Finding Your Perfect Diamond
You have found the perfect one to share your life journey—now to find the perfect engagement ring. An engagement ring is an important symbol of your love. You would like it to be a custom ring that is treasured and the perfect style for your beloved. Here are some important tips to help you find the perfect engagement ring.
Step 1: Select a Shape
Diamond Shapes
Diamonds come in a variety of shapes. The round cut is used
most frequently in diamond jewelry designs. Other diamond
shapes, known as fancy shapes, include oval, cushion, emerald,
pear, princess and marquise. Even more unusual are the radiant,
asscher and heart cuts.
Step 2: The Four C’s of Diamond Quality
Diamond Cuts
The precision of a diamond’s cut affects its brilliance and sparkle.
The diamond’s radiance and interaction with light is an important
element of the beauty of your diamond engagement ring. The
diamond’s cut determines its interaction with light more than
any other attribute.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) rates the quality
of diamond cuts as excellent, very good, good, fair and poor.
This rating evaluates the diamond’s proportions, symmetry
and polish.
Diamond Clarity
Diamonds form deep within the earth where they are exposed to
extreme heat and pressure, often causing internal inclusions or
external blemishes. The GIA rates the size, nature, position, color
and quantity of characteristics visible under 10x magnification
to determine the quality of clarity. The GIA Clarity Scale contains
11 grades, with most diamonds falling into the VS (very slightly
included) or SI (slightly included) categories.
GIA Clarity Rating System:
- Flawless (FL): No inclusions or blemishes are visible
to a skilled grader using 10× magnification - Internally Flawless (IF): No inclusions and only
blemishes are visible to a skilled professional grader
using 10× magnification - Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2):
Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see under
10× magnification - Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2): Inclusions
are minor and range from difficult to somewhat easy for
a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification - Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) – Inclusions are
noticeable to a skilled grader under 10x magnification - Included (I1, I2, and I3) – Inclusions are obvious
under 10× magnification and may affect transparency
and brilliance
Diamond Color
Diamonds come in a variety of colors including white, yellow,
pink, blue and brown. The GIA Color Rating System applies to
white diamonds with those of the lightest color being of highest
value. The GIA color ratings begin with the letter D, representing
colorless, and continues to the letter Z, representing light yellow
or brown. These differences in color quality are reflected in the
diamond pricing.
Colored diamonds, such as yellow, pink, blue and brown diamonds,
are graded using a separate system that evaluates the characteristics
of the color rather than its presence alone. This color grading system
is similar to those used for other gemstones such as rubies, sapphires
and emeralds. It uses descriptive terms rather than letters to describe
the color. For example, a blue diamond may be described as Faint Blue,
Very Light Blue or Light Blue grade rather than “D”, “K” or “Z.”
Diamond Carat
The size of the diamond is measured by weight in metric carats. One
carat is equal to 0.2 grams. The carat is divided into increments of
100 points. A 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats, and diamonds
weighing greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals.
Diamonds of the same weight may be of different costs due to their other qualities such as color, clarity and cut.