It\u2019s every woman\u2019s dream. A man takes her into a high-end jewelry store and says, \u201cPick a diamond.\u201d The best advice for this woman is to take the diamond and run. With the way this man throws around money, he\u2019s bound to be broke within the next year as a result!<\/span><\/p>\n Sure, we\u2019d all like to be able to go into a jewelry store and spontaneously pick a diamond, but the reality is, diamond buying should be anything but spontaneous. A customer needs to know a great deal about the diamond before making such a big investment. Most of that requires a general knowledge of the 4C\u2019s: carat, cut, and clarity of a diamond. However, even if a diamond gets top grades in all of these categories, it does not necessarily make it the best value.<\/span><\/p>\n There are lab-created diamonds that are identical to natural diamonds optically, physically, and chemically, but can cost up to 30% to 40% less and the price difference has nothing to do with the four C\u2019s. Here\u2019s a little bit about how you can use your knowledge of the 4C\u2019s to get the best value on your diamond, and how you can increase it by going with a lab-created diamond. This article will discuss: <\/span><\/p>\n At first, there were natural diamonds, and they were good, but not perfect. While the <\/span>high-<\/span><\/a> pressured\/high-temperature conditioned<\/span><\/a> diamonds formed deep in the earth, giving them their unique properties, they also took their toll. By the time diamonds reached the earth\u2019s surface, the chance of them emerging unmarked was impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n Jewelers judged these diamonds by exacting standards, known as <\/span>the 4C\u2019s.<\/span><\/a> The 4C\u2019s were meant to inform the customer about the quality of the diamond so the buyers knew whether or not they were getting a good value for their money. The 4C’s as we know them today are carat, color, clarity, and cut.<\/span><\/p>\n GIA Certification<\/span><\/a> is often considered the 5<\/span>th<\/span> C in diamond buying. While it doesn\u2019t help determine the quality of the diamond, it does ensure the quality of the grading system itself. <\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, a lot of deception and inflated grading goes on in the diamond industry. When it comes to grading color and clarity, some laboratories can be anywhere from 1-5 grades off. Although sellers may present an authentic looking certificate, the only thing you should focus on is whether or not it has the name <\/span>Gemological Institute of America<\/span><\/a> on the top. Without GIA certification, the other 4C\u2019s may not be worth considering at all. <\/span><\/p>\n Lab-created diamonds as well as natural diamonds are subject to GIA Certification. While certification may be the fifth C, it\u2019s probably the first one you should look at.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re buying a diamond as an investment, you want the diamond to grade highly in all four C\u2019s. The highest quality diamonds will give you the best return on your investment. Knowing the 4C\u2019s (or should we say 5?) is crucial. You want to make sure your diamond will appraise at top value when you get ready to resell.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re not buying your diamond as an investment piece, your main concern is getting the most for your money. In that case, a knowledge of the 4C\u2019s is crucial as well, you may not be looking for the highest grades. If you like what you see, there are ways to use your knowledge of the 4C\u2019s to buy a lower quality diamond without sacrificing appearance. <\/span><\/p>\n However, if quality as well as price is a concern<\/span>, <\/span>lab-created diamonds<\/span><\/a> give you the best of both worlds. <\/span><\/p>\n Lab-created diamonds are real diamonds. They are made of real carbon seeds and subject to the same high-pressure\/ high-temperature growth conditions as natural diamonds do in the earth, only the conditions occur above the earth\u2019s surface. As a result, the lab-created diamond is identical physically, optically, and chemically to the natural one.<\/span><\/p>\n They can be sold at a lower price because they occur more frequently. Natural diamonds are a finite source and their increasing rarity drives up their prices. Carbon is one of the most common substances on the planet. By using carbon to form the diamonds, lab-created diamonds can be sold less expensively than their natural counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, lab-created diamonds don\u2019t have to rely on nature for the rare conditions that need to occur to produce a diamond. In a lab, these conditions can be recreated frequently, which keeps lab-created diamonds at a high supply. As a result, lab-created diamonds can be found for 30%-40% less than organic ones.<\/span><\/p>\n Quality is never sacrificed in a lab-created diamond. In fact, most lab-created diamonds are of higher quality than natural ones. Because they are made in a supervised environment, gemologists can control the growth process so only the highest quality of stones are produced. <\/span><\/p>\n New technologies can create colorless lab-created diamonds that are indistinguishable from natural diamonds, even by diamond aficionados, and lab-created diamonds also tend to receive higher grades in clarity. If things keep going in this direction, the lab-created diamond is on target to turn the diamond industry on its head.<\/span><\/p>\n Until then, diamonds are still a girl\u2019s best friend, and the 4C\u2019s are still the consumer\u2019s best friend. Let\u2019s take a look at each one and see how each of the 4C\u2019s can be used to maximize your value on a diamond.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the biggest misconceptions people have about <\/span>carat size<\/span><\/a> is that it\u2019s based on the surface area of a diamond. Carat refers to the weight of a diamond, not the diameter or area. Hence, what looks like the biggest diamond may not be the one with the most carats, and you\u2019re paying for the carat weight.<\/span><\/p>\n One rule of picking a diamond is to buy on face value. Depending on the way the diamond is cut, you may be able to find a 4-carat diamond that looks bigger than a 4.5 carat one or a 5 carat one that looks bigger than a 5.5 carat one. You\u2019ll get more bang for your buck if you buy a shallow cut because the emphasis will be on the face of the diamond instead of the depth. <\/span><\/p>\n Another way to get your money\u2019s worth is by knowing the magic numbers. The half carat, three-quarter carat, and one-carat sizes are the sizes with the most significant price jumps. Therefore, while there’s not much visible difference between a 0.99-carat diamond and a one-carat diamond, there may be a very noticeable price difference. If you can deal without the extra 0.1 carats, you can get a good deal on a diamond.<\/span><\/p>\n Rubies are red, emeralds are green, amethysts are purple, and diamonds are colorless, right?<\/span><\/p>\n Ideally, they are, but unfortunately, not all things in life are ideal. When diamonds form under high-pressure\/ high-temperature conditions, all sorts of gases and impurities can sink in causing the diamonds to take on color.<\/span><\/p>\n In colorless diamonds, a yellow tint from nitrogen exposure is more the rule than the exception. Almost no diamond is completely colorless and the stronger the amber tint, the less desirable the diamond is considered. <\/span><\/p>\n The GIA Diamond Color Scale<\/span><\/a> rates diamonds according to their color on a scale from D-Z. The D to F category represents the colorless category and the most highly prized. Most diamonds don\u2019t meet this exacting standard, but if you\u2019re a savvy diamond buyer, there are ways you can work that to your advantage. <\/span><\/p>\n Color distinctions between categories are difficult to spot. That\u2019s why the grading system is in place. It tells consumers exactly how much color is in their diamonds, so they know what they\u2019re paying for. Otherwise, they would probably have no clue, and that\u2019s where the fix is in. <\/span><\/p>\n If you go by appearance rather than grading, G and H diamonds are identical to D-F diamonds to the naked eye. If you\u2019re not telling, we\u2019re not either. The bottom line: If you find a G-H you may be finding real value. Only you and your jeweler will know the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n I to J diamonds may not be as highly desirable, but they look stunning in a yellow gold setting. The setting of a diamond alters the perception of the color of the diamond. As long as the diamond looks white in relation to the setting, they will appear clear and radiant. In this case, setting trumps color. You can save tons by choosing a diamond with a low color grade and placing it in the right setting.<\/span><\/p>\n After spending 1-3 billion years in the earth\u2019s mantle where temperatures rise to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, not even Beyonce would emerge flawlessly. When natural diamonds are exposed to these kinds of conditions for such long periods of time, the chance of them coming out without a birthmark is impossible. <\/span><\/p>\n Most diamonds contain flaws, internal flaws are known as Inclusions, surface flaws are blemishes. The location size and number of these flaws determine the diamond\u2019s overall clarity rating on the <\/span>GIA Clarity Grading Scale<\/span><\/a>. The fewer the number of Inclusions the diamond exhibits and the less noticeable they are, the higher the clarity grade of the diamond. <\/span><\/p>\n At the top of the diamond clarity grade scale are the IF-Fl rated diamonds. These have no internal or external imperfections. They are extremely rare and priced according. Next comes the Very Slightly and Slightly Included. These are the ones most commonly found in natural diamonds. The Included or (I) diamonds are the least desirable and are also priced accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n When looking to get the best value on a diamond, it\u2019s the category that the GIA does not use that you should be most concerned with and that\u2019s eye clean. Eye clean refers to a diamond in which no imperfections can be seen with the naked eye. IF (Internally Flawless) to SI (Slightly Included) diamonds all come under that category, which means you can buy a low clarity eye clean diamond that looks identical to a flawless one to the naked eye. If it looks good to you, ask about its clarity grade, it may be lower than you think. If it is, you\u2019ve got yourself a good deal.<\/span><\/p>\n The cut of a diamond is the diamond buyer\u2019s hero. It unleashes the diamond\u2019s sparkle and if that sparkle is intense enough, it can blind you to some of the diamond\u2019s other imperfections.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Natural Diamonds<\/span><\/h3>\n
Why GIA Certification is Important<\/span><\/h3>\n
Investment Buying Vs. Non-Investment Buying<\/span><\/h3>\n
Why Lab-Created Diamonds Are the Best Choice<\/span><\/h3>\n
Carat Size and Picking a Diamond<\/span><\/h3>\n
Color Grade and Picking a Diamond<\/span><\/h3>\n
Clarity Grade and Picking a Diamond<\/span><\/h3>\n
Cut and Picking A Diamond <\/span><\/h3>\n