (Scr): A thin, dull, white line Abrasion (Abr): A series of minute
across the surface. It might be curved or scratches or pits along a facet junction,
straight. producing a white or fuzzy appearance.
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Mitchell Moore/GIA
Rough girdle (RG): Irregular pitted or Laser manufacturing remnant (LMR):
granular surface of a bruted girdle, Remains of laser cutting or marking left on
consisting of pits and nicks. the surface of a polished diamond. It affects
polish when it’s confined to the surface and
does not penetrate at 10X magnification.
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Determining Polish
The procedure for determining polish is very similar to the clarity-grading
procedure. Because of this, graders usually evaluate clarity and polish at the
same time.
To determine polish:
1. Using tweezers, examine the diamond girdle-to-girdle and face-up.
To get an initial impression of the polish, examine the diamond in the
microscope under 10X magnification and darkfield illumination.
2. Examine the diamond table-to-culet, one section at a time, to locate
and identify the polish features present in the diamond. Use the
same grading methodology you used for clarity grading.
1 2
3. If you find polish features, examine the diamond face-up and girdle-
to-girdle, under 10X in both the microscope and the loupe. This time,
view the diamond in at least four different positions. Different orienta-
tions might cause some features to be more or less apparent.
3 x
x
x
x
Denise Conrad/GIA
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POLISH-RATING G UIDELINES
This table describes the visual appearance of polish features at 10X magnification for each
category.
Rating and Overall Impression Example*
Transparent polish
lines
Very Good (VG): minor polish
features seen face-up at 10X
magnification.
Burn on pavilion
Fair (F): obvious heavy polish
features seen face-up at 10X
magnification. Affect the diamond’s
luster when viewed with the unaided
eye.
Extensive burn on
crown and pavilion
Poor (P): prominent heavy polish
features seen face-up at 10X
magnification. Significantly affect the
diamond’s luster when viewed with
the unaided eye.
*Some features were enlarged for the purpose of illustration; it is the appearance at 10X that is considered during evalua-
tion. Note, too, that each category encompasses a range of appearances and that the selected examples do not represent
the highest or lowest points within their categories.
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Good VG
Fair G
Poor P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
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Symmetry
Symmetry refers to the exactness of a diamond’s shape, and to the
symmetrical arrangement and even placement of its facets. Symmetry is
rated on a relative scale, ranging from excellent to poor, based on the
visibility of symmetry variations at 10X magnification.
A round brilliant diamond should have a symmetrical round girdle outline (left). Also,
the proportions and facets on each section of the round brilliant should match (center
and right). A round brilliant has eight sections, each consisting of a bezel facet, a main
facet, and two bordering half facets.
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Symmetry Variations
The following variations, when present, are considered in the symmetry
rating. The presence of one variation often leads to other variations. For
example, variation in the diamond’s crown angles often results in a table
that is not centered or misshapen facets, or both.
Table off-center (T/oc): The table facet is not centered in the crown.
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Table/culet alignment (T/C): The table and culet are displaced in oppo-
site directions.
You will see visual indica-
tions of an off-center table
and culet in the same
diamond (left). In profile
view, the table and culet
will appear displaced in
opposite directions (right).
165
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Misshapen facet (Fac): A facet that is a different shape or size than other
facets of the same type, or distortion of a given facet. On a brilliant cut,
they are referred to more specifically as misshapen bezel (MB),
misshapen star (MS), or misshapen main (MM). These are most often the
result of a proportion-related variation. They might also be the result of
the adjustments made during brillianteering to realign crown and pavilion
faceting (referred to as twist).
MB MM
MS
This image shows crown twist. The table This image shows pavilion twist. The
is octagonal and centered but it is culet is centered but there are
rotated, resulting in misshapen stars misshapen mains (MM). The cross-lines
(MS) and misshapen bezels (MB). formed by the lower half facets are bent.
SB OM
OB SM
Ptg Ptg
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Extra facet (EF): An additional facet placed without regard for symmetry
and not required by the cutting style.
NOTE:
You can use an optical measuring device to measure some of these sym-
metry variations. The GIA Laboratory uses a combination of measured sym-
metry parameters and visual assessments to determine the symmetry
grade. Additional software for analyzing symmetry is also available to the
trade for use with most optical measuring devices. Visual assessment is
still required to account for variations that cannot be measured, and in
cases where the combination of symmetry variations lowers the rating.
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Determining Symmetry
To determine symmetry:
1. To get an initial impression of symmetry, hold the diamond in
tweezers and examine it in the microscope, face-up and girdle-to-
girdle, under 10X magnification with darkfield illumination.
• Is the outline round?
• Are the table and culet centered?
• Are like facets symmetrically sized and shaped?
2. Hold the diamond table-to-culet in profile view. Rotate the diamond to
find and identify any variations that are best seen in that position.
• Are the various facet angles equal?
• Are there variations in the girdle?
• Are crown and pavilion facets aligned?
1 2
3
x
x
x
x
Denise Conrad/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
SYMMETRY-RATING G UIDELINES
This table describes the visual appearance of symmetry variations at 10X magnification
for each rating category.
Rating and Overall Impression Example*
Misalignment
Misalignment and
lower half percentage
variation
Very Good (VG): minor symmetry
variations seen at 10X magnification.
Culet off-center
Good (G): noticeable symmetry
variations seen at 10X magnification.
Might affect the diamond’s overall
appearance when viewed with the
unaided eye.
Non-octagonal table
Fair (F): obvious symmetry variations
seen at 10X magnification. Often
affect the diamond’s overall
appearance when viewed with the
unaided eye.
Out-of-round
Poor (P): prominent symmetry
variations seen at 10X magnification.
Significantly affect the diamond’s
overall appearance when viewed with
the unaided eye.
*Some features were enlarged for the purpose of illustration; it is the appearance at 10X that is considered during evalua-
tion. Note, too, that each category encompasses a range of appearances and the selected examples do not represent the
highest or lowest points of their categories.
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Good VG
Fair G
Poor P
*The overall cut grade might be lower due to another grading parameter or combination of proportions.
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If you use an optical measuring device, you will need to take into account Using an optical measuring device with
parameters that cannot be measured but might lower the grade. These GIA Facetware® software is the most
accurate method for determining the cut
include: grade (top). You will still need to perform
visual assessments of parameters that
• Culet size can’t be measured (bottom).
• Girdle thickness description
• Polish
• Symmetry
NOTE:
Your results might differ from those on a GIA Report if your measured val-
ues or visual assessments differ from those determined by the laboratory.
In order to obtain accurate results, measuring devices must be routinely
calibrated and maintained. Also, values at a grade border can vary due to
rounding and the tolerance of the device.
173
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
NOTE:
Your result might differ from that on a GIA Report if the entered values differ
from those determined by the laboratory.
174
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
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177
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178
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179
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180
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181
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
182
COLOR G RADING 183
D-to-Z Color Grading 183
Masterstones 184
Masterstone Selection Criteria 184
Partial Master Sets 185
Synthetic Cubic Zirconia Master Sets 185
Masterstone Set-up 186
Viewing Environment 187
Viewing Geometry 188
Color Grading Procedure 190
Master-eye Effect 192
Using a Partial Master Set 193
Grading Colors Other than Yellow 194
Brown Diamonds 194
Gray Diamonds 194
Other Colors 194
Special Case Guidelines 196
Significant Size Differences 196
Heavily Included Diamonds 196
Estimating Color Grades 197
Fluorescence 199
Determining Fluorescence 200
Colored Diamond Color Grading 202
Color Descriptions and Grades 202
Fancy Color Grades (Tone and Saturation) 202
Color Descriptions (Hue) 204
Black and White Diamonds 205
Color Distribution 206
Colored Diamond Grading Process 206
Viewing Environment 206
Viewing Geometry 207
Characteristic Color 208
COLOR GRADING
Color Comparison Methodology in the Lab 209
COLOR G RADING
Diamonds come in a wide range of colors, from colorless through near-
colorless and even colors like blue and red. Since diamond color has a lot
to do with a diamond’s overall quality, it’s important to practice the color-
grading skills you’ll learn in this section.
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Masterstones
The D-to-Z color-grading process involves the use of Master Color
Comparison Diamonds (also known as “masters” or “masterstones”). Each
masterstone has a known position on the grading scale, and designates the
least amount of color in that grade range. For example, a G master designates
the least amount of color in the G color-grade range.
The GIA Laboratory uses a complete set, with a masterstone located at each
letter-grade designation. The grading process involves a visual comparison
of the masterstones with the diamond being graded.
GIA MASTERSTONES
E F G H I J K L M N O Q S U W Y
For D-to-Z color grading, the GIA Laboratory uses a complete set of masterstones for comparison.
Robert Weldon/GIA
To be selected as a masterstone, a diamond must meet specific criteria for carat weight, color, clarity, and cut.
184
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
E G I K M
D E F G H I J K L M
185
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Masterstone Set-up
Proper set-up of the masters in the viewing environment plays a role in
obtaining accurate, repeatable results.
E F G H I J K L M N
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
To prepare for color grading, use tweezers to place the masterstones table-down on the grading tray.
Over time, masters can become dirty or incur damage that can affect their
color appearance. It is a good idea to periodically give the masters a deep
cleaning and check them for damage. If a master is damaged, it should be
replaced or repaired and returned to the laboratory for re-grading.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Viewing Environment
To produce consistent and repeatable color-grading results, you must have
a standardized viewing environment. The GIA DiamondDock™ provides a
viewing environment that consists of the following:
A daylight-equivalent fluorescent
light source (remove diffuser plate
for color grading)
Robert Weldon/GIA
Denise Conrad/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Viewing Geometry
Viewing geometry refers to the distances and angles between the diamond,
the light source, and the observer (grader). During D-to-Z color grading, the
standard viewing geometry described below minimizes the diamond’s visual
complexity—its brightness and scintillation—and maximizes consistency.
Whether you’re using the DiamondDock™ or a comparable lighting envi-
ronment for D-to-Z color grading, you should follow these steps.
8 in (20 cm)
188
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
5. Place the diamond you’re grading in the same line as the masters,
close to but not touching them—no more than 1/5 inch or 0.5 cm
apart.
Correct Incorrect
6. Gently rock the grading tray to view the diamond through a subtle
range of motion, from near perpendicular to the girdle surface to
near perpendicular to the pavilion facets. This is necessary to avoid
distracting reflections and allow you to better observe the diamond’s
overall color.
Peter Johnston/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
D E F G H I
3. Move the diamond being graded along the row of masters until it
appears to have noticeably less color than the master to its left.
Begin your comparisons with the master that’s at least two grades
lower than what you think the color grade might be. With each
comparison, rock the grading tray to compare the diamonds
through a gentle range of up and down motion. This helps avoid
distracting reflections and allows for better observation of the
diamond’s overall color.
•
D E F G H I
4. Move the diamond being graded back to the left, placing it to the
right of each master in order, until the diamond appears to have less
color than one master but more color than the master to its left. This
narrows the grade range and identifies the closest master. As you do
this, always place the diamond close to, but not touching, the
master—they should be about 1/5 inch (0.5 cm) apart.
• •
D E F G H I
Example:
A diamond appears to have less color than the G master but more color than
the F master. There are two possibilities: The color grade might be F or G.
In this case, the unknown diamond is closest in color to the G master.
190
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
•
D E F G H I
•
D E F G H I
191
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Master-eye Effect
When you’re moving the subject diamond from side-to-side around the
closest master during the final color-grading stage—described previously—
it’s a good time to consider a phenomenon called the “master-eye effect.”
This occurs when the diamond and the masterstone are very close in color.
The side the diamond is on can affect its apparent depth of color, so as you
move it from left to right, its depth of color will appear to reverse.
Your final color grade depends on the “movement” of the unknown diamond’s
Jian Xin Liao/GIA depth of color. If the unknown stone appears to have the same or slightly more
This image will help you understand the color on the left but less color on the right, it’s a higher color grade than the
master-eye effect. The third and fourth
color chips from the left are exactly the
masterstone. If the unknown stone appears to have the same or more color on
same color. To most observers, the chip the left and the same or slightly less color on the right, it’s the same grade as
on the right appears to have less color. the masterstone. (Be aware that, for some people, the master-eye effect works
in the opposite direction.)
The table below describes possible appearance scenarios and their corre-
sponding grading decisions.
192
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
G G
E G I K M
D E F G H I J K L M
Example:
A diamond has less color than the I master (after comparing it on both sides)
but more color than the G master. This means the color grade is G or H.
Assign a G if the color appears closer to the G master or an H if the color
appears closer to the I master.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Brown Diamonds
When comparing a brown diamond to a yellow master set, you assess the
overall depth of color (the combined effect of tone and saturation) and
compare it to the depth of color of the yellow masters.
While there is a noticeable difference in hue, the tone and saturation of brown
diamonds in the colorless to near-colorless range of the D-to-Z scale are
similar to the tone and saturation of yellow diamonds in that range. However,
To compare a brown diamond to a yellow as these stones become darker, the differences in hue, tone, and saturation
masterstone, you assess both diamonds’ become more pronounced. Therefore, the following word descriptions are
overall depth of color. used along with the letter grade for brown diamonds graded K through Z:
• K through M: Faint Brown
• N through Q-R: Very Light Brown
• S through Y-Z: Light Brown
Example:
You would describe a brown diamond with a grade of K as “K, Faint Brown.”
Gray Diamonds
The grading approach for gray diamonds is similar to—but not the same
as—that used for browns. In the colorless to near-colorless range (E to J),
they are graded using the letter grades of the D-to-Z scale. Beginning at K,
gray diamonds receive word descriptions consisting of only the terms “Faint
Gray,” “Very Light Gray,” or “Light Gray.” The grade ranges are the same
as for brown diamonds.
Although only word terms are used to describe gray diamonds in the K-to-
Z range, they are not considered “fancy” colors until they reach a description
of “Fancy Light” (the same as with yellows and browns).
Other Colors
The occurrence of subtle colors other than yellow, brown, or gray is so rare
that the presence of even slight tints is acknowledged in color grading. When
the color grade is G or lower in the table-down position, the diamond is
considered a colored diamond and you would use colored diamond color-
G master
grading procedures to determine the grade.
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Diamonds in colors other than yellow,
brown, and gray, and with more color than
the G master, are graded using colored
diamond color-grading procedures.
194
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
196
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
1 2 3
197
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
COLORLESS
D, E, F
Colorless
Colorless
NEAR COLORLESS
G, H, I, J
Slight tint of color
Colorless
FAINT
K, L, M
Obvious color
Slight tint of color
Peter Johnston/GIA
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
FLUORESCENCE
Fluorescence is the emission of visible light by a material when it is
stimulated by ultraviolet (UV) rays. Part of diamond grading involves
describing the intensity, or strength, of a diamond’s reaction to longwave
ultraviolet light—an essential component of daylight. About one-third of
gem-quality diamonds emit some degree of fluorescence. If present, an indi-
vidual diamond’s fluorescence can be used to help identify it.
Fluorescence can vary in both intensity and color. The terms used for
describing the intensity of fluorescence are None, Faint, Medium, Strong,
and Very Strong. Most diamonds that fluoresce do so in varying strengths
of blue, but other colors, such as yellow or white, are possible.
Shane McClure/GIA
About one-third of gem-quality diamonds emit some degree of fluorescence.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Determining Fluorescence
The standard viewing environment for determining fluorescence consists of
a longwave UV lamp (366 nm) and a darkened viewing environment. A
viewing cabinet is ideal for blocking out ambient light.
It is important to protect your skin and eyes from ultraviolet rays. Never
look into an illuminated lamp. If you are not using a viewing cabinet with
a UV filter, be sure to use protective eyewear.
Before you evaluate fluorescence, grade the diamond’s color. Although rare,
some diamonds will change color temporarily when exposed to UV radiation.
Robert Weldon/GIA
A viewing cabinet blocks out ambient Follow this procedure to evaluate fluorescence:
light and provides UV light for deter-
mining fluorescence. 1. Turn on the longwave ultraviolet lamp.
Some units have both a longwave and a shortwave lamp, so be sure
that only the longwave lamp is turned on.
2. Place the diamond table-down about 2 inches (5 cm) under the light
source. Placing a diamond too close to or too far from the lamp can
cause a diamond to fluoresce more or less strongly.
1 2
200
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
NOTE:
Don’t confuse fluorescence with
the reflection of the UV lamp,
shown here.
201
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
202
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
LIGHTER TONE
HUE
HIGHER
SATURATION
Fain
t cy
Fan id
y Ligh
t cy viv
r
Ve t Fan nse
ligh ht inte
c y lig
Fan
cy
y Fanep
Fan
c de
rk
LOWER c y da
Fan
SATURATION HUE
DARKER TONE
This illustration of the colored diamond scale shows the fancy color-grade
terms and how they relate to each other in the grading system. The first three
grades—Faint, Very Light, and Light—apply only to diamond colors other
than yellow. The rest apply to yellow as well as any of diamond’s many other
fancy colors.
The same fancy color grade categories are not the same size for all hues due
to differences in natural occurrence or relative rarity among various diamond
colors. Therefore, rarer colors that occur in narrow saturation ranges might
receive the same fancy-color grade at lower saturation levels than a more
commonly occurring diamond color that occurs in a wider saturation range.
The charts on pages 210 to 212 show the tone and saturation ranges for
yellow, pink, and blue diamonds.
203
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
RED
ORANGY
PURPLISH RED
RED
PURPLE- REDDISH
RED ORANGE
RED-
PURPLE ORANGE
REDDISH YELLOWISH
PURPLE ORANGE
YELLOW-
ORANGE
PURPLE
ORANGE-
YELLOW
ORANGY
YELLOW
VIOLET
YELLOW
BLUISH VIOLET
VIOLETISH GREENISH
BLUE YELLOW
GREEN-
YELLOW
BLUE
YELLOW-
GREEN
GREENISH YELLOWISH
BLUE GREEN
GREEN- GREEN
BLUE
BLUE- BLUISH
GREEN GREEN
When a description consists of more than one color, the predominant color
is stated last. Therefore, terms such as “yellow-green” and “green-yellow”
represent different hues.
204
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Gray-green
Blue
DE Brown-pink Grayish Gray-blue
CR
EA blue
SIN
GS
AT DECR
URA
TIO EASI
NG S
N CONSTANT “LIGHT” ATUR CONSTANT “MIDDLE”
ATIO
N TONE RANGE
TONE RANGE
These two hue grids illustrate how decreasing saturation affects pink (left) and blue to green-blue (right) hue terms.
With a decrease in saturation, pink diamonds become brownish while blue to blue-green diamonds become grayish.
205
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Color Distribution
Distribution is the evenness or unevenness of color you see face-up using
standard viewing procedures. In addition to the color description and fancy
grade, a description of the color distribution—stated as “uneven” or
“even”—is used for diamonds graded Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Deep,
Fancy Intense, and Fancy Vivid.
Eric Welch/GIA
The GIA DiamondDock™ and the The Judge II® by Macbeth provide ideal viewing
environments for evaluating colored diamonds.
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Viewing Geometry
As you learned earlier, viewing geometry refers to the distances and angles
between the diamond, the light source, and the observer (grader). The
standard viewing geometry described below is used during colored diamond
color grading to maximize consistency and minimize the visual complexity—
the effect of brilliance and scintillation—of the diamond.
The following standard viewing geometry is used for colored diamond color
grading:
• Center the grading tray directly under the light source to ensure the
most even illumination of the diamond.
• Hold the tray approximately 18 inches (46 cm) below the light
source.
• Grade colored diamonds in the face-up position.
• Observe the diamond at a distance of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm)
and at an angle of about 45° away from the light.
• Rock the tray gently to view the diamond through a subtle range of
motion, from perpendicular to the table to perpendicular to the
crown facets. Once the characteristic color of the diamond is deter-
mined, hold it in a stable position, approximately perpendicular to
the table.
Overhead light
45°
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Characteristic Color
Diamond interacts with light in many ways. However, it is only the
characteristic color that is described in the colored diamond color-grading
system. The characteristic color is the overall impression of color you see
when you view the diamond face-up, and does not include:
• Obvious surface reflections
• Fire (color flashes)
• Windowing (washed-out, see-through areas)
• Extinction (dark, blackish areas)
The gray areas in the illustrations correspond to the areas in the diamonds above
them that display the characteristic color.
Windowing
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Eric Welch/GIA
A GIA Laboratory grader compares the diamond to a standard reference of known
color, then compares it to several other references until the color grade is determined.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Fancy
Fancy
Deep
Fancy
Dark
Fancy
Fancy
Deep
Fancy
Dark
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Faint Light
Very
Light
Fancy Fancy
Light Intense
Fancy
Vivid
Fancy
Fancy
Dark
Fancy
Deep
Fancy
Red
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Faint
Very Light
Light
Fancy Light
Fancy
Fancy Intense
Fancy Vivid
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
The GIA Colored Diamond Grading Report™ provides a complete quality analysis of the diamond along with
a detailed description of its color and whether the color is natural or treated.
213
G RADING FANCY CUTS 215
Parts of Fancy Shapes 217
Shape and Cutting Style 218
Shape Terms 218
Modified Shapes 219
Square vs. Rectangular Shapes 220
Novelty Shapes 220
Terms for Cutting Styles 221
Brilliant 221
Step Cut 223
Mixed Cut 223
Portrait Cut 223
Rose Cut 224
Double Rose Cut 224
Special Case Guidelines 225
Old European Brilliant and Circular Brilliant 225
Old Mine Brilliant 226
Emerald and Square Emerald Cuts 226
Baguette and Tapered Baguette 227
Briolettes and Faceted Beads 227
Branded Cuts and Trade Terms 228
Measuring Fancy Cuts 230
Determining Length and Width 230
Triangular Shapes 231
Briolettes and Faceted Beads 231
Evaluating Cut 232
Total Depth Percentage 232
Table Percentage 233
Culet Size 236
Girdle Thickness and Condition 236
Crown Angle 238
Pavilion Depth 239
Pavilion Bulge 240
Shape Appeal 241
Length-to-Width Ratio 242
Bow-tie 243
Culet Placement 244
Finish 245
Round-shape Symmetry 245
Denise Conrad/GIA
You apply many of the same basic grading criteria to both round brilliants and fancy
cuts, but there are some differences between them, and some additional considera-
tions for fancy-cut diamonds.
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Name: ______________________________________________________
R1-801
Stone No.: ___________________________________________________
Measurements: 5.40
_______________ 3.91
x ______________ 2.47
x ______________ mm
length width depth
1.38 :________
L-to-W Ratio: ________ 1
Oval Brilliant
Shape & Cutting Style: __________________________________________
GIA 1234567891
Inscription: ___________________________________________________
CUT:
63.2
Key to Symbols:
Total Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________%
slightly deep
Pavilion Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________________________________ ________________________
n/a ________________________
Pavilion Bulge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________________________________
________________________
BW
Shape Appeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________________________________
________________________
slight
Bowtie Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________________________________
________________________
n/a
Culet Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________________________________
________________________
FINISH
________________________
TP
Polish: . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________________________________ VG
__________
features rating ________________________
UO, T/oc
Symmetry: . . . . . . . . . ________________________________ G
__________ ________________________
Comments:
features rating
CLARITY: . . . . . . . . . . . . ________________________________
minor inclusions VS 2
__________
descriptor grade _________________________________
Clouds are not shown.
COLOR: . . . . . . . . . . . . . ________________________________
_________________________________
colorless F
__________
descriptor grade _________________________________
strong
Fluorescence: . . . . . . . . . ________________________________ blue
__________ _________________________________
intensity color
_________________________________
p/n ###### © 2014 GIA _________________________________
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Head Cleft
Shoulder Lobe
Belly
Belly Belly
Wing
Wing Wing
Head Corner
Corner
Shoulder
Bezel tip and French tip: Shapes like the marquise, pear, Keel line: The bottom of a fancy-shaped brilliant, where the
and heart are often cut with French tips. This faceting variation pavilion facets meet (shown in red). The keel line usually runs
on the bezel tip increases durability by replacing the large bezel the length of the stone and includes or passes through the
facet at the point with star and upper half facets. culet.
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Robert Weldon/GIA
This diamond’s shape and cutting style Shape Terms
would be described as “Oval Brilliant.” These are the basic terms used to describe a diamond’s shape:
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Modified Shapes
A diamond’s outline can feature modifications that do not significantly alter
the basic shape, such as beveled or rounded corners, additional sides, or
arched sides. In these cases, the term “cut-cornered,” “round-cornered,” or
“modified” is added before the basic shape description.
• If the diamond has beveled or rounded corners, the basic shape
description would include the term “cut-cornered” or “round-
cornered” (for example: “Cut-Cornered Square”).
• If there are variations other than, or in addition to, beveled or
rounded corners, the basic shape description would include the
term “modified” (for example, “Modified Pear”).
Examples:
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≤1.05:1 Square
≥1.06:1 Rectangular
Example:
A diamond has a length of 5.35 mm and a width of 5.10 mm.
L-to-W Ratio = 5.35 ÷ 5.10 = 1.0490196, rounded to 1.05
= 1.05:1
Shape = Square
Novelty Shapes
A diamond might be fashioned to resemble a unique object or symbol, such
as a fish or a star. In those cases, you would use the specific shape description.
Other shapes would be simply referred to as “novelty” shapes.
Diamonds can be cut in a variety of unusual shapes, as shown by these fish, horse head, sailboat, racket, and star cuts.
When the shapes are recognizable, their names are used as diamond shape descriptions.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Brilliant
A standard brilliant cut consists primarily of kite- and triangular-shaped
facets. It also has a girdle plane, a table facet, and possibly a culet. The term
“modified” is used to describe a brilliant cutting style that deviates symmet-
rically from a standard brilliant.
Round Modified Brilliants: By definition, a “Round Brilliant” consists of
57 or 58 facets. The term “Round Modified Brilliant” is used to describe a
round shape with a brilliant cutting style that deviates symmetrically from
the standard 57- or 58-facet arrangement.
Examples:
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Examples:
Cut-Cornered Rectangular Modified Brilliant Square Modified Brilliant Cut-Cornered Triangular Modified Brilliant
NOTE:
If both the shape and the cutting style are modified, the Modified description is only used once. For example a
modified pear shape with a modified brilliant cutting style would be described as a “Modified Pear Brilliant.”
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Step Cut
A step cut consists of long, narrow, four-sided facets arranged in rows that
run parallel to the girdle. Many step cuts have three rows of step facets, but
there can be any number of rows.
Mixed Cut
A mixed cut has either a brilliant-cut crown and step-cut pavilion or a step-
cut crown and brilliant-cut pavilion.
Portrait Cut
A portrait-cut diamond has a flat crown and a flat pavilion. The pavilion is
cut like the crown, with a large table facet that creates the appearance of a
picture frame.
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Rose Cut
A rose-cut diamond has a girdle plane, a flat pavilion, and a pointed or dome-
shaped crown. The pavilion might have small facets around the outer edge.
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Sample
Diagram
Must meet 3 out of 4: Must meet all 3: All other proportion sets
• Table: ≤53% • Star length: ≤50%
Criteria • Crown angle: ≥40° • L.h. length: ≤60%
• L.h. length: ≤60% • Culet: MED or larger
• Culet: SLG or larger
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Example:
6.50 – 6.55 × 3.92 mm
Example:
6.52 × 4.12 × 3.37 mm
Width Width
Width
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Triangular Shapes
Most triangular shapes have one side that is longer or shorter than the other
two—this side is considered the width. Length is the dimension that’s
perpendicular to the width.
3 Width
Length
1 2
Depth
Depth
Example:
A briolette has eight diameter measurements of 3.43, 3.47, 3.45, 3.44, 3.48,
3.42, 3.43, and 3.46 mm and a depth measurement of 7.22 mm.
Measurements: 3.48 × 3.42 × 7.22 mm
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EVALUATING CUT
When you evaluate a fancy cut, look for a pleasing face-up appearance,
balanced contrast of light and dark areas, and symmetrical shape. As with
rounds, you don’t want hidden weight that is not necessary for the diamond’s
design, or thinner girdles that affect durability.
depth (mm)
Total Depth % = x 100
average girdle diameter (mm) or width (mm)
Example:
A square-shaped diamond has a width of 3.68 mm and a depth of 2.56 mm
Total depth % = (2.56 ÷ 3.68) x 100 = 69.56521
= 69.6%
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Table Percentage
For round shapes, table percentage is calculated in the same way as for the
round brilliant. For fancy shapes, the width is used in place of average girdle
diameter to calculate table percentage. Large tables up to 70 or 80 percent
are common for many step cuts and for square or rectangular diamonds.
Table percentage does not apply to rose cuts, double rose cuts, portrait cuts,
briolettes, or faceted beads.
Denise Conrad/GIA
You use a table gauge to measure a fancy cut’s table.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
For rounds, use the average table size measurement to calculate table percentage
(left). For squares and octagons, use the smallest table measurement, determined by
measuring across the length and width, adding diagonal measurements for octagons
(right).
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
For all other fancy shapes, use the largest table size measurement, as determined
across the width.
Round to nearest 1%
Example:
A cushion-shaped diamond has a table-size measurement of 3.48 mm and
a width of 6.22 mm.
Table % = (3.48 ÷ 6.22) x 100 = 55.9485531
= 56%
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Culet Size
Culet size is evaluated for rounds using the same method as for the round
brilliant. For fancy shapes, however, culet size represents the width of the
culet relative to the width of the diamond.
As with the round brilliant, a larger culet can have a negative effect on the
diamond’s face-up appearance. However, larger culets are part of the appeal
of antique cuts like the old European.
Culet size is not a consideration for rose cuts, double rose cuts, portrait cuts,
briolettes, or faceted beads.
Culet size is the width of the culet
relative to the width of the diamond.
Girdle Thickness and Condition
Girdle thickness and condition are assessed the same as they are on round
brilliants. However, there are some additional considerations for fancy
shapes:
• Only consider the valley areas on brilliant cuts with scalloped
girdles. Consider the thickness of the entire girdle when the girdle
is not scalloped.
• Ignore girdle thickness in the cleft area on heart shapes. This area is
made thicker in order to create the shape.
Mitchell Moore/GIA
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• On shapes with straight sides, like the emerald cut, the girdle facet
might be tilted at an angle toward the crown or pavilion. If it is
tilted at more than a slight angle, creating a knife-edge, call the
thickness extremely thin. Treat the intended girdle facet as an extra
facet or facet variation.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Crown Angle
On standard brilliant cuts, a crown angle that is too shallow or too steep can
affect the stone’s face-up appearance. On fancy shapes, only the angles of
the center bezel facets are considered. This is because crown angle varies
with changes in the outline. For example, you might see steep angles at a
head position and shallow angles at points.
Crown angle evaluation does not apply when judging cutting styles other
than standard brilliants.
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Pavilion Depth
As with the round brilliant, a pavilion that is too shallow or too deep can
affect the stone’s face-up appearance. The acceptable range for pavilion
depth varies with the shape and cutting style.
Pavilion depth evaluation applies only when judging standard brilliant cutting
styles.
1 1
2.5 4.5
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Pavilion Bulge
A step cut’s pavilion should slope gently from the girdle to the culet. When
the first step is cut at a steep angle, it can create a pronounced bulge. When
a stone has more pavilion bulge than is necessary for its shape, this adds
unnecessary weight to the diamond and might make the stone look dark.
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Shape Appeal
Even a perfectly symmetrical fancy-shaped diamond might not have a
graceful and pleasing shape. To judge shape appeal, you need to consider a
diamond’s face-up outline in relation to others of the same shape and cutting
style. It shouldn’t differ too much from the typical proportions for its shape
and style, although some proprietary cuts do deviate intentionally.
These are some shape-appeal variations that are considered by most in the
trade to have a negative effect:
• Narrow corners on shapes with beveled corners (NC)
• Wide corners on shapes with beveled corners (WC)
• High shoulders on pears or ovals (HS)
• Flat wings on marquises, pears, or hearts (FW)
• Bulged wings on marquises, pears, or hearts (BW)
• Undefined points on marquises, pears, or hearts (UP)
• Misshapen lobes on hearts (ML)
Examples:
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Length-to-width Ratio
Another aspect of shape appeal is length-to-width ratio. Many in the trade
prefer some ratios over others, while others believe that a ratio alone isn’t
enough to convey a diamond’s beauty.
5.03 mm
To calculate length-to-width ratio:
1. Divide the length in millimeters by the width and round to the
nearest hundredths (0.01). This value represents the length (L).
2. Assign a value of 1 for the width (W).
9.42 mm 3. List the ratio as L:W (for example, 1.50:1).
length (mm)
L-to-W ratio =
width (mm)
Example:
A marquise has a length of 9.42 mm and a width of 5.03 mm.
L-to-W Ratio = 9.42 ÷ 5.03 = 1.87276342, rounded to 1.87
= 1.87:1
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Bow-tie
Many marquise, pear, and oval brilliants show dark areas in their patterns
that resemble bow-ties and run across the width of the stone in the center of
the table. This is especially common in shallow or very deep stones.
A bow-tie gets darker as the difference between a diamond’s length and
width increases and pavilion angle variations become more extreme. A bow-
tie can vary from light grey to black. The darker or larger it is, the more it
detracts from the face-up appearance.
To assess a bow-tie:
1. Examine the diamond face-up, without magnification, under
normal lighting conditions.
2. Describe the effect as slight, noticeable, or obvious, based on the
size and darkness of the bow-tie.
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Culet Placement
A culet that is off-center will affect the diamond’s symmetry rating.
However, there are cases when a culet is located along a shape’s line of
symmetry, but it is placed too high or too low so it detracts from the stone’s
appearance. This can occur on pear- and heart-shaped diamonds, where
symmetry is evaluated along one line of symmetry.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Finish
Polish and symmetry are evaluated on a scale from excellent to poor, using
the same criteria and grading methods as for round brilliants. There are some
differences in assessing symmetry variations, however, depending on the
diamond’s shape. Some novelty-shaped diamonds are intentionally asym-
metrical. In these cases, symmetry evaluation would not apply.
Round-shape Symmetry
Round-shaped diamonds are evaluated according to rotational symmetry.
That is, each section of the round diamond should match through a 360-
degree rotation. While the round brilliant has eight sections, the number of
sections on other round cuts can vary.
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Fancy-shape Symmetry
Fancy-shaped diamonds are evaluated based on line or point symmetry.
Line Symmetry: Most diamond shapes have at least one line of symmetry
that runs vertically along the length, creating two equal parts. Symmetry
evaluation is based on how closely the two parts mirror each other. On rare
occasions, a shape—such as the half-moon—might have a line of symmetry
that runs in another direction.
Many diamond shapes have two lines of symmetry: One that runs vertically
along the length and another across the width, creating four equal parts. In
this case, symmetry evaluation is based on how closely the two parts across
each line of symmetry mirror each other (side-to-side and top-to-bottom).
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Misalignment (Aln):
Crown and pavilion facets
should be symmetrically
aligned across each line of
symmetry. Because the number
and type of facets can differ
from crown to pavilion, it is not
always possible for like facets
to meet at the girdle.
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Extra facets
Facet variation
Natural (N):
250
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EVALUATING CLARITY
The same criteria and grading methods used for round brilliants apply when
evaluating the clarity of fancy cuts. However, there are some additional
considerations to keep in mind:
• You apply the same basic grading methodology for fancy cuts as
for round brilliants, dividing the diamond into smaller sections that
can be easily examined. The size of the section depends on the
shape and cutting style of the diamond.
• Inclusions might be easier to see in step cuts, but harder to see at
the points of fancy-shaped brilliants like marquises and pears, espe-
cially if they have French tips.
• Plot fancy cuts on a diagram that matches or most closely resem-
bles the shape and facet arrangement of the diamond.
• Orient the diamond to the diagram according to its length and
width. When the diagram is positioned with crown on the left and
pavilion on the right, the width runs horizontally and the length
runs vertically.
Width Length
Width
Length
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EVALUATING COLOR
Fancy-cut color is graded using the same standard viewing environment and
grading procedures as for the standard round brilliant. For fancy-shaped
diamonds in the D-to-Z color range, different viewing positions are used to
account for the effect of the diamond’s shape and cutting style on its color
appearance.
Table-down Position
First, examine all fancy-shaped diamonds in the table-down position as you
would for rounds.
• Examine the diamond at a 45-degree angle to your line of sight.
NOTE:
Fancy shapes can display up to three distinct color intensities, depending on their orientation
in the table-down position. The color might appear more intense when viewed lengthwise or
“washed-out” when viewed across its width. The 45-degree angle provides the best visual
“average” for observing the amount of color.
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Face-up Position
Fancy shapes toward the lower end of the D-to-Z scale often appear to have
more face-up color than round brilliant diamonds. Therefore, fancy shapes
with a color grade of Q or lower seen in the table-down position are also
viewed in the face-up position.
• If the diamond appears to have more face-up color than the Z
master, it is graded on the colored diamond color-grading scale.
• Otherwise, assign a grade that averages the diamond’s appearance
in both the table-down and face-up positions.
Eric Welch/GIA
When a fancy-shaped diamond appears to have a color grade
of Q or lower in the table-down position, compare it side-by-
side and face-up with masters before determining the final
color grade.
NOTE:
The GIA Laboratory uses a set of fancy-shaped diamonds
to represent the fancy-shape face-up boundaries for Light
yellow grade ranges (S-T, U-V, W-X, and Y-Z). These
Jian Xin Liao/GIA
diamonds supplement the round-brilliant masters, help
These masters represent (left to right) S, U, W, and Y
Kevin Schumacher/GIA
expedite the grading process, and enhance consistency. grades, and the boundary between Z and Fancy Light yellow.
253
G RADING MOUNTED DIAMONDS 255
Grading Limitations 255
Measuring Mounted Diamonds 256
Evaluating Cut 258
Table Size, Crown Angle, and Crown Height Percentage 258
Culet Size, Star Length Percentage, and Lower Half Length Percentage 259
Pavilion Depth Percentage, Pavilion Angle, and Pavilion Bulge 259
Girdle Thickness, Girdle Condition, and Painting/Digging Out 259
Girdle Thickness Percentage 260
Total Depth Percentage 262
Polish and Symmetry 263
Round Brilliant Cut Grade 263
Estimating Carat Weight 264
Estimating Weights of Small Rounds 269
Templates and Hole Gauges 274
Templates 274
Hole Gauges 275
Estimating Clarity 276
Estimating Color 278
GRADING MOUNTED
DIAMONDS
G RADING MOUNTED DIAMONDS
The same criteria for grading loose diamonds also apply to mounted
diamonds. However, you will need to use some different observation
methods to accommodate the limitations imposed by a mounting. You’ll also
often have to estimate your results rather than rely on exact measurements.
GRADING LIMITATIONS
For the following reasons, the results of mounted diamond grading are never
as accurate as the results of grading a loose diamond:
• Weight and proportions must be estimated.
• The mounting can limit your ability to see clarity characteristics
and signs of treatment.
• The mounting makes it impossible to follow the same systematic
loose-diamond grading methodology and ensure that all character-
istics are located and properly identified.
• The mounting can mask or obscure the diamond’s color.
On appraisals and other business documents, it is important to note that grading
is affected by the limits imposed by the mounting.
It is important to be aware that most laboratories do not grade mounted
diamonds. For stones previously graded by GIA, the Laboratory offers a veri-
fication service to determine whether or not the diamond matches its report.
Grading mounted diamonds and making accurate estimations takes practice.
If you have access to mounted diamonds accompanied by lab reports issued
before the stones were mounted, a good way to improve your skills is to
compare your results to those listed on the report.
Denise Conrad/GIA
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TABLE GAUGE
Eric Welch/GIA
You can use a table gauge to measure the dimensions of small
diamonds.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
When the mounting covers the edge of the diamond, such as on bezel-set
and channel-set diamonds, you’ll have to estimate the location of the girdle’s
edge.
• On brilliant cuts, follow the bezel facet junctions to the location
where they should come to a point under the metal.
• For round shapes, measure across all four pairs of bezels, record the
minimum and maximum, then calculate the average diameter.
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EVALUATING CUT
You use the same methods to evaluate the proportions and finish of mounted
diamonds as you use for loose stones. However, there are some minor differ-
ences and additional considerations.
Eric Welch/GIA
Direct measurement of the table with a table gauge will give you the most accurate
results.
You estimate crown angle using the profile method or face-up method,
depending on the shape of the diamond and the style of the mounting.
• Use the profile method if you can see enough of the profile to make
the technique practical.
• For round brilliants, use the face-up method if the profile is
obscured by a bezel setting.
• On a round brilliant, once you have determined the table size and
Eric Welch/GIA
crown angle, use the chart on pages 124 and 125 in the cut section
Use the profile view to estimate crown
angle if the mounting allows you to see
to estimate the crown height percentage.
enough of the diamond’s profile. If it
doesn’t, switch to a face-up view.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
When a mounting completely conceals the girdle, you can only assess the
girdle by checking its reflection in the pavilion.
In addition to assessing minimum and maximum girdle thickness, assign an
overall description to represent the average girdle thickness. For example,
if the thickness ranges from very thin to slightly thick, the overall girdle
thickness might be medium.
You’ll need to know the diamond’s overall girdle thickness to estimate
the mounted diamond’s weight and, if needed, its girdle thickness
percentage.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
ETN 1.5%
VTN 2.0%
THN 2.5%
261
DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
total depth %
Depth (mm) = × average girdle diameter
100
Round to nearest 0.01 mm
Example:
A round brilliant diamond has an average girdle diameter of 8.22 mm, a crown
height of 11.5%, girdle thickness of 2.0%, and pavilion depth of 41.0%.
Total Depth % = 11.5 + 2.0 + 41.0 = 54.5%
Depth (mm) = 54.5 ÷ 100 = 0.545
= 0.545 × 8.22 = 4.4799
= 4.48 mm
11.5%
2.0%
41.0%
54.5%
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Example:
You have determined that you need a total weight correction of 5 percent.
Weight correction factor = 100 + 5 = 105
= 105 ÷ 100 = 1.05
5. After you determine an estimated weight, take a last look at the
stone to see if your estimate is reasonable. It’s easy to make a
mistake when writing down measurements or doing calculations.
6. On appraisals or other business forms, use a qualifying statement
like “weight estimated by formula from measurements.” It’s impor-
tant for your customers or clients to understand that your estimate
is not an exact weight.
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Round Brilliant
Estimated weight = average girdle diameter2* × depth
× 0.0061 × weight correction
*This means you should take the average girdle
diameter and multiply it by itself (AGD × AGD).
Oval Brilliant
Estimated weight = average girdle diameter2* × depth
× 0.0062 × weight correction
*This means you should take the average girdle
diameter and multiply it by itself (AGD × AGD).
AGD = (L + W) ÷ 2
Heart Brilliant
Estimated weight = length × width × depth × 0.0059
× weight correction
Triangular Brilliant
Estimated weight = length × width × depth × 0.0057
× weight correction
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Baguette
Estimated weight = length × width × depth ×
0.00915
Tapered Baguette
Estimated weight = length × average width ×
depth × 0.00915
(Width = the average of the two parallel edges)
Marquise Brilliant
Estimated weight = length × width × depth ×
adjustment factor × weight correction
L-to-W Ratio Adjustment Factor
1.50:1.00 0.00565
2.00:1.00 0.00580
2.50:1.00 0.00585
3.00:1.00 0.00595
Pear Brilliant
Estimated weight = length × width × depth ×
adjustment factor × weight correction
L-to-W Ratio Adjustment Factor
1.25:1.00 0.00615
1.50:1.00 0.00600
1.66:1.00 0.00590
2.00:1.00 0.00575
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These weight corrections apply to round and fancy-shape diamonds with slightly thick or thicker
girdles.
Example:
A round brilliant diamond has an overall girdle thickness of thick and an average girdle diameter
of 4.75 mm.
Weight correction % = 3%
Correction factor = 100 + 3 = 103% = 1.03
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Statistics
• Emerald-cut center stone: 7.75 mm × 4.94 mm × 3.58 mm, medium
girdle
• First emerald-cut side stone: 5.01 mm × 3.85 mm × 2.75 mm, thick
girdle
• Second emerald-cut side stone: 4.90 mm × 3.67 mm × 2.40 mm, thin
Joel Beeson/GIA girdle
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Statistics
• Oval center stone: 7.90 mm × 5.60 mm × 3.69 mm, thick girdle
• First pear-shaped side stone: 7.10 mm × 4.80 mm × 2.90 mm, thick
girdle
• Second pear-shaped side stone: 7.08 mm × 4.78 mm × 2.67 mm,
medium girdle
Joel Beeson/GIA
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Statistics
• Radiant-cut center stone: 7.95 mm × 6.75 mm × 4.63 mm, thin to
medium girdle
• First trilliant-cut side stone: 6.95 mm × 6.73 mm × 3.00 mm, thin to
medium girdle
• Second trilliant-cut side stone: 6.92 mm × 6.71 mm × 2.98 mm, thin
Joel Beeson/GIA to medium girdle
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Statistics
• Oval center stone: 8.68 mm × 5.78 mm × 3.74 mm, medium girdle
• First princess-cut side stone: 4.01 mm × 2.51 mm × 2.21 mm
• Second princess-cut side stone: 4.00 mm × 2.57 mm × 2.22 mm
• Round accent stones: 4.10 mm diameter and 4.15 mm diameter
Joel Beeson/GIA
Center Stone Calculations
Average girdle diameter = (8.68 + 5.78) ÷ 2
= 7.23
Estimated weight = 7.232 × 3.74 × 0.0062
= 1.2121, round to 1.21 cts.
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Templates
A template is a transparent sheet of plastic imprinted with outlines of
diamonds of various shapes and sizes, along with their corresponding
estimated weights. To use a template, align the diamond being examined
with the outline that most closely matches it and read the carat weight on
the template.
Matching a diamond to its outline on a template can provide you with an estimated weight.
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Hole Gauges
A hole gauge is a metal or plastic plate with openings that represent various
diamond dimensions. Some hole gauges also have round tabs that stone
setters use to measure the spaces in settings that require replacement stones.
Eric Welch/GIA
The openings in a hole gauge help you measure diamond dimensions.
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Estimating Clarity
A diamond’s mounting limits the viewing angles and interferes with the
lighting needed to locate and identify clarity characteristics. While the
criteria for assigning a clarity grade are the same as for loose diamonds, you
will need to use a different assessment method.
Fiber-optic light
The locations of the prongs on this ring (left) are indicated by black dashed lines on
its plot (right).
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Denise Conrad/GIA
As with loose stones, the clarity grade of a mounted diamond is based on its appear-
ance in a 10X loupe.
NOTE:
On higher-clarity diamonds, you might
have to remove the diamond from the
mounting to obtain accurate grading
results. The difference between IF
and VVS can have a dramatic effect
on a diamond’s value.
Under circumstances like this, it’s a
good idea to submit the diamond to a
laboratory for grading.
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ESTIMATING COLOR
A mounting makes color grading a challenge because it interferes with a
clear pavilion view, and the color of the metal can influence the diamond’s
apparent color. The lighting and background are the same for evaluating the
color of a mounted diamond as they are for grading the color of a loose stone,
but the comparison methods are very different.
NOTE:
For diamonds mounted in yellow-gold prongs, you might want to hold the
masterstone in tweezers or a clamp with gold-toned tips.
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Denise Conrad/GIA
If the crown is not visible in profile, you must perform a face-up comparison of the diamond and
the masterstones.
279
TREATMENTS, SYNTHETICS, AND SIMULANTS 281
Diamond Treatments 282
Fracture Filling 283
Identification 283
Visual Indications of Fracture Filling 284
Grading and Disclosure 288
Laser Drilling 289
Identification 289
Grading and Disclosure 294
Surface Coating 295
Identification 295
Grading and Disclosure 297
Artificial Irradiation 298
Identification 298
Grading and Disclosure 300
High-pressure, High-temperature (HPHT) Annealing 301
Identification 301
Grading and Disclosure 305
Annealing 306
Identification 306
Grading and Disclosure 306
Synthetic Diamonds 307
Identifying Synthetic Diamonds 307
Grading Synthetic Diamonds 311
Synthetic Diamond Clarity Grading 311
Synthetic Diamond Color Grading 313
Synthetic Diamond Disclosure 315
Treated Synthetic Diamonds 316
Diamond Simulants 317
Separating Diamonds from Diamond Simulants 317
SYNTHETICS, SIMULANTS
TREATMENTS,
TREATMENTS, SYNTHETICS, AND
SIMULANTS
In this section, you will learn about the various diamond treatments,
synthetic diamonds, and diamond simulants seen in the market today.
While some treatments and synthetics can be identified using standard
gemological equipment, others can only be detected with advanced laboratory
testing. Diamond simulants, however, are easily distinguished from diamond
using basic gemological tests and observations.
All major trade organizations, as well as regulatory agencies such as the US
Federal Trade Commission, require full disclosure of diamond treatments
and synthetic diamonds with each sale, from wholesaler to end consumer.
Therefore, it is important for you to:
• Be familiar with the possible types of treatments and synthetic
growth methods.
• Know how to recognize the signs of treatment or synthetic origin
with the use of standard gemological equipment.
• Recognize when advanced laboratory testing is needed to positively
identify a treated or synthetic diamond.
Diamond treatments and synthetics are constantly evolving, so it’s important
for you to stay up-to-date with the latest processes and detection methods.
A valuable source of information is Gems & Gemology (G&G), GIA’s
professional trade journal. All G&G articles are available free of charge at
www.gia.edu/gems-gemology.
Gems & Gemology contains valuable information about gems and their sources. It is
available on the GIA website, free of charge. To access the Gems & Gemology website
via your mobile device, scan the QR code at right.
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DIAMOND TREATMENTS
Attempts to improve a natural diamond’s appearance by masking or altering
its color or by reducing the visibility of its clarity characteristics can result
in the use of one or more treatment methods.
Fracture Filling
CLARITY
Laser Drilling
DIAMOND
TREATMENTS Surface Coating
}
Artificial Irradiation
COLOR
Might be combined
HPHT Annealing in a multi-step
process
Annealing
This chart outlines the types of clarity and color treatments used to improve diamond
appearance.
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Fracture Filling
Fracture filling treatment involves injecting a molten glass filler into a
diamond’s surface-reaching inclusions. The filler has a refractive index (RI)
close to diamond’s RI, so it makes inclusions or fractures less visible.
Identification
Microscopic examination is necessary for the detection of fracture filling.
• During the clarity grading process, carefully examine surface-
reaching inclusions for visual indications of the presence of a filler.
On the following pages, you’ll find descriptions and examples of
the features that indicate treatment.
• You will need to use different viewing angles, a variety of lighting
techniques, and as much magnification as needed to properly iden-
tify the treatment.
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Flash-effect examples:
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The flash effect can be difficult to detect in a colored diamond if it’s masked by the
diamond’s bodycolor. You would be able to see the orangy yellow flash effect in this
diamond if its bodycolor weren’t orange (left). In brightfield, the flash effect appears
bluish green (right).
NOTE:
Do not confuse the flash effect with
the iridescence or staining sometimes
seen in untreated fractures. Unlike
the flash effect, these features do not
exhibit the same change in color and
are more readily seen looking perpen-
dicular to the fracture.
Shane McClure/GIA John Koivula/GIA
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Gas bubbles: You might see rounded, flattened gas bubbles inside filled
fractures. Numerous small gas bubbles sometimes appear along the edge of
a feather.
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Shane McClure/GIA
The filler in this diamond has a cloudy
appearance.
John Koivula/GIA
Exposure to the flame of a jeweler’s torch
caused the filler material to sweat out of the
fracture.
Yellow color of the filler: Some fillers are yellow, and their color
can become visible if the filled area is relatively wide, as with a
cavity or laser drill-hole.
Shane McClure/GIA
If a filler is yellow, the yellow color can
become obvious in thicker or wider areas.
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Laser Drilling
Laser drilling creates an opening in the diamond to provide access for
lightening or dissolving dark inclusions with bleach in an attempt to reduce
their visibility. Laser-drilling treatment results in a laser drill-hole or internal
laser drilling channel, depending on the method used. Both of these features
are considered clarity characteristics.
Identification
Microscopic examination is used to detect and identify laser drilling.
• Laser drilling is identified during the clarity grading process, using
the same systematic grading methodology used to locate and iden-
tify other clarity characteristics.
• You will need to use different viewing angles, different lighting
techniques, and as much magnification as needed to properly iden-
tify the treatment.
If you’re ever unsure about the presence of laser drilling in a diamond, send
it to a gemological laboratory for identification.
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Drag lines typically not present—might Drag lines might be present since etch
be present if repolished after treatment channels are present during polishing
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Associated fracture must break the Associated fracture might or might not
surface to provide access for bleaching break the surface
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Surface Coating
The application of a surface coating on a diamond can hide faint bodycolor
and make the diamond appear more colorless, or create a much stronger
color. Coatings can range from the primitive, such as ink or nail polish, to
the advanced, such as a durable thin-film calcium fluoride coating.
On the following pages, you’ll find images of coated diamonds. You will
need to use different lighting techniques, and as much magnification as
needed, to properly identify the treatment.
• Diffused transmitted light can make coatings more visible on color-
less or near colorless diamonds.
Denise Conrad/GIA
• Some coatings are more apparent in reflected light. To create diffused light, place a white
tissue (top) or diffuser plate (middle)
If you’re ever unsure about the presence of surface coating, send it to a gemo- over the well light. Keep the baffle
logical laboratory for identification. Advanced testing methods might be closed and the well light turned up all
the way. To use reflected light, turn off
needed to positively identify the treatment. the well light and illuminate the diamond
from above using an overhead light
source (bottom). You can also tilt the
diamond in the well to reflect light off a
facet surface.
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Artificial Irradiation
There are many artificial irradiation techniques that result in green
or blue diamond color. These include exposure to electrons in a
linear accelerator, irradiation with gamma rays, and exposure to
neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Subsequent controlled heat treatment,
Both by Mike Breeding/GIA called annealing, can change the blue-to-green colors to various
Before After shades of yellow or orangy yellow. In a few rare cases, the color
artificial irradiation artificial irradiation can be changed to pink or red.
Identification
Most artificially irradiated diamonds are not identifiable by a
gemologist using standard gem-testing equipment. They must be
submitted to a laboratory for an “origin of color” determination.
Laboratory gemologists and researchers use a combination of
advanced tests including absorption spectroscopy in the UV-Vis
and infrared ranges as well as luminescent spectroscopy to detect
the treatment. However, some visual features can indicate that the
diamond was treated.
Some indications that a diamond is irradiated are explained below.
Inscription
Look for an inscription that identifies the treatment or links the
diamond to a GIA report that can be verified online. A diamond
identified by GIA as artificially irradiated is inscribed with the
word “IRRADIATED,” or with its GIA report number and a
registered name that’s exclusive to the process used.
Inscriptions are sometimes bleached out (white) or partially
removed by re-polishing. Therefore, examine the girdle closely
Mitchell Moore/GIA
under high magnification to look for the remnants of an inscrip-
Artificially irradiated diamonds submitted
to GIA are inscribed to provide clear tion. Be aware that an inscription can also be completely
disclosure of the treatment. removed.
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Most green diamonds are irradiated, but the origin of the irradiation
can be natural or artificial. Even with advanced laboratory testing,
it is not always possible to conclusively establish whether a green
diamond was irradiated in the ground or in a laboratory. The
presence of natural green irradiation stains helps to identify the
origin of color as natural. When laboratory testing is inconclusive,
GIA lists the color origin as “Undetermined” on its report.
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Identification
HPHT-annealed diamonds cannot be identified by a gemologist with
standard gem-testing equipment. Definitive identification requires advanced
testing in a properly equipped gemological laboratory. However, you can
use a process of elimination to identify stones that require advanced testing.
Look for the following indications that a diamond was, or might have
been, HPHT-treated.
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Shane McClure/GIA
This diamond’s inscription was bleached
out, so it’s less noticeable, even under
magnification.
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Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Maha Tannous/GIA
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Annealing
Annealing is a treatment that uses high heat and low pressure. It is often
used after a diamond is irradiated to alter the blue-to-green color created by
that treatment. When used alone, annealing can create black diamonds by
inducing large-scale graphitization within surface-reaching fractures.
Identification
In general, treated-color black diamonds are not difficult to identify. Strong
illumination will reveal their graphite inclusions confined to fractures, in
contrast to the random “salt and pepper” appearance of natural black stones.
These stones also generally lack the pitted and knotted surface features
common in natural black diamonds, and they can display a characteristic
surface iridescence.
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SYNTHETIC DIAMONDS
A synthetic diamond has all the same optical and physical properties of a
natural diamond, but it was grown in a laboratory rather than by nature.
Two known processes currently used in commercial production to grow
gem-quality synthetic diamonds are:
High-pressure, High-temperature (HPHT): These synthetics are grown
under controlled high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. Carbon
atoms crystalize around a natural or synthetic diamond seed crystal. A
molten metallic flux acts a solvent for the powdered carbon and a catalyst
for growth.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): These synthetics are grown using a
microwave beam or an antenna that causes carbon to precipitate out of a plasma
cloud and deposit onto a surface made of synthetic diamond, natural diamond,
or silicon. The synthetic diamond forms as the carbon deposits build.
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John Koivula/GIA
Included mineral crystals: Only natural diamonds can have included mineral crystals. However, synthetics can have metallic flux
inclusions (HPHT) or dark non-diamond carbon inclusions (CVD) that are similar in appearance to the crystals, needles, pinpoints,
and clouds found in natural diamonds.
Patches of natural green (left) or brown (right) radiation staining Transparent internal graining in a
cubic pattern
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NOTE:
Both natural and synthetic diamonds can have the same types of blemishes and surface-reaching inclusions,
including feathers, chips, and cavities. Therefore, the presence of these characteristics does not aid in identification.
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Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Maha Tannous/GIA
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Flawless Flawless
VVS1
Very Very Slightly Included
VVS2
VS1
Very Slightly Included
VS2
SI1
Slightly Included
SI2
I1
Included I2
I3
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Because of the implications of the terms natural and indented natural, the
respective terms crystal surface and indented crystal surface are used to
describe these features in synthetic diamonds.
All other clarity characteristics might be found in both natural and synthetic
diamonds. Therefore, the same plotting symbols and terms apply to both.
Crystal surface Part of the original skin of the synthetic • Plotted the same as a natural
diamond crystal • Listed as “crystal surface” in key to symbols
Indented crystal Part of the original skin of the synthetic • Plotted the same as an indented natural
surface diamond crystal that indents at 10X • Listed as “indented crystal surface” in key to symbols
magnification
All other inclusions See definitions in clarity section • Plotted and listed using the same symbols and terms
and blemishes as natural diamonds
(feather, chip, cavity,
polish features, etc.)
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The color-grade ranges for synthetic diamonds are broader than those used
when evaluating natural diamonds.
Colorless D, E, F
Near Colorless G, H, I, J
Faint K, L, M
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Faint Faint
LOWER Dark
Dark Fancy Dark
SATURATION HUE
Deep Fancy Deep
DARKER TONE
Illustration of GIA color grade interrelationships Vivid Fancy Vivid
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DIAMOND SIMULANTS
Diamond simulants are natural or manmade materials that look like diamonds
and are used in their place. Some common diamond simulants include:
Synthetic Cubic Zirconia (CZ)
Synthetic Moissanite
Glass
Zircon
Synthetic Spinel
Synthetic Rutile
Synthetic Sapphire
Strontium Titanate
Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG)
Gadolinium Gallium Garnet (GGG)
This tester identifies, detects, and separates diamond from moissanite and other
diamond simulants. Be aware that not all thermal diamond testers can identify
synthetic moissanite.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Shane Elen/GIA
Magnification will reveal the doubling of facet
junctions in synthetic moissanite.
Pedro Padua/GIA
Diamond (left) and synthetic rutile (right) show obvious differences in their displays of
fire. This is a result of synthetic rutile’s higher dispersion rating.
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DIAMOND GRADING LAB MANUAL
Eric Welch/GIA
Some diamond simulants display a read-through effect, meaning text is visible through them when you look
through their pavilions. Note that there’s no read-through with the diamond at the far left.
Pavilion flash: CZ and YAG might show a distinct flash of color across their
pavilions. To check for pavilion flash, examine the stone pavilion-up,
looking perpendicular to the culet. Be sure to hold the stone still as you
examine it: Do not rock and tilt it. Also, pavilion flash is best seen on well-
proportioned round brilliant cuts.
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Polish quality: Because diamond is a lot harder than any simulant, it takes
a high-quality polish, with very sharp facet junctions. Because of their
relative softness, simulants’ facet junctions appear more rounded than a
diamond’s facets. Most simulants quickly show signs of wear, with scratches
and visible abrasions.
Mitchell Moore/GIA
This CZ’s girdle displays a distinctive The bruted girdle of a diamond has a
pattern of striations. waxy, granular appearance.
320
COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF “COLORLESS” DIAMOND AND DIAMOND S IMULANTS
DIAMOND DISPERSION SG RI
STONE DOUBLING HARDNESS ADDITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
TESTER (fire) (heft) (see-through effect)*
Assembled stones consist of two or more pieces of material glued or fused together.
321
Assembled stone • crown and pavilion may have different RI, inclusions, dispersion
Properties and tests vary depending on the materials used.
and luster