How to Choose a Diamond

choosing a diamond ringShopping for the perfect diamond doesn’t mean that you have to go Africa and mine it yourself. While it can be confusing for beginners knowing the different properties of a diamond will help you give an almost perfect stone for your beloved.

There are four important concepts to remember when shopping for diamonds. These are the 4C’s or for the uninformed: cut, clarity, color and carat weight. Knowing each one and how they affect the price of each diamond will help you choose the way experts do or at the very least a reasonable facsimile of it.

Cut determines the brilliance of the diamond. Most jewelers consider the cut the most important characteristic of a diamond. Even if the diamond has perfect clarity and color, a poorly cut diamond will appear dull. Look for a diamond with an Ideal or Good Cut.

Color is the second characteristic to look at when you are buying diamonds. The less color in a diamond, the more colorful the fire inside, the better the color grade. The highest grade D is a diamond that is absolutely colorless while a grade N-Z has detectable color. A diamond with a grade between G-I is a good value as it has no noticeable color to the naked eye.

Clarity is based on how few flaws or inclusions there are on the diamond. A flawless diamond is very, very rare therefore the clearest are the most expensive. Look for diamonds with the grades from FL (Flawless diamonds) to VS2 (Very Slightly Included). Stones from VS1 to VS2 are the best value because they are lower in price with very little inclusions. They are also eye-clean diamonds meaning you would have to look through a magnifying glass to see the flaws.

Carat determines the size of the diamond. The weight of the diamond is measured in carats. Choosing the size depends largely on the person you’ll be giving the diamond to.

Any expert will give you different advice as to what is the most important characteristic to look for when shopping for diamonds. One will point to color another to cut. The bottom line is that you have to have the common sense to decide what you really are looking for in a diamond.

The safest and most practical is to go with a diamond that combines the best of all the four C’s. Another consideration is your own budget. You probably won’t be buying the best grade diamonds if all you have saved is about three months salary.

Other things to remember when you go shopping:

Make sure your diamond has been certified with the American Gem Society or the Gemological Institute of America

Carry a white cloth around. Placing a diamond against a white background will reveal the real brilliance of the gem. Most shops place their diamonds against a black background and this will make the diamonds appear white.

A well cut diamond will give you a brilliance that you won’t see anywhere else.

Most importantly consider the tastes of the person you are buying the diamond for. You shouldn’t give a huge diamond to a person with small hands. If your loved one prefers the cut of a diamond and doesn’t give much consideration to the color then you should focus on the cut instead. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and you can ensure that you’ll make a lasting friend if you are knowledgeable about shopping for her diamond.

 
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Leave a Reply