How To Choose/Buy Diamonds: A Brief Tutorial

If you are planning on choosing to surprise that special someone with diamond jewelry in the near future, no doubt you want to be prepared. Buying diamonds can be tricky but it's not something that can't be done wisely, with a bit of education. Taking the time to learn what makes diamonds unique is the key to making a purchase that you both will be pleased with. And when you are finished, you'll be able to buy diamonds with ease and confidence.

Cut

There are many different cuts of diamonds. Spend some time together with the person who will be receiving your gift to find out which cut she prefers. Undoubtedly, most women have a favorite; one she feels will flatter her the most. You want to know her preference before you even begin shopping. Once you find out if you're looking for round, square, princess cut or any of the other cuts of diamonds, learn what makes each one special. For example, the brilliance of a round cut diamond is more spectacular than that of a square cut diamond, simply because of the way the stones are shaped to reflect the light.

Clarity

Clarity is one important factor you want to pay close attention to. Each diamond is graded on a scale. Grades are assigned to diamonds which will tell the buyer a great deal about their clarity. Each grade, which is noted by a combination of letters and numbers, holds a vast amount of information that you will need when you buy diamonds. To put it simply, clarity refers to the number of imperfections, or inclusions, within the diamond. These imperfections may or may not be seen by the naked eye. In actuality, the smartest purchase for the money, is a diamond that contains flaws that are not visible to the naked eye when looking through the top, or crown, of the diamond.

Color

Unknown to some people, diamonds come in a variety of colors. And they are graded according to color using the letter scale D through Z. Diamonds with a D color grade are extremely rare because they are completely colorless. Most diamonds found in jewelry stores are color grades F through H, which indicates that they do have some color, but they are almost colorless. This makes for a diamond that is easier on the wallet, but just as beautiful to the beholder.

Carat

The carat refers to the weight of the diamond. Carat weight is one of the easiest decisions to make when you visit a store to buy diamonds. Oftentimes, the cut of the diamond can make a stone of less carat weight appear larger than a stone that has a larger carat weight. By shopping carefully, and understanding carat weight, you'll no doubt choose a beautiful stone that takes her breath away.

The most important factor to remember when buying a diamond is to shop around. Once you educate yourself, it won't be hard to find a retailer that sells diamonds who is able to sell you exactly what you are looking for. And, because you took the time to learn exactly what you wanted, you'll be more informed to make a decision that both you and your intended will be pleased with.

To view this article in its original blog setting, along with other similar articles, go to the following URL:--- http://luriya.web12.hubspot.com/blog-0/?Tag=Diamonds

View the original article here

Read More

Buying and Selling Diamonds: Is Diamond Clarity Important?

While many people consider the actual carat size of a diamond to be of paramount importance, jewelry buyers realize that diamond clarity is also extremely important. Typically, a diamond has inclusions within its core that are considered to be a sort of "birthmark" for the gem. These inclusions are what make every diamond unique, and the less inclusions that are present within the gem, the more valuable it becomes.

The Gemological Institute of America, known as the GIA, has created a clarity grading system that is used worldwide. When a diamond is plotted for clarity, it is examined at a 10X magnification. At that time, various inclusions and blemishes are marked and graded on the scale that the GIA has put in place.

The best degree of clarity that a diamond receives is known as Flawless. A diamond graded FL shows neither inclusions nor blemishes when it is examined at 10X magnification. One level below that is the Internally Flawless diamond. This is a diamond that has no inclusions, and only some slight blemishes on the surface. In many cases, a little bit of minor re-polishing on the diamond can remove the blemishes, making the diamond completely flawless.

The GIA scale continues, moving from VVS1 all the way down to I3. VVS1 is considered to be Very Very Slightly Included, and usually refer to diamonds that have such small inclusions that even a professional grader might have trouble finding them under the typical 10X magnification. I3 is considered Imperfect, and diamonds that are graded at this level will usually have imperfections that are visible to the naked eye.

Naturally, if diamond buyers are interested in a diamond as a jewelry item, diamond clarity is important only insomuch as none of the flaws are visible to the naked eye. Someone who is out in public with a diamond that is less than flawless will not have the imperfections detected by someone simply admiring the gem. Therefore, diamond clarity in many cases, is not truly important for someone who simply wears the diamond jewelry item.

However, diamond clarity becomes important when it comes to certification. Jewelry buyers know that certification is required for insurance purposes, and unless a diamond is certified (usually according to GIA specifications), many insurance companies will not provide a policy on the gem.

This means that from a professional point of view, diamond clarity is important when it comes to the actual cost of the diamond, as well as the diamond appraisal. However, from a purely practical point of view, the only time that diamond clarity is important is if there are flaws within the gem visible to the naked eye.

To view this article in its original blog setting, along with other similar articles, go to the following URL:--- http://blog.luriya.com/blog/?Tag=Diamonds

View the original article here

Read More

Selling Diamonds: How Is the Price of Diamonds Determined?

For those looking to sell diamonds, it's important to know what buyers look for when determining a price. This will help you gain an understanding of the process when it comes to discovering the value of your diamond.

Diamonds have four characteristics that determine value. They are cut, color, clarity and carat.

A diamond is considered rough if it remains in its natural state. However, when a cut is made, it is the cut that can determine the value. There are many shapes that can come from cuts such as Oval, Brilliant, Heart and Princess.

The goal for the cutter is to make cuts that bring out the best in the brilliance of the diamond. The more they are able to do so, the more fiery it is in appearance thereby making it more valuable.

Color is another important determining factor. The color of a diamond forms during its formation. Sometimes elements such as nitrogen or boron may combine with the crystals, which can form yellow or blue colors respectively.

Diamonds receive a grade based on its color appearance. The scale begins at D for the most colorless diamonds and runs through Z, for tinted colors. A white diamond means it is colorless. The more white a diamond is in appearance, the more rare and valuable it is.

When making a grade, often times buyers can determine the diamond's color by placing it side by side with a graded diamond.

How clear a diamond appears will also weigh heavily in its value. Buyers will measure clarity by examining the diamond for inclusions. Inclusions happen when non-crystallized carbon are caught in the diamond during its formation. This in turn provides the diamond with a unique look.

When determining clarity, a grading scale is used. The best and therefore most valuable diamonds are flawless, as they have no outside or internal blemishes. The scale runs from flawless to imperfect 3, which is when the diamond possesses dark inclusions that are visible and may alter the diamonds appearance over time due to wear. The grades closer to flawless will yield the diamond a better price in the appraisal process.

Lastly, the carat size of the diamond plays a pivotal role when factoring its value. A carat is the measurement used to find out what the weight is of the diamond. Often times diamonds are weighed before being set that way a more accurate weight is obtained. Carats also have a scale based on their weight as each carat divides into 100 points. The larger the carat size, the more potential there is of the diamond possessing more value.

It's also important to note that a larger carat sized diamond may not be more valuable than a smaller sized one if the quality is poor. Therefore, carat can determine price, but only when it goes hand and hand with the other factors.

These four details will determine how valuable a diamond is. For those looking to sell diamonds, it's important to know these characteristics, as they can help you understand the process when you have your diamond appraised. Keep in mind that Luriya pays top dollar for any unwanted diamonds.

To view this article in its original blog setting, along with other similar articles, go to the following URL:--- http://blog.luriya.com/blog/?Tag=Diamonds

View the original article here

Read More