Diamond Education
The Language
of Light
Four characteristics determine a diamond’s quality. Understanding them is the difference between buying a certificate and choosing a stone you will wear for a lifetime.
At the Bez Ambar atelier, every stone is evaluated against the same four criteria that have defined diamond quality since the mid-twentieth century. These are not abstract specifications; they are the language of light, translated into a grading system.
The Four Cs
Diamond quality is universally measured by four characteristics. Each plays a distinct role in the stone’s beauty. Understanding how they interact will help you find the right stone at the right price.
Cut
How precisely the diamond is faceted. Determines how light enters, reflects, and exits. The most important of the four. A poor cut will dull even the finest stone.
Color
The absence of color in a white diamond. The GIA grades from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). In the near-colorless range (G through J) color is invisible to the naked eye.
Clarity
The absence of internal inclusions and surface blemishes. Most are microscopic and invisible without magnification. Eye-clean stones at VS2 or SI1 are excellent value.
Carat
Weight, not size. One carat equals 200 milligrams. Larger stones are rarer, so price increases exponentially. A 2-carat stone of equal quality costs significantly more than twice a 1-carat.
Cut
Cut is not the shape of a diamond. It is the quality of its faceting. A diamond’s ability to reflect light depends entirely on the precision of its proportions, symmetry, and polish.
What Cut Measures
The GIA evaluates cut on three dimensions: proportions (the relationship between table size, crown height, and pavilion depth), symmetry (how precisely the facets align), and polish (the condition of the surface at a microscopic level).
The Grade Scale
GIA cut grades range from Excellent through Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. At the Bez Ambar atelier, we work exclusively with Excellent-grade cuts. Not because the certificate requires it, but because the light demands it.
The Bez Ambar Cuts
Three of the cuts offered by this atelier, the Blaze®, the Divine Cut®, and the Elysian Cut™, are proprietary geometries patented by Bez Ambar. They exist outside the GIA cut grade system because they predate it. Their quality is assessed at the bench, by the same cutter who designed the facet arrangement.
Color
Color in a white diamond refers to the presence or absence of a yellow or brown tint. The less color, the higher the grade, and typically, the higher the price.
The GIA Color Scale
The GIA grades white diamonds from D (perfectly colorless) through Z (light yellow or brown). The grades fall into groups: D-F (colorless), G-J (near colorless), K-M (faint), N-R (very light), S-Z (light).
What to Choose
In practice, color differences between adjacent grades are invisible to the naked eye, particularly in smaller stones or when set in yellow gold. At Bez Ambar, we recommend G-H for white gold or platinum settings, and I-J for yellow gold, where the metal masks any trace of warmth.
Fancy Color
Diamonds with strong, vivid color (yellows, pinks, blues, greens) are graded on a separate scale and priced by the intensity of their color rather than its absence. These are among the rarest and most valuable gems in the world.
Clarity
Clarity describes the presence or absence of inclusions (internal) and blemishes (surface). Most inclusions in well-graded diamonds are microscopic and invisible without magnification.
The GIA Clarity Scale
FL (Flawless), IF (Internally Flawless), VVS1/VVS2 (Very Very Slightly Included), VS1/VS2 (Very Slightly Included), SI1/SI2 (Slightly Included), I1/I2/I3 (Included).
What to Choose
For most buyers, VS2 or SI1 represents the ideal balance of quality and value. Inclusions at these grades are invisible to the naked eye but allow a meaningful price reduction over VS1 and above. At Bez Ambar, we inspect each stone under magnification to confirm eye-clarity before any piece is accepted for commission.
Carat
Carat is a unit of weight, not size. One carat equals exactly 200 milligrams. A diamond’s face-up size (diameter) depends on both its carat weight and its cut proportions.
Weight vs Size
Two diamonds of the same carat weight can appear very different in size depending on their cut. A well-cut 1-carat round brilliant measures approximately 6.5mm across. A poorly cut stone of the same weight may measure significantly less, because the weight is buried in the pavilion, not distributed across the face.
The Price Curve
Diamond prices increase exponentially with carat weight. A 2-carat stone is significantly more than twice the price of a comparable 1-carat, because large stones are exponentially rarer. The threshold weights (0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00 ct) carry price premiums. Stones just under these thresholds (0.49, 0.98, 1.48) offer meaningful value.
Diamond Shapes
The shape of a diamond is a design decision. It affects how the stone looks on the hand, how light moves through it, and what it says about the piece it lives in.
Round Brilliant
The most popular shape. 58 facets engineered to maximize light return. The standard against which all others are measured.
Princess
Square brilliant. Co-invented by Bez Ambar in 1980 under the name Quadrillion™. The second most popular shape in the world.
Oval
Elongated brilliant. Appears larger per carat than round. Flattering on the finger; the elongation extends the hand.
Pear
A teardrop. The pointed end is directional; it narrows the appearance of the finger when oriented down.
Marquise
Two pointed ends. The most elongated of the standard shapes. Maximizes face-up size per carat.
Emerald
Rectangular step cut. Emphasizes clarity over brilliance. Hall-of-mirrors effect: long, open flashes of light.
Cushion
Square or rectangular with rounded corners. Classic. Was the dominant shape before the round brilliant was standardized.
Radiant
Rectangular or square with cropped corners and brilliant-cut facets. Combines the shape of the emerald with the fire of the round.
Diamond Anatomy
A diamond is engineered in three parts. Understanding each helps you understand why one stone looks better than another of identical weight.
Crown
The upper portion above the girdle. The crown captures light and directs it into the stone. A well-proportioned crown creates the “sparkle” visible in normal lighting.
Girdle
The thin band at the widest point. The girdle is the setting contact zone, where prongs, bezels, and channels grip the stone. Too thin and the stone can chip; too thick and it adds weight without adding size.
Pavilion
The lower portion below the girdle. The pavilion angle determines whether light exits through the table (desirable) or leaks out the sides (undesirable). The Elysian Cut™ and Blaze® both engineer their pavilion angle precisely to achieve their characteristic light behavior.