Orange County’s Source For DIAMONDS
Hand-picked diamonds are waiting for you at AA Jewel Box.
Loose diamonds are a core element of our family business here at AA Jewel Box. We have a curated collection of hand-picked, conflict-free diamonds ready for you to browse in store. Looking for something specific? We’re happy to find your perfect match, even if it’s not currently in our collection.
We know where our diamonds come from.
Every diamond from our Private Collection, loose or set is cut from a rough diamond supplied under the Kimberley Process. For your peace of mind and protection, we inscribe each diamond with a registered serial number and maintain personal control of the diamond up to its delivery to you. Regardless of how they are branded, in terms of value, two out of every three diamonds coming onto the market today are of African, mostly Southern African origin. This is a record that is unmatched in our industry. Our guarantee is written in stone.
The 4 C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat
The 4 C’s is a universal grading system for comparing the quality of diamonds. Use this guide to select the diamond that is right for you.
Color
There are 23 color classifications for white diamonds from D to Z, with D being the most rare. Interestingly, the diamond color evaluation of most gem-quality diamonds is based on the absence of color. A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of pure water, and consequently, a higher value.
Clarity
To understand diamond clarity, we must first understand how diamonds are created. Natural diamonds are the result of carbon exposed to tremendous heat and pressure deep in the earth. This process can result in a variety of internal characteristics called ‘inclusions’ and external characteristics called ‘blemishes.’
Evaluating diamond clarity involves determining the number, size, relief, nature, and position of these characteristics, as well as how these affect the overall appearance of the stone. If you are trying to determine what is the best clarity for a diamond, remember that no diamond is perfectly pure. But the closer it comes to purity, the better its clarity.
The GIA Diamond Clarity Scale has 6 categories, some of which are divided, for a total of 11 specific grades.
Cut
There are two aspects to cut. The diamond’s shape & its craftsmanship or make.
Diamond Shapes— Round Brilliant, Emerald, Oval, Pear Shape, & Princess
The Make: The cut or make of the diamond is what gives the diamond its fire, sparkle and brilliance. Though extremely difficult to analyze or quantify, the cut of any diamond has three attributes: brilliance (the total light reflected from a diamond), fire (the dispersion of light into the colors of the spectrum), and scintillation (the flashes of light, or sparkle, when a diamond is moved).
Too Deep: Diamonds cut too deep will leak light & appear darker & smaller than they should.
Too Shallow: Diamonds cut too shallow will appear glassy & lifeless.
Excellent Cut: Diamonds cut to the proper proportions will reflect and refract light in a vivid display of Brilliance, Scintillation and Fire.
Carat
To put it simply, diamond carat weight measures how much a diamond weighs. A metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams. Each carat is subdivided into 100 ‘points.’ This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. A jeweler may describe the weight of a diamond below one carat by its ‘points’ alone. For instance, the jeweler may refer to a diamond that weighs 0.25 carats as a ‘twenty-five pointer.’ Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as ‘one point oh eight carats.’ All else being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight because larger diamonds are rarer and more desirable. However, two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values (and prices) depending on three other factors of the diamond 4Cs: Color, Clarity, and Cut. While now you know what carat means, it’s also important to remember that a diamond’s value is determined using all of the 4Cs, and not just carat weight.
*These sizes are for comparison purposes only. Diamond sizes will vary depending on display settings.
