Diamonds are not cheap so if you want to buy a diamond, you have to learn a little more about it before investing in a piece of jewelry with this gem. Most people take this purchase the easy way trusting on certificates that often are included with the purchase.
Therefore, if you ignore the meaning of grading scales, inclusions, carats, or cuts, such information might not be clear enough to determine if you are buying a pure diamond.
The basics of a diamond are determined by a term coined by jewelers as the “Four Cs” standing for cut, clarity, color, and carat weight of a diamond. These four Cs determine the value of diamonds, but “fancy shapes” or special mountings can increase final price.
Jeweler’s advice generally is to keep in mind the untold “Fifth C”, which stands for certificates often referred to as “grading reports”. Certificates are sometimes called “a gem’s pedigree chart” because some of them provide details about the origin of the diamond and the process followed until you receive it.
In general terms, diamond certificates are provided by a qualified professional jeweler, who using gemological instruments determine the value of the diamond based on the “Four Cs” and providing a complete evaluation of other unique characteristics that each diamond has which are listed on the certificate.
Understanding the terms of this certificate allow you to determine if you are getting what you are paying for. Certificates are often issued on loose diamonds. This means those gems that are not preset in rings or other settings. In order to find if you are getting a true certificate you should pay attention to the issuer.
There are two types of diamond certifications that guarantee your purchase, which are the AGS Certified Diamonds and the GIA Certified Diamonds. A professional of the American Gem Society provides AGS Certified Diamonds where professionals recognized by the Gemological Institute of America issue the GIA certificates.
Both the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and American Gem Society (AGS) are the best worldwide-recognized grading labs, although they issue certificates of loose diamonds.
Once a diamond is mounted in a ring or setting, there are many other diamond labs and professional jewelers that may issue certificates taking out the original or including both with your purchase. These labs can also provide a certificate for diamonds that you already own, in which case it is always advisable to ask for their credentials for certifying gems.
Another point to take into consideration is that many diamond jewelry stores may have their own grading labs operating with different grading standards and reports, especially those that do not sell loose diamonds, but diamond rings and diamond settings.
Making an informed choice is necessary because of the money that a diamond cost. Select a diamond and make shop comparison is not always possible, but if you have to stick to a budget, comparison can be made by quality and weight for the best value.
Comparing by shape is, however, another good option to find a specific cut, but the price of the diamond can increase drastically due to the carets of the gem.
