DIAMOND GUIDE
the “4 c’s” - Color, clarity, cut, and carat weight are universally used to determine the quality of a diamond. We add two more “C’s”- character and conflict-free - to make the Kalí Zoë “6 c’s” of diamond quality.
1. COLOR
the color scale begins with 'd' (colorless) and continues to 'z' as the presence of color increases. while most diamonds appear to have no color, most stones usually contain slight tones of yellow. d-to-f color range diamonds are the most expensive since they are considered colorless. g-to-j range diamonds are often considerably less expensive and are considered to be near colorless. j-grade and lower diamonds are considered to have noticeable color and are therefore lower in cost.
2. CLARITY
clarity grade is based on the location, number, and size of the imperfections that occur in a diamond. these internal imperfections are called “inclusions.” when selecting a diamond, the buyer determines if he or she is comfortable with the imperfections in a particular stone, since every diamond will have a different occurrence of imperfections. when looking for an eye-clean stone we source stones that are 'si1' or above, and ensure that none of the inclusions are close to the table (top) of the diamond.
3. cUT
the "cut" is the most vital component of a particular stone’s overall beauty and value. it is all about the “sparkle” and refers to the way the facets of the stone interact with light. in an “ideal cut” stone, the light that enters the diamond from the top bounces internally from facet to facet, and is reflected back out only through the top of the stone. this creates the brilliance of the stone. if a diamond is cut too shallow or too deep the light escapes from the bottom or the sides of the stone, making it appear darker. a Diamond’s cut is graded on a scale from excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. We source stones that are graded excellent or very good.
choose your shape based on your preferences. we source any shape and also work with rough stones and antique stones.
Antique diamonds are desirable for many reasons. They have a fierce sparkle, especially in dim light (they were cut in candlelight), a romantic feel, and are kind to our environment.
Old European Cut - Round, clunky, faceted shape. Lead to the popular round brilliant cut of today. ~1900’s.
Old Mine Cut - Rounded square shape with more facets than rose cuts. Popular in the 1800’s - early 1900’s.
Rose Cut - Round, domed shape with a flat bottom. A few facets. Early cut, popular in both the 1500’s and the 1800’s.
4. CARAT
Diamond carat weight measures how much a diamond weighs. All else being equal, diamond price increases with Carat weight.
5. CHARACTER
interested in something unique, or a ring that stands out as a one-of-a-kind? explore antique diamonds, salt and pepper diamonds, champagne diamonds or the perfect white stone. sourcing stones for you is a treasure hunt. :)
6. CONFLICT-FREE
we are committed to sourcing diamonds that come from conflict-free origins. this means we use antique stones, up-cycled stones, stones with GIA reports and lab grown diamonds. we make all kalí zoë pieces with love in the U.s.
