Melee Diamond
Melee diamonds with perfect cut in hearts arrows as pointers or small diamonds.
Super ideal cut diamond melee of small diamond as radiant cut diamond. We
are selling from 1 to 7 pointers, only perfect cut diamonds. Call us or place
an order for small stones on our order page:
Melee diamonds is a term used to describe small diamonds. The diamond weight
for melee diamonds range from as low as 0.001 carats (1000th/carat) to 0.18
carats. Melee diamonds are commonly referred to by customers as “Diamond
Chips”. It is a term that is not used by jewelers. The term “Diamond
Chips” is considered to be derogatory. The diamond and jewelry industry
is very particular in using certain terms (e.g. of diamond clarity classification
of I1-I2-I3 changed from Imperfect to Included). Moreover, the word diamond
chip seems like a diamond has cracks and is chipped. It feels like someone
took a hammer and hit the diamond, crushing it into hundreds of smaller ‘diamond
chips’.
Majority of the diamonds mined, cut and produced in the world are melee.
The diamonds in melee sizes are usually sold in parcels and lots. They can
be bought in parcels of 1.00 carat to 100’s of carats. Melee diamonds
change hands on a regular basis. Just like how a $1 bill is the most produced
and used denomination in the USA. In wholesale diamond bourses throughout
the world a single parcel of melee diamonds will sometimes be sold and resold
3-4 times in a day.
Melee diamonds change several hands on a daily basis. This is primarily facilitated
by diamond brokers. Diamond brokers are freelance commissioned individuals
who know what is going on the market, who’s got what, who is desperate
to sell, who is desperate to buy, etc. They are the road runners and jobbers
of the diamond industry. process, the buyer and seller will not meet, talk
face to face or even know each other! It is the diamond broker who is convincing
the seller to sell and the buyer to buy.
Sorting and grading of melee diamonds is another art form. They are usually
sorted by using a diamond sieve. It is just like a normal sieve. A round stainless
steel metal sheet with holes of different sizes in it. Sorting melee diamonds
in different sizes is a very noisy process. You pour the diamond parcel on
the top of the diamond sieve and shake it. Once shaken, you have to use a
pair of tweezers to bang the edges to ensure that the borderline diamonds
sieve through. Once that is done, the diamonds that are stuck in the sieve
have to be pushed through with the tweezers. It is more of fun visually then
verbally. I will be putting up a video of diamond sieving hopefully in a short
period of time for you to see how it works.
Melee diamonds are used by jewelers and customers for various purposes. One
of the common use of melee diamonds is in custom work, repairs and replacing
lost diamonds. Custom work requires diamonds of all shapes and sizes. Making
custom jewelry usually requires a various number of melee diamonds in different
sizes. This is where the expertise of a skilled Gemologist and Diamond Grader
is useful. It is important to ensure that the diamonds you plan to put into
a precious diamond engagement ring has to be chosen with great diligence and
skill.
Setting of melee diamonds is also tricky. Just like grading melee diamonds
require experience and skill, setting them requires an even steadier hand.
A master jeweler and master craftsman is required to do a good job. Every
diamond when set in a piece of jewelry is put through pressure. This ensures
that it does not pop out with ease. The amount of pressure required on a melee
diamond is relatively the same but it’s chances of breaking in the process
of setting is more. Every jeweler has a reserve of melee diamonds while setting
them just incase they break or chip. It is a very common for them to break
due to their size and pressure. Everytime, I get a custom piece of jewelry
made, I give my master jewelers a bit of leniency when setting melee diamonds.
Once again, technology has made progress with more efficient tools for the
jeweler but nothing comes close to a steady and experience hand of a master
jeweler.
Nothing catches the light like a large surface covered with small diamonds.
Designers can run wild with flowing lines and intricate patterns of pavé
or invisibly set diamonds – all at a much lower cost than a single diamond
of the same total weight.
Because jewelry with small diamonds can be affordable, it’s an easy
choice to make for women buying for themselves.
Consumers in their 20s, many just beginning their careers, tend to buy 14k
gold with a half carat of diamonds. By their 30s, they’re ready to upgrade
to 18k gold or platinum with 2 or more carats.
Most young customers know diamond prices rise along with quality. But some
don’t understand how much prices rise along with carat weight. Take
the opportunity to explain bigger diamonds cost more not only because of the
additional weight but also because the bigger they are, the rarer they are.
So choosing jewelry with multiple small diamonds is a much more affordable
way to achieve a big diamond look.
When displaying this jewelry, use white or light backgrounds to reflect light,
which makes the diamonds sparkle even more.
A diamond’s shape and 4-Cs are important, but setting that diamond in
the right ring also plays a huge role in the statement it makes. Take a look
at our online selection of engagement settings now.
