DIAMONDS

HOW TO BUY DIAMONDS

Diamonds are a mineral, a natural crystalline substance. Diamonds have been associated throughout history with romance and never-ending love. A diamond engagement ring is the Standard, and is also given for a 75th wedding anniversary ring.

Diamonds have the hardest surface known and are formed in the interior of the Earth, shot to the surface by small, violent volcanoes. A diamond is probably the oldest item you will ever own. It can be 3 billion years old, two-thirds the age of the Earth.

There are four criterion which jewelry purchasers need to go by, when selecting your diamond jewelry – cut, color, clarity and carat weight.

Cut of a Diamond - The cut of a diamond has the most effect on its sparkle, or brilliance. Even if the diamond has perfect color and clarity, a poor cut can make a diamond look dull.

Color - Diamonds with very little color are the most highly valued and are priced accordingly. A little color can diminish a diamond's brilliance. Select a diamond with no color noticeable to the eye.

Clarity - Diamonds with few flaws, are very rare and highly valued. Clarity is graded based on the number, location, size, and type of the flaws (inclusions) found in a diamond

Carat Weight - The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. Since larger diamonds are more rare than smaller diamonds, diamond value tends to rise exponentially with carat weight.

CERTIFICATION

Before purchasing a diamond, review a copy of the Diamond Certificate, as this is your guarantee of quality. This documents the characteristics of a diamond, like the four “Cs”. This report is called a grading report.