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Cleavage Fissures:
Cleavages always occur in straight lines along the cleavage planes
(the four natural octahedral faces of the diamond). The photograph
at left shows fissures (a type of cleavage fracture) originating
from the girdle. |
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Bearding:
Bearding shown here along the diamond's girdle. Bearding is caused
when another diamond is worked against the girdle in a process known
as bruting. If performed too vigorously, small cracks may result
along the girdle. These cracks are collectively referred to as bearding.
As with any fracture, bearding fissures must be judged as to how
they will affect the stone's integrity. |
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Fractures:
Fractures occur in all directions and are often jagged. The fracture
shown at left runs underneath the table. |
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Feather-like
cleavage:
Feathers are cracks that run perpendicular to the natural planes
of the diamond (the cleavage planes). Feathers appear white and
feathery. |
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Diamond
Octahedron:
This is a type of crystal inclusion, shown here under the crown
facet of the diamond. The inclusion is itself a tiny diamond. |
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Clouds:
These inclusions, which look like clouds, consist of microscopically
small dust-like voids or impurities. If the clouds are light and
diffused (spread-out), they will diminish the clarity of the stone
only slightly. If, however, they are large, compact and dark, like
the cloud in the stone at left, they will cause the diamond's clarity
to be downgraded. |
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Clouds:
This diamond has several clouds that are small, light and diffused
as opposed to the cloud (above and right). These clouds will have
only minor impact on the diamond's clarity grade. |
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Nick:
Nicks are wedge-shaped cuts that occur most often near the girdle.
Nicks result from stress on the diamond, and may be caused during
diamond setting. |
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Fracture:
The diamond's surface may be damaged during the cutting or polishing
stage resulting in a fracture. Fractures are usually small, but
may be medium-sized or large. The fracture shown at left along the
girdle of the stone is medium-sized. |
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Garnet
crystal:
Diamond crystals often grow around Garnet crystals. |
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Natural:
A natural is an unpolished area of the original diamond crystal
that is left on a finished stone. Naturals are left on the girdle
during the bruting, or rounding process. A diamond can be graded
flawless with a small natural on the girdle. However, if the natural
extends into the crown or pavilion facets, or if it flattens the
girdle, it will downgrade the diamond. |
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Twinning
planes:
Sometimes during the growth of a diamond crystal, or if the crystal
is subjected to stress or temperature/pressure conditions different
from those under which it originally formed, two or more intergrown
symmetrical crystals are formed. |
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