They say a diamond is forever, but can the same be said for every type of diamond? Can you tell the difference between a synthetic diamond from a true diamond?
It may be relatively easy for a professional who knows what to look for but for the average person looking to invest in diamond jewellery it can be daunting. So how can an inexperienced person evaluate the value of a diamond? Although there are many diamond buying guides that can help you identify prong settings or discreet symbols, some say that choosing a diamond ring is really a choice taken by following ones heart. There is certainly something that makes a diamond distinguishable from any other type of gift.
The thought of purchasing diamond earrings can be overwhelming but you don’t need to be an expert to make an informed choice. By reading over our quick guide to certificates, inclusions, grading scales, colours and the various jargon associated with diamonds, you will soon know the key elements when it comes to evaluating the price of diamond earrings. Put simply, a good understanding of diamonds is essential before you begin shopping.
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Diamond Earring Buying Guide
4 Cs Of Diamonds
Diamonds are graded and categorized by the diamond industry as follows:
-Cut
-Clarity
-Colour
-Carat weight
This is the criteria that jewellers use when grading diamonds and understanding the 4 Cs will help buy the right diamond for you.
There is a Fifth C, Certificates, but we’ll come back to that.
Cut
The Cut is probably the most important of the four Cs to understand as the brilliance* of a diamond depends on its cut.
*Brilliance is created when light enters through the table (the flat facet on the top of the diamond which is the largest facet on a cut diamond), reaches the pavilion facets (the smooth flat faces on the surface of a diamond), and is then reflected back out through the table where the light is most visible.
Clarity
Most diamonds contain some inner flaws or inclusions. The visibility, number and size of these flaws determine the clarity of a diamond. Put simply, diamonds that are clear create more brilliance and more highly priced.
Colour
Colourless diamonds are the most expensive and sought after as they allow the most refraction of light, or sparkle if you prefer. For example, off white diamonds absorb light which effects the brilliance by prohibiting the light passing through. The result would be less ’sparkle’.
Carat Weight
A carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured. Large diamonds are rare and therefore the price of a diamond rises in accordance to its size.
Fifth C, Certificates
The diamond certificate, often referred to as a grading report, is a complete evaluation of your diamond performed by a qualified professional, with the help of special instruments. Each stone will have its own recognisable characteristics which will be listed on the certificate.
Other Terms You Should Know Before Buying Diamond Earrings…
AGS: The American Gem Society
Essentially they are an independent grader that standard in the jewellery industry as the recognized authority for grading diamonds and gemstones.
What is a Blemish?
A flaw on the diamond’s surface usually caused by a scratch or abrasion. Blemishes are often so small they can only be detected by professional graders with the right equipment.
Blue-White
This is a particular diamond that glows under ultra-violet light.
Brilliance of a Diamond
Essentially amount of light reflected through the surface of a diamond.
Brilliant Cut
A style of diamond cutting that creates many facets of different shapes and sizes. This increases a diamond’s brilliance by restricting the amount of light that can escape through the bottom of the gemstone.
Carat
The unit of weight by which a diamond is measured and equals 200 milligrams
Carbon Spots
Black spots in diamonds that are usually caused by the presence of transparent crystals.
Clarity
The measure by which a diamond is graded for purity or “whiteness”. The diamond is checked for blemishes on the surface or inclusions within the diamond itself.
The professional grading scale is: flawless; internally flawless; very, very slightly included; very slightly included; slightly included; imperfect.
Colour Grading
A system of grading diamonds on the quality of their tint from colourless to a more pronounced yellow hue.
Modern methods use letters to designate differences in colours. They are as follows:
D-F - colourless
G-J - nearly colourles
K-M - faintly yellow
N-R - very light yellow
S-X - light yellow
Y-Z - yellow.
The traditional method uses names to the variations in tint:
pure white (extra river; river)
top-white (wesselton)
off-white (silver cape, tope cape, cape, dark cape)
yellow
brown
Colours
Completely colourless stones are as valuable as they are rare and generally a stone will range from white to bluish to shades of yellow and brown.
Rare colour diamonds have been found in variations of blue, violet, pink, yellow, brown, rose, green and even black. The red diamond does exist but is extremely rare.
Crown
The upper portion of a cut gemstone above the girdle.
Cut
This refers both to the proportions of a gemstone and how the rough stone is finally shaped. The most recognised cuts are the round brilliant, oval, marquise, pear, heart, emerald, princess, trilliant and radiant.
Depth
The height of a gemstone from the culet to the table.
Diamond
A diamond is a stone of pure crystallized carbon and the hardest substance known. It has a high refractive index which essentially means that light passing through is easily dispersed, depending on the brilliance of the diamond. If you must know, refraction is the change in direction of a light wave due to a change in its speed. Dispersion is the coloured light that is reflected from inside a diamond.
Diamond Cutting
The method by which a diamond is shaped into a finished stone.
Emerald Cut
A rectangular-shaped diamond with cut corners. This is often known as a step cut because the flat planes resemble stair steps.
Facet
The small, flat and polished surface on a cut diamond. Facets come in various shapes, sizes and arrangements all depending on the actual cut of the stone.
Heart Cut
A pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top.
Inclusion
An inclusion is a flaw found within a diamond or on the diamond’s surface which would have happened when the diamond was first formed in the earth.
Marquise Cut
An elongated shape with pointed ends.
Oval Cut
An elongated and symmetrical oval design.
Pavilion
The lower portion of the diamond, just below the girdle (the outer edge or outline of the diamond’s shape).
More commonly known as the base.
Pear Cut
Shaped like a sparkling teardrop and combining the Marquise and Oval cuts.
Princess Cut
A square cut with varying number of sparkling facets.
Quadrillion Cut
A square diamond with twenty one facets on the crown, twenty four on the pavilion and four on the girdle.
Radiant Cut
This is a brilliant-cut square or rectangular diamond with seventy facets and clipped corners, much like that of an emerald cut.
Sparkle
This is the reflective light of a diamond produced by its brilliance and its fire/dispersion.
Table
This is the large, flat top facet of a diamond. Each specific cut of diamond has a table ratio as follows…
Round brilliant - ratio of 52.4 % - 57.5 %
Princess/Radiant cuts - ratio of 65 % - 80 %
Marquise/Oval and Pear - ratio of 50 % -62 %
Emerald - ratio of 50 % - 75 %.
Tiffany
This is a famous ring setting of 2mm to 3mm, which holds a single diamond.
Trilliant Cut
A rounded triangular shape with twenty five facets on the crown, nineteen facets on the pavilion and a polished girdle
Where to Buy Diamond Earrings?
Compare prices on a wide selection of Diamond Earrings from trusted UK retailers