Diamonds: Enjoy the sparkle forever

Diamond, hardest natural material known to man, is widely known and esteemed by everybody because of its exceptional physical characteristics and utile applications in jewelry and other fields. And, this glittering piece is also said to be symbol of prosperity, wealth, status and eternal love. But it is also true there are lots of diamond scams flowing in the market due to lack of knowledge and awareness about diamonds.

Diamond scams persist simply because it is hard for consumers to educate themselves before they buy. And, everyday we see lots of common scams and mistakes done by consumers. But, just a decent knowledge about diamonds can help you in a great way to avoid these scams. That is why it is important to get all much-needed information before buying diamond as well as take the time to make sure you know enough to make a good decision.

If talk about the scams then a common scam that most jewelry stores participate in is the Carat Total Weight scam. The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring, only states the total carat weight of all diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the total weights separately for each diamond. This leads consumers to believe that the main diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it is. Thus, it is important to ask what the total carat weight of the center stone is and also beware of fractions.

Besides these common scams, the other important factors that are used to calculate the value of a diamond is 4 C's— Clarity, Color, Cut, and Carat Weight. One of the most important factors of pricing a diamond is its weight or the carat which is the common scam as described earlier. One carat is one-fifth of a gram or 200 milligrams, usually higher the carat the more expensive is the stone. Carat weight is not a factor which denotes diamond quality. It purely denotes the size of a diamond, by its weight. Obviously it also affects the value or price of a diamond.

Another important measure of a diamond is the clarity or the lack of flaws and it is possibly most important of the factors affecting the quality and price of any diamond. In other words, a diamond with flawless clarity is a diamond free from imperfection. When checking for clarity, a jeweler looks for clear characteristics or signs of any inclusions. Inclusions might include cloudy spots, dark spots, or crystals. The more inclusions the diamond has, the lower the clarity of the diamond, which directly affects its attraction and worth.

The other factor is cut which refers to the proportions, finish, symmetry, and polish of the diamond. These factors determine the fire and brilliance of a diamond. Well cut diamonds sell at a premium and poorly cut diamonds sell at discounted prices. Besides that color is also an important factor. Diamonds can occur in nearly any color, though yellow and brown are by far the most common. But, colored diamonds contain impurities or structural defects that cause the coloration, while pure or nearly pure diamonds are transparent and colorless.

These all 4C’s are the ultimate measures that determine the value of diamond. Thus, next time you shop for a diamond, get proper information and choose your favorite diamond with utmost care and consideration.