What to ask when buying a diamond?
Let's get on the same page from the beginning: We only use GIA certified diamonds. We do not recommend purchasing diamonds without a certificate, or any other than a GIA certificate. GIA (Gemological Institute of America) offers the highest industry standards and can not be compared with any other certification. Diamonds are widely accessible and easier than ever to buy online. So, what to ask when buying a diamond?
GIA classifies diamonds in 4C's: Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut. Looking at them a little more in detail will help you find the right diamond for your budget:
CARAT
Carat is where, if necessary, we suggest to make compromises. Why and how?
- A 1-carat diamond with a fair cut might be cheaper in price than a 0.9 carat diamond with an excellent cut, however, due to the difference in cut quality, it’s possible that the two stones look almost the same in size!
- An excellent cut diamond, less than 1-carat in size, set in a Halo Ring design, can appear bigger!
- Another alternative would be a fancy cut (not a round-shaped diamond), which not only is cheaper but generally can look bigger
COLOR
The diamond Color grading scale is extensive, but only Color F to G are optimal!
- Once the diamond is set in your jewelry is it less likely to easily see the difference between a Color D (colorless) and a Color G (near colorless) diamond.
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If you want to compromise on Color, Color H can still be considered, but anything lower than H will have an eye-visible tint of yellow or brown.
CLARITY
Clarity refers to the presence of inclusions in a diamond. Since inclusions are often not very visible to the eye, we recommend VS1-2 Clarity, and sometimes even a SI Clarity, as long as:
- the inclusions are not black
- the inclusions are off to the side, not in the center of the stone
- there are many small inclusions instead of fewer bigger ones
CUT
In order to get maximum face size and the ultimate diamond sparkle, it is important to go for a diamond with an excellent Cut!
- Besides "cut" there is also grading for "polish" and "symmetry". Ideally, all of them are graded excellent, so it becomes a so-called GIA Triple ex Diamond.
- "Fluorescence", ranging from None to Very Strong, can affect the sparkle of your diamond. The most ideal is None Fluorescence to Medium.
So, what to ask when buying a diamond? A GIA classified diamond and the 4C's: Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut. Looking at them a little more in detail will help you to find the right Diamond for your budget.