Lots have been said about diamonds such as the special stone being a girl’s best friend, as well as diamonds lasting for eternity. With this in mind, you may be interested in investing in fine diamond jewelry. But before doing so, here are some of the things you need to know before buying diamonds.
Diamond Substitutes
Before buying diamonds, perhaps it will be best to seek the services of diamond experts. According to the seasoned jewelers, diamond experts are in the best position to equip you with the knowledge you need to have in order to make a smart purchase in terms of the diamond cut you have in mind, as aligned with your budget. Learn more about diamonds before making a purchase by setting up a private appointment with these jewelers.
After doing so, you will be able to immediately tell the difference between a real diamond and a diamond substitute, which is often referred to as cubic zirconia. The latter is significantly cheaper than a real diamond, but an untrained eye won’t be able to instantly tell the difference between the two. In addition to this, cubic zirconia loses its sparkle over time. This is one of the reasons why having a consultation with diamond experts is a good idea to minimize the risk of you buying a diamond substitute, with a hefty sum that can be used to buy a real diamond.
In parallel to this, it is also a good idea to check for the certificate that comes with the precious stone. This certificate ensures the authenticity and quality of the diamond in the jewelry since this includes the diamond quality, the serial number, as well as its validity of the stone’s color, clarity, and weight among others. However, it is important that you are not complacent simply with an issued certificate. Rather, make sure that the certificate is issued by a reputable gemologist or gemological lab. All these can be discussed with you with a seasoned diamond jeweler, which is why it is highly recommended that you schedule an appointment with one first before you buy your diamonds.
Diamond Carat
A carat is regarded as the standard unit of weight of a diamond stone. It is imperative for you to have a good insight into the diamond carat, which is a fifth of a gram, because the heavier the stone is, the more value it has. It is also the case that a larger diamond carat implies a rarer type of stone. For instance, a two-carat diamond will always have a greater value compared to two one-carat diamond stones.
Diamond Clarity
Another characteristic that you should know about diamonds is their clarity. Ideally, authentic and pure diamond stones sparkle forever. However, there are diamond stones that are not in their purest form, and while these are still authentic, they may not be as glittery as the pure diamond stone. It follows that a flawless diamond has the highest price when it comes to the market, and the other diamond grades may slightly have a lower price. As a general notion, the lower grade the diamond has, it follows that it is also cheaper.
FL grade is also known as the flawless grade and in the diamond clarity chart, diamonds with this grade are the most expensive ones. Following FL is the IF grade or the internally flawless grade, which has a slightly lower price value. VVS1, VVS2, VS1, and VS2, have considerably slight impurities in them, rendering their grade as ‘very, very slightly included’ and ‘very slightly included’ respectively. SI1, SI2, and SI3, which means slightly included, have a greater amount of impurities affecting the clarity of the diamond stone, but I1, I2, and I3 have the most amount of impurities. Thereby, the latter is considered as the lowest diamond grade.
Diamond Color
Aside from the carat and clarity of the diamond, you also need to know about its color because this heavily affects the price of the precious stone. Diamond color is typically the quantity of the yellow, brown, or gray shade in the stone. It goes without saying that colorless diamonds are the most expensive ones because they are more dazzling compared to colored diamonds. The color range is classified from D to Z, with the former signifying a colorless diamond, while the latter implies a high yellowish color. Nevertheless, diamonds that come in other colors such as blue, green, orange, pink, or red, are considered as unique and rare, thereby having a more expensive price tag than the common colorless diamond.
Diamond Cut
The cut of the diamond can enhance its sparkle. In fact, fancy-shaped diamonds that have 58 facets, or the angled and flat surfaces, are often preferred because they exhibit the ultimate beauty of the stone. The highest grade cut or a well-cut diamond reflects light in a brilliant manner, making it more costly than the others. Other diamond cuts such as a deep or too deep cut, as well as a shallow or too shallow cut, may affect how the stone shimmers, especially under a light source.
Diamond Shapes
Diamonds come in various shapes and sizes and it is worth your while to take time to learn about all the options you can have when it comes to the shape of the stone. People are generally more familiar with the round shape, but over a recent couple of years, a square-shaped diamond stone has also gained popularity. But apart from a round and square shape, diamond stones can also come in oval, cushion, marquise, pear, heart, or trillion shapes, with the latter being similar to a triangle. It can also come in princess, brilliant, emerald, Asscher, or baguette, which all have four corners. It is important for you to be able to make a smart purchase to ensure that you get your money’s worth.
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