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28 Sep, 2015

Selecting a diamond ... Diamond shape

Diamonds come in a variety of shapes. A round diamond shape is the most popular as it typically reflects the most light and appears more brilliant. Other shapes include emerald, pear, heart, oval, marquise, princess, cushion and radiant. Many customers of Barmakian Jewelers choose to add side diamonds to their ring setting, adding to the overall brilliance and impact of...

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15 Sep, 2015

Selecting a diamond ... Diamond carat

Carat refers to the weight of a diamond. The higher the carat weight, the more valuable it is (other factors being equal). A carat weighs 200 milligrams and is divided into 100 points. A .5 carat diamond is the same as a 1/2 carat diamond which is the same as a 50-point diamond. Over a carat, diamond weights are usually...

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01 Sep, 2015

Selecting a diamond ... Diamond clarity

Selecting a diamond ... Diamond clarity The clarity of a diamond is determined by the number and size of interior characteristics called inclusions and exterior characteristics called blemishes. They can interfere with the passage of light through the stone, diminishing the sparkle and value of the diamond. Both inclusions and blemishes occur naturally in diamonds. The Federal Trade Commission has...

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27 Aug, 2015

Selecting a diamond ... Diamond color

The best color or tint is absolutely none. Yet most diamonds appearing colorless have slight tones of yellow or brown. The less color there is the higher the value. The color grading scale below categorizes the light differences between diamonds. At Barmakian Jewelers, our gemologists will show you similar diamonds with different color gradings side by side in our private...

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16 Jul, 2015

Selecting a diamond ... Diamond cut

Diamonds are prisms that interact with light. The brilliance of a diamond is determined by the way it is cut. The depth and width of a diamond has a tremendous effect on how light will reflect and refract within the diamond. If a diamond is too wide in relation to its depth, light will be lost causing less brilliance. If...

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