Purchasing a diamond can seem quite daunting when confronted with all the terminology and specifications used in making a selection. However, you don’t need to be a diamond expert to make a confident and knowledgeable decision. In this article we will guide you through the 10 most important factors that you need to know in order to get the best diamond for your money. Part two will follow, here are the first five…
1. Carat Weight
Although it might seem the bigger the diamond the better, to get the best value for your money you’ll need to find a good balance between quality and size. Carat, one of the 4 C’s, is the unit of diamond weight. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams.
The carat weight will give you an idea of the size of your diamond, however twice the weight does not mean twice the size. This also works as a roundabout correlation for other diamond shapes. To get a better sense of how carat weight relates to diamond size take a look at our diamond sizing chart.
2. Cut
Diamonds are known for their brilliance, but some are more brilliant than others. The sparkle of your diamond will be determined by its cut, one of the 4 C’s. Not to be confused with shape, the cut is all about getting the angles and proportions just right so the diamond reflects the most amount of light possible.
At 77Diamonds we classify the cut according to the cut grade on the certificate issued by the grading laboratory, and if not provided, we estimate the cut based on the mathematical proportions of the diamond. These proportions are determined by Depth % and Table %, which you can learn more about on the education section of our website. Generally we recommend choosing excellent or very good cuts. Excellent cut reflects the most light, making a diamond sparkle with the maximum possible brilliance and life. A poor cut reflects the least, giving you a much duller diamond. The diagram below will give you an idea of how this works:
Diamonds are adored for their icy white appearance; however most diamonds contain a hint of yellow or brown. Colour, one of the 4 C’s, is graded on a scale from D (white or colourless) to Z (yellowish or brownish).
Diamonds graded from D to H are usually colourless or near-colourless. A faint yellow tint becomes noticeable in diamonds with an I grade. When choosing the colour of your stone you’ll want to consider budget, personal preference, and the colour of the jewellery setting.
4. Clarity
Of the 4 C’s, the clarity of a diamond has the most influence on price. It is also what makes each diamond unique. Clarity is measured by grades, which indicate the level of inclusions such as scratches, blemishes, pockets of air and non diamond material inside or on the surface of the diamond. Grades range between Flawless (FL) and Included (I or SI3). Because diamond grading laboratories have different grading standards, visible inclusion grades can begin at VS2, SI1 or SI2. Explained below are the grades used to determine a diamond’s clarity and their meaning.
Flawless (FL) – 100% flawless inside and outside. These diamonds are extremely rare and thus command a high premium.
Internally Flawless (IF) – 100% Flawless on the inside, but contains surface graining. These diamonds are extremely rare and thus command a high premium.
Very very slightly included 1 (VVS1) – One tiny inclusion, undetectable by the naked eye or 10x magnification loupe. Microscope needed to spot inclusions.
Very very slightly included 2 (VVS1) – Two tiny inclusions, undetectable by the naked eye or 10x magnification loupe. Microscope needed to spot inclusions.
Very slightly included 1 (VS1) – One small or several tiny inclusions, undetectable by the naked eye. Microscope needed to spot inclusions, although a 10x magnification loupe may be used, but with great difficulty.
Very slightly included 2 (VS2) – Two small or a series of tiny inclusions. Undetectable to the naked eye in 95% of cases. Inclusions can be seen with 10x magnification loupe. Popular choice of grade since it is the last grade that offers a virtually eye clean diamond.
Slightly Included 1 (SI1) – One slightly large or medium or a few smaller inclusions. These inclusions are visible on EGL certificates and very often on IGI certificates as well. Diamond will be eye clean in 50% of cases on a GIA, HRD or AGS certificate depending on the chosen shape, but easy to spot with 10x magnification loupe.
Slightly Included 2 (SI2) – One large, two medium or many small inclusions. These inclusions may be difficult to spot, but will always be visible to the naked eye and easy to locate with a 10x magnification loupe.
Included (I1 or SI3) – Inclusions clearly visible to the naked eye.
5. Certification
Most diamonds sold come with a diamond certificate or grading report which authenticate a diamond’s attributes. These reports will include features such as cut, shape, carat, colour, clarity, dimensions, etc. There are many different diamond grading laboratories, but no across the board standards so different labs can produce different reports for the same stone.
A few of the more trusted labs are GIA, AGS, HRD, IGI, and EGL. All labs are all known for different levels of standards. GIA reports one of the most respected and are the most common type seen on the web. AGS are also well respected and are the only lab that can authenticate a signature excellent cut. HRD are more common in Europe and Asia. IGI is the most popular report for diamonds sold in actual shops. EGL is another respected lab, although their reports are not as highly valued as some of the others. Before purchasing your diamond make sure it comes with a certificate from a trusted laboratory.
