How to Choose Diamond Rings
Throughout cultures and countries all over the world, diamonds are coveted and admired. For centuries, diamonds have been highly regarded. Some cultures believed they had special powers, and Plato believed that diamonds were the living embodiments of celestial spirits. Whatever reason you choose a diamond ring, there are a few important details to keep in mind. It is also important to shop at respectable retailers to avoid counterfeits and poor quality gemstones. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
The Four C's
-
1
Become familiar with the Four C's: cut, color, clarity and carat weight. These are the four most important factors to consider when choosing a diamond ring. You will also want to consider the shape of the diamond (for example, pear, round or emerald).
-
2
Identify the cut of the diamond. Some people think that the "cut" of the diamond refers to the shape of the diamond. This is not true. The cut refers to "the facet proportions on the surface of the diamond." In plain English, the cut refers to the way the gemstone is sliced, and you will be able to identify these as the ridges and smooth areas on the surface of the diamond. The cut gives a diamond brilliance, or sparkle. A well cut diamond will reflect a significant amount of light back into the viewers eye and will look very sparkly or shiny. A poorly cut diamond will leak light through the back of the diamond and will look darker and less reflective. The grading scale for diamond cut is (from best to worst) Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.
-
-
3
Inspect the color of the diamond. The best diamonds are colorless or near colorless. The tint, or color, that is found in a diamond is a result of impurities. The presence of impurities or color in a diamond can greatly affect its value. The color of a diamond is graded on a letter scale from "D" to "Z." "D" through "F" are considered colorless. "G" through "I," near colorless. "J" through "M," faint yellow. "N" through "R," very light yellow, and "S" through "Z," light yellow. The lighter the color, the more valuable the diamond. If the setting will be platinum or white gold, choose a higher color grade. If the setting is yellow gold, a lower color grade will be less noticeable.
-
4
Check for clarity. Clarity refers to the presence of internal flaws and exterior blemishes on the diamond. A flawless diamond is very rare. Using a triplet loupe (the eyepiece that jewelers use to inspect gemstones) at 10X magnification, a diamond that has no noticeable flaws will be graded "F," or flawless. VVS1-VVS2 means very, very slightly included and the flaws are hard to identify under magnification. VS1-VS2 is very slightly included meaning that the flaws can only be seen under magnification. SI1-SI2 indicates that the diamond is slightly flawed and can be easily identified with magnification. Finally, I1-I2-I3 diamonds have flaws that are easily detected and may be visible to the eye without magnification. This last grading scale is not recommended for purchase.
-
5
Decide on a carat weight. Two rings the have the same carat weight can vary dramatically in price depending on the quality of the stone (cut, color and clarity). A carat is a weight measurement that is equal to 200 milligrams. The carat choice will usually be determined by a number of elements, one being your budget. If the quality of the stone is more important, you may need to choose a smaller carat to fit in your budget, but if size is the most important factor, you can go lower on the quality scale. The best method is to try to find a balance between the factors of size and quality. Get a 3/4 carat stone of higher quality instead of a full carat stone that is very light yellow, for example.
-
6
Compare several diamonds of different sizes and shapes with different cuts and clarity. No two diamonds are alike. Don't just look at one or two. To get a diamond you love, you need to see many of them. Be sure to pick a diamond ring that you will be able to admire for years to come.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit diamonds 1 image by Renato Francia from Fotolia.com
