Shop for diamonds with care
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But do we know how to select our best friends? Not all that sparkles might be a real diamond. While shopping for diamonds you should keep in mind some basic rules that would help you to pick up the right stone.
Cut
The brilliance with which the diamond sparkles is decided by its “cut”. The best cut diamonds are the most expensive. Since it is difficult for a casual buyer to distinguish the quality of diamonds depending on its cut, you should rely on the grading system provided in the diamond certification to determine the brilliance of the diamond. The grades can be one of the following – ideal, premium, very good, good, fair and poor.
Clarity
Diamonds have some inner flaws in the form of impurities trapped inside the stone during formation. The lesser the amount of flaw, the more brightly will the diamond shine and greater will be its price. The flaws in the diamonds occur in the form of air bubbles, cracks and non-diamond impurities. Some minor scratches and cracks might occur during the cutting process.
The grades assigned to diamonds regarding the clarity of the stone are the following:
1. F – diamonds without any external and internal flaws. These are very rare diamonds
2. IF – diamonds without any internal flaw but there are some minor external flaw.
3. VVS1 - VVS2 - very very slight flaws included
4. VS1- VS2 – very slight flaw included.
5. SI1-SI2 – slight flaw included
6. I1-I2-I3 – the flaws included in the diamonds of this grade are often visible to the naked eye.
Color
The whiter a diamond the more will it sparkle. The costliest diamonds are colorless. A completely white diamond is very rare. The cheaper varieties are yellow or brownish in color.
Carat
Carat is the unit of measuring the weight of diamond. One carat is equivalent to 0.2grams. Larger the size of the diamond, the greater is its price.
Diamond certificate
Before buying a diamond always check whether the stone is certified or not. The diamond certificate gives you all information regarding the cut, clarity, color and weight of the diamond. This diamond certificate is your ultimate guide that would help you to pick up the diamond of your choice.
