Natural Diamond Expertise
The Leviev Diamond Guide
Every natural diamond carries its own balance of rarity, proportion and light. Shape and cut, color, clarity and carat weight provide a shared language for understanding the stone, while its presence is ultimately experienced in person.
Understanding the Extraordinary
Knowledge makes the selection more personal.
At Leviev, diamond expertise begins with an appreciation for what nature created and continues through careful evaluation, proportion and craftsmanship. Grades provide a framework, but they never replace the experience of seeing an exceptional stone in person.
Shape
The silhouette is personal. The relationship between facets, proportion and light determines how alive the diamond appears.
01 / Shape & Cut
How a diamond meets the light.
Shape describes a diamond's outline, from Round, Oval and Pear to geometric step cuts and historic Old European and Old Mine silhouettes. Cut describes the proportions and facet relationships that govern how effectively light travels through the stone.
A beautifully cut diamond balances brightness, fire and scintillation with proportion and presence. Shape is personal; cut quality is fundamental to how alive the diamond appears.
Color
The D-to-Z scale describes relative body color in white diamonds. Fancy-color diamonds are evaluated by a different system.
02 / Color
From colorless to extraordinary color.
For white diamonds, the GIA D-to-Z scale describes the absence or presence of body color. D begins the colorless range; increasing letter grades can show progressively more warmth.
Fancy-color diamonds are evaluated differently: color is the defining characteristic, and intensity, tone, distribution and rarity become central to their beauty and value.
Clarity
Clarity grading is performed under 10x magnification. The grade is one part of a diamond's overall character and beauty.
03 / Clarity
Nature's individual signature.
Clarity describes internal characteristics, called inclusions, and surface features, called blemishes. The GIA clarity scale considers their size, number, position, nature and visibility under 10x magnification.
Clarity is only one part of the whole. Leviev specialists also consider transparency, proportions and light performance when evaluating a diamond's beauty.
Carat
Relative illustration only, not actual size. Face-up appearance varies with shape, cut and proportions.
04 / Carat
Weight is not the same as visual size.
Carat is a measure of weight: one carat equals 0.20 grams. Two diamonds with the same carat weight can look noticeably different face-up because shape, depth, proportions and cut determine how that weight is distributed.
As size increases, exceptional combinations of color, clarity and cut can become dramatically rarer. The most compelling choice balances weight with proportion, brilliance and presence.
Grading Reports
A grading report documents technical characteristics. It supports understanding, but it does not replace the experience of seeing an exceptional diamond in person.
05 / Grading Reports
Independent documentation of a diamond's characteristics.
Independent grading reports describe the technical characteristics of a diamond, often including shape, measurements, carat weight, color, clarity, finish and identifying details. They provide a shared framework for comparison and discussion.
At Leviev, reports are considered alongside beauty, rarity, presence and the client's priorities. They are essential documentation, but they never replace seeing how a diamond looks in the hand or on the body.
Private Guidance
See the difference in person.
A private consultation lets you compare natural diamonds directly and understand the balance of rarity, beauty and presence that matters most to you.