What is your opinion of this I have just found while surfing the net about buying diamonds on the internet.
From this site
http://www.jewellerywebshop.co.uk/4c's.htm
What You Should Know
About:
The so called 'Ideal cut' and 'Hearts & Arrows cut'
Before all this technical, 'scientific stuff in the form of grading reports came along, diamonds were purchased by wholesalers and sold to their clients, the jewellers, on the basis of their beauty and ability to seduce the customer.
The parameters used by us all, in those days, some 30 years ago were sparkle or life, brilliance or scintillation as it can also be put. But also the 'spread' or 'faceup' or if you like the 'show' factor.
Our jewellery clients wanted primarily and justifiably a diamond which would both sparkle and face up very well when set in an item of jewellery, they also paid more for this more 'attractive' and more easily saleable stone.
Around 65 years ago a certain Mr Tolkowski, being in the business, wanted to see, as a mathematician, if it was possible to establish a scientific basis
for the most perfect cut, based on the diamond's ability to refract light.
Certain parameters were established and are today the basis of what we,
diamond cutters have known for over 100 years. they were as follows:
Table diameter: 53 to 64%
Crown height : 11 to 16%
Pavillion depth: 42 to 45%
There is a difference from what the human eye is able to perceive and what certain specialised scientific instruments are able to determine.
In Tolkowski's time some 65 years ago, using the instruments he had developed, he determined that the perfect parameters were between those as set at above.
These were based on human observation, using scientific means to prove the point and at the time Tolkowski was praised by the industry for his work in this field.
As time went on, equipment developed and it was then possible to determine, to
a more precise level a more precise degree of scientific correctness for the
diamond crystal's light refractive capabilities.
This presented to us, diamond cutters, no real interest as we did not firstly
have the precise technical polishing equipment and most importantly, the market
did not require it either as all was well and customers satisfied.
Again time went on and our technical tools developed, mostly to help us cut
more quickly and efficiently.
Diamond labioratories opened in Europe in 1974, may I say at this point, that we
opened the very first European laboratory in Europe, 'Diamexpertise' and at one time even employed Mr Margel, President and founder of the internationally reknown laboratory EGL, as our director, he later left in 1976 and started up, very successfully, the EGL laboratory operation, he was and is still a good friend of mine.
Also 1976 saw the birth of the HRD and IGI laboratories.
To get on with the facts, from these days onwards the 'investment'
diamond business started to take off. Many individuals, not in our industry,
started to gravitate towards it seeing profit as they too, being able to 'read'
a diamond report could start selling diamonds to the public as 'investments'
and not necessarily only for jewellery purposes.
The demand, through slick marketing and advertising, grew and grew and at a time,
in 1982/83 went to rediculous heights and then crashed.
Many lost enormous amounts of money, and today prices still reflect those of after
this crash plus maybe an added 20 to 25%, by the way at their height
prices were 300% higher than they are on average today on better quality goods.
1987 brought about the far eastern market climb and during those post crash years
there was a type of glut of unsaleable diamonds waiting for a buyer, the Japanese
wholesalers, at least the clever ones did not wish cheaper stones to be brought
in by competitors so had to do something, they decided to up the parameters and
through marketing and advertising let it be known that special, 'better',
more perfect cut stones, were available.
This 'perfection' thing appealed to the growing Japanese diamond consumer
who could not get enough of it and prices following demand grew....
the problem was SUPPLY.
That's where we came in, indeed we were approached by a top Japanese
wholesale dealer with whom we entered an exclusive manufacturing partnership
in order to cut these very exclusive diamonds.
For years we had a near monopoly on their manufacture and the world's biggest
workforce exclusively cutting to these high parameters
so we know what we are talking about.
This demand was artificially created in order to control the Japanese market,
not through a beautifully cut diamond but through a perfectly, over precisely cut
diamond offering nothing else to the consumer than perfect light refractive
capability only perceptable by using highly sophisticated equipment and sold
with a certificate mirroring these facts to anyone who could read.
In 1994/95 the Japanese market started to fall, many of these diamonds did not
find buyers and were being expensively stocked in the hope of a return to better
times, unfortunately until today the market is still flat.
Then in 1995/96 came the Internet, the perfect solution was available, lists or
virtual stocks of diamonds could be offered to the public, who could read what they were buying, all that was needed was for the public to do their research to get information in order to make an informed choice amongst the diamonds on these 'lists'.
No easier task for the internet putting the answers online, over informing the public
so they would think that they were getting something better when in fact they would
be purchasing something that the jewellers, who have always been purchasing
diamonds but not the so called 'ideal' ones, did not really want.
Their idea of the 'ideal' cut, is the cut which offers
BOTH excellent light refraction and perfect 'spread' to the consumer and can be
'visually' appreciated, in an item of jewellery by the customer.
They have been purchasing this cut for the past 70 odd years, diamonds cut
'intelligently' saving weight when necessary thus reducing the price and offering perfect 'sparkle' and 'spread' as well, this to the benefit of all concerned
especially the consumer.
This is why 'online' dealers have been exagerating the value of an over precisely
cut diamond and have financially profited from it.
Today misinformed clients online, perhaps similar to yourselves are asking
for these stones, we can supply them no problem but I feel that
as one of the first true diamond cutting companies to have a presence online,
some eight and half years ago, that we must inform properly, hence the reason
we spend so much time corresponding with our customers.
Hopefully you will have learned something from this explanation of the facts
as we see them and will apply these facts to a better judgement of the
situation and make an informed decision of what is required, after all your
diamond ring is an important purchase so you deserve real value for money.
A so called 'Ideal' cut diamond will look, on average about 20% smaller
at equal weight and equal sparkle to the 'perfectly' cut diamond purchased and cut
for over 60 years by expert professionals within the industry.
The so called 'Ideal' cut parameters:
To the expert diamond cutter and top international jewellers the best parameters
should be between the following proportions to guarantee BOTH perfect
light refraction to the naked eye and a beautiful 'spread' or face up as well:
The 'perfect' cut (sometimes called The Antwerp cut)
_______________________________________
Please contact us if you want more details.
From this site
http://www.jewellerywebshop.co.uk/4c's.htm
What You Should Know
About:
The so called 'Ideal cut' and 'Hearts & Arrows cut'
Before all this technical, 'scientific stuff in the form of grading reports came along, diamonds were purchased by wholesalers and sold to their clients, the jewellers, on the basis of their beauty and ability to seduce the customer.
The parameters used by us all, in those days, some 30 years ago were sparkle or life, brilliance or scintillation as it can also be put. But also the 'spread' or 'faceup' or if you like the 'show' factor.
Our jewellery clients wanted primarily and justifiably a diamond which would both sparkle and face up very well when set in an item of jewellery, they also paid more for this more 'attractive' and more easily saleable stone.
Around 65 years ago a certain Mr Tolkowski, being in the business, wanted to see, as a mathematician, if it was possible to establish a scientific basis
for the most perfect cut, based on the diamond's ability to refract light.
Certain parameters were established and are today the basis of what we,
diamond cutters have known for over 100 years. they were as follows:
Table diameter: 53 to 64%
Crown height : 11 to 16%
Pavillion depth: 42 to 45%
There is a difference from what the human eye is able to perceive and what certain specialised scientific instruments are able to determine.
In Tolkowski's time some 65 years ago, using the instruments he had developed, he determined that the perfect parameters were between those as set at above.
These were based on human observation, using scientific means to prove the point and at the time Tolkowski was praised by the industry for his work in this field.
As time went on, equipment developed and it was then possible to determine, to
a more precise level a more precise degree of scientific correctness for the
diamond crystal's light refractive capabilities.
This presented to us, diamond cutters, no real interest as we did not firstly
have the precise technical polishing equipment and most importantly, the market
did not require it either as all was well and customers satisfied.
Again time went on and our technical tools developed, mostly to help us cut
more quickly and efficiently.
Diamond labioratories opened in Europe in 1974, may I say at this point, that we
opened the very first European laboratory in Europe, 'Diamexpertise' and at one time even employed Mr Margel, President and founder of the internationally reknown laboratory EGL, as our director, he later left in 1976 and started up, very successfully, the EGL laboratory operation, he was and is still a good friend of mine.
Also 1976 saw the birth of the HRD and IGI laboratories.
To get on with the facts, from these days onwards the 'investment'
diamond business started to take off. Many individuals, not in our industry,
started to gravitate towards it seeing profit as they too, being able to 'read'
a diamond report could start selling diamonds to the public as 'investments'
and not necessarily only for jewellery purposes.
The demand, through slick marketing and advertising, grew and grew and at a time,
in 1982/83 went to rediculous heights and then crashed.
Many lost enormous amounts of money, and today prices still reflect those of after
this crash plus maybe an added 20 to 25%, by the way at their height
prices were 300% higher than they are on average today on better quality goods.
1987 brought about the far eastern market climb and during those post crash years
there was a type of glut of unsaleable diamonds waiting for a buyer, the Japanese
wholesalers, at least the clever ones did not wish cheaper stones to be brought
in by competitors so had to do something, they decided to up the parameters and
through marketing and advertising let it be known that special, 'better',
more perfect cut stones, were available.
This 'perfection' thing appealed to the growing Japanese diamond consumer
who could not get enough of it and prices following demand grew....
the problem was SUPPLY.
That's where we came in, indeed we were approached by a top Japanese
wholesale dealer with whom we entered an exclusive manufacturing partnership
in order to cut these very exclusive diamonds.
For years we had a near monopoly on their manufacture and the world's biggest
workforce exclusively cutting to these high parameters
so we know what we are talking about.
This demand was artificially created in order to control the Japanese market,
not through a beautifully cut diamond but through a perfectly, over precisely cut
diamond offering nothing else to the consumer than perfect light refractive
capability only perceptable by using highly sophisticated equipment and sold
with a certificate mirroring these facts to anyone who could read.
In 1994/95 the Japanese market started to fall, many of these diamonds did not
find buyers and were being expensively stocked in the hope of a return to better
times, unfortunately until today the market is still flat.
Then in 1995/96 came the Internet, the perfect solution was available, lists or
virtual stocks of diamonds could be offered to the public, who could read what they were buying, all that was needed was for the public to do their research to get information in order to make an informed choice amongst the diamonds on these 'lists'.
No easier task for the internet putting the answers online, over informing the public
so they would think that they were getting something better when in fact they would
be purchasing something that the jewellers, who have always been purchasing
diamonds but not the so called 'ideal' ones, did not really want.
Their idea of the 'ideal' cut, is the cut which offers
BOTH excellent light refraction and perfect 'spread' to the consumer and can be
'visually' appreciated, in an item of jewellery by the customer.
They have been purchasing this cut for the past 70 odd years, diamonds cut
'intelligently' saving weight when necessary thus reducing the price and offering perfect 'sparkle' and 'spread' as well, this to the benefit of all concerned
especially the consumer.
This is why 'online' dealers have been exagerating the value of an over precisely
cut diamond and have financially profited from it.
Today misinformed clients online, perhaps similar to yourselves are asking
for these stones, we can supply them no problem but I feel that
as one of the first true diamond cutting companies to have a presence online,
some eight and half years ago, that we must inform properly, hence the reason
we spend so much time corresponding with our customers.
Hopefully you will have learned something from this explanation of the facts
as we see them and will apply these facts to a better judgement of the
situation and make an informed decision of what is required, after all your
diamond ring is an important purchase so you deserve real value for money.
A so called 'Ideal' cut diamond will look, on average about 20% smaller
at equal weight and equal sparkle to the 'perfectly' cut diamond purchased and cut
for over 60 years by expert professionals within the industry.
The so called 'Ideal' cut parameters:
To the expert diamond cutter and top international jewellers the best parameters
should be between the following proportions to guarantee BOTH perfect
light refraction to the naked eye and a beautiful 'spread' or face up as well:
The 'perfect' cut (sometimes called The Antwerp cut)
_______________________________________
Please contact us if you want more details.
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