Buying a branded diamond means paying more for a diamond with the same 4Cs, so why should you buy one? What is the difference between a branded diamond and a non-branded one? It's a question that many readers seem to have. A reader recently asked me, “if I find a diamond with your recommended proportions and a decent H&A image, is that the same as buying a Whiteflash A Cut … [Read more...]
How can Manufacturers Force a Higher Carat Diamond?
I get asked all the time to help find diamonds that are between 1.80 - 2.00 carats or 2.70 - 3.00 carats. The only problem is, there just aren't that many well-cut diamonds that are in this range, why is that? To help answer this question, I've asked John Pollard, one of the principals at Crafted by Infinity to guest post for this month's featured article. Here's what John … [Read more...]
Ray-Tracing, Binocular Rivalry, and Effective Total Angular Size (ETAS)
One of the most common mistakes a beginner makes is to over-rely on a single tool that evaluates a diamond's light performance. The reason is that the all of the popular tools have limitations so you need to know what they are. For example, idealscope and ASET images only show you a diamond in a single viewing environment where in reality you will be looking at your … [Read more...]
Victor Canera Review
Victor Canera is a world-renowned custom jewelry maker and diamond designer. He also just happens to sell super-ideal diamonds with some of the best hearts and arrows patterning I have ever seen. Now you might be wondering, why buy a diamond from Victor Canera? Victor grew up around diamonds. He had a grandfather who was a jeweler and his father was also a jeweler who later … [Read more...]
The Cushion Cut
A cushion cut diamond is loosely defined as a square with rounded corners. A cushion can either be an antique-cut or a modern-cut with one of the earliest antique-cuts being the Old Mine Cut (OMC) diamond that first appeared in Brazil during the 18th century. Like the round, princess, and oval cut diamonds that I have already written about, the cushion is a brilliant-cut … [Read more...]