Bruted vs Faceted

I haven't updated this blog for a while... at least not with this kind of info.

If you pay close attention to your stone's certificate, you will see 2 pieces of information that relates to the Girdle. They are the thickness and the 'type' of girdle. In this post, I'm going to explain the 'type'.

Girdle
Girdle is the thin line between the top half of your diamond and the bottom half when viewed from the side. If you refer back to this simple diamond diagram, you can see where it is:



It is the widest part of the diamond and divides the top from the bottom. (It doesn't divide equally of course with the bottom being longer than the top) After being set, the girdle is usually visible unless it is purposely covered by the setting or band like the famous Tiffany Bezet line =P





There are primarily 2 types of girdles:

1. Faceted
2. Bruted

Faceted

Nowadays, this is probably the most common girdle type. Faceted means that the girdle is finished with a faceted feel. Even without a microscope, if you look carefully, you'll see numerous facets along the girdle as you turn the ring. It gives the ring a more 'clean' look. Faceting is done after bruting a diamond. These are the last and final steps in diamond cutting.

Bruted

Bruted was more common many years ago and 1 of the reasons why it was common was to prove that the stone was a real diamond. Bruted girdle is achieved by grinding 2 stones together. The appeareance is like a sugarly/frosted look.

Pros & Cons & Facts

-Faceted girdles take an extra step and are considered to be "better" than bruted girdles

-Although there are some out there who argue otherwise

-Faceted girdles cost a bit more as an extra step is involved in the cutting process

-Most diamonds today are faceted

Microscope Update

Well, finally got the chance to view the Perfect Ring under the microscope today.

Tiffany Toronto was awfully quiet today, which I actually liked. I was only 1 of 2 customers when I got there. I went to find the gemologist who had briefly helped me last time. I actually like her a lot since she's very knowledgeable about diamonds and did not hesistate to get into "technical" talks with me about it. She's also the type that cuts the BS doesn't try to be a fancy sales. That doesn't mean she doesn't have good customer service, it's just her style is more passive which is similar to mine.

Anyway, enough about the nice sales, on to the microscope experience. I had emailed my sales lady the night before and she replied saying that they would be expecting me. So when I went to find the gemologist, she asked another sales to "bring it out" (the microscope) and "get it ready". It sounded so cool lol. However, I was a little surprised since I expected it to be in a nice little private viewing room. I believe even the Tiffany Yorkdale store has this semi-private room with a microscope inside. That's actually where I got the idea thinking if the Yorkdale store has a microscope, then the prestigious Tiffany Toronto store must have it. Well, I was pretty disappointed when the guy the gemologist instructed came out carrying this rather pre-2000s looking microscope out in his nice fancy suit.

They plug it in, turned it on and the gemologist got to work. She said she would need to set it up and calibrate it correctly for me. She played around with this clip that could not hold the ring. Then she explained that it was for loose diamonds only. That struck me odd since, aren't all Tiffany diamonds set and they don't sell/have loose diamonds? If so, then why would they have a microscope that can only hold loose diamonds?

Anyway, I had to hold the diamond with my fingers and that was inconvenient for several reasons. Under such magnifications, moving the diamond a little would cause it to be blurry and out of focus. Therefore, you had to keep your hand and fingers really steady to keep it in focus.

There are basically 2 knobs on their microscope. One was for focusing. So it what you're seeing in the lens is blurry, just turn it. If it gets worse... well turn it the other way =P There's a small knob that you would turn to zoom in or out. Fully zoomed out, the diamond would take up about 1/3 of what you see through the lens. Fully zoomed in, I believe you can only see like 1/2 of the diamond.

Finally, I had to say I'm a tad disappointed with the diamond, despite it's good specs. I think I saw about 2-3 black pinpoint conclusion, as well as, a cloud of clear inclusions. These clouds are kinda like teeny-weeny air bubbles trapped in the diamond during the growth process. They're called clouds because they come in clusters. So there we go, 2 black pinpoints and a cloud that I could not see even under the loupe. That's pretty disappointing. I did get the opportunity to verify the serial number that I cleverly spotted the other day under the loop. I thought it was a big inclusion, which was odd because it was so nicely parallel to the table. The gemologist looked and laughed and said that's the serial number that is etched near the table. She complimented saying that I have a very good eye and majority of their customers would not even see it if she told them where it was.

After the microscope, I insisted that we look again using the loupe and I realized that what I thought were dust particles before were actually the cloud themselves. And by tilting the diamond at the right angle where the entire table has light reflecting off it directly, you can see all the inclusions actually. I found a great way to view inclusions using this method that I learned today. Hands-on experience!

After this whole ordeal, the gemologist kept emphasizing that this is a really, really good ring and that I picked a really good one. As I mentioned before, it seems she cuts the BS and since I'm technically not her client, there is really no point for her to sugarcoat everything. She said that I'm getting the best bang for the buck by getting a G, VS2 and the triple excellent, no fluorescence, faceted medium girdle. She said the numbers (proportions) are really nice too! I said that's exactly why I picked this diamond and asked if she knew about the HCA tool. She said she's not particularly aware of that tool, but she knows such tools exist. But to her, with her background and knowledge as a gemologist, she knows right off the bat which numbers and ranges are good and which aren't. That was pretty impressive since I always have to resort to the HCA tool. To her, it's like picking some nice, sweet oranges or picking fresh fish at the supermarket.

In conclusion, I was rather disappointed after finally seeing the inclusions. I guess I can't expect too much since it's a VS2 after all, not IF or F. However, having a decent eye and being really picky, I couldn't see much with the loupe. And now that I learned how a cloud really looks like (not dust particles!), I realized I have that too on the diamond. But I'm not going to turn around. I think this is still a really good diamond and I'm getting a great deal on it (well subjective I know lol)... I hope it's worth it and I'll have no regrets....

--Tiffany Price Differences Worldwide--

Catered towards the T&Co fans, this blog post shows the rough price difference between locations throughout the world.

Based on my research, here are how the prices diff:

(Cheapest) US > Asia (Hong Kong) > Asia (Taiwan) > Canada (Expensive)

These are rough comparisons from gathering different prices on similar spec diamond rings and factoring in exchange rates, taxes, etc. With Canada having a high sales tax, it easily claimed the last spot and the most expensive place to purchase a Tiffany ring. Surprisingly, major cities (Hong Kong and Taipei (Taiwan)) in Asia were not much cheaper. The good thing is, there isn't any sales tax in Hong Kong, so that brings the price down a little. (Bringing the ring back to your native country is a different story... FYI, Canada is really tight on customs and taxation on good imported). With T&Co being an American company and brand, it's almost a no-brainer that it would be the cheapest in the US. They are on average, about 5-8% cheaper than the rest of the locations I have compared with. Finding a state with a low sales tax is a bonus =P

--Conflict Diamonds--

In continuation of my last post, I'm going to blog a little bit about Conflict Diamonds.

Conflict Diamonds, are illegitimate diamonds that come from areas where the mining process is not controlled. Furthermore, the revenue made by the sale of these diamonds are used to fund wars against the local government. This is exactly what was portrayed in the movie Blood Diamond. Illegitimate forces recruit and force men to mine and dig up these diamonds, and of course there is no paycheque. As you can see, many people who are aware of this topic avoid the purchase of these stones, which indirectly funds the warfare and the continuity of this practice. There are many, many people affected by this and poor innocent villagers who are forced away from their family to help the these illegitimate organizations mine the stones. Because there is absolutely no process, injuries and deaths are extremely common from the mining process.

All of these conflict diamonds are mined in different parts of Africa, with Angola, Sierre Leone, Liberia being the main countries. The Civil wars that constantly plagued these countries are heavily funded by these Conflict Diamonds.

UN and the diamond industry have stepped in to attempt to put a stop on the sales of Conflict Diamonds. The Kimberley Process, introduced in May 2000, is a huge step in controlling and eliminating the sales of Conflict Diamonds.

At the end of the day, it is up to the individual's conscience to decide if they will avoid the purchase of a diamond with unknown origins. Sometimes (although rarely), unknown origins does not automatically make the diamond a blood diamond. For the reason of it being illegitimate and exported from war zones, blood diamonds sell for a lower price than legitimate diamonds mined in controlled mines by legitimate organizations.

--HRD--

Previously, I had discussed the two top diamond grading bodies, GIA and AGS. Well, it turns out that in North America, predominantly the US, GIA and AGS are the most favorable and trusted bodies. Over the Altantic Ocean, in the city of Antwerp, the world's largest diamond trade center, there exists another reputable diamond grading body, the HRD.

HRD, The High Diamond Council or Hoge Raad voor, was started in 1976 (much later than GIA - 1930s) is much like its North American counterparts and is a very reputable and trusted diamond grading authority. Since its origins are in the world's "diamond capital", you can tell how reliable their grading certificates are.

However, there have been debates and opinions on the differences between GIA/AGS and HRD. Researchers and diamond enthusiasts have compared reports generated by the two separate bodies and have found differences in their grading across the 4C's. I'm not going to go into details regarding the differences, but overall, neither is superior to the other. It's almost like comparing AGS000 and GIA Triple Excellent.

What you should learn from this blog post is the existence of a third reputable and proven diamond grading body, HRD, and it is based in the world's largest diamond trading city, Antwerp. So next time when you're out shopping for a ring and you see a grading certificate from HRD, don't freak out and instead, showcase your knowledge to the sales =P...

Band & Setting Choices Part 1

I wanted to blog a bit about this topic as I see it as an important component of the Perfect Ring. So you got yourself a shiny, big rock, but you're still missing the other half of a ring, the setting!

Typically, the circular part is called a setting, or band. For engagement rings, they usually come in the form of gold, white or yellow, or platinum. To further break it down, the gold bands come in either 14K or 18K gold. Platinum costs significantly more than gold. A 14K gold band could cost around $300-600 CAD, while a platinum one might sell for at least $1000+ CAD.

When brand new, it is pretty hard to tell the difference between platinum and white gold. So the first thing that may come to your mind is, why not buy the cheaper one. Well, like most things in life, you get what you pay for and there's obviously reasons why platinum costs more. Let me break down the differences...

White gold bands typically are a mix of white gold and other metals like silver, palladium and is usually treated with a layer of rhodium to make it white and shiny. Over time, the Rhodium plating chips and fades away and will make the band look dull and not as white. However, for a small price, most jewellers will re-Rhodium plate a white gold ring to "renew" it.

Platinum on the other hand is an almost pure metal when made into bands and is more dense, and white. Due to its density, platinum bands weight more than white gold bands. Platinum is also a lot stronger and thus can take more wear and not show it. Lastly, it is also more rare and therefore costs more than gold.

If you don't mind chips and scratches on your band, gold may be your better choice due to its price point. That and you have to get it replated with Rhodium every few years to keep the whiteness. On the other hand, if you want a stronger, more chip resistant band, platinum may be the way to go. However, you probably won't be able to replate or polish it (it's much more difficult than gold) and over time, it may dull a little bit.

If you can afford the extra money, a platinum band would be my choice =)

GIA / AGS vs GemScan

For all the fellow Canadians, this post might be worthwhile to spend some time to read up.

Since my quest for the perfect ring, I've learnt a few things regarding the diamond grading system. First, of course, you always want good or great specs if your budget can accommodate. Secondly, however, and often even more important, is WHO or WHERE the grading certificate came from. I don't think there is much debate that GIA and AGS are the highest and most authoritative grading institutions in North America at least, but probably worldwide too. If the diamond you're looking at has a grading certificate from either one of them, rest assured the specs are accurate and have been through strictest grading possible. However, make sure the certificate is authentic (later blog on this)!

GemScan is a reputable appraisal and grader that is based in Toronto, Ontario. A lot of the wholesalers and retailers in the GTA area get their grading certificates from them. I've heard good stories as well as not so good stories regarding their grading. From what I conclude, their standard is definitely not as strict as GIA or AGS, so take their grading with a grain of salt. I would safely subtract a grade to the specs they give you. So if they give you a G colour, VS2, consider the diamond a H colour, SI1.

The reason behind GemScan's "loose" grading is that most of the jewellry dealers in the GTA area give their business to GemScan. By grading diamonds higher for the dealers, the dealers in return can sell more diamonds and get a higher profit. Then they give more wholesale, loose diamonds to GemScan and thus a mutual benefit is created. That is not to discredit or say GemScan is not reputable, but to gain a better understanding of the background of how it works will yield a better judgement call on your behalf.

Even worse is when a vendor gives you a sheet of paper stating the grades and authenticity of the diamond without any body of appraisal. These likely come from their in-house grader and obviously is very biased in their grading. Definitely try to stay away from this type of seller.

In conclusion, you will pay a premium for GIA or AGS certified diamonds. And that's the very reason why some friend of yours might have gotten a diamond of higher spec than you for a fraction lower than yours. But keep in mind, you get what you pay for. I would strongly recommend getting a GIA/AGS certified diamond and make sure it's the same one as the one stated on the certificate!