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HOW TO CHOOSE A PERFECT DIAMOND
The 4 Cs
Everyone knows about the 4 Cs when it comes to choosing a diamond: Carat, Color, Cut and Clarity. All of these characteristics of a diamond affect the price and the appearance of a stone greatly. Exactly the same cut and carat weight might look and cost like two completely different stones.
Carat
Size Matters
Each precious stone is measured in carats. 1 carat equals 200 mg. The price goes up steeply once the stone adds an extra carat.
It is important to remember that depending on the way a stone is cut the face-up area - the visible top part of the stone - may be adequate to its carat weight, insufficient or exceeding its expected carat weight. The perfect stone’s table (face-up area) will have to be adequate or exceeding its carat weight. No one needs a small looking stone where all its weight went into its lower part, or cullet.
Tip: Any time you buy a stone, especially a fancy cut (everything else except a round brilliant cut) always check its measurements to make sure is proportions are adequate to its carat weight. You might be lucky to find a great deal by choosing a shy diamond, e.i. - when it is missing a few fractions of its size to a next full carat.
For example, a 0.9 carat diamond will be having the stone measurements of a 1 carat diamond however the price will be significantly lower.
Color
It Can Be Any Color You Like
Diamonds actually come in many different colors, ranging from white to black. You might have heard about yellow, pink, and blue diamonds but it is not the full spectrum. Some diamonds are born to be green, grey, orange, brown, black, purple and red.
The yellowish tint in diamonds is due to nitrogen trapped in the carbon lattice within a diamond. Blue tint appears when there is boron in a diamond. Pink and red diamonds though are the rarest and most mysterious. The pink shade is said to be attributed to a diamond during its growth when some radiation is present.
Nowadays, the most expensive and rare diamonds are red natural diamonds from Argyle mine in Australia. As for the lab created diamonds, they also come in various fancy colors and the price depends on the intensity of the color. Let’s look at white diamonds and how they are graded. Color in diamonds is a very subjective yet objectively estimated and priced criterion established worldwide by GIA and IGI laboratories.
The higher the color is the higher the price goes. However, paying a premium for a better color is not always advised, especially when we talk about round brilliants. Due to their cut there is no visible difference in color within the range between D to J yet the price might vary by thousands of dollars.
Emeralds, ovals and pears on the other hand reveal the color easily, and we advise going for a higher color if a customer is looking for a white diamond.
If you opt for a yellow diamond but paying extra for a fancy shade is not an option try to check some white diamonds in colors W, X, Y and Z. Once these diamonds are set in yellow gold they will look property yellow.
As we say, talk to us about your needs and wishes, and we will guide you thorough the process step by step to choose a lab diamond of your dreams.
Clarity
Are We Clear?
Clarity defines how many or how few inclusions there are inside a diamond. The fewer imperfection are trapped inside the higher the quality and the price is. The scale of clarity goes from F (flawless) to I (included).
Clarity is one of the parameters reflected in a diamond’s certificate however it never gives a full picture about how a diamond actually shines and what it looks like in real. The inclusions might be white or black, scattered on concentrated, located towards the stone center or can be peripheral. A stone of better clarity by the scale might look milky and blurred compared to a stone with a lower grade of clarity.
However, the actual performance of such a stone with the lower clarity will be visually superlative and preferable. These nuances shall be evaluate and distinguished in person, no certificate will provide this information.
It is important to remember that clarity is particularly important for emerald cut diamonds, archers and princess cut diamonds. Due to their step cut the face-up area is large and open, there is nowhere for the imperfections to hide. If you consider an emerald cut diamond ring, for example, prioritize clarity over color.
Cut
Round or Fancy?
It is common to differentiate the two big categories of diamond cuts: round brilliant and fancy cuts. Fancy cuts include pears, ovals, marquises, cushions, radiants, emeralds, archers, princesses, trillions, and a whole variety of other shapes that are used as side stones.
The most classic and timeless shape is, of course, a round brilliant. What shape to use is entirely your personal choice and preference, however, remember to opt for the Excellent Polish and Symmetry. These are the key characteristics to look for in any cut. The next best option is Very Good Polish and Symmetry.
Also note, the only cut that has a cutting standard is a round brilliant. Excellent is the top rating. Despite what the Internet might be telling you, there is no Ideal, Super Ideal or any other superlative cut. Excellent is the official term applicable in the system of GIA and IGI.