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How To Buy A Beautiful Diamond?
What makes one diamond more beautiful than another? This is a question you should be asking yourself if you are in the market for that ultimately rare and precious stone. The short answer to that is, that you can tell a beautiful diamond by the way it reflects and refracts light. This is sometimes called play of light or light performance. Think of the time when you saw someone with a diamond ring that appears to flash from within with every move of their hand. It’s precisely this effect that you should be after when shopping for a stone and our short guide will help you on the journey by explaining the 4C’s of diamond quality, a knowledge crucial for anyone wishing to buy the most beautiful diamond within any budget.
Without understanding of the so called 4C’s of diamonds, you simply can’t see the stone’s true quality, no matter how stunning it may seem. This basic knowledge will unlock for you the mystery of diamond evaluation as well as to help you understand how quality relates to value. Moreover, a good grasp of the 4Cs will make purchasing a diamond truly an exciting and enjoyable experience.
SHAPE
Before we move on to the 4C's let’s first talk about shape. Diamonds come in a variety of different shapes and this is the first thing you must decide upon. It’s a personal choice but it’s worth remembering that no other diamond shape can compete with the round diamonds’ shine and sparkle. If the cut and polish are good, the symmetry created by the round shape can reflect, refract and disperse almost all available light and unlike any other shape. If you choose the round you may also consider the “brilliant cut.” This special cut features 58 facets, creating the best opportunity for stunning light reflection in and out of the diamond, unleashing its brilliance, scintillation and fire. However, if a round is not what you are after, then the popular square, princess and oval shapes are also available as brilliants.
CUT
All of the 4C's are important, but experts agree that diamond’s cut and polish are the most important considerations when it comes to its overall beauty. As mentioned before, the shape and the cut of a diamond as are separate and distinct characteristics. The cut describes proportion, symmetry and finish created when a rough diamond is transformed into a polished gem. It relies on the skills of a master diamond cutter, who with highest precision polishes tiny facets into the rough diamond fashioning the table, crown, pavilion, girdle and culet. This is why, poor cut will always result in a dulled appearance, even if color and clarity are excellent. Having said that, the width and depth of the stone have the greatest effect on how light travels within the diamond, and how it exits in the form of sparkle (brilliance). If it’s too shallow, the light leaks out of the bottom. If too deep, the light escapes through the side making the diamond appear dark and lifeless. It is easy to understand cut grading with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grade descriptions:
Ideal or Excellent cut reflects most of the light that enters the diamond, offering the optimum combination of brilliance, scintillation and fire.
Very Good cut reflects almost as much light as the ideal cut but at a lower cost.
Good cut reflects most of the light and offers good value for money.
Fair cut reflects some of the light that enters the diamond and can still produce a quality diamond.
Poor cut (too deep or shallow) reflects minimal light and produces a dull, lifeless stone.
Note: only round stones are given cut grades on diamond certificates, but all shapes have ideal ranges and values for the elements that impact the cut of the stone.
Two other aspects of cut quality are polish and symmetry. The polish describes smoothness of the diamond's facets, and symmetry refers to their alignment. Poor polish will dull the facet’s surface creating blurred or low sparkle. Poor symmetry on the other hand, can misdirect the light as it enters and exits the diamond. The most beautiful diamonds will have Excellent to Good symmetry and polish grade.
COLOR
Diamond’s color refers in fact to the degree to which a diamond is colorless. The less color there is in a diamond, the rarer and more valuable it becomes. While all of the 4C's are important, we should pay special attention to color because it is one of the characteristics that we can easily see with our naked eyes. It is often suggested that if the stone you are looking to buy is going to be set in platinum or white gold then you may want to go for a whiter diamond (D to F). If on the other hand you have your heart set on a yellow or rose gold, a near colorless (G to H) diamond will look great. In general, diamonds lower than K color grade should be avoided.
Note: Diamonds beyond Z, on the color grade scale, are called "fancies" and are often extremely rare and valuable.
An important part of diamond’s color grade is fluorescence. Some diamonds fluoresce (glow blue) under the UV light. While this may be attractive to some, the downside to this is that such diamonds may look whiter (hazy or oily appearance) in sunlight, which contains the UV light in its spectrum. For that reason diamonds with fluorescence are priced slightly lower than those with none.
CLARITY
Diamond’s clarity refers to the presence of very small natural imperfections that occur in most diamonds. These imperfections are known as inclusions and most commonly include: crystals, pockets of air or structural cracks (feathers) that formed within or on the surface of the diamond, clouds, knots or needles and need high magnification to be seen if at all. They are often referred to as nature’s fingerprints or birthmarks and are often a sign that the diamond is of natural origin (not synthetic or simulant). Nevertheless, the fewer and smaller the inclusions, the greater the clarity, rarity and price of the stone because even though most inclusions and blemishes are not visible to the naked eye, they can certainly affect the flow of light through a diamond, which diminishes its brilliance.
Finally, the clarity is determined by the size, number, location, orientation, nature and overall visibility of the inclusions (looking from the top), and using a single lens, 10x magnifying loupe. A clarity grade of VS is often recommended because any inclusions within such diamond will only be seen through a microscope and will not affect its brilliance.
CARAT
The final C is Carat, which simply refers to the weight of a diamond. Diamond’s value rises exponentially with its carat weight. If you've determined the desired shape, cut, color and clarity grade, it should be easy to determine the diamond’s carat weight that will fit within your budget. There are certain carat weights that you should keep in mind and which will allow you to make some substantial savings. Some of the most important ones are .50ct, .70, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, 3.00, and 5.00. They are considered “magic sizes” where prices tend to jump significantly. As an example, a 1.00ct diamond of a given quality might be significantly more expensive than the same quality weighing 0.98ct, but will look almost identical. It’s advisable to take advantage of this fact and to look for diamonds just under these magic marks. The savings made can then be applied toward a better cut, which will allow for purchase of a more beautiful diamond overall.
CERTIFICATION
When it comes to authentications and certifications you’d want a GIA or HRD certification. This is your guarantee of diamond quality. These laboratories are known around the world for their consistent and unbiased diamond grading systems, issuing the industry’s most respected gem certificates.
ASK A PROFESSIONAL
No gemstone is as rare, beautiful and precious as diamond. Over the centuries, it has become known as the ultimate symbol of love and has taken its place at the heart of the most important human celebrations. For many however, trying to find that perfect one can often be an overwhelming and daunting task and there’s nothing that will make your diamond shopping easier than the help of an experienced professional. He or she can walk you through the 4Cs, and show you different diamonds for comparison.
You may want to check out our offer of "colorless" and "colored" diamonds if you are interested in exploring the potential of investing in diamonds. Our expert team has extensive knowledge and experience in the diamond industry and can provide you with guidance and support in selecting high-quality diamonds that fit your investment goals.
If you are looking for a diamond or other precious stone of specific parameters, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. Our expert team can assist you in finding the perfect stone that meets your requirements. Simply send us an email or give us a call, and we will be happy to provide you with personalized assistance.
