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Supplying Certified Diamonds & Precious Colored Stones at the Best Possible Prices
Our thirty years as suppliers to the diamond and jewelry trade - our solid relationships with cutters around the world - and our memberships in The New York Diamond Dealers Club and the American Gem Trade Association (see Affiliations below) allow us to be your very best source for loose stones.
We offer the finest in certified diamonds and are experts in matching your requirements and budget to just the right combination of size and quality, set in the fine quality mounting of your choice. We do not offer color or clarity enhanced or treated diamonds, synthetic diamonds or diamond stimulants.
Impact on Beauty
A diamond's cut will most certainly influence its fire (the lovely rainbow colors that flash from within) and brilliance (the liveliness and sparkle), as well as its perceived size and even, to some degree its apparent color. The diagram below illustrates how different cuts reflect light in different angles. A diamond must be cut in a geometrically precise manner to maximize its brilliance. On a classic round brilliant-cut diamond, 57 (or 58 counting the culet) facets must be precisely aligned so light will enter the diamond and reflect back through the large top facet, or table of the diamond.
The percentage measurements for depth, height and crown are important due to their impact on how light passes through a diamond. Light should enter and exit a diamond through the top facets. A cut that is too shallow or too deep reflects it through the bottom facets, and lets the light "leak" out of the bottom or side of the gem. Please keep in mind that earrings and pendants do not generally receive the same scrutiny as the feature diamond in a ring. For that reason, you might consider being a bit more open to a slightly lower cut grade in exchange for greater size in these items.
Impact on Price
When purchasing any diamond, carefully consider the grade of the cut. For round brilliant diamonds: ideal, premium, very good, good, fair, or poor. For all other cuts: very good, good, fair, or poor. Obviously, the cost of a diamond with will increase with the quality of the cut. Diamond cutters are generally paid to retain the maximum weight from rough stones. A well-cut round brilliant diamond typically weighs only about 40% or less of the original weight of the piece of rough stone the cutter started with. A poorly made stone tends to result in a higher yield (less waste) from the rough stone. This is why stones that are very well cut command a significant premium.
Carat Weight
Diamonds are sold by the carat (ct), not to be confused with karat (kt), which refers to gold purity. Jewelers often refer to the carat weight of diamonds in terms of percentage points. This is particularly true of stones under one carat. There are 100 points to a carat, so if a diamond weighs 75 points, it is .75 of a carat.
Impact on Appearance and Price
Carat is a unit of weight, not area. Depending on the cut of a stone, specifically its depth, a diamond weighing .90ct could conceivably have a larger diameter than a 1.00ct stone and therefore appear bigger. The comparative size/weight illustration below gives an accurate comparison assuming all stones are equally well cut.
The price per carat of diamonds increases significantly with size due to the rarity of larger stones, particularly at popular size thresholds. For example, there is little difference visually between a .95 carat diamond and a 1.00 carat diamond however the price difference between the two can be significant due to the 1.00 threshold. Simply stated, the larger the stone (all else being equal in terms of overall quality), the more it will cost per carat. For example, a top-quality two-carat stone could easily cost three to four times as much as a one-carat stone, not twice as much as one might expect. Again, this is due to the increased rarity of larger sized diamonds.
Diamond Shapes
Today we can choose from many different stone shapes (also referred to as "cuts") ranging from the classics to newer silhouettes that appear as diamond cutters endeavor to create new looks. Listed below are the ten most popular and traditional cuts:
Round Brilliant - the most classic and, arguably, the most brilliant cut of all.
Marquise - an elongated brilliant-cut stone with a point on each end
Princess - a four-sided square to slightly rectangular brilliant cut
Radiant - a squarish to slightly elongated octagonal brilliant cut
Oval - similar to a slightly elongated round brilliant cut
Cushion - kind of a hybrid between a Radiant and an Oval, with slightly rounded sides and corners
Emerald - a traditional, usually slightly elongated octagonal "step-cut" - meaning that it is cut more for elegant transparency than maximum brilliance.
Asscher - very similar to a square version of the Emerald cut, generally with slightly longer corners.
Pear - combines the brilliance and form of a round stone with the elongated elegance of a marquise
Heart - more fanciful cut, shaped just as it sounds
Cost - The Fifth "C"
Set, and respect your budget. We have all heard the "two to three months' salary" guideline for an engagement ring, however only you can fairly assess your comfort level. Depending on your situation, you might consider investing the lion's share of your budget in the center stone, and mount it in an elegant, but more modest ring. A better quality, larger diamond can be reset in future years will continue to be a classic symbol of your love forever. Decide the relative importance to you of size versus quality. Do you have a specific minimum size in mind? Do you want the largest possible diamond or the finest possible diamond for your budget? We will be glad to show you every combination to help you strike the perfect balance.
Diamond Certification
Today, most fine diamonds weighing one carat or more are carefully evaluated prior to being set, by a respected laboratory such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) or the American Gem Society (AGS) and are issued a diamond grading report.
The diamond grading report, or "certificate" certifies the diamond as genuine and describes it in great detail, providing such important information as color grade, clarity grade, carat weight, and details of cut, proportion and finish. If you are considering the purchase of a fine diamond weighing one carat or more and it is not accompanied by such a report, we strongly recommend that you have the stone evaluated by a respected laboratory prior to purchase.
All loose diamonds offered by Shaftel Diamond Company are accompanied by a grading certificate or report from a leading independent gemological lab such as:
Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Gem Trade Laboratory
European Gemological Laboratory (EGL)
American Gem Society (AGS)
Each of these labs conducts an independent examination of the diamond and issues a certificate or report that details their findings. You will receive the original certificate or report with your diamond.
Laser Inscription
Immediate, positive ID you can see.
Most of our lab-certified diamonds are laser-inscribed with their certificate number,
and, at your request, can even be inscribed with the personal message of your choice.
We provide this service free of charge with every diamond purchase of 1.00ct and
above.
Caring for a Diamond
Clean your diamonds regularly using either commercial jewelry cleaner, or just a solution of dish-washing liquid and water. Soak your diamond in a hot solution for ten minutes or so, then use a soft brush to clean the ring and diamonds - front and back.
Diamond jewelry should not be jumbled together or with other pieces because diamonds can scratch other jewelry and each other.
Keep your diamond jewelry in a fabric-lined jewel case or in a box with compartments or dividers, or at least individual zip-lock bags.
Even though a diamond is durable, a hard blow can chip it, so avoid wearing a diamond when doing rough work.
Visiting your jeweler a minimum of once a year is highly recommended. Professional cleaning is the best option and it's important to have your jewelry checked occasionally to make sure prongs haven't bent or weakened.
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