How to Choose a Diamond - A Step by Step Guide to Buying a Diamond
Choosing a diamond can be an intimidating experience.
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| How to Choose a Diamond - A Step by Step Guide to Buying a Diamond |
You may feel you are at the mercy of the salesperson behind the counter, or (in the case of buying an engagement diamond) forced to enlist the help of your significant other, thereby spoiling the surprise. However, if you have a basic understanding of the traditional "4 Cs" of diamonds (Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat Weight), you can use this step-by-step guide to quickly sort through the thousands of choices available to you and find that perfect diamond.
Step 1: Diamond Shape
Virtually every diamond created for use in jewelry falls into one of ten shapes (Round, Princess, Pear, Oval, Radiant, Asscher, Emerald, Marquise, Cushion, and Heart). The recipient of the diamond will most likely have a strong shape preference. Pay attention to the jewelry she already owns, ask friends or family what her preferences are, look for opportunities to elicit her opinion of ring styles featured in style magazine ads or jewelry store display windows. If you are unable to identify her shape preference, and don't want to spoil an engagement surprise, consider a Round or Princess Cut. Both are classic shapes that never go out of style, and can be mounted in almost any engagement setting.
Step 2: Diamond Carat Weight
Here, the recipient's expectations are important. If she has her heart set on a one carat diamond, no half carat diamond (no matter how great a bargain) will satisfy her. Most engagement ring diamonds fall between one and two carats, with prices running $5,000 or more depending on the quality. If your budget is limited, and you need to purchase a diamond under .75 carats, consider a Marquise Cut, which has the largest surface area (the part you see when you look down at the diamond) in relation to carat weight of any diamond shape.
Now it's time to start narrowing the field by making informed compromises in the areas of Clarity, Color, and Cut. Identifying those qualities that have a significant impact on a diamond's price, but little effect on appearance, will allow you to find a diamond that suites your taste and your budget.
Step 3: Diamond Clarity
Clarity refers to the presence of imperfections (usually natural) in a diamond. All diamonds contain some degree of imperfection, and are graded using a Clarity scale that runs from FL (meaning flawless) to I (meaning easily visible imperfections).
The highest Clarity grades (FL through VVS2) designate levels of imperfections that are impossible to see with the unaided eye, even in an ideal viewing environment. Unless you cannot tolerate any flaws, even those unseen, you can safely look at diamonds with clarity of VS1 to VS2 (the lowest grades that contain no imperfections which are readily visible to the naked eye). If you are still not able to find a diamond within your budget, the next step is to lower the color grade.
Step 4: Diamond Color
Color refers to the presence of body color in an otherwise white diamond. Colored diamonds, such as pink and blue, have a separate scale for grading color intensity. For white diamonds, color is graded from D (absolutely colorless) down to Z (a pronounced light yellow color). Diamonds used in jewelry are almost always M or higher in color.
The highest Color grades (D through F) refer to degrees of color not easily visible to the unaided eye. Assuming you are unconcerned about levels of color that can only be detected by a gemologist, you can safely consider diamonds with a color grade as low as G to H (the lowest grades with color levels not easily detectable under normal viewing conditions). If you are still not able to find a diamond within your budget, the next step is to lower the Cut grade.
Step 5: Diamond Cut
Cut refers to a diamond's proportions, symmetry, and polish. The impact of cut is perceived in the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond, qualities which are maximized in the proper positioning and angle of every facet (individual cut surfaces) of the diamond. Cut is the least understood of the four C's, but the most important. For this reason, reductions to cut are made only after clarity and color have been reduced to their lowest acceptable levels. Cut is typically graded on a scale from Excellent through Poor.
Reduce the Cut grade of the diamonds you are considering to as low as Very Good for round diamonds, or Good for fancy (non-round) shapes. Round diamonds are held to a higher cut standard than fancy, because well cut round diamonds are in greater supply than well cut fancy diamonds, making compromise less necessary.
If, after making adjustments to Clarity, Color, and Cut, there are still no diamonds of your desired shape and carat weight within your price range, consider a modest reduction in carat weight. In most cases, lowering the carat weight slightly (10% or less) will have little effect on the apparent size of the diamond, but a measurable impact on price. In addition, most diamonds that weigh just under the popular carat weights of 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, and 3.00 will actually sell at a price-per-carat discount, since many customers demand nothing less than the "rounded" carat weight.
Final Steps:
If there are still no diamonds that fit within your budget, even after making the adjustments to Clarity, Color, Cut, and Carat Weight described above, you still have a couple of alternatives:
1. Reduce Clarity to SI1,
the lowest grade for which imperfections remain difficult to see under everyday conditions. For diamonds of one carat or less, this is a safe bet as imperfections are more difficult to see in smaller diamonds. For larger diamonds, especially those with clear and open facets such as Emerald and Asscher, clarity should be maintained at VS2 or better.
2. Reduce Color to J,
often a good value due to the combination of near colorless appearance and relative abundance in the marketplace. If your diamond will eventually be set in yellow gold, you may be able to go as low as K, since the reflection of yellow light from the setting will obscure small traces of yellow in the diamond.
3. Reduce Cut to as low as Good in round diamonds,
Fair in other shapes. Any lower, and the diamond will seem lifeless and dull in appearance. If the diamond you seek is under .50 carats, this is a safe compromise, since even in higher cut grades, this size of diamond tends to have less sparkle once set within a ring.
If you are still outside your price range, your original budget and carat weight expectations are probably unrealistic. One or the other will need to give. Consider purchasing from a jeweler with a strong trade in policy, so that you have the option of exchanging a smaller diamond purchased today for something larger in the future.
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