Critical Details for Purchasing Diamond Jewelry
Friday, 6. November 2009
A diamond has long been cherished as the ultimate symbol of lasting love because of it’s purity and ageless beauty.
As a purchaser of diamonds for engagement rings, whether past, present or future, one may wonder why there is such variation in price from store to store. What characteristics constitute a $5,000 diamond versus one that costs only $500?
The grading system for diamonds is based upon four different elements. Firstly, size will play a large role in the price. This is referred to as the “carat weight,” and it is determined on a 100 point scale. The larger the carat weight, the higher the value.
Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.
The number of inclusions as well as their size and tint all factor into the overall clarity score, as do the number and size of surface blemishes. A flawless diamond is at the top end of the clarity scale, referred to as ‘pure’. An inexpensive diamond may carry with it the classification of ‘heavily included’.
These differences are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Lack of clarity is a lack of perfection. A diamond is forever, and no one wants to be stuck with an imperfect one forever; therefore, this impacts the price.
Color is the next element that affects price. Although clarity is important, there are special cases where under certain conditions underground a diamond may have taken on a certain coloration that actually increases its value.
The color of a diamond ranges from “D,” which is a complete lack of color, to “Z,” which is depicts a very noticable coloration. Diamonds are priced highly if they are deeply colored or are exceptionally clear. Hazy, off-colored diamonds are not considered a favorable item, so they are priced lower.
Lastly we need to understand the effect of the cut on pricing. The quality of the cut may not be as easy to evaluate for an inexperienced buyer as some of the other factors, but it is nevertheless a critical element as it gives the diamond its sparkle.
“Fire” is the ability to flash and flicker upon sight. Cut varies from “excellent,” followed by “good,” “average,” “commercial,” and then irregular. If the diamond is not dazzling, the cut is most likely very poor.
Diamonds are rare, but they are not equally special. Understanding the four important C’s of carat, clarity, color and cut that represent the value of a diamond will steer you towards making a better buying decision.
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