How to Buy Diamonds - What You Need to Know
View our diamond rings here. |
| |
|
|
Buying a diamond might seem complicated
but here are tips that make buying a diamond online easy. Some
find it easier to buy diamonds today with web sites like
Novori Jewelry providing easy to use diamond search tools
and low prices. You should understand what to look for
when you want to buy diamonds online. Sure there are the
4 C's but which one of the 4 C's is the important ones?
And even with the 4 C's you need to be able to afford
the diamond. This guide will give you the information
you need to buy diamonds online
with confidence.
The 4 C's - Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carats
There are many factors to consider when you buy diamonds,
but jewelers everywhere use the 4 C's (Cut, Color, Clarity,
Carats) as a way of describing the value of a diamond.
If you want to learn how to buy diamonds, you need to
learn exactly what the 4 C's are, and how each aspect
contributes to the value of the diamond.
So here is what you need to know:
Step 1: Determine Your Diamond Budget
You know what you are able to spend so that is your starting
point to buy diamonds. Determine a budget that you are
able to afford. The size and quality of the diamond you
choose is greatly determined by the budget. Not to worry,
a beautiful diamond can be bought if the right features
are selected. You will notice when you buy diamonds at
Novori that there are thousands of affordable diamonds
in any budget range. We price our diamonds for absolute
value and guarantee
the lowest diamond price. We can help
you find a diamond you can afford.
Step 2: Select the Diamond Cut
The cut of a diamond describes
how the angles the diamond are cut to best reflect light
through the diamond, causing it to sparkle. The cut is
what determines the Fire (sparkle and shine) of a diamond.
A quality cut brings out the beauty of a diamond and makes
it more valuable, while a poorly cut diamond will sell
for less because it isn't as brilliant or shiny. When
buying a diamond, cut and color should be the top 2 factors
in your selection of a loose diamond. Unless you have
budget constraints, a diamond with at least a Very Good
cut will provide you lots of sparkle and shine.
| Diamond Cut |
Description |
| Exquisite |
Novori's highest diamond cut grade. |
| Ideal |
Excellent value. |
| Very Good |
Excellent value. |
| Good |
Excellent value. |
| Fair |
Acceptable cut grade. |
Step 3: Select the Diamond Color
Diamond color grades are represented by a letter of the alphabet, starting with D
being the very best (colorless) and Z being the least desirable (yellow). For quality
reasons, Novori will only sell diamonds in the D to J color range. With an untrained
eye, a loose diamond in the range from an F to H will appear just as white as a D
color, and be less expensive. When buying diamonds, the F to H color range will provide
you your best value. Color ranging below an H may have yellow tinges showing but can
be a good alternative if on a tight budget. The actual color
of a diamond is a personal preference but loose diamonds
that are colorless, known as white diamonds are the most rare
and therefore cost the most.
| Color |
Description |
| D |
The highest color grade and the diamond is absolutely colorless. |
| E |
Colorless |
| F |
Colorless |
| G - H |
Near Colorless |
| I - J |
Near Colorless |
| K - M |
Faint Yellow (not sold by
Novori) |
| N - Z |
Light Yellow to Yellow (not
sold by Novori) |
Step 4: Select the Diamond Clarity
The clarity
of a diamond refers
to how clear the diamond is when you look through it.
A perfect diamond is rare; most have inclusions and flaws,
although many cannot be seen without magnification. Almost
every loose diamond has imperfections
and they are considered as
nature’s
finger prints in a loose diamond.
With an untrained eye
you will not notice the difference
in a diamond that is graded
better than VS1, but you will
see an increased price. If
selecting a diamond smaller
than .75 a clarity of a SI2
would be sufficient as these
diamonds are smaller and imperfections
would be difficult to spot.
If you are selecting a diamond
that is larger than a .75
range it is best to select
a diamond with clarity between
SI1 and VS1, as a clarity
rating of SI2 may have noticeable
carbon or feathering. In a
SI1 range and better the diamond
will be 100% eye clean meaning
that it will not show noticeable
imperfections. This will provide
you the best balance between
quality and value.
| Clarity |
Description |
| FL |
Flawless - No internal or external imperfections visible using a 10X microscope. |
| IF |
Internally Flawless - No visible internal imperfections, but may have minor surface blemishes visible when using a 10x microscope. |
| VVS1-VVS2 |
Very, Very Slightly included - Inclusions that are
extremely difficult for a skilled observer to locate
using a 10x microscope. |
| VS1-VS2 |
Very Slightly included - Very small inclusions that
are very difficult for a skilled observer to locate
using a 10x microscope. In rare instances, with
larger stones, some VS1/VS2 inclusions can be seen
with the naked eye, after first being located using
a microscope. |
| SI1-SI2 |
Slightly Included - Refers to diamonds which have
small inclusions that can be easily located using
a 10x microscope. In some instances, such inclusions
can be seen with the naked eye, after first being
located using a 10x microscope. |
| I1-I3 |
Imperfect - Medium to large inclusions which are readily apparent to a skilled observer with the unaided eye. (Novori does not sell this grade of diamond.) |
Step 5: Select the Diamonds Carat (weight)
Larger diamonds cost
more than smaller diamonds, even if the total carats
of the diamonds are the same. For example, a single
one carat diamond will cost you more than three diamonds
set in a ring that add up to one carat. This is because
larger diamonds are much more rare to find. When diamonds
are cut, they lose about half their size. When determining
the carat size of a diamond, you should make sure that
it is just the right size for both your loved one and
your budget!
Diamond Certificates
In addition to understanding what to look for in regards
to the 4 C's when
learning how to buy a diamond, you should also ensure
that when buying diamonds you look for an independent
diamond certificate. Independent means that it
has NOT been certified by a jewelry store but rather by
and independent third part like GIA or EGL. All Novori
diamonds are certified loose diamonds and come with certificates
describing the diamond in detail. Not all laboratories
grade diamonds equally. GIA has the best reputation in grading diamonds accurately and GIA graded diamonds usually have a higher price because of the accurate grading. EGL certified diamonds may not be accuratley graded but can be
a very good buy as long as you are aware that EGL labs
certify diamonds more generously than GIA labs. At Novori Jewelry we personally inspect the diamonds we sell and make a personal recommendation for you on what we see. Contact
Novori for more details on an GIA diamond certificate
vs. an EGL diamond certificate. The important thing to
look for when buying diamonds is that it is independently
certified.
Buying Diamonds Summary
Finding the perfect diamond may at first seem difficult
but is actually easy to do. When buying diamonds, don't
be intimidated by the jargon of diamonds. Determine your
diamond budget, select a decent cut for sparkle, find
the right color and clarity as shown above. Hopefully
this has helped you and Novori Jewelry is always ready to assist
you. You can chat with us online, email us or call us toll free
at 1-877-877-4141.
Related Articles
|
Shipping to Canada