February 18, 2011
Rough to Remarkable
The Ekati Spirit
Recently, a 78-carat rough diamond from the Ekati mine in Canada was auctioned in Belgium, bringing over $6 million. Known as the Ekati Spirit, we don’t know who acquired it, but what a great Valentine’s gift!
Not all of us think of diamonds in the rough – the faceted diamond is usually what takes our breath away! But whether 78 carats or only 1 carat, they all begin in the rough and it’s up to the skill of the cutter to make it remarkable. Unfortunately, not all cutters have that goal in mind – some cut to retain as much of the original weight as possible, leaving a diamond that lacks in brilliance and fire.
When purchasing a diamond, you may consider all four Cs – cut, color, clarity and carat weight – but of all these, cut is the most important to beauty AND value. By cut I’m not referring to the shape – it’s the quality of the cut that uses light to its best advantage – in any shape.
Visit your American Gem Society jeweler and ask about a diamond’s rough to remarkable journey. Have a great holiday weekend…. Dii
