Diamond and Jewelry Tutorial

Round brilliant diamonds

The Classic Cut: the vast majority of diamonds sold are rounds. The traditional choice for all occasions and preferred by many for their personal investment portfolio. The depth percentage of a round diamond should range between 58 to 63 percent and the table percentage should range between 55 to 64 percent. The most desired percentages are the 60 percent, and perfectionists will look for depth of 59 through 62 percent and table of 56 through 58 percent.

Marquise cut diamonds
The Marquise Cut takes its name from a legend relating to the Marquise of Pompadour. According to the legend, the Sun King desired a stone to be polished into the shape of the mouth of the Marquise. It is generally agreed that a length-to-width ratio between 1.75:1 to 2:1 is most pleasing. As with other fancy shapes, the consumer's individual taste constitutes an element of the evaluation as well. The typical marquise diamond contains 56 facets.

Princess cut diamonds
The Princess Cut Diamond is a brilliant style shape with sharp, uncut corners. It is typically cut square rather as a rectangle. Brilliant style refers to vertical direction crown and pavilion facets instead of step style horizontally facets. A princess Cut Diamond generally has 76 facets, giving it more brilliance and fire than the round brilliant. The Princess Cut diamond is fast becoming one of the most popular cuts in the United States.

Radiant cut diamonds
The Radiant Cut Diamond is a straight-edged rectangular or square stone with cut corners. The radiant cut diamond has 62-70 facets. Radiant Cut Diamonds are principally used for important center stones primarily for rings but also for pendant. They are rarely used for earrings or as side stones because they are hard to calibrate and match. To get matched pairs you may have to sort through a hundred stones or re cut to calibrate.

Emerald cut diamonds
An emerald cut diamond shape is usually rectangular. The flat planes of the outside edges allow for a variety of side stones shapes. Typical pairings would be two or three side baguettes, two half-moons, and other smaller emeralds, but not trillions, as their sparkle makes the center emerald cut look flat. The length-to-width ratio of an Emerald Cut Diamond should be between 1.5:1 to 1.75:1.

Pear shaped diamonds
The pear shaped brilliant diamond is based upon the traditional configuration of the round brilliant diamond. More than other fancy shapes, length-to-width ratio is a matter of taste when it comes to pear shaped diamonds. Because pears may be used for engagement rings, suites in necklaces, dangles in earrings, and integral parts of custom designs, a wide variety of shapes is considered desirable. The typical pear shaped diamond will contain 58 facets.

Oval cut diamonds
The oval cut diamond is based upon the traditional configuration of the round brilliant diamond and that's why its technical name is oval modified brilliant diamond. The oval was invented by Lazare Kaplan in the early 1960s. A length-to-width ratio of 1.5:1 is almost universally considered a pleasing shape for oval diamonds, with any variation beyond 1.4:1 or 1.6:1 beginning to be noticeable and become an aesthetic issue. However as with all fancies, a certain degree of individual taste is always factored into the desirability of a particular diamond's shape. Fifty-six facets are typical for oval brilliant diamonds. Over the last year or two ovals have become very popular as center diamonds for engagement rings.

Heart shaped diamonds
Romantic perfection for the special occasions. The perfect stone for the special occasion requirements. The Heart shaped brilliant is the hit item on Valentines day. Usually the width will be 10% wider than the head-to-point length.


Triangle diamonds
Triangular Brilliant, Trilliant, Trill and Trillion are generic terms referring to triangle cut diamonds. Triangle diamonds may be cut with either straight sides or with sides bowed outwards, depending upon the nature of the rough. A 1:1 tip-to-tip measurement ratio - equilateral triangle - is optimum. Triangle diamonds are most often used as matched side stone pairs for rings, diamond stud earrings and solitaire pendant necklaces and rings.

Asscher cut diamonds
The Asscher cut is a modified square cut Emerald characterized by a smaller table and larger step facet than the Emerald Cut. It features dramatic, cut corners. It usually has a high crown and a deeper pavilion. Because of its high crown and small table, the Asscher cut has more light and fire than the Emerald Cut. Estate and antique dealers seek Asscher Cuts to repair or replace older pieces of jewelry. Asscher Cuts are short in supply and high in demand, especially with the growing popularity of square-cut diamonds and Antique style Engagement rings, there is little difference in value between old Asscher and a newly cut one.

Cushion cut diamonds
The Cushion Cut was evolved from the "Old Mine Cut" that was developed before the turn of the century.
A cushion cut is square to rectangular cut with rounded corners and 58 brilliant facets that resemble a pillow shape, hence the name. The recent popularity for cushion cuts began some years ago, and the demand has increased as designers and antique dealers continue to use them. Cushion cut diamonds look especially nice in antique settings so are a great choice if that is the type of ring you are seeking.

http://www.diamonds-usa.com/

Tips Membeli Berlian

Tanya
Apa saja yang perlu diperhatikan jika akan membeli perhiasan yang ada Berliannya.

Jawab
Intinya harus memperhatikan 5C yaitu Clarity, Carrat, Cutting, Color, Certificate.

Aku juga bingung tuh jaminannya apa ya kalau beli berlian, taunya dibohongin apa tidak bagaimana. Paling aku usahanya (karena tidak mengerti) pergi ke toko emas langganan teman yang katanya bagus tidak membohongi. Kalau jual katanya berliannya tidak di hargain, kok aneh sih. Katanya berliannnya bikin mahal tapi pas dijual harganya jatuh.[vv]

Kalau berlian yang dilihat 4C : Clarity, Carat, Cut, Colorless. Clarity, apakah ada retaknya, carat yach bobotnya, cut jenis potongannya, semakin bening semakin mahal.Biasanya mereka kasih tahu rincian berlian yang bakal kita beli. Biasanya toko diamond punya guidelinenya, dan ada juga yang berliannya ada sertifikatnya, bahkan ada garansinya. kalau di US perhiasan warnanya tidak ngejreng paling 14K, tetapi lebih focus pada berliannya, atau batu berharga lainnya.

Berlian memang tidak bagus untuk investasi, dan tidak semua orang suka berlian, jadi harga juga bisa bergantung dengan peminatnya. Kalau memang punya garansi, sertifikat tidak mesti turun dratis, apalagi kalau berliannya ternyata diminati, Aku belum pernah jual berlian. Untuk melihatnya pakai kaca pembesar, toko berlian punya kok alatnya. Aku tidak tahu harga berlian sekarang di Jakarta, tetapi kalau harga disini yach tergantung C-nya itu. Ada yang satu karat cuma $300, ada yang $5000, ada yang 3karat tetapi dipotong kecil-kecil jadi gelang $999, macem-macem. apalagi mau natal berlian di sale, jadi mau mahal ada, yang murah ada yang sedang juga ada, banyak pilihannya, dan emasnya tidak begitu dihitung,lebih focus ke batu berharganya. Kalau mau dipakai sehari-hari sich beli berlian yang murah aja 1/3 karat $99. [MD]

Biasanya kalau sudah deal harga, nanti dia test berliannya pakai alat (seperti test pen untuk listrik), yang hanya nyala kalau ditempelkan ke berlian, kalau cuma ke zirkon gitu, alat itu tidak bakal nyala. Cutting itu menurut aku lebih kepada detail irisan, semakin rumit irisannya, semakin cantik pantulannya, dan biasanya semakin bernilai. Menjual berlian itu seperti menjual barang antik. dia bisa di jual tinggi sekali kalau' kebetulan ada orang yang suka. Jadi cenderung ke "hobi". Kalau' dijual ke toko emas, justru kalau' emasnya cuma 18 karat, tidak dilihat lagi emasnya, malah yang di lihat berliannya. kalau di toko biasa coba deh di Kaliem Melawai, bagus-bagus.[IS]

Kalau kamu mau beli berlian yang harus dilihat itu colornya, caratnya, cuttingnya juga kebersihan si berlian itu sendiri. Colornya berlian itu banyak macemnya ada yang putih bersih ada yang rada kuning, memang sekilas kelihatan hampir sama tapi kalau kamu lihat lebih detail & jelas di tempayang terang akan kelihatan perbedaan warnanya yang putih bersih sama yang rada kuning dari sinarnya pun kelihatan yang berkilau & yang rada redup. Levelnya itu pun sendiri sudah dibagi-bagi ada yang B,D,E & F mungkin sampai G color dsb. Biasanya kalau kita pergi ke toko perhiasan yang spesialis berlian seperti Frank & Co, felice, Gold Mart, Adamas dsb mereka akan memberitahu level color berlian yang mereka jual seperti di Frank & Co atau Felice mereka jual berlian mulai dari F-G color, kalau mau berlian dengan B color itu dikelasnya De Beers. Caratnya, sebagian besar nilai caratnya semakin mahal harganya, berlian dengan mata yang banyak & kecil harganya belum tentu semahal berlian dengan mata yang hanya satu tapi besar nilai caratnya apalagi kalau sudah solitaire. Cuttingnya, berlian bermacam-macam ada yang bulat, ada yang serpihan, ada yang kotak (square cut), ada yang bentuk segi-segi (diamond cut), ada yang seperti garis-garis (line cut). Kebersihannya bisa dilihat apabila berlian itu tidak baret/ gores, pokoknya licin & bersih kalau sampai ada baret/gores maka berlian tsb dinyatakan cacat.Memang banyak sih toko emas yang menjual dengan berlian, cuma takutnya kalau kita tidak mengerti kualitas berlian yang mereka jual kan sayang saja, nanti kalau mau dijual susah, kecuali kalau memang sudah kenal & langganan, tapi kalau belinya ditempat-tempat seperti frank&co dsb.. mereka kasih garansi & ada sertifikatnya juga bisa dijual kembali ke mereka dengan ketentuan-ketentuan seperti kalau dalam jangka waktu diatas 1 thn mau dijual lagi bisa 70% dari nilai penjualan asal (ini untuk berliannya saja tidak termasuk emasnya) selama kondisi berliannya masih bagus & tidak rusak/cacat. Sebenarnya memang ada sih alat khusus untuk batu permata khususnya
berlian, bentuknya memang seperti kaca pembesar malah mungkin mirip dari alat ini kita bisa melihat jelas adanya cacat seperti retak, baret/gores dsb, kalau untuk yang color stones seperti blue safir, emerald, ruby dsb digunakan untuk melihat star-nya yang muncul di batu ini, sekilas memang aneh, tapi kalau diperhatikan benar memang ada star yang berkilauan, semakin banyak kilauan starnya semakin mahal harga batunya. Kalau belinya di toko yang profesional pasti mereka kasih lihat kita melalui alat ini. kalau masalah harga ya tergantung kualitas carat-nya si berlian tsb. Kayanya kalau harga emas yah tidak tergantung berliannya, tergantung berat & modelnya saja, biasanya sih kalau orang yang mau beli perhiasan yang ada berliannya mereka lebih menonjolkan fokusnya ke si berlian apalagi kalau berliannya sudah besar & menonjol, model emasnya se simple mungkin tidak masalah.[Ld]

Kalau beli berlian sebaiknya di toko yang punya sertifikat, seperti toko jewelry yang di mal. Memang harganya lebih mahal tapi terjamin kualitasnya, mereka punya alat untuk melihat clarity berlian yang bisa kita liat juga (berupa TV), juga kalau kita mau jual lagi harganya tidak turun sekali. Juga asal berliannya ketahuan, misalnya dari singapore, belanda dll. Tapi kalau kita beli di toko mas biasa (cikini, melawai dlsb) kita tidak tau kualitasnya, karena cacatnya berlian tidak bisa dilihat dengan mata biasa, cacat kecil saja sudah menurunkan harganya. [Id]

Untuk membeli berlian ada beberapa C yang harus diperhatikan (harusnya 5C)
1. Cutting
2. Carrat, menentukan besar dan beratnya, dengan misalnya 0.20 carrat (gugur 5), diameter lebarnya adalah sekitar 3.8mm. Kalau misalnya 1 carrat, maka diameternya sekitar 6.5mm
3. Clarity, untuk menentukan kejernihannya. Makin jernih berliannya, maka akan semakin mahal harganya. Secara pandangan mata, kita agak
susah untuk melihatnya karena kadang-kadang ada berlian yang masih ada goresan halus, ada bintik-bintik halus yang susah untuk kita lihat, terlebih kalau karat/ukurannyanya yang kecil
4. Color, untuk menentukan warnanya. Mulai dari colorless sampai yang berwarna. Biasanya yang colorless yang paling mahal
5. Certificate, untuk menjamin bahwa barang tersebut memang berkualitas.
Biasanya ada dari badan/ laboratorium yang berstandar internasional, misalnya IGI Memang harga jual berlian gak ada pasarannya. Bisa saja misalnya kita belanja berlian 0.20 carrat seharga 400US$, dan ketika kita mau langsung jual lagi ke toko sebelah, harga bisa turun setengahnya. Bahkan ada kemungkinan toko tempat kita beli tersebut akan menolak untuk membelinya kembali.[Ss]

ilmu yang aku dapat dari mertua yang 'tukang' berlian kalau mau beli lihatin (pakai kaca pembesarnya) jangan yang ada tahi lalatnya jadi di dalam si berliannya kaya ada titik-titik hitam, itu berliannya tidak terlalu bagus, kalau dijual dihargainnya murah/jatuh. Terus yang paling bagus itu kalau tidak salah yang biru [Mm]

Menurut aku juga sebaiknya beli berlian ke tempat resmi karena berlian yang mereka jual punya kwalitas. Sewaktu kita melihat-lihat, si penjual akan tunjukan ke kita melalu alat seperti mikroskop, menjelaskan 4C dari solitaire yang kita beli. Tiffany and Co. punya reputasi yang sangat bagus buat berlian dan platinum (kebetulan aku beli cincin tunangan dan kawin disana) mereka kasih certificate, terus sedia asuransi dll, dan kita dikasih jadwal setiap 6 bulan sekali buat dibersihin (toko resmi yang lain pastinya juga sedia fasilitas seperti ini). Harga emas/platinum diperhitungkan, tapi memang tidak dikasih tahu kalau sudah jadi perhiasan, sekitar 3th yll aku pernah beli cincin platinum yang kosong karena aku sudah punya batunya buat diikat, anyway, harganya berkisar mulai dari $500. Aku sempet dibilangin kalau platinum itu cepat kelihatan kotor (well tidak juga sih, tapi jadi kayak susu gitu) Walaupun begitu harganya paling mahal diatara emas yang lain karena nilainya paling tinggi. Tapi kalau aku bandingin demgan cincin kawin-tunangan dan kalung platinum yang kebetulan aku pakai setiap hari tidak ada bedanyanya tuh (maksudnya kekusamannya--tidak keliatan kusam tuh. karena cincinku kan dibersihin setiap 6 bulan sekali sedangkan kalungku lebih jarang karena males melepasnya) kemungkinan tergantung yang pakai juga kali ya, jenis keringat dll mungkin pengaruh? [Rn]

http://www.intanberlian.com/tips%20membeli%20berlian.html

What Is In A Name?

Today diamond symbolizes wealth, durability, status, and peerless quality. Across time and cultures, diamond has also been associated with invulnerability, lightning, magic, healing, protection, and poisoning. In unraveling the history and associations of diamond, we also need to know the history of the words attached to it: Did the words used by the ancient Indians or Greeks signify the same thing they do today, or something very different?

"Diamond" comes from the Greek adamao, transliterated as "adamao," "I tame" or "I subdue." The adjective "adamas" was used to describe the hardest substance known, and eventually became synonymous with diamond. It is difficult to determine at what point in history the hardest known substance become diamond. "Adamas" may have previously referred to the next hardest mineral, corundum -- the gem variety is sapphire -- or to something else altogether. Tracing the history of diamond is complicated by this problem with names.

The Story of the Hope Diamond

The history of the stone that was eventually named the Hope diamond began when the French merchant traveller, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, purchased a 112 3/16-carat diamond. This diamond, which was most likely from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, was somewhat triangular in shape and crudely cut. Its color was described by Tavernier as a "beautiful violet.".

Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 with 14 other large diamonds and several smaller ones. In 1673 the stone was recut by Sieur Pitau, the court jeweler, resulting in a 67 1/8-carat stone. In the royal inventories, its color was described as an intense steely-blue and the stone became known as the "Blue Diamond of the Crown," or the "French Blue." It was set in gold and suspended on a neck ribbon that the king wore on ceremonial occasions.

King Louis XV, in 1749, had the stone reset by court jeweler Andre Jacquemin, in a piece of ceremonial jewelry for the Order of the Golden Fleece (Toison D'Or). In 1791, after an attempt by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to flee France, the jewels of the French Royal Treasury were turned over to the government. During a week-long looting of the crown jewels in September of 1792, the French Blue diamond was stolen.

In 1812 a deep blue diamond described by John Francillion as weighing 177 grains (4 grains = 1 carat) was documented as being in the possession of London diamond merchant, Daniel Eliason. Strong evidence indicates that the stone was acquired by King George IV of England. At his death, in 1830, the king's debts were so enormous that the blue diamond was likely sold through private channels.

The first reference to the diamond's next owner is found in the 1839 entry of the gem collection catalog of the well-known Henry Philip Hope, the man from whom the diamond takes its name. Unfortunately, the catalog does not reveal where or from whom Hope acquired the diamond or how much he paid for it.

Following the death of Henry Philip Hope in 1839, and after much litigation, the diamond passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope and ultimately to the nephew's grandson Lord Francis Hope. In 1902 Lord Francis Hope obtained permission from the Court of Chancery and his sisters to sell the stone to help pay off his debts. It was sold to a London dealer who quickly sold it to Joseph Frankels and Sons of New York City, who retained the stone in New York until they, in turn, needed cash. The diamond was next sold to Selim Habib who put it up for auction in Paris in 1909. It did not sell at the auction but was sold soon after to C.H. Rosenau and then resold to Pierre Cartier that same year.

In 1910 the Hope diamond was shown to Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, of Washington D.C., at Cartier's while on her honeymoon in Paris, but she did not like the setting. Cartier had the diamond reset and took it to the U.S. where he left it with Mrs. McLean for a weekend. This strategy was successful. The sale was made in 1912 with the diamond mounted as a headpiece on a three-tiered circlet of large white diamonds. Sometime later it became the pendant on a diamond necklace as we know it today.

Harry Winston Inc. of New York City purchased Mrs. McLean's entire jewelry collection, including the Hope diamond, from her estate in 1949. This collection also included the 94.8-carat Star of the East diamond, the 15-carat Star of the South diamond, a 9-carat green diamond, and a 31-carat diamond that is now called the McLean diamond.

For the next 10 years the Hope diamond was shown at many exhibits and charitable events world wide by Harry Winston Inc., including as the central attraction of their Court of Jewels exhibition. On November 10, 1958, they donated the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, and almost immediately the great blue stone became its premier attraction.

The Hope diamond has left the Smithsonian only four times since it was donated. In 1962 it was exhibited for a month at the Louvre in Paris, France, as part of an exhibit entitled Ten Centuries of French Jewelry. In 1965 the Hope diamond traveled to South Africa where it was exhibited at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. In 1984 the diamond was lent to Harry Winston Inc., in New York, as part of the firm's 50th anniversary celebration. In 1996 the Hope diamond was again sent to Harry Winston Inc., in New York, this time for cleaning and some minor restoration work.

The weight of the Hope diamond for many years was reported to be 44.5 carats. In 1974 it was removed from its setting and found actually to weigh 45.52 carats. It is classified as a type IIb diamond, which are semiconductive and usually phosphoresce. The Hope diamond phosphoresces a strong red color, which will last for several seconds after exposure to short wave ultra-violet light. The diamond's blue coloration is attributed to trace amounts of boron in the stone.

In the pendant surrounding the Hope diamond are 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts. A bail is soldered to the pendant where Mrs. McLean would often attach other diamonds including the McLean diamond and the Star of the East. The necklace chain contains 45 white diamonds.

In December of 1988, a team from the Gemological Institute of America visited the Smithsonian to grade the great blue stone according to present day techniques. They observed that the gem shows evidence of wear, has a remarkably strong phosphorescence, and that its clarity is slightly affected by a whitish graining that is common to blue diamonds. They described the color as a fancy dark grayish-blue. An examination on the same day by another gemologist using a very sensitive colorimeter revealed that there is a very slight violet component to the deep blue color, imperceptible to the naked eye. Still, one can only wonder that the original 112 3/16-carat stone bought by Tavernier was described as "un beau violet" (a beautiful violet).

http://www.diamondwholesalecorporation.com/DiamondHistory.html