My name is Stephanie Osborn. I am a certified Jewelry Gemologist through the Gemological Institute of America also know as the GIA. This little video is designed to give you some basic information whether this is your first time buying a diamond or whether you are an experienced diamond buyer. Just to keep in mind so you can make the best purchase possible.
There are three basic parts of the diamond: The crown, the girdle, and of course the pavilion. Each has faceted a little differently and you need to try to make sure that the symmetry between all of those parts is balanced to have the most beautiful diamond you can get. When you are looking to purchase a diamonds you are going to want to remember the 4 Cs. They are cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.
You want to consider the cut of the stone basically the arrangement of the facets because that is what affects the actual beauty of your stone. The facet arrangement is what determines what your fire and your brilliance was going to be in that actual stone. You do not want a stone that the crown is too swallow; you do not want a stone with the pavilion is too big both of those will have adverse effects of the way light interacts with your stone. And you probably would not to be very happy with your purchase.
Colorless stones come in many other shapes and sizes there are emerald cut stones, they are ovals, squares, azure cuts, trilliants, and marquees. All of which are considered fancy cut stones. Those are stones that people who want something a little more unique something a little more special usually look to when they do not necessarily want traditional style stone.
The clarity of a diamond basically addresses whether the stone has inclusions or not. The difference between inclusions and blemishes is that an inclusion is something that you are going to find inside of the stone while blemishes are going to be things you are going to find on the surface of the stone. The clarity grades you going to want to pay the most attention to would be flawless, internally flawless. VVS1 which is very, very slightly included one, VVS2 which is very, very included two VS1 which is very slightly included one, VS2 which is very slightly included two. Inclusions depending on how they arrange in the stone and depending on the types of inclusions they are, whether they are blemishes or actually inside the stone can affect the way light interacts in the stone and how it refracts back out of the stone. You are not going to want to purchase a stone that say less than SI1 quality diamond.
If you are able to afford the flawless diamond of course that will be the ideal stone to have because it would be without any inclusions at all. However, sometimes inclusions can be beneficial because when you want to ensure your stone or ideal stone the usual inclusion as a map, kind of like a finger print is for human being.
Now the ideal color for a colorless stone will be classified as a D that means there is no tints, no hues, absolutely colorless. D, E and F are the most ideal colorless diamonds you can purchase. G, H, I and J are just the slight step below meaning that you may have slight tints of yellow or possible slight tints of brown. Now the color scale does run all the way from D to Z but you would not want a color less stone that has its Z classification. That would be a very unattractive very highly tinted stone. Your preference is going is going to try to obtain a stone that is colorless, classified D, E, or F. or near colorless, G, H, I, or J.
A Fancy color diamond is any diamond that is not considered a colorless diamond. When you are dealing with pinks, blues, browns, yellows, or canaries, all of those will be considered fancy colored diamonds. You are going to want to try to obtain a stone has a classification of vivid or very vivid. That is means it is the richest and the most intense color that is available for the particular color that you have chosen for your fancy colored of stone.
Quite often when a person is looking to purchase a round brilliant stone they believe that a two carat diamond is doubled the size of one carat diamond, does is not necessarily so. Bigger is not necessarily better when you are looking at your carat weight of course you going to want it much bang for your buck as you can get. But you have to remember just because the stone is big it does not mean it is the best stone you can get for your dollar. If you have a stone that has a larger pavilion side than the crown side, chances are you are going to independent light escaping through the pavilion side. Producing your brilliance and your fire and calling the stone to look dead or dull. If you have a stone that is properly cut your carat weight maybe little lighter, but you will end up with a beautiful stone.
Another option that you have available to you is looking into purchasing a lab created diamond. Now the average individuals hears lab created and automatically thinks fake or less than. But not actuality allowed created diamond is exactly the same as a natural diamond. Exact same elements, exact in structure. The only different is where your diamond formed. You will find that lab created diamonds is grown in an environment where all the elements are a little easier controlled. So sometimes you can even get a better quality diamond for a little less money. More beauty, less money, you benefit in the long run.
Rest assured that your lab created diamond is evaluated and graded the same way a natural diamond is. You can get lab reports for your lab grown diamonds just like you can from you natural diamonds. They are graded with the exact same cut, clarity, color and carat weight as your natural diamond would be.
When you are considering popping in the question and you are ready to buy your engagement ring. We suggest that you consider spending right around two months of your gross salary. That is a good starting point for budget that seems feasible when you are looking at how much want you spend on the engagement ring. You may feel that two months is quite a lot of money, But you need to think of your purchase as an investment you are investing money in your future. You are investing money and a piece of jewelry that says how important this person is to you. And that you want to spend the rest of your life.with this person.
Remember when you are purchasing your diamond the most important thing to remember is your personal taste. Purchase what you like if you like your diamonds with the slight yellow tint to them, you purchase a diamond with the slight yellow tint to it. If you like your diamonds with inclusion that look like little shapes, that is what you need to purchase. Make sure you are happy with the diamond that you purchased.
I hope this information has been helpful to you in your search for your perfect diamond. If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact your Charles Collection Specialist.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services