Gemstone and Jewelry

In their most natural form, diamonds are – well – quite ugly. They have no luster or shine, and in fact, look like nothing more than
broken glass. A diamond must be cut, and then polished before it actually becomes a thing of beauty. Diamonds are cut with saws, into round shapes. From the rounded shape, other shapes may be cut, such as heart shapes – but the shape is less important than the quality of the cutting that is being done. If the diamond is poorly cut, it will lose light, and it will not sparkle and shine very well. Each facet of the diamond must be carefully cut into the geometrical shapes that allow the diamond to sparkle and shine, then the entire diamond is cut into a specific shape, such as an emerald cut or a princess cut diamond.
Once the cut is done, the diamond is put into a dop, which resembles a cup with another diamond – only a diamond is strong enough to smooth the edges of another diamond. Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)

Diamonds are graded for certification by laboratories using grading criteria. Four of these criteria are critical to understand when
making a diamond purchase or investment. Known as the “Four C’s” these criteria are: color, cut, clarity and carat. Color is the result of the composition of a diamond and it does not change. When a jeweler is describing the color of a diamond they are referring to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds. Because a diamond with no color allows maximum light to pass through, colorless diamonds are preferred for their sparkle. Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality. Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent on the cut. The different angles and the finish of a diamond determine its ability to reflect light and cause its brilliance and fire. Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)

Diamonds are one of the few products that simply cannot be ‘branded.’ Even though there are different cuts, different grades, and
different values placed on each and every diamond in existence, no diamond is any specific brand – just as gold is not a specific
brand. Branding is actually based on who owns the diamond. For instance, if DeBeers owns the diamond, it is a DeBeers Diamond – but it is still just a diamond. If the diamond was cut by a specific well known cutter, then it might be branded in that way as well – but it usually isn’t. It is still branded based on who owns it at the time. So basically, when it comes down to it – diamond brands mean absolutely nothing at all. Do not allow a jeweler to try to talk you into paying an exorbitant price on a diamond because it is a specific brand. Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)

Diamonds are forever. That’s why a couple give diamond eternity rings to each other on their marriage. There are many things to consider when learning how to purchase a diamond, whether it is diamond earrings or diamond rings for men. It’s especially important to learn how diamonds are priced. Throughout the world, there is an established method that jewelers use as a way of describing the value of a diamond. The method is known as the “4 C’s”. The 4 C’s represent Cut, Clarity, Carats and Color.The cut of a diamond is a description of how the diamond maker angles the gemstone in such a way as to best reflect light through the diamond, resulting in the diamond’s sparkle. A high quality cut enhances the innate beauty of a diamond and increases its value. The clarity of a diamond involves looking at how clear the diamond is when you look through it. Most diamonds have inclusions and flaws and it is rare to find a perfect diamond. Carat defines the size of the diamond. Larger diamonds will cost more than a cluster of smaller diamonds, even if the total carats of the diamond cluster are the same. The reason behind this is that larger diamonds are rarer than smaller diamonds. The color of diamond you choose is entirely based upon your personal preference. Diamonds that are colorless, however, are the rarest and therefore cost more than other diamonds.

If you are interested in understanding how to buy a diamond, it would help to know exactly what the 4 C’s are and how each aspect of the diamond contributes to its value.

read comments (0)