Is Bigger Better? The How-To's When Shopping For Diamonds
Buying a diamond can be an exhilarating but daunting adventure, especially if you're a newbie.If I could offer only one piece of advice it would be this:
Learn as much as you can about the 4Cs before you go shopping.For the uninitiated, that's cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
And I like to add one more - common sense.Choosing the perfect diamond (and there's no such thing as the "perfect" diamond, although a few have come close) is as much a matter of personal taste as it is a matter of the diamond's characteristics.Some couples are willing to forego quality for size, others prefer the brilliance of a flawless blue-white diamond over a larger stone with less clarity.
You be the judge - but not until you're clear about those characteristics I mentioned.
Talk to any jeweler and they'll all give you a different opinion as to what they believe is the most important quality of a diamond.According to Mayer Herz, Vice President of Diamond Acquisition at Mondera.com, "Cut is the most important consideration if you're on a budget.
You can make up for low color and clarity if the stone is well cut."However, Joseph Schlussel, Publisher of Diamond Registry Bulletin, says "I personally believe that color is the most important thing.
Most people who go into a store today, they are told about cut. But I look at what you can see with a naked eye. I would put cut the last, because most people can't see it."The safest all-round bet is to look for the overall "package", with the levels of cut, clarity, color and size as good as you can get for the price you're willing to pay.Here are my tips to help you get the best value possible:
- Ensure you get a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society (AGS) Certificate when you purchase your diamond.
A Certificate guarantees that you are getting what you paid for. - If you are buying at a retail store, ask to see your diamond against a white cloth (or take your own - even a white piece of paper will do the trick!).
Jewelers typically use a black felt cloth to display their stones because all diamonds look white against black. - The American Gem Society says that the cut of the diamond can influence the price by as much as 50%.
A well-cut diamond, when viewed from above, will sparkle with a brilliance you won't find in any other precious stone.
- Most diamonds have flaws (called inclusions) that developed during its formation millions of years ago.
Some are impossible to see with the naked eye, others glare at you.
The more inclusions, the poorer the quality of the diamond, and the less light it will emit.
But its all a trade-off - fewer inclusions means a more expensive diamond.
My very first diamond had a hairline crack deep inside it, and I came to love that diamond as much for its tiny flaws as I loved my husband for his!.
Alex Miller has been involved in the jewelry industry for more years than she cares to remember! She lists her passions as "diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds" and has turned her passion into an informative website. You can find more great articles about diamonds, engagement rings, bridal jewelry, honeymoons and more at http://www.Engagement-Rings-Guide.com. The place to go BEFORE you shop for jewelry online.alex@engagement-rings-guide.comDiamond Solitaire Rings - The Ultimate In Engagement Rings
There are no better rings to seal your engagement than diamond solitaire rings. The ultimate in diamond rings, diamond solitaire rings are the only ring for the woman who wants the best in wedding jewelry.
What is a diamond solitaire ring? Simple. A diamond solitaire ring is a ring with one diamond. That's all. Just one diamond.
Nothing else to distract from that one magnificent stone.
Why are diamond solitaire engagement rings the best engagement rings? Well firstly because they are a diamond ring. Diamonds are the best of all jewelry stones available to the serious jewelry buyer. And there are a lot of other stones out there. All sorts of colored stones, diamond copies, diamond simulants and so on. Most of them beautiful stones.
But none of them are diamonds.
Why are there so many diamond copies, man made diamonds? Because diamonds are the best, and it is the best that is copied.
Your engagement ring...
Diamond > Diamond Solitaire Rings - The Ultimate In Engagement Rings
Union Diamond adds Britain?s Hottest Silver Jewelry to its? Collection
Atlanta, GA (ContentDesk) May 12, 2004 -? Union Diamond Corporation, a leading online diamond and jewelry purveyor, announced today that it has added Britain's best selling, quality sterling silver and diamond jewelry collection, Hot Diamonds, to its extensive online offerings."The design and quality of the Hot Diamonds sterling silver collection is fresh and unique," said Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Union Diamond. "These are classic pieces that can be worn every day to show your style and sophistication.
The jewelry is timeless while also being fun and glamorous at a remarkable price."Winner of the UK Jewelry Awards, Jewelry of the Year in 2001 and 2003, Hot Diamonds has been called the "hottest thing in fashion jewelry."
The collection is made from quality rhodium plated sterling silver with a platinum-like finish.
Most pieces of the jewelry are set with brilliant cut diamonds and the line also includes a chic men's collection in addition to their...
Diamond > Union Diamond adds Britain?s Hottest Silver Jewelry to its? Collection
Diamond Ring Settings ? Display your Diamond with Style
There are almost as many ways to set a diamond as there are diamonds themselves, and diamond ring settings can influence the appearance and character of your ring as much as the diamond itself. From simple, unadorned mountings to settings richly set with diamonds, the ring setting you select can support your diamond with understated elegance or with exuberant flair. Good diamond ring settings show off your diamond.Certain diamond ring stores will have a wider variety of diamond ring settings than others, so whether you are buying a ring off the shelf or having one custom made just for you, ask to browse the store's ring catalog before you select the right jeweller for you. Simple settings, like the prong setting, are more commonly available, so be prepared to do a little extra legwork if you are looking for a jeweller that sells diamond rings with more usual settings. The prong setting is most commonly used for solitaire rings, and can set a single stone off perfectly.
This kind...
Diamond Ring Settings ? Display your Diamond with Style
Diamond > Diamond Ring Settings ? Display your Diamond with Style
Union Diamond adds Britain?s Hottest Silver Jewelry to its? Collection
Atlanta, GA (ContentDesk) May 12, 2004 -? Union Diamond Corporation, a leading online diamond and jewelry purveyor, announced today that it has added Britain's best selling, quality sterling silver and diamond jewelry collection, Hot Diamonds, to its extensive online offerings."The design and quality of the Hot Diamonds sterling silver collection is fresh and unique," said Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Union Diamond. "These are classic pieces that can be worn every day to show your style and sophistication.
The jewelry is timeless while also being fun and glamorous at a remarkable price."Winner of the UK Jewelry Awards, Jewelry of the Year in 2001 and 2003, Hot Diamonds has been called the "hottest thing in fashion jewelry."
The collection is made from quality rhodium plated sterling silver with a platinum-like finish.
Most pieces of the jewelry are set with brilliant cut diamonds and the line also includes a chic men's collection in addition to their...
Diamond > Union Diamond adds Britain?s Hottest Silver Jewelry to its? Collection
Diamond Wholesalers Offer Highest Priced Diamond for Sale Online
If you say you're into exclusive and fancy diamonds, and can put your money where your mouth is, you should take the time to visit the diamond wholesalers at www.Diamond-Experts.com and think about purchasing their 22 carat flawless purple pink diamond ? online. Though most online shoppers are men looking to purchase diamond engagement rings for their brides to be, www.Diamond-Experts.com is hoping to sift out the heavy hitters and make a sale. It's still hard to believe there are people who have that kind of credit limit on their card, let alone actually purchase a diamond of that price online, even at a wholesale cost. But that's exactly what Ronen Levy, one of www.Diamond-Experts.com founders is praying for. "We believe there are people out there with very refined...
Diamond Wholesalers Offer Highest Priced Diamond for Sale Online
Diamond > Diamond Wholesalers Offer Highest Priced Diamond for Sale Online
Natural Color Diamond Rings ? Pretty As A Picture
Purchasing diamonds over the Internet may seem like a good idea. After all, what you are really interested in is how the ring looks on her hand, right? At the price paid for natural color diamond rings, you want a lot more than that. You want some assurance your diamond purchase is worth the money you pay for it.The first step to making sure the beauty of the diamond pictures is accompanied with a money back guarantee of authentication, and the diamond comes with a grading. What this means is an expert has compared the diamond to an industry standardized clarity chart, and has graded the size of the diamonds imperfections against the industry standard.Diamond Pictures ? Why Internet Pictures Don't Tell The Whole StoryOnce your receive your diamond from the Internet seller, you can then take the diamond ring to a local jeweler who can compare the actual diamond clarity and colour to the report. In the event a major discrepancy is found, you can then use your money back guarantee...
Natural Color Diamond Rings ? Pretty As A Picture
Diamond > Natural Color Diamond Rings ? Pretty As A Picture
3 Stone Diamond Rings ? Three Times As Nice!
It is said that the stones in 3 stone diamond rings represent the past, the present and the future. Just as a couple unite these things when they join together in marriage, so three stone diamond rings represent perfectly all that has made each partner what they are today, the present moment that they share, and the future into which they now walk together. Just like the ring itself, the three stones in 3 stone diamond rings celebrate the timelessness of your relationship. Three stone diamond rings are popularly given as anniversary gifts, though they are also used as engagement rings. Diamond rings are invariably given as an expression of love, and the deep symbolism of the triad of stones in this type of ring make it a gift that is rich in sentiment.
Three stone diamond rings are available with a variety of different shaped stones. Though round diamonds are eternally popular, they are often seen to best effect in a solitaire type setting. Oval, princess and emerald cuts are...
3 Stone Diamond Rings ? Three Times As Nice!
Diamond > 3 Stone Diamond Rings ? Three Times As Nice!