Diamond Glossary
blood diamonds
conflict diamonds
culet
crown
depth
eye-clean
diameter
facet
fire
fluorescence
girdle
gletz
inclusion
loupe
overburden
pavilion
rough
table
blood diamonds - also known as conflict diamonds, these are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by armies or factions, and are sold to fund wars.
conflict diamonds - also known as blood diamonds, these are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by armies or factions, and are sold to fund wars.
crown - the upper portion of a cut gemstone, above the girdle.
culet - the tiny facet on the pointed bottom of the pavilion, which is the portion of a cut gem below the girdle.
depth - the height of a gemstone, from the culet to the table.
diameter - the width of the diamond as measured through the girdle.
eye-clean - a diamond with no inclusions that are visible to the naked eye.
facet - the smooth flat surfaces of a diamond. Facets allow light to enter the diamond and also reflect light, creating the play of light and brilliance that diamonds are famous for.
fire - the play of small flashes of color across the surface of a diamond as it is tilted. This is created by several smaller facets around the table facet of a diamond that are designed to break white light into its component colors.
fluorescence - the colored glow emitted by some gem-quality diamonds when exposed to ultraviolet light. Fluorescence is usually blue, but can be any color. Strong fluorescence can make a high-quality diamond look hazy or cloudy in daylight, which diminishes the diamond's radiance. However blue fluorescence can improve a lower quality diamond by balancing out yellow tones and giving the diamond a clearer, whiter look in daylight. The famous Hope Diamond had an unusual red fluorescence, which contributed to its reputation for being cursed.
girdle - the narrow rim of a diamond that separates the crown from the pavilion. It has the largest diameter of any part of the stone.
gletz - a visible imperfection in the diamond.
inclusion - a scratch, blemish, air bubble or non-diamond mineral material on the diamond surface or trapped inside. Inclusions affect the way light passes through a diamond, reducing its radiance. A diamond is considered flawless if it has no inclusions that are visible to the trained eye under 10x magnification.
loupe - the specialized magnifying glass used by diamond cutters.
overburden - diamonds can be washed down rivers and end up on the ocean bed. overburden is the layer of non-diamond-bearing sand and gravel lying on top of the diamonds.
pavilion - the lower portion of the diamond, below the girdle. It is sometimes referred to as the base.
rough - the name for uncut diamonds. A diamond mine produces "rough".
table - the large, flat top facet of a diamond.
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