How To Buy A Diamond... Simplified

The key to buying a diamond is a combination ofcategory of stones, where the savings will be
having technical knowledge, being market savvygreater. To go with a high color and lower clarity
and most importantly, developing an "eye". Thecombination, such as an E color but good SI-2
most important rule to remember is that the rightclarity will also yield a good value.
diamond should jump out at you from theCarats or the weight of the diamond is the 3rd
moment you see it. In the diamond industry, alldeterminant of price. 100 points equal a carat, and
diamonds are graded according to the 4-Cs.is impossible for human eye to see. Though a
Understanding the 4-Cs and the diamond industrydiamond can be 1 carat in weight, it can look
will allow one to become a savvy diamond buyer.bigger or smaller than its carat weight states. So
Of the 4-Cs, clarity is the hardest to determinewhen buying a round diamond of 1 Carat size,
by the average consumer and one of the reasonslook for stones that are at least 6.2mm in
to buy from a trusted jeweler. Grading starts atdiameter. Also, because the jewelry industry has
IF (internally flawless), followed by VVS1 anda tolerance level of 5% difference on stated
VVS2 (Very very slightly included). These twocarat weights on jewelry, this is why buying from
grades are very uncommon and for the money,a trusted jeweler is key. It is impossible for any
is not a good value to buy a stone in. You canone to eyeball carat size, you cannot tell the
never differentiate a diamond between VVS1 anddifference between a 1 CT tennis bracelet or a
VS1 even under 100X magnification, yet the price.90CT bracelet, yet there is a big price differential.
difference could be thousands of dollars. PeopleCut is the most technical of the 4-C's. The fact of
who want the best quality and value usually buy inthe matter is that one can see a diamond that is
the VS1 or VS2 level. SI-1 and SI-2 are the nextcut well versus one that is cut poorly. The cut
level. SI stands for slightly included with SI-1 beingstates that the crown (top of the diamond),
clearer than an SI-2 stone. If you see a stonepavilion (bottom of the diamond) and the girdle
that has a lot of inclusions under a microscope but(thin middle ring that divides the crown and
is not visible to a naked eye, this is an SI-2 stone.pavilion) should have ideal range that the diamond
Any stone that has flaws visible to a naked eyeshould be cut.
will be an SI-3 or sometimes labeled as an I-1The last C is the certs that diamonds carry and is
stone. The rapport will grade these stones downthe final component that affects diamond pricing.
to an I-3. These are usually the stones that areMany stones that are above .75CT are certified
advertised for $399 a carat. For engagement ringby independent laboratories. The certificates will
quality diamonds, it is recommended not to goplot a mapping of the inclusions, give dimensions
below an SI-2.and measurements of the diamond, state the
Of the 4cs, Color is the most visible to the buyer.polish and symmetry, fluorescence, and state if a
The color chart starts at D, with D/E/F being thediamond has been enhanced. Although there are
most pure and the most white of all the diamondmany labs that certify diamonds, the most
colors. The second category is G/H/I, which ispopular on the market are certified by GIA or
considered the near colorless category and willEGL. GIA (Gemological institute of America) has
have a varying hint of color. When the majoritypredominately been very strict or rather on the
of the diamonds were formed, gaseous elementsconservative side of their grading, so GIA
such as nitrogen were trapped in the carbondiamonds tend to sell at a premium. EGL
lattice thus causing variation in the diamond colors.(European Gemological Laboratory) is also very
Within the J/K/L range, the buyer will be able topopular but sometimes have struggled with their
see varying degrees of yellow in the stones.consistency. Thus their stones will usually sell 5 -
Although color is graded down to Z, the rap sheet10% less then a stone with the same grade from
stops at M. For engagement ring quality, anythingGIA. GIA stones are not necessarily better
below the color "I" is not recommended. Thestones then EGL certified stones. Plenty of
lower color stones are usually made for otherbeautiful stones get sent in to be processed by
purposes.EGL as they do GIA.
Because the prices for color do vary greatly, it isThe price difference for clarity and color affects
imperative for the buyer to be able tothe prices exponentially. Buying a high color is
differentiate between the colors. The only way towhere the buyer's dollar will be well spent. Clarity
truly grade the color is to compare the stonesis impossible to see without a microscope but a
upside down, against a white background anddiamond of high color can be seen from across
compare it to a master set of stones. Forthe room. If there are two diamonds that have
example, to see an E color stone, it must bethe same level of quality, acceptable price points
compared against a D and an F stone. It isand even the same grading from the laboratories,
impossible to see color set in a mounting andthen let your eye be the final judge. After all, you
empirically state the exact color. For people whoare ultimately buying a diamond for its beauty and
want the best value and quality, buying a G colorsentimentality. While only considering the technical
stone is ideal. A G color stone is noticeably whiterjargon, let your heart be the final judge.
then the H, but it is priced in the near color-less