Critical Facts for Buying Diamond Jewelry
The diamond is unique in the hierarchy of gems. Its elegance has been treasured since its discovery.
As an admirer of diamonds for engagement rings, whether past, present or future, one may wonder why there is such variation in price from store to store. What characteristics constitute a $5,000 diamond versus one that costs only $500?
Diamonds are graded based on 4 criteria. The first of these is referred to as the carat, which is a measurement of the weight. The more carats the more expensive a diamond becomes. Size is not the only factor that matters however, remember: it is what is on the inside that counts.
Carat size may push the price up, but only slightly if there is no clarity. Several facets determine clarity on both an internal and external basis. Internal aspects, dubbed inclusions, and external aspects, dubbed blemishes, all contribute to the overall clarity score.
The clarity of a diamond can vary from ‘pure’ to heavily included. This designation is arrived at after anaylyzing the how many inclusions are found as well where the inclusions are located, whether they are tinted, and how large they are.
These differences are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Lack of clarity is a lack of perfection. A diamond is forever, and no one wants to be stuck with an imperfect one forever; therefore, this impacts the price.
