How To Choose The Right Diamond, A Wedding Ring Guide
By Kerry Biddle on 20th June, 2023
“DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER” – The now-famous De Beers slogan is familiar, thanks to their rigorous advertising campaigns. And, as advertised, it’s actually true. Diamonds are one of the hardest natural substances known and have been used through the ages for all manner of things, not just for their beauty. Diamonds are even used in massive industrial drills because of their extreme hardness.
However, we are concentrating more on the gem quality diamonds. Whether you are looking for an engagement ring or a certified loose stone, there is a jewelry store that has exactly what you are looking for and then some.
One of the top criteria for choosing the right diamond is to know what the 4C’s stand for – clarity, color, cut, and carat weight. Each of these properties will affect the price of a stone. Ask lots of questions and any one of the stores mentioned in the article will be able to answer them effectively and help you to make the choice that is right for you.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE 4C’S?
• Clarity – The finest quality is Internally Flawless and the lowest quality is Imperfect 3. The other grades in between in descending order are: VVS 1, VVS2, VS 1, VS 2, SI 1, SI 2, I 1, and I 2. Ask your chosen jeweler to show you the differences.
• Color – The best color is D and the color grades darken all the way down the alphabet to P. After that the colors head into the fancy yellows.
• Cut – Round cuts are the most popular, but then there are also the fancy cuts, like emerald, marquis, pear, oval, and heart shapes.
• Carat Weight – The smallest weight is .001 of a carat, but most loose stones won’t be smaller than 0.25, or a quarter of a carat in the jewelry stores.
FIND THE RIGHT JEWELRY STORE
Of course, the outstanding jewelers mentioned here don’t only carry certified loose diamonds. They all have a glittering array of gemstones and jewelry from famous brands worldwide. In fact, you may get distracted from your mission to find a certified diamond and end up with a fine piece of jewelry or a luxury watch as well.
A WORD OF CAUTION
If you are looking for an investment diamond with a good resale value, then be absolutely sure that you are buying a natural diamond and not a lab-grown (LGD or CVD) diamond. Although for all intents and purposes they are both composed of exactly the same carbon molecules, the lab-grown diamonds lose much of their value as a resale item once they leave the store.