Diamond jewelry-critical things to consider for right choice

 

Diamonds are expensive entity and selection of diamond jewelry is equally a tough job. It is not possible for a lay person to distinguish between good and bad diamond. But with some knowledge about Gemology you can choose good diamond jewelry. Diamond rings, diamond necklaces, diamond earrings and diamond bracelets and pendants are important diamond jewelry.

The 4 Cs – color, clarity, cut and carat weight are critical considerations in choosing right type of diamond jewelry.

Color: Colorless diamonds are considered to be rarest and most expensive. Diamonds are rated with one-letter designation according to the amount of color. D stands for highest rating for colorlessness. The scale continues with faint yellow color in K-M range up to light yellow color in V-X range. For diamond jewelry color choice will be more important for placing the diamond in white gold, or sterling silver, or platinum setting where yellow tint of diamond will be distinctly noticed.

Cut: In diamond jewelry, cut refers to a diamond’s reflective quality. A brilliantly cut diamond catches light and reflects a dazzling sparkle, while the sparkle from a poorly cut diamond is less bright. These cuts are further graded as: Ideal, premium, very good, good, fair and poor, to help in selection of diamond jewelry. Ideal grade diamonds are most costly. Clarity: Diamonds being natural material contain some inclusions and blemishes and are graded accordingly. ‘F’ grade indicates flaw less quality. ‘IF’ represents internally flawless. Other grades include ‘VVS1-VVS2’, ‘VS1-VS2’, SI1-SI-2. Grade ‘I1-I3’ diamonds contain visible imperfections. More the clarity more expensive is the diamond.

Carat weight: Another important characteristic which decides value of diamond and diamond jewelry is the weight of diamond measured in carats, which equals 0.2 grams per unit.

Your budget for diamond jewelry will decide which grade of 4-C you would like to select. The stone should neither be too small nor too big to fit securely into the setting you choose.