5 Tips on What To Look For When Buying Diamonds For Wedding Rings
A wedding, or an engagement in Homewood, is one of the most important events in every couple’s life. One of the best ways of making the experience memorable is by choosing the right ring to symbolize the love you have for one another. While most couples would like to get the most beautiful ring they can lay their hands on, budgetary restrictions can be a challenge. However, it is possible to find an ideal ring based on your budget.
For anyone looking for precious diamonds for engagement rings and wedding rings in Homewood, they should consider going about the process carefully. There are various dealers in the market, some of who may sell you fake diamonds. Here are a few useful tips on what to look for when looking for precious diamonds for engagement or wedding rings.
Consider the Diamond Cut
1. Any expert will tell you that the cut is the most important thing to consider when buying diamonds in Homewood. The main reason behind this is that the cut usually influences the sparkle. A diamond may be clear and feature a high quality color grade, but if the cut is poor, it may still appear dull. The dealer you buy from should be able to cut your diamond in the proper proportions. If your budget can allow it, choose a diamond with the highest cut grade.
Diamond Color
2. Contrary to common belief, lack of color in your diamonds denotes a higher color grade. Some people go for pale yellow diamond, without knowing that it is low quality. To avoid such an experience, ask the diamond dealer to give you grade H or higher. Near colorless diamond ranges from grade G to J, but it may be quite expensive.
Clarity Diamonds can also be chosen based on their clarity levels.
3. This is usually not a very important factor to consider, considering that the precious stones usually come with imperfections, known as inclusions. These tiny imperfections may not be easy to detect, and they may only be seen through a microscope. However, the fewer there are, the higher the clarity grade of your diamonds. If your budget can be stretched further, consider buying grade VS1 grade or higher.
Consider the Diamond’s Carat Weight
4. Unlike common belief, carat does not mean the size of the diamond, but its actual weight. Carat and cut must be considered side by side, because no matter the size of the diamond, a poor cut grade can make your precious stones look smaller. Another important fact to keep in mind is that the more the weight of the diamond, the more you will pay for it. Therefore, you should consider going for a less heavy stone with a high grade cut.
Ask for Proof of Certification
5. There is nothing as unfortunate as buying diamonds for your special event only to realize that they are of poor quality, or that they were stolen. To avoid such an eventuality, always ask the dealer in Homewood to show you the copy of diamond certification.
With these tips, you should be able to make the right choice when buying precious diamonds in Homewood for you engagement or wedding.
Homewood How to Buy a Diamond And The 4 Biggest Mistakes When Buying a Diamond
In an ideal world with unlimited budgets and an infinite supply of diamonds, everyone would have beautifully cut "D Flawless" diamonds. In the real world every diamond is unique. There are plenty of gorgeous diamonds to go around - you just need to know how to find one. Choosing a diamond is about balancing several factors to make the most of your budget. Each factor contributes to the beauty and prestige of your diamond. I will explain these factors so you will be prepared to make an informed decision about your diamond purchase.
FACTOR 1: CARAT WEIGHT
People often use the word Carat when discussing how big a diamond is, however "Carat" actually refers to the weight of a diamond. There is no rule as to what carat weight you should buy, but you'll doubtless have heard that "bigger is better." If you ask me, I think bigger is great but you shouldn't forget about the other aspects of a diamond's quality.
A useful tip: if you're looking at Certified Diamonds, you may find it valuable to compare the diameters of different diamonds. Since every diamond is individually cut, some may appear larger than others of the same weight.
FACTOR 2: SHAPE
Approximately 75% of diamonds sold worldwide are Round Brilliants. Rounds diamonds are the most popular, most brilliant, and most expensive. If you are purchasing a diamond as a surprise, Round Brilliant is generally your safest bet.
There is no real hierarchy of shapes being better or worse - it is truly a matter of personal preference. Princess Cuts are the second most popular, and a classic alternative to round diamonds. Cushion Cuts are trendy and have a beautiful vintage look. If you want something different but not too crazy, try an Oval Cut, Asscher Cut, or Radiant Cut diamond.
While no shape is better, there are some significant differences between shapes. Take for example, the radiant cut vs the emerald cut. Though they are a similar shape, the extra facets of the radiant cut give it additional fire and sparkle. If you prefer the emerald cut's understated elegance, consider that it's easier to spot any imperfections and select a higher clarity grade.
Another tip: Diamonds (even round diamonds) may not be perfectly symmetrical. It's nothing to worry about if your diamond's width does not precisely match its height, but if your diamond is much longer than it is wide it may not be what you're expecting. This is especially the case in shapes like Cushion and Oval, where a more asymmetrical diamond might look "skinny", with much of the fire and brilliance concentrated at the ends.
FACTOR 3: CUT
"Cut" refers to a diamond's finish and proportions, and is critical in determining its beauty. Getting the angles right ensures a beautiful diamond that's full of life. In many cases it can be more difficult to spot flaws in a fiery, brilliant diamond. Cut is generally graded in five categories: Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, and Excellent. Excellent is the highest graded awarded by GIA (whereas other labs may use terms like "ideal" or numbers like "0"). If you want to play safe, stick to "Very Good" and "Excellent" cuts when you choose your diamond.
FACTOR 4: CLARITY
Almost all diamonds have naturally¬ occurring features called "inclusions." Inclusions form as the diamond crystallizes deep underground, and they are unique to each diamond. They take many different forms, and can help you identify a diamond as your own. However, large and prominent inclusions can detract from the beauty of a diamond.
There are many different types of inclusions, and not all are created equal. If your diamond certificate has an "inclusion map," check where the inclusions are. Try to find a diamond with inclusions near the edge where they will be masked by sparkle or hidden by the setting of your diamond. If your budget is limited, I recommend buying "SI" clarity or better. "SI" stands for "Slightly Included." With close inspection you can usually spot the inclusions in an SI¬ graded diamond, but these inclusions will most likely not be visible once your diamond is set in jewellery. If you want to be sure your diamond will look "eye clean", even up close, I recommend selecting a VS2 clarity diamond or better. "VS" stands for "Very Slight Inclusion," and imperfections in VS clarity stones are rarely seen by the naked eye.
FACTOR 5: COLOUR
The term "colour" usually refers to how much warm tint is in a diamond. The scale ranges from D (colorless) to Z (very strongly tinted yellow or brown). Pure white diamonds are considered more desirable, and are more expensive. Warmer¬-hued diamonds (such as K, L, and M) are not necessarily less attractive, but they are significantly less valuable.
Conventional wisdom is to select J colour or better. Personally, I love G and H colour diamonds ¬- they hit the "sweet spot" where most people will not notice colour in the diamond unless they're doing a direct comparison. However, an I or J colour diamond that is well cut and has a lot of life can give you a beautiful diamond at a bargain price.
Depending on how they are cut, different diamonds will display colour differently. This is why colour grades are assigned by looking at a diamond upside¬down. Generally, more¬ brilliant diamonds show their colour less than less brilliant diamonds.
FACTOR 6: FLUORESCENCE
Fluorescence has a bad rep, and most of it is unfair. Diamond Fluorescence refers to how a diamond responds when subjected to ultra¬violet light. Fluorescent diamonds can glow any one of several colours, but the most common is blue. In rare cases fluorescence can cause your diamond to have a milky appearance when viewed in direct daylight. This is most often the case with strong or very strong fluorescence and D/E/F colour diamonds.
However, there are many, many more cases where blue fluorescence is a positive thing. Imagine you were shining a blue light on a yellow diamond... the blue tint can make your diamond look whiter. If your diamond falls in the "near colourless," "lightly tinted," or "tinted" range I recommend looking for medium blue or faint blue fluorescence.
Warning: Green, red, and yellow fluorescence are rare, and they will not have the same benefit. If you are interested in a diamond that has strong blue, very strong blue, green, red, or yellow fluorescence, I recommend asking your salesperson to show you your diamond outside in natural daylight. If you're buying online, contact the seller prior to making your purchase so they can examine the diamond first in natural daylight.
FACTOR 7: GRADER
This should always be your first question: Says who? Every diamond grading laboratory has different standards, so comparing diamonds graded by different sources is extremely unreliable. One grader might grade a diamond K SI2, and another might call that same diamond F VS2. I know that sounds crazy, but I see it happen all the time.
The most reputable and consistent grading laboratories are GIA, AGS, IGI, and HRD. GIA is considered the global standard worldwide. AGS is a popular alternative in the U.S.A. while IGI and HRD are more common in Europe.
EGL is tricky because there are EGL labs all over the world, and some of them do a great job while others can be less reliable. We strongly recommend caution when buying an EGL certified diamond unless it's from EGL-¬USA.
Many diamonds are assigned grades by valuation companies and in-¬house graders. If your diamond does not come with a report from a major laboratory, you should always ask where the grader trained. He or she should be certified by a major grading laboratory: GIA, AGS, IGI, or HRD. Be smart and be cautious about reports done by uncertified shop owners, salespeople, or valuation companies.
SELECTING YOUR DIAMOND
You can choose to purchase your diamond online, or from a retail store. If you prefer to purchase your diamond in a retail store, avoid the big chains and shop with smaller independent jewellers. Many independent jewellers are actually significantly less expensive than their large competitors. (You don't have to take my word for it - shop around and you'll quickly learn that this is true). This way you'll buy a better quality diamond and - if you wish - you'll have the opportunity to design your own hand-made engagement ring setting.
If you choose to shop online, I would recommend comparing prices and service across several websites. Be sure that the company ships from your country - otherwise you'll be hit with expensive duty and GST. Always make sure you call or e-mail customer service and have them hand-inspect your diamond before you complete your purchase. Sometimes a diamond may seem like a great deal, but it could have an unfortunate inclusion, asymmetrical cut, or be negatively impacted by fluoresence. And above all, make sure you have an easy and affordable way to return the diamond if it doesn't turn out as you'd hoped. Online shopping is the best way to get a great deal on a diamond for your engagement ring, diamond studs, or pendant - just review this article, be reasonably cautious, and have fun.
What You Should Know When Buying a Diamond Ring
Homewood
Rubies are normally offered in a very vast array of colors. Lots of people find out about colorless diamonds as well as GIA's shade grading system that is made use of to classify a diamond's body shade ... you recognize D, E, F, etc. This shade grading system is only made use of to categorize one of the most usual diamond body shade of yellow nevertheless anytime a ruby is found in an additional shade like pink, blue, green, etc.; after that this ruby is referred to as a "" elegant diamond"".
All-natural Fancy diamonds can be really expensive and often times more pricey compared to a comparable size colorless ruby. A really great instance of a Fancy ruby is the well known 45.52 carat fancy deep blue ruby, the Hope Ruby, which is on display screen in the Smithsonian Natural History Gallery in Washington, DC.
A color improved ruby is a 100% all-natural diamond that has had its color altered. And ideal of all, color improved diamonds can be found in a really vast choice of shades at really affordable prices!
A little bit of background- For numerous, many years it has been popular that a diamond's shade can be "" enhanced"" by putting a little bit of tinted compound on the surface area of a ruby and just like magic ... a diamond that had a visible yellow-colored shade would certainly change to an extra attractive near colorless diamond. Regrettably, this type of color enhanced ruby could alter back to its original body shade if this colored material was accidentally removed. In more recent years, the innovation of color enhanced diamonds has gone exceptionally advanced. It is currently possible to completely transform the shade of a ruby! These processes are considered permanent since it does remain steady when exposed to daily typical conditions. The shade will certainly not fade if subjected to sunlight or be cleaned off by extreme chemicals.
Exactly how is it done? The desired end result of any one of these therapies is to have an extra valuable ruby. A less marketable ruby would be a diamond that has a reduced body shade or sometimes a lower quality. The shade enhanced diamond therapy business understand if they start off with a specific sort of diamond and procedure it for a specific quantity of time that they ought to wind up with a particular shade however it does not constantly work that means. This is a scientific research that does require some art in their processes ... the only process that gives consistent results is the covering process.
The three procedures are as adheres to- Process # 1- HPHT Shade Enhanced Diamonds- High Pressure/ High Temperature (HPHT) therapy could improve the shade of certain sorts of brownish diamonds as well as hence increase their value. General Electric has actually created a procedure that virtually is a mechanical simulation of a diamond's development in nature. The color enhanced ruby will certainly be warmed up to an extremely high temperature under a very high, supported stress. Faults in the crystal structure are after that repositioned causing a modification of the ruby's color. Since the problems of HPHT are very just like diamond's initial formation, just a well geared up laboratory will be able to positively recognize this sort of color improved ruby. HPHT wased initially made use of to transform yellowish rubies right into more valuable fancy tinted boosted rubies, but currently it is also made use of to change some unpopular brown diamonds right into even more desirable anemic tinted boosted rubies.
Refine # 2- Irradiated Color Boosted Diamonds- OK ... do not begin getting all thrilled due to the fact that you saw the word irradiated! This is a 100% safe process that is very much like what is made use of to preserve food by exposing it to a stream of Gamma rays. The shade boosted diamond process is done in several various means however the results are just the same. You begin with a low color (P, Q, R, etc.) 100% natural ruby that has already been reduced as well as polished, then it is revealed to a stream of fast electrons. During this component of the procedure the ruby will certainly transform to an extremely dark color since a few of the atoms in the diamond's crystal framework have currently been disjointed as well as this consequently has actually impacted the means light passes through the diamond. Next the diamond experiences a regulated home heating (annealing) process, this enables several of those atoms to relocate (partly fixed) in order to acquire a desired color.
Refine # 3- Coated Shade Improved Diamonds- The coating on refined rubies refers to a thin synthetic layer that changes the color of the ruby. The covering can either be of the wanted shade or can cause a tinted interference-effect. However sometimes this procedure is done to deceive a customer. It is a relatively simple procedure to do, it has actually been around for several years (although the layers products are better currently), as well as it does not require a great deal of pricey advanced tools. Lately, I have actually seen some pink coated diamonds on the marketplace, they are really attractive ... as well as certainly you would certainly need to buy them recognizing that they have actually been covered and follow your jeweler's standards about owning and caring for these color boosted diamonds. The layer can be related to the whole of a diamond's surface area, simply all-time low of the ruby, or to a narrow area near the band. A well-applied coating can change the color by several color grade. Some finishings can be removed through boiling in acid, solid cleansing options, or also household chemicals. Sometimes dots or bigger locations of purple or blue ink are painted on the diamond in order to help combat a yellow-colored color. The ruby's setup will typically cover the dots, so they are hard to see in an installed stone.
So, is a color improved ruby right for you? Maybe ... all-natural fancy shade rubies could be gorgeous yet they are expensive! Shade enhanced rubies are budget-friendly and also permit many individuals to possess a vibrantly colored ruby. Ask your neighborhood jewelry expert if they have any type of Fancy rubies ... either all-natural or shade improved rubies. It is constantly intriguing, as well as fun, to look at something different!
Under normal wear the irradiated as well as HPHT color improved diamonds will certainly have no issues of the shade fading away. The only factor to consider will certainly be when you should have any type of kind of service done on the piece of precious jewelry. If this sort of color boosted ruby is subjected to too much quantities of heat it might influence the shade. The jewelry expert will certainly require to know that the ruby is a shade boosted diamond prior to any job is done and afterwards the jewelry expert will certainly have the ability to choose on the very best course of action. Shade boosted diamonds are currently additionally made use of as the tiny accent rubies around a bigger anemic ruby. There are numerous amazing items of jewelry offered with tiny blue, yellow, black, or eco-friendly shade improved diamonds.
Now that you know about shade improved diamonds and also someone aims to market you on what they call a natural elegant tinted diamond yet it is at an incredibly deal rate ... you will recognize that something simply does not sound appropriate concerning the offer. A report from a recognized grading lab ought to accompany natural Fancy tinted rubies that are marketed as all-natural. If you manage a credible firm as well as you have been guaranteed regarding just what you are purchasing, after that you will certainly decrease the possibility of something bad happening to you. Just like any kind of situation entailing an expensive acquisition of something that very few people are well versed in, education ought to be a vital part of your strategy. This is a lot more important if you prepare to acquire a shade boosted ruby. Bud Boland has actually been in the precious jewelry service for 40 years as well as has done everything from watchmaking, ruby setup, precious jewelry production, and also has actually been a Gemologist for almost 35 years. He is a Grad Gemologist from GIA (Gemological Institute of The U.S.A.), which is also the area where he was an Instructor. He has taught concerning diamonds to hundreds of trainees from all over the globe
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