Education
A working education in diamonds & jewelry
The Four Cs, Diamond Performance, Canera Signature cut diamonds, and jewelry craftsmanship — explained plainly, from the bench.
3 min readCutThe one C a jeweler controls — and the one that makes light.
4 min readColorReading the D-to-K scale, and where value hides in it.
4 min readClarityGrades, inclusions, and what eye-clean really means.
3 min readCaratWeight versus spread — why two one-carat stones differ.
3 min readLight performanceHow a diamond returns light, beyond the cut grade.
2 min readOptical symmetryThe precision that separates ideal from merely excellent.4 min readHearts & arrowsThe pattern only true optical precision produces.
1 min readFluorescenceWhat UV response means for looks and price.
8 min readShapeRound to antique cushion — character before carats.
2 min readConflict-free sourcingWhere our stones come from, and how we know.
4 min readCanera Ideal HeartsOur signature hearts-and-arrows round.
7 min readCanera Antique CushionAn old-world cushion, cut to modern precision.
6 min readCanera European RoundThe romance of the old European cut, revived.6 min readWhy hearts & arrowsThe case for precision-cut diamonds, made plainly.
7 min readAnatomy of a ringHead, shank, gallery — the vocabulary of a setting.
5 min readHand-forged jewelryWhy forged metal outlasts and outshines casting.
9 min readPavé stylesFrench, U-cut, bright-cut — set side by side.
3 min readPlatinum vs. goldStrength, color, and wear — an honest comparison.5 min readPavé styles, part one: bright-cut pavéThe old-school pavé with carved walls and brighter borders.3 min readPavé styles, part two: modern pavéHow contemporary micro-pavé is set, and where it shines.
5 min readSingle-cut and full-cut melee, explainedWhy the small stones' cut style changes a band's sparkle.
6 min readDiamond color undertonesThe warm and cool casts a grade letter won't tell you.
6 min readChoosing the right-sized diamondFinger, setting, and spread — sizing beyond carat weight.2 min readThe diamond supply chain and the consumerFrom mine to bench — who touches a stone, and why it matters.
Diamond and jewelry trends, 2016A period look at the shapes and settings of the mid-2010s.
3 min readMaking a ring profile uniquely yoursComfort-fit, knife-edge, flat — shaping a shank to the hand.
5 min readThree-stone engagement ring design adviceProportioning center and sides so all three read as one.
3 min readMaking handmade rings budget-friendlyWhere hand fabrication saves money rather than adding it.
2 min readThe importance of a jewelry studioWhat an in-house bench changes about quality control.