Section 1
The Beginning Stages of the Diamond Trade
Early Diamond History (1.01)
The Early Years of De Beers (1.02)
Early Diamond Marketing (1.03)
Famous Mines (1.04)
Section 2
Location and Mining
Origin (2.01)
Primary and Secondary Deposits (2.02)
Prospecting (2.03)
Mining (2.04)
Mining Methods (2.05)
Study Questions for Sections 1 & 2
Section 3
Diamond Basics
What is diamond? (3.01)
Crystal Systems (3.02)
Grain (3.03)
Hardness (3.04)
Toughness (3.05)
Section 4
Carat Weight
Carat Weight Measurement (4.01)
Carat Scale (4.02)
Diamond Size (4.03)
Weight Category (4.04)
Price Per Carat (4.05)
Weight Category and Value (4.06)
Diamond Trade Language in Weight (4.07)
Study Questions for Sections 3 & 4
Section 5
Cut
Cut Versus Shape (5.01)
The Anatomy of a Brilliant Cut Diamond (5.02)
Designing the Modern Cut (5.03)
Refractive Index (5.04)
Single and Double Refraction (5.05)
Diamond’s Containment of Light (5.06)
Transmitted Light (5.07)
The Critical Angle (5.08)
Pavilion Angle (5.09)
Crown Angle (5.10)
Measuring Crown Angles (5.11)
Proportionscope (5.12)
Judging Angles (5.13)
The Pavilion Main Method (5.14)
Estimating Pavilion Angle (5.15)
Table Reflection Method (5.17)
The Pavilion Depth (5.16)
General Rules for Pavilion Depth Estimation (5.18)
Deep Pavilions (5.19)
Shallow Pavilion (5.20)
The Culet (5.21)
Handling a Culet (5.22)
Fish-eye (5.23)
The Table (5.24)
Measuring Table Size (5.25)
The Table Percentage Ratio Method (5.26)
The Table Percentage Bowing Method (5.27)
Ideal Star Shape (5.28)
Estimating Table Size by Eye (5.29)
Likeliness of Breakage (5.30)
Girdle Thickness (5.31)
Girdle Thickness and Color Grade (5.32)
A Bruted Girdle (5.33)
A Faceted Girdle (5.34)
The Overall Appearance of the Girdle (5.35)
Upper and Lower Girdle Facets (5.36)
The Role of the Upper and Lower Girdle Facets (5.37)
Lower Girdle Facet Height (5.38)
Upper Girdle Facet Height (5.39)
Cutting the Upper and Lower Girdle Facets (5.40)
The Star Facets (5.41)
Study Questions for Section 5
Section 6
Clarity
Cleaning a Diamond (6.01)
What is Diamond Clarity? (6.02)
Magnification Tools (6.03)
Lens Curvature (6.04)
Gem-scope (6.05)
Clarity Grading (6.06)
Dark-Field Loupe (6.07)
Clarity Grading and Opinion (6.08)
GIA Clarity Grading System (6.09)
Pique’ (6.10)
Blemishes and Inclusions (6.11)
Clarity Grading Magnification (6.12)
Clarity Grading With a Loupe (6.13)
Holding the Diamond in Tweezers (6.14)
Grading Clarity (6.15)
Practice on a Sample (6.16)
Inclusions (6.17)
Bearding (6.18)
Bruise (6.19)
Cavity (6.20)
Chip (6.21)
Cloud (6.22)
Feather (6.23)
Fracture-Filled (Clarity Enhanced) (6.24)
Doubleering (6.25)
Crystal (6.26)
Indented Natural (6.27)
Internal Graining (6.28)
Knot (6.29)
Laser Drill Holes (6.30)
Needle (6.31)
Pinpoint (6.32)
Blemishes (6.33)
Abrasion (6.34)
Extra Facet (6.35)
Natural (6.36)
Nick (6.37)
Pit (6.38)
Polish Lines (6.39)
Polish Marks (6.40)
Rough Girdle (6.41)
Scratch (6.42)
Study Questions for Section 6
Section 7
Color
Color by Definition (7.01)
White Light (7.02)
The Three Characteristics of Diamond’s Color (7.03)
Hue (7.04)
Saturation (7.05)
Tone (7.06)
Atomic Structure (7.07)
Color in Rough (7.08)
GIA Color Grading Scale (7.09)
Master Stones (7.10)
Choosing Master Stones (7.11)
GIA/GTL Master Stone Requirements (7.12)
Number of Masters (7.13)
Master Stone Arrangement (7.14)
Masters for Fancy Colors (7.15)
Cubic Zirconia Masters (7.16)
Lighting and Color Grading (7.17)
Prepare Yourself for Color Grading (7.18)
Clean Diamonds and Color Grading (7.19)
Discerning Slight Color Differences (7.20)
Color Deviations (7.21)
Brown Hues and Color Grading (7.22)
Color Grading Position (7.23)
Colorimeters (7.24)
Fancy Colors (7.25)
Fancy Color Value Diversity (7.26)
Brown Tones (7.27)
Rare Colors (7.28)
Color Treated Diamonds (7.29)
Irradiated Diamonds (7.30)
The Cyclotron (7.31)
Nuclear Reactor Method (7.32)
Van de Graff Generator Method (7.33)
Radioactive Residue (7.34)
Americium-241 (7.35)
Irradiated Diamond Valuation (7.36)
Natural Fancy Colors (7.37)
Fancy Color Valuation (7.38)
Origin of Color Report (7.39)
HPHT Treatment (7.40)
Fluorescence (7.41)
Gem Instruments “Gem Diamond Lite” (7.42)
Effect on Color (7.43)
Study Questions for Section 7
Section 8
Diamond Synthetics and Imitations
Imitation or Synthetic? (8.01)
A Brief History (8.02)
More Recent Advances (8.03)
Synthetic Identification (8.04)
Keep Informed (8.05)
Moissanite (8.06)
Cubic Zirconia (8.07)
Other Imitations (8.08)
Section 9
Diamond Cleaning Methods
Acid Bath (9.01)
Let It Cool (9.02)
Steam (9.03)
Boiling Individual Diamonds (9.04)
Drying (9.05)
Possible Damage (9.06)
Finish (9.07)
Table Salt (9.08)
Ultrasonic and Steamer (9.09)
Study Questions for Section 8 & 9
Section 10
Buying Mounted Diamonds
Buyer Beware (10.01)
The Downside (10.02)
One Possible Scenario (10.03)
Unlikely? (10.04)
What Happened? (10.05)
From an H to a K? (10.06)
Strong Blue Detracts Yellow (10.07)
Section 11
Estimating Mounted Diamond Weight
Weight is Critical to Value (11.01)
The Millimeter (11.02)
Tenths and Hundredths (11.03)
Hole Gauge (11.04)
Plastic Template Gauge (11.05)
Diamond Sizes (11.06)
Introduction to Weight Estimation Formulas (11.07)
Girdle Thickness Effect (11.08)
Judgment of Girdle Thickness (11.09)
The Conservative Approach (11.10)
Round Brilliant Weight Estimation (11.11)
Fancy Shape Weight Estimation Introduction (11.12)
Additional Adjustments (11.13)
Length-to-Width Ratio (11.14)
Marquis Estimation (11.15)
Emerald Cut Estimation (11.16)
Baguettes (11.17)
Pear Shape Estimation (11.18)
Oval Estimation (11.19)
Heart Shape Estimation (11.20)
Triangular Brilliant Estimation (11.21)
Study Questions for Sections 10 & 11
Section 12
Determining Mounted Diamond Proportions
Estimating Diameter in a Bezel (12.01)
Estimating Depth (12.02)
Crown Height (12.03)
Table Size (12.04)
Girdle Thickness (12.05)
Pavilion Angle/Depth (12.06)
Cutting Styles (12.07)
Proportions Do Affect Value (12.08)
Section 13
Grading Clarity in Mounted Diamonds
Accurate Grading in a Mounting (13.01)
Reflections (13.02)
Covered Inclusions are Common (13.03)
Dark Field Illumination (13.04)
Look for Hidden Inclusions (13.05)
A Contingent Offer (13.06)
Section 14
Grading Color in Mounted Diamonds
Grading Color Accurately in a Mounting (14.01)
Within Three Color Grades (14.02)
Clean it First (14.03)
The Metal Effect on Color (14.04)
Master Stones (14.05)
A Setter’s Rule of Thumb (14.06)
Blue Fluorescence Effect (14.07)
Contingent Offer (14.08)
Study Questions for Sections 12, 13 & 14
Section 15
Rough Diamond Valuation
Experience is Critical (15.01)
Rough Versus Polished (15.02)
The Buyer’s Niche and Manufacturing Costs (15.03)
Grading Clarity in Rough (15.04)
Thick Skin (15.05)
Grading Color in Rough (15.06)
Irregular Shapes (15.07)
Octahedral Crystals (15.08)
The Macle (15.09)
Diamond Cleavage (15.10)
The Rough Gamble (15.11)
Section 16
Diamond Cutting
A Secret History (16.01)
Magical Powers (16.02)
The Point Cut (16.03)
Diamond Cutting Terminology (16.04)
Cleaving (16.05)
Sawing (16.06)
Faceting (16.07)
The First Polishing Process (16.08)
The Diamond Cutting Wheel (16.09)
Beginning a Facet (16.10)
Diamond Cutting Dops (16.11)
Laser Usage in Diamond Cutting (16.12)
Girdling (Bruting) (16.13)
Bruting in Contrast to Polishing (16.14)
Bruting in History (16.15)
Cutting Shop Specialties (16.16)
Stages of Cutting Rough (16.17)
Recuts and Repairs (16.18)
A Hidden Inclusion (16.19)
Color Effect (16.20)
Chipped Diamond Re-Cut (16.21)
Why Diamonds Chip (16.22)
Recut Weight Loss (16.23)
Size of a Girdle Chip (16.24)
Culet Chip (16.25)
Recutting Chipped Old Cuts (16.26)
Flat European Cut (16.27)
Weight Loss Example for a Flat Euro (16.28)
Choosing A Diamond Cutter (16.29)
Growing Diamonds (16.30)
Weight Retention and Finish (16.31)
Grading a Cutter’s Skill with a GIA Report (16.32)
Study Questions for Sections 15 & 16
Section 17
Selling Diamonds
Selling Honestly (17.01)
Memorandums and Credit (17.02)
Memorandum and Sales (17.03)
The Importance of your Credit Rating (17.04)
Establishing Credit (17.05)
The Jewelers Board of Trade (17.06)
Selling Your Diamonds (17.07)
Dealing With the Public (17.08)
Educate Your Customer (17.09)
Basic Diamond Business Necessities (17.10)
Diamond Knowledge (17.11)
Competitiveness (17.12)
Qualifying Your Customers (17.13)
Typical Telephone Conversation (17.14)
Example Diamonds (17.15)
Lab Report Example (17.16)
Questions to Ask in Qualifying the Customer (17.17)
Customer Objections (17.18)
Locating the Right Diamond (17.19)
Dealing With Diamond Suppliers (17.20)
After the Diamond is Located (17.21)
Receiving the Diamond From Your Supplier (17.22)
Your Presentation (17.23)
Your Customer Base (17.24)
Is Retail For You? (17.25)
Dealing With the Trade (17.26)
Working for a Wholesale Diamond Company (17.27)
On-The-Job Training (17.28)
Starting Your Own Wholesale Company (17.29)
Membership in the Jewelers Board of Trade (17.30)
Current JBT Credit Information (17.31)
New Accounts (17.32)
Starting With a Small Inventory (17.33)
Creating Contact in the Trade (17.34)
Study Questions for Section 17
Section 18
Valuating Diamonds
Determining Value in Grading (18.01)
The Problem of Over-Grading (18.02)
Dealing in Third World Countries (18.03)
Learning Value (18.04)
Adding Value for Lab Reports (18.05)
Rapaport Diamond Report/The Guide (18.06)
Section 19
Security and Liabilities
Safety Comes First (19.01)
Receiving and Sending Diamonds (19.02)
Opening Packages (19.03)
Does the Merchandise Match? (19.04)
Receiving Over-Graded Diamonds (19.05)
Examine for Damage Immediately (19.06)
Diamonds Without Lab Reports (19.07)
Disagreement of Contents (19.08)
Security and the Public (19.09)
Openly Displayed Merchandise (19.10)
Shoplifters (19.11)
Keep the Cases Locked (19.12)
The Art of Distraction (19.13)
Loupe It Before and After (19.14)
Red Flags (19.15)
Referrals (19.16)
Repeat Customers (19.17)
Armed Robbers (19.18)
Security Alarm Systems (19.19)
Choosing a Safe (19.20)
Safe Ratings (19.21)
Study Questions for Sections 18 & 19
A Few Words From the Author
Glossary
Index
Trade Contact Information
Test Answers
Bibliography