posted by admin on Jul 13
Diamonds are so special they can make the heart flutter. It’s only for the lucky ones who actually own diamonds that the full thrill and joy they can bring is understood. However, purchasing a diamond can test the nerves of even the most astute buyer – what do you look for? What do the terms mean? What makes one diamond worth more than another?
Diamond Rings
Diamond grading is a skill, and it behooves you to know a little about it before you try and purchase a diamond. Knowing some of the terminology will assist you when you discuss with the diamond dealer exactly what you want, and this should ensure that you get the best value for your money.
When appraising a diamond there are four principal qualities which make up its value. To the diamond specialist these are cut, clarity, color and carat.
Bridal Jewelry
These things are important if the diamonds are going to used for a necklace.
The CUT
There are two aspects referred to when discussing the cut of a diamond. The first refers to the quality of the cut – affecting the brilliance of the diamond – the other refers to the actual shape of the diamond. Diamonds are shaped in many different ways.
The most familiar are: round, oval, pear (teardrop shaped), heart, princess (square shaped), Emerald (rectangular shaped), marquise (football shaped) and round. Of all the shapes available, round diamonds are the shape most capable of being cut to exude the greatest brilliance. The brilliance is determined by the ability of the diamond to reflect light.
A quality cut diamond will have facets angled to reflect the greatest amount of light. Be cautious of a cutter who places carat weight above that of brilliance.
The CLARITY
Diamond is a natural material generally mined from the ground and therefore it will also contain flaws and traces of other materials. The genuinely flawless diamond is a very rare commodity indeed. While these flaws are often not visible to the naked eye, they affect the light reflecting qualities of the diamond which affects the overall brilliance.
Diamond Necklace
Diamond clarity is classified as follows: Flawless, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, SI3, I1, I2 and I3.
The CARAT Weight
A carat is the measure of a diamond’s weight. Sometimes a carat is called 100 points. This means that a half carat would be listed as ‘50 points’ and so on.
An expensive diamond will be larger than a cheaper one. The rarity value of larger diamonds causes them to increase in cost significantly over their smaller brethren. A single carat diamond will cost more than double that of the diamond which is only half a carat, and a piece of jewelry made of many diamonds with a total weight of one carat will cost significantly less than a ring for example that has a solitaire diamond of one carat.
The COLOR
A diamond’s color is rated using an alphabetical index from D to Z. If the diamond receives a rating of D it can be reckoned to be virtually colorless, colloquially known as white. This is the rarest. A colorless diamond is more valuable than a yellow one and the former will be found in the range D to J.
Some very colorful diamonds have color ratings beyond Z. When buying a diamond it is necessary to remember that each of the four characteristics are of equal importance.
Inevitably there has to be compromise and therefore it is important to decide which of the four characteristics is the most important to you.
Consider these things before going forward:
- What is your budget?
- Prioritize your requirements
- What color diamond would you like?
Diamonds or other stones might be used when creating a diamond necklace, but this knowledge will still have value. In any event, any piece of diamond jewelry should be a work of art, and very special. Insurance Attorneys Los Angeles