A CUT ABOVE^®
Collection Series –
Colorless IF-VVS Super Ideals

In the diamond trade there is a special term for the highest colors and clarities. DEF colors are considered to be ‘colorless’, and FL to VVS clarities are microscopically clean. Diamonds in these elite gemological grades are often referred to as “collection” or “investment” quality.

When combined with precision cutting and optimal light performance, collection goods are the rarest and most beautiful diamonds that exist. A CUT ABOVE^® Super Ideal diamonds in colors DEF and FL-VVS purity are without a doubt the ultimate pedigree in this category.

Because collection quality is exceptionally rare and comes with a significant price premium, many consumers wonder if it is really worth it. And since diamonds with lower gemological grades can also be very beautiful, the decision is a very personal one based upon budget and the desire to own the “best of the best”.

Those who seek the very best (and have the budget for it) can reap the benefits associated with buying top color and clarity, especially when purchasing a diamond with top cut quality. Precision cut diamonds are designed and crafted to optimize the system of tiny mirrors that gather, refract, and reflect light. The whole point is to return as much light to the eye as possible with the proper amount and distribution of contrast for scintillation and dispersion for fire. Even if a diamond is perfectly cut, inclusions may interfere with light return. While only a very small amount of light might be blocked or scattered by diamonds with VS clarity, it does still theoretically reduce light performance. In the Si range this issue can be more problematic. Certain types or combinations of inclusions can cause a perceptible drop off in transparency giving the diamond a slightly hazy look. So, because VVS diamonds and above have such purity, there is negligible interference as light travels through the diamond, enabling a precision cut diamond to fully maximize light performance.

Colorless diamonds deliver a similar benefit. On the one hand, color is something that the human eye can perceive, even if the grades are very small increments and very subtle. A person with good color acuity can see and appreciate the difference between a colorless and near colorless diamond. To the extent that a diamond has color, it does absorb increasing amounts of the light that enters it. Color itself is the result of selective absorption of certain wavelengths of light. Therefore, not only do colorless diamonds appear brighter, on a technical level they are brighter.

The full effect of fire is also easier to observe in a colorless diamond. The rainbow colors of the light as they are dispersed are not camouflaged by the diamond’s body color. Again, this is a subtle effect but can make a difference to a keen observer.

From its inception, the GIA diamond grading system has by design underscored the premium nature of the very highest end of scale. By further subdividing “colorless” diamonds into D,E,and F and doing the same with super clean diamonds that all look essentially identical to the naked eye, it is implicit in the grading system itself that there is something extremely special about these qualities.

The elite brand names in the jewelry world have traditionally associated themselves with diamonds in the highest ranges of color and clarity. However, if you look at the cut quality of these diamonds, you will often find that significant compromises have been made. The reason is clear – cutting diamonds for ultimate beauty and with exacting precision requires more of the rough crystal be polished away in the process. Because the material is the most expensive money can buy, every bit that can be retained adds up to big dollars. Therefore, it is extremely common for clean, colorless diamonds, even in the very finest stores in the world, to have compromised cut quality. For this reason, super ideal cut diamonds meeting the most stringent specifications and qualifications, and also featuring the highest colors and clarity grades, such as the A CUT ABOVE^® Collection Series, are indeed the rarest of the rare, and the ultimate in world-class diamonds.

It is important to keep in mind that the diamond market is not the same as the stock market, currency market, or even the precious metals market. Every diamond is unique and selling a diamond for its full market value requires special knowledge. It is therefore not a recommended investment vehicle for the average consumer. For more information on this topic please see our page on investing in diamonds.

In the final analysis some diamond shoppers simply want it all! They want the very best light performance possible and all the extraordinary beauty that a diamond can possibly display. And, although these diamonds are by far the most expensive, many people feel that owning a diamond is all about the magic!

Discriminating diamond shoppers can have it all. A CUT ABOVE^® Collection Series Diamonds!