The 4 C's Of Buying Diamonds
As with any expensive item, it helps to educate yourself before buying diamonds.
Of course you'll want to buy from a reputable merchant - whether it be online or in a local store. Make sure the jeweler offers a money back guarantee, that way you know he will stand behind his work.
The 4C's of Buying Diamonds
When buying diamonds, you'll need to learn a bit about the 4 c's - color, cut, clarity and carat. These are the 4 elements that you will be comparing in diamonds.
There's a 5th element that you may need to consider as well and this is cost.
Cut is probably the most important of the 4C's. This does not refer to the shape of the stone, but the facets that are cut into the stone from which light is reflected.
There is actually a mathematical formula that jewelers can follow to insure the diamond is cut to show the maximum brilliance of the stone. There are several grades of cut which affect the price. The most perfect cut is Ideal Cut this is perfectly per portioned to maximize brilliance. Next down the line is Premium which is also a very good cut but a bit less expensivethan the ideal cut. A Very Good cut is a bit less expensive than premium but still reflects most of the light from the stone. In many cases, the cutters have varied the proportions of the cut in order to make a larger diamond. The Good cut is a nice economical grade that is popular with most people who are buying diamonds as it still shows most of the brilliance of the stone. Fair and Poor are diamonds that reflect very little of the light - they are cut poorly. These diamonds are cut to maximize size but sacrifice brilliance in the process.
When buying diamonds, you'll often hear the term clarity. This refers to the blemishes or imperfections in the stone. Imperfections can be cracks, bubbles, non diamond minerals in the stone, chips, scratches and pits. A flawless diamond has none of these and would be the most valuable, but since diamonds are rocks dug from the earth, it is normal for them to have some flaws. As with everything, there is a grading system for clarity to be considered with buying diamonds.
F - Flawless, very rare and expensive
IF - Internally Flawless - no inclusions such as cracks, bubbles or non diamond minerals but there may be some surface flaws such as scratches or chips - again very rare and expensive!
VVS1-VVS2- Very Very slighty included - only minor inclusions
VS1-VS2- Very slighty included - only minor inclusions but a few more than the grade above
SI1-SI2 - Slightly included - slight inclusions a bit more than the grade above
I1-I2-I3 - Included - a very poor quality diamond.
Only the I1, I2, and I3 grades have flaws that can be detected with the naked eye - all other grades are visually the same, but the flaws can be seen under magnification and affect the value of the diamond.
Color is another aspect to consider when buying diamonds. The most desired white diamond has no color. The less color, the more light can pass through for maximum sparkle and fire. As with everything, there is a grading scale for whiteness of a diamond. The GIA scale has a highest rating of D all the way to Z. A diamond rated D would have no color and be most desirable, but ratings through I show no color to the untrained eye.
Carat weight or size is the final of the 4 C's. The larger the diamond, the more rare and the more expensive. Goes without saying, doesn't it? Assuming you have a budget (the 5th C - cost), deciding on carat weight when buying diamonds is really a matter of trading quality for size. You can get larger diamonds with lower grading in color and clarity for the same size as smaller ones with a higher grading. Some of the differences between diamond grades is barely perceived with the naked eye so it's a matter of personal preference and if you are hung up on getting the best grade diamond or not.
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