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Don’t cut corners when it comes to diamond cut! Here are some fun facts about diamond cut grades you might not know:

- Cut grades are based on seven factors: brightness, fire, scintillation, weight ratio, durability, polish and symmetry.
- Only round brilliant diamonds receive cut grades. All other shapes receive polish and symmetry evaluations.
- Cut might just be the most important of the 4Cs! An Excellent cut makes a diamond bright and lively. A Poor cut leaves it dull and lifeless.
- Thanks to GIA’s introduction of diamond cut grades, polishers responded by adjusting their techniques and now most diamonds on the market today have an Excellent or Very Good cut.

Learn more about diamond cut at the link in our bio.

What are the major differences between natural and laboratory-grown diamonds?

Watch the video to learn more about these two types of diamonds, from how they are formed to how to detect the differences.

For more information, visit the link in our bio!

Looking to pick an exceptional Round Brilliant Cut diamond? Save these tips on diamond anatomy!

- Table: This is the largest facet at the “top” of a diamond, typically mounted to face the viewer. It allows light to shine into the diamond and reflect back out. A large table facet can make a diamond appear larger, but too large of a table facet can reduce the crown facets’ ability to disperse light. The ideal table size is between 52-62% of a diamond’s diameter.
- Crown: The crown facets at the top of the diamond consist of 8 bezels, 8 stars and 16 upper halves. They gather and disperse light to create brightness, fire and a scintillating pattern of light and dark. The crown angle – the angle between the bezel facet plane and the table plane – should be between 31.5 to 36.5 degrees.
- Girdle: The girdle surrounds the middle portion of a diamond like a “belt,” Separating the crown from the pavilion. It should not be too thick, which can hide weight, or too thin, which may make the diamond vulnerable to chipping.
- Pavilion: The pavilion or bottom facets consist of 16 lower halves and 8 mains. They reflect light back through the crown into the viewer’s eye. The pavilion angle, the average angle made by the diamond’s pavilion facets and girdle plane, is a key dimension influencing the stone’s brightness, and ideally falls between 40.6 – 41.8 degrees.
- Culet: The culet is an optional facet at the very bottom of the diamond. It can reduce the chance of the bottom tip chipping. However, an overly large culet can look like a distracting dark circle through the table facet.

Importantly, GIA considers how a diamond’s proportions relate to each other, rather than considering individual proportions in isolation.

Learn more about picking the best round brilliant diamond at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Emeralds have captivated people for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known mines were in ancient Egypt, where emeralds were extracted from the Eastern Desert during the time of Cleopatra.

Today, the world’s most famous emeralds come from Colombia, where mines such as Muzo, Chivor and Coscuez produce gems prized for their strong green to bluish green color. In Africa, Zambia has become a major producer, known for stones that are often darker with a subtle bluish hue modifier. Brazil is another important source, producing emeralds in a range of shades.

Other notable deposits occur in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which can produce saturated crystals, as well as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Even the United States has produced emeralds. Deposits discovered in North Carolina in the 1800s still occasionally yield emerald crystals—showing that this remarkable green gem truly has a global story.

Learn more about historic emerald origins on our website at the link in our bio.

Last week, the 5.50-carat Ocean Dream set a world record price for a diamond of its hue, reaching nearly $3.5 million USD per carat. This diamond is not only beautiful, but also exceptionally rare. Tom Moses, who personally evaluated the diamond, shared with @forbes that the Ocean Dream is the largest Fancy Vivid Blue-Green diamond ever graded by the GIA laboratory.

The unique blue-green color is thought to result from natural radiation exposure near Earth’s surface. The diamond required thoughtful cutting and polishing to preserve its unique color, as the color was most concentrated in the stone's outer layers.

In 2003, the Ocean Dream made its first public appearance in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History’s “Splendor of Diamonds” exhibition, alongside a group of exceptional diamonds.

Read more about this beautiful diamond in the article linked in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Christie's

Last week, the 5.50-carat Ocean Dream set a world record price for a diamond of its hue, reaching nearly $3.5 million USD per carat. This diamond is not only beautiful, but also exceptionally rare. Tom Moses, who personally evaluated the diamond, shared with @forbes that the Ocean Dream is the largest Fancy Vivid Blue-Green diamond ever graded by the GIA laboratory.

The unique blue-green color is thought to result from natural radiation exposure near Earth’s surface. The diamond required thoughtful cutting and polishing to preserve its unique color, as the color was most concentrated in the stone's outer layers.

In 2003, the Ocean Dream made its first public appearance in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History’s “Splendor of Diamonds” exhibition, alongside a group of exceptional diamonds.

Read more about this beautiful diamond in the article linked in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Christie's

Last week, the 5.50-carat Ocean Dream set a world record price for a diamond of its hue, reaching nearly $3.5 million USD per carat. This diamond is not only beautiful, but also exceptionally rare. Tom Moses, who personally evaluated the diamond, shared with @forbes that the Ocean Dream is the largest Fancy Vivid Blue-Green diamond ever graded by the GIA laboratory.

The unique blue-green color is thought to result from natural radiation exposure near Earth’s surface. The diamond required thoughtful cutting and polishing to preserve its unique color, as the color was most concentrated in the stone's outer layers.

In 2003, the Ocean Dream made its first public appearance in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History’s “Splendor of Diamonds” exhibition, alongside a group of exceptional diamonds.

Read more about this beautiful diamond in the article linked in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Christie's

These extraordinary “Gate of Paradise” emerald spectacles are believed to date to 17th-century Mughal India and were likely created for a royal patron. The two drop-shaped emerald lenses, weighing a total of 27 carats, were cut from a single Colombian emerald crystal originally over 300 carats from the famed Muzo mines. Cutting emeralds into flat lenses required exceptional skill, as emeralds are notoriously fragile due to their numerous fissures and inclusions. The lenses are set in gold and silver frames decorated with old-cut diamond and emerald side stones, offering a remarkable glimpse into the ingenuity and opulence of Mughal gem craftsmanship.

The Mughal Empire, which ruled much of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to 19th centuries, was famed for its immense wealth, global gemstone trade and extraordinary lapidary craftsmanship. Mughal rulers prized gemstones not only for their beauty but also for their symbolic and spiritual power. Emeralds in particular were believed to possess healing properties, ward off evil and evoke paradise and eternal life.

What do you think of this piece? Read more about them in a past issue of G&G at the link in our bio.

Courtesy: Joanna Gong @joanna.y.gong and Sotheby's @sothebys

These extraordinary “Gate of Paradise” emerald spectacles are believed to date to 17th-century Mughal India and were likely created for a royal patron. The two drop-shaped emerald lenses, weighing a total of 27 carats, were cut from a single Colombian emerald crystal originally over 300 carats from the famed Muzo mines. Cutting emeralds into flat lenses required exceptional skill, as emeralds are notoriously fragile due to their numerous fissures and inclusions. The lenses are set in gold and silver frames decorated with old-cut diamond and emerald side stones, offering a remarkable glimpse into the ingenuity and opulence of Mughal gem craftsmanship.

The Mughal Empire, which ruled much of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to 19th centuries, was famed for its immense wealth, global gemstone trade and extraordinary lapidary craftsmanship. Mughal rulers prized gemstones not only for their beauty but also for their symbolic and spiritual power. Emeralds in particular were believed to possess healing properties, ward off evil and evoke paradise and eternal life.

What do you think of this piece? Read more about them in a past issue of G&G at the link in our bio.

Courtesy: Joanna Gong @joanna.y.gong and Sotheby's @sothebys

These extraordinary “Gate of Paradise” emerald spectacles are believed to date to 17th-century Mughal India and were likely created for a royal patron. The two drop-shaped emerald lenses, weighing a total of 27 carats, were cut from a single Colombian emerald crystal originally over 300 carats from the famed Muzo mines. Cutting emeralds into flat lenses required exceptional skill, as emeralds are notoriously fragile due to their numerous fissures and inclusions. The lenses are set in gold and silver frames decorated with old-cut diamond and emerald side stones, offering a remarkable glimpse into the ingenuity and opulence of Mughal gem craftsmanship.

The Mughal Empire, which ruled much of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to 19th centuries, was famed for its immense wealth, global gemstone trade and extraordinary lapidary craftsmanship. Mughal rulers prized gemstones not only for their beauty but also for their symbolic and spiritual power. Emeralds in particular were believed to possess healing properties, ward off evil and evoke paradise and eternal life.

What do you think of this piece? Read more about them in a past issue of G&G at the link in our bio.

Courtesy: Joanna Gong @joanna.y.gong and Sotheby's @sothebys

The bull symbolizes strength, determination and grounded beauty—traits often associated with the zodiac sign Taurus.

This playful cut is a modified brilliant, where traditional brilliant-style facets are adapted to create a sculpted silhouette. Cuts like this are known as novelty cuts—creative designs that move beyond standard shapes like round, oval or princess.

For unique diamonds like these, GIA includes a novelty cut description on grading reports, recognizing distinctive cutting styles that don’t fit traditional categories. As diamond cutting continues to evolve, cutters, designers and jewelry lovers alike can truly take design by the horns.

What do you think of this novelty cut?

Video and photos courtesy of House of Gems @houseofgems1986

Emeralds are beautiful but require special care due to their natural inclusions and common clarity treatments. Here are a few tips to keep your emerald jewelry shining:

- Avoid ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaning, which can damage emeralds and remove oils or fillers used to enhance clarity. Instead, clean with warm, soapy water and a soft brush.
- Protect from heat. Sudden temperature changes can damage the stone or its treatments.
- Protect from harsh chemicals such as bleach, chlorine, ammonia and alcohol, which can damage fillers.
- Store carefully. Keep emerald jewelry separate from other gemstones like diamonds to prevent scratches.

Learn how to best care for your emerald jewelry on our website at the link in our bio.

Pink diamonds are among the rarest and most desirable gems in the world. This unique pear modified brilliant-cut Fancy Pink diamond weighs 4.12 carats. Its size and color combined make it exceptional. GIA researchers believe that pink and purple coloring occurs when diamond crystals are exposed to high pressures deep in the Earth, causing the crystal to deform, modifying the arrangement of the atoms.

Very few pink diamonds are recovered each year, and most are small and pale. In a study of 90,000+ predominantly pink, purple or red faceted diamonds graded by GIA, it was found that 83% weighed less than one carat, and ~ 40% were pure pink.

This stone is one of the most valuable jewels headed to the @sothebysjewels Geneva High Jewelry this week.

Learn more about pink diamonds at the link in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s

Pink diamonds are among the rarest and most desirable gems in the world. This unique pear modified brilliant-cut Fancy Pink diamond weighs 4.12 carats. Its size and color combined make it exceptional. GIA researchers believe that pink and purple coloring occurs when diamond crystals are exposed to high pressures deep in the Earth, causing the crystal to deform, modifying the arrangement of the atoms.

Very few pink diamonds are recovered each year, and most are small and pale. In a study of 90,000+ predominantly pink, purple or red faceted diamonds graded by GIA, it was found that 83% weighed less than one carat, and ~ 40% were pure pink.

This stone is one of the most valuable jewels headed to the @sothebysjewels Geneva High Jewelry this week.

Learn more about pink diamonds at the link in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s

The beryl family is packed with gem-world celebrities including emerald, aquamarine and morganite. Then there’s the rare and mysterious maxixe beryl and red beryl, plus more common beauties like heliodor, goshenite and green beryl.

Beryl is allochromatic, meaning it's colorless in its purest form. It gets its color from trace elements or radiation.

- Green beryl gets its pale green hue from iron.
- Emerald glows green thanks to chromium and vanadium.
- Aquamarine gets its serene blue hue from iron.
- Maxixe turns deep blue from radiation, but its color can fade!
- Red Beryl owes its rich red hue to manganese.
- Morganite blushes pink from manganese.
- Goshenite is pure, colorless beryl, sometimes with trace elements but not enough to add color.
- Heliodor’s golden yellow comes from iron.

Which beryl variety is your favorite?

This beautiful cushion-shaped diamond weighs 6.03 carats and boasts a Fancy Vivid Blue color grade with Internally Flawless (IF) clarity, expertly graded by GIA. What makes this diamond so special?

Only ~ 3% of the diamonds submitted to GIA each year are Fancy color. Unmodified blue is among the rarest, and few diamonds have the saturation needed to receive the highly coveted Fancy Vivid grade. GIA scientists also classified the diamond as type IIb, an exceptionally rare category that accounts for less than 0.02% of all natural diamond submissions. These diamonds owe their blue or gray color to the presence of boron, which also gives them a rare property in the gem world: they can conduct electricity.

Historically, rare blue diamonds were uncovered in the ancient mines of India, but today the most significant source is the Cullinan Mine in South Africa, where this diamond was discovered.

This stone is one of the most valuable jewels headed to the @sothebysjewels Geneva High Jewelry next week.

Learn more about blue diamonds at the link in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s

This beautiful cushion-shaped diamond weighs 6.03 carats and boasts a Fancy Vivid Blue color grade with Internally Flawless (IF) clarity, expertly graded by GIA. What makes this diamond so special?

Only ~ 3% of the diamonds submitted to GIA each year are Fancy color. Unmodified blue is among the rarest, and few diamonds have the saturation needed to receive the highly coveted Fancy Vivid grade. GIA scientists also classified the diamond as type IIb, an exceptionally rare category that accounts for less than 0.02% of all natural diamond submissions. These diamonds owe their blue or gray color to the presence of boron, which also gives them a rare property in the gem world: they can conduct electricity.

Historically, rare blue diamonds were uncovered in the ancient mines of India, but today the most significant source is the Cullinan Mine in South Africa, where this diamond was discovered.

This stone is one of the most valuable jewels headed to the @sothebysjewels Geneva High Jewelry next week.

Learn more about blue diamonds at the link in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s

This beautiful cushion-shaped diamond weighs 6.03 carats and boasts a Fancy Vivid Blue color grade with Internally Flawless (IF) clarity, expertly graded by GIA. What makes this diamond so special?

Only ~ 3% of the diamonds submitted to GIA each year are Fancy color. Unmodified blue is among the rarest, and few diamonds have the saturation needed to receive the highly coveted Fancy Vivid grade. GIA scientists also classified the diamond as type IIb, an exceptionally rare category that accounts for less than 0.02% of all natural diamond submissions. These diamonds owe their blue or gray color to the presence of boron, which also gives them a rare property in the gem world: they can conduct electricity.

Historically, rare blue diamonds were uncovered in the ancient mines of India, but today the most significant source is the Cullinan Mine in South Africa, where this diamond was discovered.

This stone is one of the most valuable jewels headed to the @sothebysjewels Geneva High Jewelry next week.

Learn more about blue diamonds at the link in our bio.

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s

This 47.77-carat Ethiopian gray opal astonished researchers at GIA in Bangkok with its unusual play-of-color pattern. Careful testing confirmed the gem is a natural opal.

Its flashes of color appear within distinct cells separated by greenish opal, forming an intricate design that some say resembles a turtle shell across the surface of the cabochon.

Learn more about this interesting gem in a recent issue of G&G at the link in our bio.

This 47.77-carat Ethiopian gray opal astonished researchers at GIA in Bangkok with its unusual play-of-color pattern. Careful testing confirmed the gem is a natural opal.

Its flashes of color appear within distinct cells separated by greenish opal, forming an intricate design that some say resembles a turtle shell across the surface of the cabochon.

Learn more about this interesting gem in a recent issue of G&G at the link in our bio.