Three lessons: approx. 1 hour total learning time
Understanding the qualities of a diamond is more important than ever with the recent arrival of gem quality synthetic or “lab grown” diamonds. This course focuses on natural diamonds, offering a brief background to their source and exploring the four recognised measures of quality, the 4C’s, Carat, Cut, Colour and Clarity.
Topic 1: Diamonds, the myths and magic
Topic 2: How a diamond is formed
Topic 3: Diamond deposits
Topic 4: Open cast mining
Topic 5: Underground mining
Topic 6: Alluvial mining
Topic 7: So what is a diamond crystal?
Topic 8: Chemical properties of diamond
Topic 9: Physical properties of diamond
Topic 10: Optical properties of diamond
Topic 11: How light travels through a diamond
Topic 1: Carat weight
Topic 2: Cut
Topic 3: Cutting the crystal
Topic 4: Fancy shapes
Topic 5: The round brilliant cut
Topic 6: How cut influences sparkle
Topic 7: Ideal proportions of a Brilliant cut
Topic 8: Symmetry matters
Topic 9: The Diamond girdle
Topic 10: Facets matter too
Topic 1: Colour
Topic 2: Grading scales
Topic 3: How is a diamond colour graded?
Topic 4: Assessing Mounted diamonds
Topic 5: Causes of colour in natural diamonds
Topic 6: Fancy coloured diamonds
Topic 7: Clarity
Topic 8: Internal flaws in more detail
Topic 9: Structural blemishes
Topic 10: External flaws in more detail
Topic 11: How clarity grading is done
Topic 12: Clarity grading standards
Topic 13: Fluorescence
Topic 1: Sharing your confidence
Topic 2: Certificated diamonds
