facebook_pixel

How to Buy the Right Diamond, Because Diamonds are Forever!

Almost every girl wishes to receive a diamond at least once in her life.  Why?  They are a rare, precious and shiny touch of brightness in our lives.  A sparkling symbol of eternal love on our hands, they make us feel beautiful and unique like they are.  Every diamond has its own distinctive features, making each one different from another.  It’s like they have their own soul, a character that makes them special and beautiful.

Why do some diamonds have higher value than others?  How should I choose which diamond to buy?

It’s all related to rarity.  The rarer the features of a diamond are, the more expensive it is.

The beauty of a diamond is due to the amount of light that passes through and then is reflected from it.  The balance between the reflected light and the way light is reflected and dispersed by the diamond is crucial.  This depends on its internal and external features.

How are diamonds graded?

There are 4 parameters that help us in grading diamonds and their beauty.  They are called the Four C’s:

Carat weight

The unit of weight used as standard weighting for all gems.  1 carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams.  The more its carat weight is, the bigger the diamond.

Cut

This is the most important aspect.  How a diamond has been cut affects how the light passes through it.  Diamond cut measurementsThe cut signifies not only the diamond’s shape, but also its proportions, polish and symmetry.  A diamond’s facets have to be precise in shape and positioning otherwise a diamond might look transparent or dark, because light will not correctly reflect through it.  There are 4 cut grades: Excellent, Very Good, Good and Fair-Poor.  If you want a bright sparkling diamond, I would suggest not to go below a “Very good” cut grade.

Color

Diamonds are graded on a color scale from D (colorless) to Z, with D being the rarest and the most valuable.  The difference from one shade to the next is very, very subtle.  When a diamond is set, it will look colorless till grade H, and will start to show a slight white tint from I grade on wards.  The most common diamond’s tint is brown, however they might occur in shades of yellow, orange, blue, green, pink, red and black.  You may also have heard of something called a “Fancy Color.” These occur when the diamond grading goes beyond Z.  If you find one ,keep hold of it as these are extremely rare and valuable (depending on the color of course.)

Diamonds Colour Chart

Clarity

The internal characteristic or inclusions of a diamond define its clarity.  A diamond is a crystallized mineral and during its growth some imperfection can form.  Those imperfections block the route of light, which depending on their size and position will make a diamond look more or less bright.

Diamond clarity range

The “Flawless” diamonds are extremely rare due to the natural growth of diamonds.  A Flawless or Internally Flawless diamond is completely clear to the naked eye and with a 10x magnification and therefore extremely expensive.

The VVS1 to VS2 range is where your focus should be.  These are very high quality diamonds and you will not notice the difference in the diamond when it is glistening on your finger.  These diamonds are slightly easier to find and therefore are significantly lower in cost when compared to a FL or IF diamond.

Is there a perfect diamond?

So what is a good balance between the 4 C’s to have a beautiful diamond at a reasonable price?

Look at its brightness, ask for its carat weigh and pay attention to the cut, it’s really important.  Sometime more carat weight doesn’t mean that a diamond will look bigger.  It may not have been cut to perfect proportions.

What is a good compromise between color, clarity and price?  G/H color and VS clarity.  Always, follow your heart…  It will guide you to the perfect stone for you!


Silvia Fracchia
Jewelry Category Manager
The Luxury Closet

 

Image sources

  • http://www.diasource.com/blog/need-to-know/why-does-the-diamond-color-scale-start-at-d-and-not-a/
  • http://guoshimin.com/photos/d/2915-2/01+-+me+wearing+the+diamond+ring.JPG
1 Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.