When thinking commitments and marriage, it is undeniably an incredibly exciting time for every person involved in the process of making the event memorable and special. But amid all the critical life decision business, excitement about the future and any plans for a wedding, there’s one very small detail which far too much of the world assigns a significant decision time: The kind of diamond you buy!. Even when it means, a special purchase for yourself, the right kind of shine, will only make “YOU” shine brighter.
Diamonds have always been observed as something amazingly beautiful, nearly perfect, or ridiculously incredible. Well, the bright stone can seem expensive when they have the perfect carat weight, color, clarity and cut. The quality of the cut in accordance to its actual polishing is essential in achieving the incredibly rare quality rating of near perfect or immaculate gems. Every diamond possesses its own quality, eventually making it shine after the glaze is added.
Throughout time, diamonds have been one of the most valued, worn and adorned by royalty as a symbol of strength, status and divine authority. Diamonds have emerged as the ultimate declaration of love in the form of engagement rings, eternity rings and contemporary wedding bands. Diamonds possess a unique virtue, elegance and remain simply eternal, making them a great option of gemstone for any piece of jewelry. At Carat Aria we have an extensive collection of stunning and unique diamond jewelry, varying in color, cuts and sizes, allowing you to create every fashion-forward statement under the sun.
So when it comes to choosing your dazzler, make the decision you will cherish forever; consider these below mentioned criterions.
The 4 Cs
A diamonds price, uniqueness and glimmer are determined by factors that are commonly known as the 4 Cs, these are: color, clarity, carat and cut. Before deciding on acquiring your diamond, it is quintessential to understand why two diamonds that may look exactly similar are actually valued differently.
Color
Diamonds naturally vary in color with the majority of them on the market being sold as near colorless. The color range of diamonds starts at D, which has the least color and ends at Z ,which has a light yellow color and then into the fancy colors. Diamonds usually have subtle disparities which may not be observed by the naked eye. Due to the spike in fashion-led trends, colored diamonds are becoming exponentially more popular and valuable such as the Chocolate Diamonds.
The highest grade diamond colors D, E or F are perceived as the ‘collection colors’ in lieu of their scarcity and fantastically white brilliance.
Diamonds colored G, H, I, or J are classified near-colorless and present a good value in terms of its buying price. G and H are the more sought-after in this particular near-colorless group and are also coined as ‘rare white diamonds’. Diamonds in I and J colors are slightly warmer in hue and do command a reduction in price.
Grades of K to N display visible signs of yellow color and are not in demand. Viewed as being poorer quality, there is less demand by the industry and consumers making these grade of diamonds fantastic for dress rings, brooches and alternative jewelery. Undoubtedly, the single solitaire engagement ring demands a better, whiter colored diamond.
Even the light yellow diamonds from N to Z are still marvels of nature that took millions of years to crystallize , yet they will always be preferred and treasured than a man made synthetic gem stone.
Clarity
Clarity measures diamond flaws, called inclusions, which might appear as tiny spots, clouds, or cavities. Inclusions are graded on a scale of perfection called clarity, which means that the lesser inclusions a diamond has, then the greater the clarity and hence making it more valuable. The clarity paradigm is reminiscent that it is quite common for diamonds to have natural occurring flaws making them rarely perfect. The shimmer of the stone will not be greatly influenced by inclusions as they can be easily camouflaged by the setting or the mount. To summarize, all conditions being perpetual, the less inclusions the greater the life and sparkle of a diamond and the more one will pay.
Cut
The term cut in an accurate sense defines the diamonds ‘make’, i.e. symmetry and dimensions. The
diamond’s cut therefore, influences its capability to handle light refraction and create
sparkle, scintillation and life all the same time. Facets are the flat, polished surfaces on a
diamond. Well cut and proportioned facets on a diamond will make better use of light, allowing
it to be dispersed and reflected from one facet to another, releasing the diamond’s brilliance.
A diamond is said to be “well cut” when the diamond’s facets are in alignment and allow light to
refract within and then disperse through the top of the diamond. With perfect light dispersion
emerges a beautiful diamond sparkle that every girl dreams of.
Considering the symmetry and finish of the stone, a diamond can be cut in various ways; to be heavier, thus gaining more value, or to hide or reduce inclusions. Jewelry craftsmen transform a rugged diamond to a gleaming one by polishing tiny facets into the rough stone. These can vary from diamond to diamond, so the shape and the quality should be taken into consideration.
A symmetry that enhances the optimal light return is known as Excellent or Ideal, diamonds with Premium and Very Good symmetry are well cut diamonds and have abundant amount of sparkle and presence.Good symmetry represents value for money but will not capture all the potential light return but will have a nice sparkle. Fair and Poor cuts should be avoided as they may be too shallow or deep and have a less than satisfactory performance.
Carat
Diamond weight impacts the price most dramatically out of the various diamond characteristics. This is the reason why, some diamonds have poor cut to retaining a rougher diamond and larger carat size equating to a higher selling price. Diamonds are measured in carats, which signifies the weight, rather than the size. Over sized carat weights are rarer and more precious. The carat weight does not reflect the size of a diamond, so at times the stone might appear bigger but may weigh less, so it is worth taking your time to absorb its glory.
Carats are split into points where 100 points are equal to one carat.
- ½ carat diamond – 50 point or 0.50 carat diamond
- ¼ carat diamond – 25 point or 0.25 carat diamond
In a situation, when there is more than one diamond on a piece of jewelry such as on a diamond cluster ring or a three stone pendant, the stones are weighed together rather than individually.
Carat and then clarity , have taken the responsibility as the two key price drivers and often shopping for diamonds just under the popular sizes of 0.50ct, 0.75ct, 1.00ct, 1.50ct, and 2.00ct can yield a better cut and a favorable price.
As you understand more about diamonds less emphasis will be placed on size and more on diamond quality. It’s easy to have the biggest car but should an Audi cost more than a Lamborghini?. We ask!
Choosing the right diamond type for your hand
Selecting the right diamond or in turn the most flattering ring for your finger is a lot like
choosing the right sunglasses for your face shape. When faced with immense glaring choices, you
will find out that not all styles look exactly same on your hand, as they do in a well lit
display case. But worry not — At Carat Aria there’s a ring style and shape to
compliment every fi
nger and every hand, accentuating all the beauty and
minimizing the things you don’t like.
Luckily, with just a handful amount of information, you can avoid spending hours trying on rings in order to narrow down your options. Whether you’re openly choosing your engagement ring with your groom-to-be or trying to influence him subtly (or not) from the sidelines, use these pointers to kick-start your search and find the most flattering ring for your unique finger shape and size.
When considering different rings, deliberate on the length and width of your finger, the one you intend to put the ring on — along with the overall size of your hand — against a couple key things:
- Shape and size of the main stone
- Width and style of the ring itself
- Nail length you usually maintain
Below is our guide that you might find helpful, but just in-case your heart is set on one, we say, go for it!
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