Do You Really Know How to Buy Diamond Jewelry?
You might feel like you are a jewelry aficionado by the time you get to buying diamond jewelry. Since diamond jewelry is rather expensive, you often have to work your way up with smaller pieces, or by saving more money. However, buying diamond jewelry is not as simple as picking a bracelet off a rack. When it comes down to the nitty gritty, do you really know how to buy diamond jewelry?
Before you start puzzling over this question, keep in mind that all it takes to buy diamond jewelry effectively is to know the following factors:
The Four C’s
The four C’s deal with the diamond itself, and can also be used to determine the value of any other precious stone as well. When shopping for diamond jewelry, make sure you are aware of the following 4 C’s:
Clarity
This pertains to how clear the diamond is. A clear diamond will have no cracks, blemishes, flecks, cloudiness, or other blemishes. These blemishes are often hidden, and have to be assessed with the help of a magnifying glass. However, the more clarity a diamond has, the higher its value. On the other hand, this does not mean that diamonds with lower clarity are unwanted. You can find the right balance between quality and practicality to fit within your budgeted price. Clarity Ranges from “Flawless” to “Imperfect”, or Flawless, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, and I2.
Cut
The cut of the diamond refers to the overall symmetry of a diamond. Diamonds are available in cuts that range from poor to fair, good, very good and excellent. The cut of the diamond is a combination of perfect symmetry, polishing and proportions. The cut of a diamond is apparent through the brilliance, fire and scintillation a diamond shows in reflected light. . Poor cut diamonds reflect light badly and appear darker even though the diamond may be bigger in size than excellent or good cut diamonds. Moreover, the cut of a diamond can determine its clarity and brightness as well. As a rule of thumb, the brighter the diamond, the better the cut it has.
Color
Diamonds are available in a surprisingly large array of colors but those are the fancy ones. True diamonds are white diamonds and they are available in colorless, near colorless, faint, very light and light. Based on the hue and color they show ranging from white to pale brown or yellow, they are graded on a scale starting at D and ending at Z. . Other colors that diamonds are available in can range from a light champagne gold to bright pink but they are largely known as fancy color diamonds and have their own category.
Carat
This refers to the size of the diamond and is largely a term that is used to measure the diamond’s size. The larger a diamond is, the more carats it has, and the more highly it is prized. The carat size also determines the kind of jewelry the diamond will be used for.
For more information about the 4C’s of diamonds, also see: The 4 C’s of Diamonds: Which C Matters Most?
The Forgotten C: Class
Knowing the 4C’s is often not enough as you have to be able to apply them to different jewelry as well. However, diamonds are largely graded by class, which is one of the forgotten C’s. This category is largely used to also determine the value of the diamond and is largely based on the cumulative results from all the 4C’s.
For example: A 1 carat, colorless diamond with an ideal cut and crystal clear clarity will be classed and priced differently compared to a 4 carat, champagne yellow diamond with a good cut and cloudy center. Since colorless diamonds are more sought after, as well as the ideal cut and perfect clarity, it is possible that it will have more value and a better class than the champagne yellow diamond, despite the fact that it is only 1 carat.