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What is the WDM Code of practices (CoP)?
The World Diamond Mark® has established a set of operating principles to reinforce confidence in the diamond supply chain. All Authorised Diamond Dealers must comply with, and sign, the WDM Authorised Diamond Dealer® Code of Practices. The Authorised Diamond Dealer Code of Practices is based on the World Federation of Diamond Bourses’ Code of Conduct, and follows its principles. The WDM Code of Practices must be signed by the participating company's CEO of the applying Authorised Diamond Dealer before accreditation by the World Diamond Mark.
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What is the World Diamond Mark Authorised Diamond Dealer programme?
The World Diamond Mark Authorised Diamond Dealer programme has a clear objective: to help retail jewellers sell diamonds and diamond jewellery more successfully, at larger volumes and at better margins.
Therefore, all our programmes are geared promoting those retail jewellers who have joined the programme and adhere to our code of conduct and principles. They carry the World Diamond Mark Authorised Diamond Dealer seal that represents the diamond industry’s mark of confidence to underpin the consumers' diamond and diamond jewellery buying decisions.
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What is the Kimberley Process?
The Kimberley Process started when Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000, to discuss ways to stop the trade in 'conflict diamonds' and ensure that diamond purchases were not financing violence by rebel movements and their allies seeking to undermine legitimate governments.
In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. By November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry and civil society organisations resulted in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) . The KPCS document sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. The KPCS entered into force in 2003, when participating countries started to implement its rules.
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What is a natural versus a lab created diamond ?
Natural diamonds were created in nature, deep in the earth over millions of years. They are among the rarest of all minerals. Lab-created gemstones are synthetically created by mimicking the conditions of extreme heat and pressure under which natural stones were created. They do not offer the rarity or unique personality that a natural diamond does. As a policy, WDM Authorised Diamond Dealers do not sell synthetic diamonds. -
Can I see the difference between a natural fancy coloured diamond and a diamond that has been treated to induce colour? What should I be looking for?
Usually, a professional jeweller is able to differentiate between a natural fancy coloured diamond and a treated coloured diamond. However, even with the untrained eye it is a good idea to examine a coloured diamond meticulously. Is the colour evenly spread all over the stone, both on the table, crown and pavilion? If so, it may very well be an artificially coloured stone. In natural fancy coloured diamonds, colour zoning typically occurs, with the colour varying in intensity on different parts of the diamond. Remember, fancy coloured diamonds are rare, VERY rare. Thus, if you’re offered a fancy coloured diamond at a discount price, chances are that it is treated coloured diamond.
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Can a diamond’s colour grade be improved?
Yes, various methods of enhancing a diamond’s colour grade have been developed. The best know methods are HPHT (high pressure high temperature). In addition, diamonds can be irradiated by a non-nuclear and harmless irradiation technology. Both treatments can result in very beautiful stones and can be offered at lower prices as they are categorised as ‘treated.’ Both HPHT and irridiation treatments are irreversible and permanent. In any case, when sold they must be accompanied by a disclosure statement.
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What is "clarity enhancement?"
Clarity enhancement refers to a process by which the clarity grade of a diamond is improved. Today almost any enhancement process that that is permanent needs to be disclosed by the seller when a stone is being sold. The most common clarity enhancement is fracture filling—in which minute amounts of a transparent filler material is used to seal surface-reaching cracks in the crystal. This is not a permanent treatment and makes such a diamond less desirable. -
Carat weight, colour and clarity are graded in a diamond grading report. Cut is often not. Why?
Most gemmological laboratories prefer not to grade cut, but they do generally provide a “poor”, “fair,” “good” or “excellent” description of the cut on the report. This is because unlike caratage, colour and clarity, there is still no agreed unit of measurement of cut, which can be can be accurately measured. For that reason, when it comes to cut they prefer to provide an educated assessment.
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Are there fancy shapes looks big but have a relatively low weight?
Yes there are. Typically, these are polished diamonds which are relatively shallow in depth, but have a larger than usual circumference. What this means is that when they are set, in the face up position that appear larger than, let us say, a round diamond of similar caratage. The drawback is they display less scintillation than a regularly cut stone, because there is less play of light within the crystal. -
Do fancy shapes offer better clarity than rounds?
Generally,the decision to cut a fancy shaped diamond is made because of the dimensions of the rough diamond from which it originates. From the cutter’s point of view, it generally is worthwhile to get as large and as high a quality polished stone as is possible from a piece of rough. However, if the rough stone is heavily included in one section, the cutter may choose to change the shape of the polished stone in order to preserve clarity. You only see the finished product, and it is a beautiful polished diamond. -
Does a fancy shape cost more than a round diamond of similar size?
Not necessarily. Sometimes, fancy shaped diamonds that are of comparable carat weight, size, clarity and colour may be slightly less expensive than round diamonds, depending on market demand. And the opposite could be the case. Remember this, though—to the degree that the fancy shaped diamonds increase your range of choice, select what is best for you. Sometimes you’ll even enjoy the benefit of a lower price.
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Can diamonds break?
Yes, they certainly can, although it is not common. While diamonds are the hardest of all natural minerals, they can chip or break if struck against another hard object. -
Where are diamonds cut?
The world’s largest and dominant diamond manufacturing center is India, where smaller diamonds are concentrated upon. Other centres include Botswana, China, Laos, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. In Israel, Belgium and the USA, production has been reduced significantly and these centres mostyly cut the larger diamonds, also in fancy shapes and fancy coloured diamonds of all sizes, as the latter catagory’s value is extremely high.
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Are diamonds cut and polished by hand or machine?
Most smaller diamonds—below 0.10 carats in size— are generally cut by hand in centres where labour costs are lower, with India being the most prominent example. Automatic and semi-automatic machinery is used in the production of larger-sized diamonds, mainly in Africa, China, Thailand and other asian countries. In Israel, Belgium and the USA, manufacturing has been reduced significantly and these centres mostyly cut the larger diamonds, also in fancy shapes and fancy coloured diamonds of all sizes, as the value of the latter category is extremely high. Sometimes, a diamond will be cut automatically, and a portion of its facets will be polished in the same way. The final stages of the process, though, will be executed manually. For technical reasons, many fancy shaped diamonds are still exclusively processed by hand.
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What is the difference between cutting and polishing?
Cutting and polishing are the two final stages of the diamond manufacturing process. In the cutting stage, the girdle of the diamond is cut, thus providing the circumference of the final product and deciding its shape and size. In the past, one diamond was cut with another, but today this process is most often done by means of a laser. Polishing involves the process during which the facets are placed on the stone.The facets are polished to a high level of brilliance. -
What does the term total weight mean?
Total weight refers to the aggregate weight of all the diamonds set in a piece of jeweller. For instance, if a ring is set with center stone of 0.70 carats and two side- stones of 0.15 carats each, the diamond content of the ring has a total weight of 1.00-carat.
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How do I know whether the carat weight of diamond that is set in a jeweller piece is actually correct?
It’s worth remembering that a jeweller's most precious property is his or her reputation. Nonetheless, many jewellers will provide documentation. Loose diamonds and diamonds used as a center stone in jeweller will often be accompanied by an independent gemmological grading report. Also, the jewelry can offer his or her customer an appraisal of all items purchased for insurance purposes. These independently prepared certificates will list the carat weight of the diamonds.
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Can one estimate a diamond's weight just by looking at it face up?
Depending on the shape of a diamond, an experienced jeweller can probably estimate the weight of the stone—or for, that matter, most coloured gemstones. There are size charts available for diamonds and coloured gemstones, and these can prove very helpful. However, if the setting holding the diamonds masks the depth of the stone, or its diameter, then the jeweller’s task is considerably more difficult, if not impossible.
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How can diamonds of similar carat weight differ so greatly in cost?
The price of a diamond is determined by the relative values of its four Cs—colour, clarity, cut and caratage. In other words, carat weight is only one component. Therefore, a diamond that weighs 0.78 carats, and has a good colour, a high clarity grade and a great cut or make, will cost considerable more—sometimes in excess of 50 percent—than a diamond of the very same weight, but with a lower colour, a lower clarity grade and a poor make.
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Why is there such a significant price different between a 0.95-carat diamond and a 1.00- carat diamond of similar quality?
Well, it turns out that sometimes size does count. In principal, because larger diamonds are rarer, they have a greater monetary value per carat. In other words, the value rises at a faster rate as it gets bigger in size. Or to put it in other words, a 0.95-carat stone is 5 percent smaller than 1.00-carat stone, but it is more than 5 percent lower in value. There is another factor. There is a magical quality to a 1.00-carat stone that boosts its value somewhat higher. This does not exist between a 1.01-carat diamond and 1.02-carat diamonds, but it does between 0.99-carat and 1.00-carat diamonds. -
What is a diamond price list?
Diamond price lists are used in the diamond wholesale trade to establish benchmark prices for loose polished diamonds. A number of price lists are available, some of which are more widely used than others. While they certainly are consulted, it worth pointing out some of their drawbacks. First, they generally are released by organisations that make no attempt to show how the prices were formulated. Second, and more important, at any given point in time, the prices provide only an indication. Depending on market demand, wholesalers will trade several percentage points above or below a listed price. -
How much should I pay for a diamond?
It’s pretty much up to you. Diamonds come in a substantial number of sizes and qualities, and consequently the price range is wide. If you’re on a fixed budget, you also have a number of options. Want a big stone? Then consider going for a lower colour, a lower clarity grade and possibly a medium-quality cut or finish. Those who wish to buy a stone that displays a lot of fire, may have to accept a smaller sized diamond.
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How are prices set for diamonds?
When a jeweller prices a stone, he or she typically consults a table that provides an up-to- date estimate of value, which is broken down by clarity, colour and cut and then by caratage. Assuming that the value of clarity, colour and cut remain constant, as caratage increases, the rise in value is not linear. This is because bigger stones are more rare, and therefore demand a higher price per carat.
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Do all diamonds come with a grading report?
A graded diamond (sometimes erroneously called ‘certified’) means that it is accompanied by a gemmological grading report. Many loose, larger diamonds, and diamonds used as a center stone in jeweller,. are accompanied by an independent gemmological grading report from a gemmological institute. This may be one of the internationally known institutes such as HRD Antwerp, AGS Laboratories, GIA (the Gemmological Institute of America) or the International Gemmological Institute (IGI). But in most countries there a reliable, local ‘labs’ that offer good services. Many jewellers will prefer working with a local lab or private gemologist they value and trust, and that’s perfectly fine!
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A jeweller who showed me a diamond said it was a "piqué" diamond. What does that mean?
Technically, a piqué is a small black inclusion in a diamond. But "piqué" is a term used by some to designate diamonds falling into the range of goods that have been designated the clarity grade "I" -
Are inclusions bad?
Few diamonds are IF – internally flawless. On the one hand, to the degree that they reduce the clarity grade of a stone, they are not desirable. One the other hand, inclusions, and in particular small ones, provide a unique identity to a stone. The random nature in which they are scattered ensures you that the diamond you bought is not like any other – just like yourself! -
What inclusions are most common in diamonds?
To answer this question, it's important to go back to the origin of diamonds. Diamonds are a form of carbon, which was transformed millions of years ago deep within the core of the earth under conditions of immense pressure and heat. During the crystalisation process, the diamonds were contaminated with many other agents—often gases and minerals. Other inclusions are essentially strains or internal fractures in the crystal structure. But, unsurprisingly, the most common inclusion is made up of what the diamond originally was comprised–pure carbon. This takes the form of tiny black spots, often buried deep within the crystal.