Posts Tagged ‘The 4 C’s’

 

What you Need to Know About Diamond Carats

Monday, July 12th, 2010

When shopping for a diamond engagement ring, there are many factors that need to be discussed. One of the things that couples talk about are diamond carats, which is simply the weight of the diamond. Obviously, a 1 carat diamond will be much more expensive than a smaller carat stone, because higher carats are naturally more rare. However, the average size of a diamond used in an engagement ring is 1/3 of a carat.

Even if you can’t afford a huge diamond, there are certain settings and design elements that can be incorporated to make the diamond look larger than it actually is!

What Size Should You Buy?

Unfortunately, there seems to be a misconception among many inexperienced jewelry buyers that the bigger the diamond, the better it is. While bigger diamonds are more expensive, of course, that does not mean they are better than a smaller stone. Of course, the size you choose should not only be appropriate for your budget, but also based on your bride-to-be’s preferences as well.

Carat weight is not the only factor that will influence the price of a diamond though. The other C”s of the 4 C’s (color, clarity and cut) also influence the final price.

Finally, you should also base your decision on carat weight by how it would look on your bride-to-be’s hand. If her hands are small and dainty, a larger stone would look ridiculous, whereas if she has larger hands and fingers, a small stone may become lost and look out of place.

How to Make a Small Diamond Appear Larger

Even if you can’t afford a large carat weight, you can still employ certain tricks with the design of the engagement ring to make the stone appear larger than it actually is. If you have an elongated diamond shape, such as a marquise diamond, they will appear larger than they actually are. An elevated prong setting can also create the illusion of a bigger stone, and side or accent stones nestled against the central stone can also create an optical illusion to add size to the diamond.

Total Weight

The total carat weight of a diamond engagement ring depends on the weight of all stones used in an engagement ring. If you choose a ring with several accent stones, this will increase the overall carat weight of the ring and quite possibly increase the price as well. When comparing various engagement rings, make sure you verify the carat weight of each stone, including the central stone, which should make up the largest portion of the total carat weight of the ring.

Even though the carat weight of a diamond is important, many people believe that the higher the carat weight, the better the stone is. While this isn’t always the case, it is important to buy an engagement ring that is within your budget, no matter what the weight of the stones are.

You can view a fine selection of engagement rings to meet all budgets at EngagementRings.org.

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How to Choose a Diamond Shape for your Engagement Ring

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Choosing a diamond shape is actually a very important decision that should be based on a number of factors, not just what shape you like best. Engagement rings are an important purchase, and choosing the right diamond shape for your particular ring is a critical process that should not be taken lightly.

 

What Kind of Diamond Shapes Are There?

 

Before you can choose a diamond shape for your engagement ring, you should familiarize yourself with the kinds of shapes that are available. These included:

  • Oval
  • Round
  • Heart
  • Emerald
  • Pear
  • Marquise
  • Princess
  • Radiant
  • Trilliant
  • Asscher

While your personal preferences will obviously come into play as far as what diamond shape you choose, there are other factors to consider.

 

Things to Consider

 

Before choosing a diamond shape, you should carefully consider which shape would be not only something you like, but practical as well.

 

For example, you want to make sure the stone’s dimensions are good. A poorly cut diamond (no matter what shape it is) will reveal imperfections and flaws and not look as brilliant as you want it to.

 

You also need to take into account the size of your band. A wider band can handle elongated diamonds, while a thin or narrow band is complemented by round or square shaped stones. Try on a bunch of different rings with diamond shapes you’re interested in, as well, because you want to make sure the shape of the stone complements your hand.

 

If you are thinking of incorporating accent stones into the design of your engagement ring, consider how those accents will affect the shape of your central stone.

 

Judging the Quality of a Diamond

 

After you’ve decided on a diamond shape for your engagement ring, it’s important to understand how to judge the quality of the stone you’re interested in.

 

Learning about the 4 C’s (cut, color, clarity and carat weight) will help you in determining the quality of the diamond, and enable you to make good choices. The type of stone shape you choose will have its own pros and cons, so learning about the 4 C’s will help you to find the perfect stone for your engagement ring.

 

If you are having a hard time finding a particular diamond shape, you may need to solicit the help of a designer to craft the perfect diamond for you. Most jewelers stock a limited selection of some of the more basic diamond shapes, but a specialty shape may require you to look elsewhere.

 

While personal preference is important when choosing a particular diamond shape, you still need to consider how to design your engagement ring to best flatter that shape. By learning all you can about judging diamond quality and the different shapes available to you, you can find the perfect diamond that fits your budget, your ring and your personal taste!

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How to Find the Perfect Diamond Engagement Ring

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Proposing to the woman you love with a beautiful diamond engagement ring will be one of the most special moments in your life. With that being said, you want to make sure you are buying the best diamond ring you can. Even if you know nothing about jewelry, it pays to familiarize yourself with the basic characteristics of a diamond and how each affect the value of the stone. Armed with a basic understanding of diamonds, you can ensure the diamond engagement ring you present to your bride-to-be will be perfect.

 

Determine What She Likes

Choosing a diamond is only one step in the process of finding the perfect diamond engagement ring for your bride-to-be. Before you can purchase a ring, you need to determine what kind of jewelry she likes. If you intend on keeping the proposal a secret until the big day, enlist the help of her friends or mother (if they can keep a secret, that is!) or take a peek at the jewelry she already owns. Does she own more white gold pieces, or does she prefer yellow gold? Do her tastes tend to be classic and understated or bold and elaborate? Learn as much as you can about the style of jewelry she prefers so you are able to buy an engagment ring she’ll love.

 

Figure Out How Much You Can Afford

A diamond engagement ring can be very expensive or quite affordable depending on how much you can afford to spend. While you want to buy the best quality diamond you can for your bride-to-be, that doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands of dollars if you are unable to. The setting, metal choice and the stone will all affect the final cost of the ring, so figure out what you are looking for and how much you can expect to pay for the diamond and setting you are interested in.

 

Learn What To Look For In A Diamond

A diamond engagement ring is one of the most important and major purchases you will make, so you should take the time to understand what you are buying before you commit. A diamond’s worth is judged by the 4 C’s (cut, clarity, color and carat weight.) Take the time to familiarize yourself with these and use them to judge which qualities are most important in a diamond for you and your bride-to-be. Learning about the various diamond shapes and sizes will also help you narrow down your choice to find the perfect diamond engagement ring that your budget will allow. You should also settle on a setting and band for your ring. Different metals will affect the final cost of the engagement ring as some metals (such as platinum) are more expensive than others.

 

Finding the perfect diamond engagement ring for your bride-to-be can seem like a daunting task. If you take the time to learn about diamonds and ring styles, however, you can ensure the ring you end up buying will be cherished and loved for the rest of your lives together.

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What are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds?

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Flaws and imperfections can drastically reduce the value of a diamond, especially if there is major damage to the stone. However, minor flaws can actually be reversed completely in clarity enhanced diamonds. For this reason, more couples are choosing to purchase clarity enhanced stones as an affordable way to purchase an impressive engagement ring.

 

One of The 4 C’s – Clarity

If you are at all familiar with the 4 C’s of diamonds, you are aware that clarity plays an important role in determining the value of a diamond. Clarity refers to how clear a diamond is and the number of flaws present. There are very few gemstones that are completely flawless. Even the most visually stunning diamonds can have tiny flaws or cracks that aren’t really noticeable.  However, very visible imperfections can have a definite impact on the value of a stone. In order to fix these noticeable imperfections, diamonds can be treated to cover up some of the damage. While clarity treated diamonds can look brilliant and much clearer, the fact they have been artificially enhanced often makes them less valuable when compared to naturally clear stones.

 

While clarity treatments were largely looked down upon at first, there is no denying that many couples are turning to clarity enhanced diamonds for an affordable engagement ring that still looks amazing.

 

Clarity Treatments

There are two common treatments used to artificially enhance the clarity of diamonds.

 

Fracture Filling

Fracture filling is typically used to close small cracks that appear on a diamond. The cracks are filled in using a thin, glass-like film or silica resin. This treatment results in a practically invisible repair of the flaws, and can usually not be detected with the naked eye. If you purchase a diamond that has been fracture filled, you should be aware that this type of clarity treatment is not usually permanent. Because of this, most reputable jewelers will offer a guarantee that they will repair your diamond when and if the treatment doesn’t hold up.

 

Laser Drilling

Laser drilling is a common treatment used to remove minor flaws within a diamond, called inclusions. These inclusions can appear inside the gem as cloudy spots or dark-colored flaws. With this treatment, a laser is inserted into the diamond to create a small tunnel, whereby the flaw can oftentimes be removed or dissolved by the laser. Sometimes, a chemical substance can actually be inserted through the tunnel to bleach away the dark spot. Because laser drilling does not affect the durability of a diamond, it is usually favored over fracture filling. What’s more, this clarity treatment is more permanent.

 

Jewelers are required to disclose which diamonds have been clarity treated, but there are still unscrupulous dealers who do not have a customer’s best interests at heart. That’s why it’s important to only deal with reputable jewelers before purchasing a treated diamond, or any high quality jewelry for that matter.

 

While clarity enhanced diamonds were long looked down upon, they have become an extremely affordable option for couples that can not afford naturally flawless diamonds. Clarity treated stones are usually substantially cheaper than other diamonds that have not been artificially enhanced, and still sparkle as brilliantly as other stones.

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