DIAMOND
Renowned for being the hardest natural substance, diamond is one of the four precious stones. On its own or combined with other stones, it is a must in fine jewelry. Its ability to concentrate and reflect light gives it a dazzling brilliance. By breaking down light into its primary colors, it gives off colored fire from every angle along with an exceptional radiance.
Diamonds display a variety of natural tones: colorless (white), yellow, brown, green, pink, cognac, blue, black and — very rarely — red. Blue comes from the boron in its composition, yellow from nitrogen, pink and red from hydrogen, and green from uranium.
The quality of a diamond is ascertained according to four criteria. Its weight, measured in carats (0.2 g), is essential in determining its price.
Its clarity indicates the quantity or absence of inclusions in the stone. Visible under 10x magnification, it is classified into seven categories. The highest clarity grade is internally flawless (IF). In this instance, the stone has no inclusions at all and is completely transparent.
In the VVS1-VVS2 (Very Very Small Inclusions) and VS1-VS2 (Very Small Inclusions) categories, there are minuscule or very small inclusions, which are very difficult or difficult to see under 10x magnification. Then comes the SI1–SI2 (Slightly Included) category, in which small inclusions can be easily seen under 10x magnification but are invisible to the naked eye. The P1 (Imperfect) category describes stones that present inclusions that can be very easily seen under 10x magnification but are difficult to spot with the naked eye. P2 (Imperfect) and P3 (Imperfect) correspond to diamonds whose many inclusions can easily or very easily be seen by the naked eye and slightly or clearly affect the stone’s brilliance.
Color is the third criterion for diamond quality. It is graded using letters from D to Z. D and E indicate exceptional white, F and G extra white. H, I, and J indicate white or off-white. K and L are slightly tinted. From M to Z, the diamond has a tinted color.
Ultimately, the final appearance of a diamond is achieved through a high-quality cut. Conversely, a poor cut can significantly devalue the stone. This quality is specified on the certificate that always accompanies the diamond: excellent, very good, good, average, or poor.
For its elegant and refined jewelry creations, Mazet Joaillerie presents naturally colored diamonds: daffodil, cognac, green, orange, and canary (yellow-green). They work with this essential gemstone in their workshop. After analyzing an old-cut diamond, and if it is deemed suitable, they may sometimes offer to recut it in a modern style to restore its brilliance.
Diamond deposits are found all over the world: Russia, South Africa, Botswana, Canada, Brazil, and Australia, to name a few. Diamond has the highest hardness, at 10 on the Mohs scale.
