Diamonds Guide Glossary

Brilliance— describes the combined intensity of the internal and external reflections of white light from the crown (top) of a polished diamond

Diamond Seed — small slice of diamond crystal

Dispersion — measures the separation of white light into spectral colors (flashes of color)

Fire — the flash of color you see in a polished diamond (sometimes dispersion and fire are used synonymously)

Hardness — measures the stone’s resistance to scratching and abrasion. Hardness is measured from 1 to 10 on the Mohs scale with diamond at 10 being the hardest

Refractive Index — measures the ability to bend light as it enters or leaves the diamond

Scintillation — refers to the flash of light caused by movement of the diamond, the light source, or the observer (sometimes called sparkle)

Toughness — measures the stone’s resistance to breaking, chipping, or cracking