Andreys Jewellers Diamond Buying Guide
The 4 C’s
1) Cut
2) Clarity
3) Colour
4) Carat
The Importance of Diamond Certificates
Investment
Conflict Diamonds
Questions & Answers
There are a range of criteria everyone needs to consider when purchasing a piece of diamond jewellery or loose diamond. We use the 4 C’s to guide us in distinguishing different diamonds from one another. These are Cut, Clarity, Colour and Carat
Cut
There are two important considerations to the cut of a diamond:
1) Shape
2) Cut
Diamonds can be cut into many different shapes and sizes:
1. Round Brilliant Cut
2. Emerald Cut
3. Oval Cut
4. Trillion Cut
5. Princess Cut
6. Fancy Cut
7. Marquise Cut
8. Pear Cut
Scores of Gemmologists consider the cut to be one of the key factors determining a diamonds quality; even if the stone has perfect colour and clarity it will not release the sparkle potential of the stone.
The width and depth of the cut can also affect the sparkle and quality; too shallow and the light will be lost out the bottom of the diamond and when it is too deep and it escapes out the sides. It has taken years of mathematical and empirical analysis to perfect the modern cuts available today.
What Cut is the best?
Excellent Cut: Approximately 1% of diamonds are cut to this specification and are extremely rare; this cut emits more light and brilliance than any other cut.
Very good cut: Approximately 5% of diamonds are cut to this specification. Its brilliance is similar to an ideal cut but far less expensive.
Good cut: Approximately 20% of diamonds are cut to this specification. Good cuts reflect a similar amount of light to a very good cut but are slightly less expensive.
Fair cut: Majority of diamonds are cut to this specification. These are still a quality diamond and reflect a good proportion of the light; they represent excellent value for money.
Poor cut: Diamonds cut to this specification reflect the least amount of light and its proportions are often too deep or too shallow. Andreys Jewellers do not carry diamonds of this type of cut
Which Diamond Shape are you?
At Andreys Jewellers, we feel that each shape reflects a particular personality, so which diamond are you?
Clarity
A Diamond is a natural substance, and each diamond is different from the next, so naturally the greater parts of diamonds contain “inclusions”, or what we like to call microscopic flaws. These inclusions can be minuscule feather shapes, clouds and tiny crystals that are formed when the diamond is being created in the earth. Inclusions can stop the light being refracted as effectively out of the diamond, thus making a difference to its brilliance.
The clarity of a diamond is judged by the amount, size, location, colour, release and shape of its inclusions. Therefore, the smaller number the inclusions, the better the quality and consequently, like anything, the diamond will be worth more.
The clarity of a diamond is graded from the best being Internally Flawless (IF) to the worst Imperfect 3 (I3). Please see the clarity rating system used by diamond labs below:
- IF – Internally Flawless: Free from internal blemishes visible under 10x magnification
- VVS1 – Very very slightly included: Inclusions and/or external blemishes very very difficult to locate under 10x magnification
- VVS2 – Very very slightly included: Inclusions and/or external blemishes very difficult to locate under 10x magnification
- VS1 – Very slightly included: Inclusions and external blemishes rather difficult to locate under 10x magnification
- VS2: Very slightly included: Inclusions and external blemishes rather dificlut to locate under 10x magnification
- SI1 – Slightly included: Inclusions and external blemishes rather easy to locate under 10x magnification – This may be slightly visible to the naked eye
- SI2 – Slightly included – Inclusions and external blemishes easy to locate under a 10x magnification, these inclusions maybe visible to the trained naked eye
- P1I1 – Imperfect: Inclusions and external blemishes may be very easy to locate under a 10x magnification and visible to the trained naked eye
- P2I2 – Imperfect: Inclusions and external blemishes are easy to locate with the naked eye and there is no need for magnification
- P3I3 – Imperfect: Heavy inclusions and easily located with the naked eye
It’s important to note that an untrained person or simply someone who has not worked in the industry, will have an extremely hard time attempting to find inclusions in the following grades, IF, VVS1, VVS2 even if you have the use of a microscope at home.
VS1 and VS2 graded diamonds have very tiny inclusions that are not easy to find even when viewed with 10X magnification. Distinctive inclusions are small crystals or feathers, distinct clouds. They do not impact the diamond's brilliance and are very high quality diamonds.
SI1 and SI2 are the two most frequent grades for the usual buyer. These grades have inclusions when viewed with 10X magnification. Most SI1 clarity diamonds can't be seen with the unaided eye when viewed from the top. These are fine quality diamonds and provide great beauty at a very reasonable price.
Colour
A fast rule with the colour of the diamond is that the closer a diamond is to being completely colourless, the more valuable/expensive it becomes
Diamond colour is judged on a scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) (www.gia.edu) and the range is from D which is colourless and VERY rare through to Z.
Refers to the degree to which a diamond is colourless.
Carat
A diamond's value is not judged by its size but by its weight. A diamond's weight is calculated in carats, and one carat equals one fifth of a gram, or 200 milligrams. The word comes from the plant carob - in ancient civilisations carob seeds were used to compare weight with diamonds.
Carats can be broken into 100 points, so a 0.5 carat diamond can also be referred to as a 50 point diamond, or half a carat. Carats go from 0.05 to 4 carats. Not all diamonds of the same carat will cost the same – As we have learnt above, the quality of the other three c's, the cut, clarity and colour, all will weigh in on the cost of the diamond.
The fact that a diamond is large should only be considered in terms of the other c's - a large stone of poor cut, clarity and colour will not be worth more because of its size.
The importance of Diamond Certificates
The diamond certificate is NOT just a piece of paper but rather the piece of mind that is needed when spending large amounts of money on a diamond.
A diamond certificate or grading report verifies that a diamond is genuine and evaluates the quality and size of the stone. A diamond certificate is a document issued by a Gemological Laboratory, detailing the ‘grade’ which indicates the physical properties of the diamond.
The ‘ physical properties’ being the cut, clarity, colour and carat of the stone. A certificate is a document, which retains its value over a long period of time, assuming the diamond is not chipped or otherwise altered.
Do not confuse certification with an appraisal, which is an indication of the financial value of the piece under consideration. The financial value of a diamond can easily change over time and appraisals are most commonly used for insurance purposes.
A certificate enables you to buy your diamond with confidence. A diamond certificate, however is only useful if it has been issued by a reputable independent laboratory.
More than any diamond buyer’s guide, a certificate of assessment from an independent gem association, such as International Gemological Institute (IGI), Gemex, or the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) can identify the characteristics that make your diamond uniquely yours. It will give formal "grades" on aspects such as color, clarity and the cut of your diamond.
Investment
To the majority of diamond dealers the terms investment and diamonds do not belong in the same sentence, unless you intend to hold them for several years and you are a bit of a salesman.
Andreys Jewellers diamonds are sold at a cost where our customers could potentially on sell them now and make a margin. But this can only be possible if you find someone looking for a similar diamond, and they have not already found us!
If you aim to hold on to your diamonds for many years they should increase in value. Diamonds have increased in value/appreciated constantly over the past 20 years except for the early 1980's when the price of commodities such as gold, silver and gas went sky high, then plunged back down. Since then diamonds have steadily and slowly increased in value.
If you are looking to invest in diamonds, knowing they appreciate slowly, and that you will need to find a buyer at time of liquidation, then we are the best source for quality diamonds at great prices.
Andreys Jewellers does not trade in conflict diamonds.
Andreys Jewellers only purchase rough diamonds with a Kimberly certificate and through suppliers who utilize standards established by the Kimberley Process. All our diamonds are guaranteed to be 100% conflict free.
For more information please read http://www.diamondfacts.org/conflict/index.html
What is the Kimberly Process
Andreys Jewellers supports the Kimberley process, it is an International process that tracks and certify diamonds. In April 2003, Thbe US congress and President Bush passed a law adopting the Kimberley Process that requires all diamond retailers to buy diamonds from manufacturers who have documentation warranting that the merchandise was obtained through legitimate channels.
Questions and Answers
How can I, the customer be sure that I am purchasing quality loose diamonds and jewellery online?
Each diamond jewellery description on Andreys Jewellers lists all the relevant information i.e. the 4 C for diamond jewellery. All images are 100% accurate and taken by professional photographers.
How can I keep my diamond clean?
You can easily clean your diamonds with a soft toothbrush and mild dish soap mixed with water. Don't scrub too hard, however. The toothbrush won't scratch the diamond, but the metal of diamond engagement rings and diamond necklaces is often soft and scratches easily. You should, now and then, get your jewellery professionally cleaned by a jeweller.
Do you sell conflict diamonds?
Most of the world's diamonds are mined in Africa. Unfortunately, in some of those countries, terrorist groups illegally mine and smuggle diamonds to fund their fight against their governments. Such stones have come to be called "conflict diamonds.” Andreys Jewellers actively supports the United Nation's Kimberley Process Certification Scheme to help eliminate the sale of conflict diamonds and guarantees that all diamonds offered for sale on our site have been purchased from recognized, legitimate sources in compliance with all United Nations Resolutions and, to the best of our knowledge and ability, none of our diamonds fund any terrorist activity. Andreys Jewellers makes this assurance based on personal knowledge or written guarantees provided by our diamond suppliers.
