Brilliants, diamonds – many people not connected to jewelry use these terms interchangeably. Not knowing jewelry terminology creates an unnecessary dilemma and can cause quite a headache for a man preparing for an engagement. Which engagement ring should one choose? Brilliant or diamond, what is the difference, and which piece of jewelry should you choose? Fortunately, the answer to this question is simple.
The most important difference between a brilliant and a diamond
Some believe that a diamond is a brilliant. Others, on the other hand, see both stones as completely separate ornaments, between which one must choose when deciding to purchase jewelry. Meanwhile, the truth in this case lies in the middle – they are two different products, though of the same origin. The most important difference is the appearance and the genesis of formation.
A diamond is an extremely rare gemstone, originating from one of the four forms of carbon. It is the hardest mineral in the world, and the process of its formation is extremely long-lasting (spanning millions of years) and takes place in the deep layers of the Earth, where extreme conditions prevail – very high pressure and temperature. A diamond is a stone that has not been cut (usually natural and real diamonds have a matte surface).
A brilliant, in turn, is simply nothing more than a cut diamond. Working with the hardest gemstone is not easy and requires precision and considerable patience from a jeweler. A diamond in the most common type of cut, the brilliant cut, is round, perfectly symmetrical, and has at least 58 facets, the majority of which are on the crown. All of this is done to emphasize and dazzle with perfect brilliance. This type of cut has been known since the 17th century and is still regarded as the pinnacle of jewelry craftsmanship. Less commonly, one can also encounter a fancy cut, which essentially includes all other types of forms given to the gemstone.
What term should be used to refer to the most expensive transparent gemstone found in jewelry from a jeweler? Brilliant or diamond? Of course, it is a brilliant. This common misunderstanding is relatively harmless, although it may cause discomfort to someone who goes to a jewelry store. However, don’t worry, it is unlikely to encounter jewelry with diamonds that have not undergone the cutting process.
Such a stone would be a rather unimpressive ornament – the irregular shape of the stone, its weak sparkle, and dull color do not look very attractive. Only a diamond, after being cut, that is, after proper processing and shaping, can become an adornment for rings or necklaces. It is worth keeping in mind that jewelers themselves sometimes use both names interchangeably, but mainly to accommodate clients.
How to assess the value of a diamond?
A diamond is not equal to another diamond. Usually, it is the diamond that determines the value of the brilliant and the entire piece of jewelry. After all, the diamond is the essence of the jewelry decoration, which plays the leading role. How is the value of an uncut gemstone assessed? The 4C rule (evaluation criterion) applies here. Diamonds are evaluated based on their weight expressed in carats (one carat is approximately 0.2 grams), color (the most expensive diamonds are those that are almost completely colorless), as well as clarity and purity of the stone (meaning the absence of flaws and foreign inclusions that could be present inside the diamond). The final criterion for evaluation is cut, which pertains specifically to the brilliance. If the cut is not done professionally, there is a risk that the diamond will be damaged or will not have the desired shape.
Of course, the cleaner and larger the diamond, the higher its price will be. The same applies to diamonds cut into brilliant stones. If the uncut diamond from which the brilliant was made was clear and highly rated on the 4C scale, the price of the jewelry can reach astronomical amounts. The estimated value of some historically famous diamonds can be dizzying. For example, the African jewel Heart of Eternity was valued at as much as 62 million PLN, while the value of the Hope diamond reached 1.4 billion PLN, and the most impressive diamonds, Koh-I-Noor (adorning the British royal crown) and Sancy (once a crown jewel of Louis XVI), cannot be valued at all; they are priceless.
In our store, it is easy to find diamonds at affordable prices, costing both several hundred zlotys or even several tens of thousands of zlotys. For every customer, we will find a solution that fully meets their requirements.