Melisende Diamonds 7C's
The traditional 4 C's — plus our own 3: Customer Service, Conflict-Free, and Canadian Diamonds.
Not 4. Seven.
At MELISENDE DIAMONDS LTD., our aim is to make our customers happy and gain their complete trust in our company and products. This being our main objective, we are offering you the typical diamonds 4C's and adding our own 3C's: Customer Service, Conflict-Free and Canadian Diamonds.
We also offer our cutting and polishing of diamonds to accomplish your specific needs and requirements. Our diamonds are among world's finest in cut, color and clarity.
The 4 C's.
Cut
Brilliance comes from the very heart of the diamond. Ideal · Premium · Very Good · Good · Fair/Poor.
Colour
From colorless and most valuable, to fancy intense yellows, pinks, blues and more.
Clarity
Clearness or purity, graded F · IF · VVS · VS · SI · I under 10x magnification.
Carat
A measure of weight. Five carats in a gram, each broken into 100 points.
Cut.
Diamond cut is perhaps the most important of the 4C's, so it is important to understand how this quality affects the properties and values of a diamond. A good cut gives a diamond its brilliance — that brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond.
When a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table and to the observer's eye. In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom rather than reflecting back to the eye.
- IdealMaximizes brilliance — applies only to round diamonds.
- PremiumCuts equal to any Ideal Cut diamond.
- Very GoodReflects most light; slightly off preferred proportions to create a larger diamond.
- GoodReflects much light; outside preferred range.
- Fair / PoorSmall proportion of light returned. Cut to maximize weight.
Colour.
Diamonds are found in all colors of the rainbow, from colorless and transparent stones to ink black ones. Varying degrees of yellow or brown color is common in most diamonds, and slight difference in color can make a substantial difference in value.
A truly colorless diamond is extremely rare and considered the most valuable. It allows most light to pass through the stone and create the most brilliance. Most diamonds appear white to the naked eye, but they all include trace amounts of yellow or brown color. The best way to see the true color is by looking at it against a white surface.
Fancy Colored Diamonds
Although the majority of diamonds come in shades of white, there are also Fancy natural intensely colored diamonds available in colors like yellow, pink, greens, brown, red, orange, blue and more. These intensely colored diamonds are very rare, attractive and desirable.
Clarity.
Clarity of a diamond refers to a diamond's clearness or purity. When these flaws/marks occur internally, they are called inclusions; the most common types include crystals, tiny bubbles, internal graining and clouds. When they occur on the surface, they are known as blemishes: polish lines, naturals, scratches, nicks, pits, surface graining, and extra facets.
Most diamonds have these imperfections. Although many are not visible to the naked eye, under magnification, tiny featherlike shapes, crystals, bubbles and dark flecks become noticeable. These slight flaws make every diamond quite unique but also affect its beauty and value.
Diamond clarity is based on the number, size, nature, and location of imperfections on the finished stone. A diamond with higher clarity is more valuable than one with numerous inclusions because it is more brilliant — inclusions interfere with light passing through it.
- FFlawless. No internal or external flaws. Extremely rare.
- IFInternally Flawless. No internal flaws, some surface flaws. Very rare.
- VVS1–VVS2Very Very Slightly Included. Difficult to detect under 10x.
- VS1–VS2Very Slightly Included. Seen only with difficulty under 10x.
- SI1–SI2Slightly Included. Visible under 10x, may be visible to the eye.
- I1–I2–I3Inclusions visible under 10x and to the human eye.
Carat.
Carat is a simple measurement of weight. There are five carats in a gram; each is broken into smaller units called points. The easiest way to think of points is the same way you think of percentages.
25 is a 1/4 carat, 50 is a 1/2 carat, and 75 is a 3/4 carat, and so on.
Diamond price will increase with carat weight, because larger diamonds are very rare and more desirable. But two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values and prices depending on the three other factors of the diamond 4C's: Clarity, Color and Cut.
Note
- 1 carat = 100 points (like a dollar = 100 pennies)
- A 2-carat diamond does NOT appear twice the size of a 1-carat when viewed from the top
- A well-cut lower-carat diamond can appear larger than a poorly-cut heavier stone
Customer Service.
MELISENDE DIAMONDS has been dedicated to serving its customers with professionalism, courtesy and care. We work with our clients to guarantee satisfaction. Helping you to understand the benefits and value of our diamonds is our commitment to you.
Honesty and Integrity are values we stand by to the fullest. Our offices in Montreal and California allow us to better serve our customers. We are driven by our passion for diamonds.
MELISENDE DIAMONDS LTD. continuously pursues product excellence and customer satisfaction. It emphasizes amplifying its clientele value through organized alliance and by providing necessary assistance. Our highly professional and knowledgeable team is always available to answer your questions because at MELISENDE DIAMONDS, we believe in building long-lasting business relationships with our clients.
Our Main Objectives
Our main objectives are to make our customers happy and gain their complete trust in our company and products. We carry an inventory of GIA-certified diamonds in all sizes, shapes, colors, and clarities.
Because we are a wholesale diamantaire, we stand by our extremely competitive pricing. When you contact us, you will be communicating with a diamond expert who is eager to share his knowledge about all characteristics of diamonds, as well as offer guidance about value and pricing.
Conflict-Free.
The Kimberley Process was established in 2003 to prevent conflict diamonds from entering global markets. This process narrowly defines "conflict diamonds" as diamonds that finance rebel movements against recognized governments.
Our mission is to cultivate a more ethical, transparent, and sustainable jewelry industry. We hold true to our values of awareness and transparency by carefully tracking our diamonds' origins. We go beyond the usual standard to guarantee that our diamonds originate from ethical and environmentally responsible sources.
ZERO Tolerance
For blood diamonds. Every stone we sell is traced from mine to market.
Canadian Diamonds.
Canada is the world's number 3 producer of diamonds. Canadian Diamonds have rapidly gained a world reputation for quality and cleanliness. Cleanliness refers to the fact that they are not blood diamonds or conflict diamonds. They are what we call conflict-free diamonds.
The Government of Canada ensures fair labor practices in all Canadian diamond mines. They are completely traced from the diamond mine source from which they are derived, all the way to the diamond cutters, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Canadian diamonds being extracted from mines in Canada yield some of the largest, cleanest, whitest roughs on the market. As a result, the diamond cutters create some of the best cuts — more brilliance, sparkle and beauty.
Canadian diamonds account for approximately 80% of all Excellent and Ideal cut makes. Canadian diamonds are not more expensive — they are at very competitive prices, especially at Melisende Diamonds Ltd.
More on Canadian Diamonds Canadian Mines
Find your diamond.
Our knowledgeable team is always available to answer your questions and help you find the perfect stone.
Contact Us Diamond Education