Learning About Diamond Quality

When you decide to purchase jewelry containing diamonds, it is very important to do your research and make sure you are getting the best quality for your money.

People are often confused about where to go to learn about diamond quality. There is a lot of information on the internet so that you can educate yourself on the quality of a diamond. If you know the cut you would like to purchase or at least the size you are contemplating, then you have to know what makes one diamond more expensive than another.

Diamonds are graded according to cut, clarity, color and weight. So just because you are looking at a diamond that weighs five carats doesn’t mean you are getting one of the best. You may go into a jewelry store and see a diamond ring that contains a diamond that weighs four carats but only costs $10,000. Perhaps this is because the diamond has a low color or clarity grade. It also could be that the diamond has several flaws in it. You may also see a different diamond ring that costs $15,000 or $20,000 but it may appear quite small. This could be a piece of jewelry with a diamond in it that is only one or two carats but the clarity of the diamond is nearly flawless, making it more expensive.

Especially if you are on a budget, you will have to decide what is more important to you, finding a larger diamond that doesn’t reflect the light very well or that is dull looking or a diamond that is a bit smaller but is brilliantly cut and even when a bit dirty always shows its brilliance and beauty.

When you are looking to purchase a diamond and you are concerned about diamond quality it is essential that you do your homework and try and know what to look for.

There are four characteristics (the 4 C’s) that go into learning and educating yourself on diamond quality; cut, clarity, color and carats. The first one, cut, is probably the most difficult characteristic to understand. People often confuse the cut of the diamond with the shape of the diamond. The cut refers to the way in which the diamond is crafted and how brilliantly the light will reflect off of it. The shape of a diamond is whether it is a heart, a pear, an oval, etc. The next thing you should be aware of is how clear the diamond is. Most diamonds come with flaws that were created when the diamond was formed. The clarity grade of a diamond is dependent on how many flaws it contains. The next thing you need to know about is what the color of the diamond is. The more color a diamond has to it, the less the light will reflect it. Colorless diamonds are often most desirable but also tend to be more expensive. The last piece of information you need to learn about is carat weight. Diamonds that weigh more often cost more however again, the price and value of a diamond will be based more on the clarity and cut instead of how much it weighs.

When you purchase diamond jewelry you will receive a diamond certificate which contains information on the four “Cs” previously described. This way if you wish to have your diamond insured, you will know exactly what you have and what you need to protect it.