Why the third finger, left hand?
The early Egyptians believed that the “Vena Amoris”, the Vein of Love, runs directly from the heart to the top of the third finger of the left hand.
How did the tradition of the diamond engagement ring begin?
The first lady to officially receive a diamond ring for her engagement was Mary of Burgundy from Maximilian of Austria on August 17th, 1477. As the story goes, under council from his advisors, Maximilian proposed to Mary and gave her a ring set with a diamond and a gold ring and placed it on the third finger of her left hand. With her saying “yes”, a tradition was born.
What is fluorescence? How does it affect my diamond?
Fluorescence is a glow—usually of a bluish color—that emanates from some diamonds when exposed to ultraviolet light. In some cases, Fluorescence improves the color of diamonds by about half a grade but this is an unnatural affect. At Butani we recommend our customers not to buy diamonds with fluorescence, as it is an imperfection. However, if you choose to, avoid diamonds with ‘strong to medium’ fluorescence as it may cause the diamond to appear milky or foggy even though there seems to be an improvement in color. ‘Faint’ fluorescence does not affect the appearance of the diamond. In most cases diamonds with fluorescence are slightly cheaper than diamonds without.
What is an ideal cut?
In 1919, Marcel Tolkowsky, from a Belgian diamond cutting family, published “Diamond Design”, the first analysis of the proportions of diamond cutting based on modern theories of light dispersion. Working backwards from what he thought was the best possible balance of brilliance and dispersion, he was able to calculate the proportions of a perfect diamond: the “Ideal Cut” diamond. An Ideal Cut Round Brilliant diamond should have a 34.5° crown angle, a 40.75° pavilion angle, a 59.3% total depth (excluding girdle thick-ness), and a 53% table.
How do I know my diamond is what they say I am getting?
Every diamond is unique, and all the important qualities of your diamond should be certified in writing. All Butani diamonds are certified by our team of expert gemologists or by internationally recognized laboratories including: Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the Diamond High Council (HRD) from Antwerp-Belgium, European Gemological Laboratory (EGL), International Gemological Institute (IGI), and American Gemological Society (AGS).