Are you planning to buy a piece of diamond jewelry, but don’t know how to choose it? In order not to make a mistake with the purchase of jewelry, you need to be able to read the characteristics of these brilliant stones. It is not difficult.
Choosing a diamond by its characteristics
Perhaps everyone knows that the cost of diamonds depends on their weight, which is measured in carats.
Please note! Carat is a measure of the weight of precious stones, it is 0.2 grams. It appeared in ancient Rome: a carat is a carob seed, which has a mass of 0.18 to 0.22 grams.
But it is not only the weight that affects the value of stones. A diamond is evaluated according to the following characteristics:
It is the summation of these parameters that affects the final price.
Cut shape
The shape of a future diamond cut is chosen by the jeweler based on the natural size and shape of the stone. The specialist’s task at this stage is to reduce the amount of “waste” and at the same time cut the stone in such a way as to maximize its beauty and brilliance. The most popular shapes are round, princess and radiant. They are suitable for stones of varying sizes. Usher and emerald are cuts that are more often applied to larger stones. Each shape involves a certain number of facets, which can vary based on the size of the stone. For example, a traditional round diamond can have 17, 57 or 85 facets.
KR-57 round diamonds are the most common. They are always in price. They are the ones we advise you to favor when choosing diamonds.
Cut quality
According to the Russian diamond cut grading scale, there are 4 grades of cut quality. This parameter characterizes how precise the cut is. The grades have a letter designation from A to G. A is the highest level of treatment of the stone with maximum precision of angles. It helps to best reveal the natural radiance of the diamond, which affects its price – stones with A cut grade are more expensive.
Scale for grading the quality of the cut:
Diamonds with A and B cut quality are considered to be the best choice.
Clarity
The most valuable stones are those with high clarity, i.e. those that have the maximum ability to transmit light and therefore have a greater radiance. It can be inhibited by micro specks of other elements as well as various structural defects.
The GIA International Purity Assessment Scale has 11 levels: from FL-IF – absolutely pure stone to I1-I3 – stone with significant inclusions and defects.
In the Russian Federation the grading system is different. For stones weighing up to 0.29 carats there are 9 levels of purity. For larger stones (from 0.3 carats) there are 12 levels. In this case, 1 is the cleanest stone, and 12 (or 9 for small stones) – with the largest number of defects.
Absolutely clean diamonds are rare. Most often stones from level 3 and up are sold. Visually, diamonds from 3 to 7 clarity levels are quite bright and shiny. They are the optimal choice for purchase.
Details about the diamond clarity parameter are described in the article “What does diamond clarity mean”.
Carat
As we have already said, the weight of diamonds is measured in carats. In this case, all stones are divided by weight into:
Pricing in the diamond world is not linear: one 1-carat stone will cost more than two 0.5-carat stones. If you want to save money, choose borderline options: for example, a 0.99-carat stone will be much cheaper than a 1-carat stone.
For more information on carat weight, see the article “Diamond Carat Weight”.
Color
Although we are used to thinking that a diamond is a transparent and colorless stone, this is not entirely true. Most of them are tinted. The international classification provides for levels from D to Z. In the Russian Federation, the classification is numerical: from 1 to 9. In this case, clarity 1 corresponds to completely colorless diamonds, and 9 – to diamonds with a pronounced tint (yellowish or brown).
The higher the number, the lower the price. For example, a diamond with a clarity of 4-5 will cost 2-3 times cheaper than a diamond of the same size with an index of 3-4. Stones of level 3-5 are most often found on sale: visually they seem colorless.
Colored, so-called “fancy” diamonds are evaluated individually: the price for them can be much higher than for colorless ones.
You can read more about the color of diamonds here.
How to read the inscription on a diamond tag
Each certified diamond and jewelry with it is obligatorily accompanied by a passport. It contains an alphanumeric designation. For example, 3 KR-57 0.7 3/3 B.
It is deciphered as follows: