HOW TO BUY A DIAMOND

The international diamond grading system was created by the Gemological Institute of America. The grading system judges a diamond by four distinct factors to arrive at its value. These are: Cut, Carat, Color and Clarity - known as the "4C's".

The first factor is the Cut. The Cut defines the outline shape of the diamond and the quality of the proportions. When a diamond is cut to good proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. The cut creates the fire and brilliance of the stone. There are many different cuts to a diamond.

The second factor is the Carat. The weight and therefore the size of a diamond is expressed in carats. One carat is divided into 100 "points"

The third factor is the Color. Most diamonds you see are in the colorless category. The very best color in the colorless scale is no color at all! The reason is simple - when light enters a colorless stone it can easily emit its brilliance. The purest, colorless stone carries a D rating and the color scale goes down through the alphabet to a Z rating designating a diamond with a strong yellow or brown hue. Diamonds carrying a D, E or F rating carry a high price. Most diamonds worn in jewelry are not past the M rating. Changes in Color are minute and if you are unsure which to choose, the average stone bought carries a "I" or "J" grading for its Color. Besides the colorless category for diamonds, there are twelve other colors called Fancies, and as the name implies, they are expensive.

The fourth factor is Clarity. Most diamonds contain minute traces of non-crystallized carbon called inclusions. Most are not discernible with the naked eye but can be seen with 10X magnification. Inclusions interfere with the dispersion of light and therefore the diamond's brilliance. However, the fewer the inclusions, the rarer the stone.

Clarity grades are based on the combination of blemishes on the outside of the stone as well as the inclusions trapped inside the crystal of the diamond. In determining the clarity grade the following are considered:

How dark or light is the inclusion - what is its color?

How large or small is the inclusion - what is its size?

How thick or thin is the inclusion - what is its relief?

How many inclusions are there - what is the number?

What type of inclusions are there - what are their nature?

Where are the inclusions - where are their positions?

Changes in Clarity are more obvious, but if you are unsure which to choose, the average stone bought carries a "SI-1" or "SI-2" rating.

Here is a listing of Clarity categories:

FL - flawless, is perfect outside and inside.

IF - internally flawless, have minor blemishes on the outside.

VVS-1 and 2 have very very small inclusions.

VS-1 and 2 have very small inclusions.

SI-1, 2 and 3* have small inclusions.

(SI-3 is not recognized by G.I.A., but is recognized by E.G.L. and All I-1 grades and below have inclusions visible to the naked eye.

How to Choose A Diamond

1. Find a jewelry you trust.
2. Do your homework and educate yourself.
3. Don't be taken in by the BS we all have the same sources for Diamonds.
4. Get the facts about the stone and shop around.

To choose a diamond, get the 4C's of the diamond you are looking at, you can not shop around if you do not have the right information to ensure that your compairing apples to apples, good quality comes with a good price.

Consider the Cut or shape that pleases you. The cut is the most important for the brilliance of the stone. Don't be fooled by highly discounted stones. They are probably poorly cut.

As for Color, the difference in ratings is minute but the price is not.

And for Clarity, most diamonds will have blemishes and inclusions so choose a diamond that is clean face up, we can hide imperfections under the prongs or bezels.

The time spent finding the right stone is as important as finding the right mate. We are here to help you so give us a call - 1-866-545-1775