An Insider’s Guide to Diamonds
There are diamonds, and there are Wimmer diamonds. What do you deserve? The truth is, we love everything diamonds (after all, it’s in our corporate name!) and we’re excited to share our expertise with you. For now, we’ll give you the highlights and explain some terminology. But we’d love you to stop by so we can honestly convey everything we know and love about this extraordinary gem that literally took billions of years to create.
Beyond the Four C’s.
Understanding the first four Cs is helpful when selecting a diamond, but it doesn’t make you an expert, and it won’t help you distinguish the difference between two diamonds of similar quality. That takes formal training. Many of us are graduates of the Gemological Institute of America. We are an accredited Master Independent Jeweler and a member of the American Gem Society - one of the most prestigious organizations in the industry based on trust, education, and integrity. No wonder we’re the first place to consider when you’re looking for that important fifth C…Confidence.
Cut - where the brilliance happens
It’s nearly everything.What do we consider to be important? A diamond cut with the most exacting proportions for its shape. Think of it like this: The bottom of the diamond has facets, and those facets act like mirrors. When the facets are cut at the proper angle, light enters through the top of the diamond, bounces off the mirrors, and returns to your eye in a full spectrum of color. The opposite is true for a poorly cut diamond with incongruous proportions. It will allow light to escape out the bottom and sides, resulting in a dull, dark appearance.
Angles allow the diamond to capture and reflect light or sparkle. For a brilliant diamond, with excellent polish and symmetry, let your diamond professionals at Wimmer’s Diamonds help you choose the best cut for the diamond shape of your choice. And finally, an exceptional cut will also increase your diamond’s value. We guess you can say, making it a cut above the rest.
Round Brilliant
The most popular cut, designed for maximum brilliance and sparkle.
Princess Cut
A square-shaped cut with exceptional lustre.
Oval
A modified brilliant cut with similar fire, its elongated shape creates the illusion of a larger stone.
Cushion
A square or rectangular cut with rounded corners, offering a soft look and exceptional brilliance.
Asscher Cut
A sophisticated square cut with clipped corners, creating an octagonal shape and vintage appeal.
Emerald
Rectangular with step-cut facets and clipped corners, known for its elegant “hall-of-mirrors” effect.
Marquise
An elongated cut with pointed ends, flattering to the finger and appearing larger for its carat weight.
Pear
Teardrop-shaped and brilliant-cut, offering a unique sparkle and elegant silhouette.
Radiant Cut
Combines the sparkle of a round with the shape of an emerald, usually featuring clipped corners.
Heart
A romantic heart shape that is less common and prized for its sentiment.
Vintage
Old European cuts that are more geometric and offer a glimpse into history.
Color - where less is more
White diamonds are not all colorless. The spectrum ranges from light yellow to colorless. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created a lettering system from D to Z, which is used to identify the amount of color present in each diamond with D awarded only to rare, totally colorless diamonds. Colorless diamonds, however, can be graded D, E or F. A near-colorless diamond can be rated G, H, I or J. Your value increases the more colorless your diamond is.
Learn more about color here.
(Photo courtesy of Gemological Institute of America)
Clarity
Natural diamonds form under intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth, which can create small “inclusions” and “blemishes”—essentially, tiny imperfections. It's rare for any diamond to be flawless, and the closer a diamond is to perfect, the more valuable it becomes. Most inclusions are barely visible to the naked eye and don’t impact a diamond’s beauty, though they do influence the price!
See the complete GIA clarity scale here.
Internally Flawless
Very Very Slight Inclusions
Very Slight Inclusions
Slight Inclusions
Imperfect
Carat Weight
Diamond size often plays a big role in your decision, and for some, it’s the most important “C.” Think of carat size like a dollar split into 100 pennies—a 50-point diamond, for example, is 0.50 carats. However, a diamond's value depends on all 4 C’s, not just size, which can make things a bit confusing. That’s where we come in at Wimmer’s, ready to guide you through the process. Even a fraction of a carat can impact the cost, making carat size a key factor in your choice.
Colored Diamonds: Nature’s Rare Masterpieces
There is no question white diamonds are by far the most popular choice when purchasing a diamond. Colored diamonds, however, are among the most breathtaking and unique gems in the world. They are both geological wonders and the centerpiece of many celebrity engagement rings. Unlike traditional white diamonds, these beauties come in a spectrum of colors, including shades of yellow, pink, blue, green, and even rarer hues like red and violet. Colored diamonds can be red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, brown, and black. Their color comes from natural elements present during formation—like nitrogen giving yellow diamonds their warm hue or boron creating the stunning blues.
What makes colored diamonds so special is their rarity. Natural fancy-colored diamonds are incredibly rare, with only about 1 in 10,000 diamonds showing vibrant, noticeable color. This rarity makes them highly sought after and valuable. Whether you’re drawn to the sunny warmth of a yellow diamond or the romance of a pink diamond, these gems are the most luxurious way to express individuality and stand out from the crowd.
At Wimmer’s, we’d love to help you explore the dazzling world of these colored masterpieces. Let’s schedule an appointment to meet! And, if you would like to know more about these extraordinary diamonds look no further than this article from the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA).
