Selecting Diamonds

Diamonds are graded for certification by laboratories using grading criteria. Four of these criteria are critical to understand when making a diamond purchase or investment. Known as the “Four C’s” these criteria are: color, cut, clarity and carat. 

Color is the result of the composition of a diamond and it does not change. When a jeweler is describing the color of a diamond they are referring to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds. Because a diamond with no color allows maximum light to pass through, colorless diamonds are preferred for their sparkle.

Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality. Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent on the cut. The different angles and the finish of a diamond determine its ability to reflect light and cause its brilliance and fire. Remember that the cut of a diamond can have an impact on its durability as well as its beauty. Some cutting faults can make a diamond prone to breakage. A diamond that is cut too thin can also cause light to leak out of the back and the diamond will lose some of the sparkle and appear not to shine. So, as you can see the Cut is probably the most important of the Four C’s.  

During the formation process, inner flaws, or inclusions occur in most diamonds. The number and size of these inclusions determine what is referred to as the clarity of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear create more brilliance and therefore are rarer and highly priced. To be considered “flawless”, a diamond must have no surface or internal imperfections visible upon being viewed by a skilled diamond grader using 10 power magnifications.

Carat is the unit of weight by which diamonds are measured. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams. A carat is divided into 100 segments called points. 150 points would equal one and a half carats. 

When you go to the store to make that all important diamond purchase, do not be shy! Ask questions, get the answers needed to make an informed purchase. Shopping for certified diamonds enables you to make an informed selection. Knowing the “four C’s” allows you to comparison shop and purchase the best diamond at a fair price.  But, before making a purchase, shop around and decide what shapes and styles really appeal to you.

Enjoy your diamond for years to come!

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A Primer To Certified Diamonds and Diamond Certification Laboratories

Knowing little about diamond certification is essential for anyone wanting to buy loose diamonds, or almost any part of the diamond jewelry diamond value can be accurately reflected on the certificate. diamond certificate, also called a diamond grading report, prepared expert gemologist and published by the Gemological Laboratory. There are plenty of Gemological laboratories around the world confirm the diamonds, but it is the norm almost all jewelers in the industry has its diamonds certified by the select few internationally renowned Gemological laboratories, which are considered to employ the strictest standards of diamond grading. Known by its initials, and laboratories Gemological Institute of America (GIA), American Gem Society Laboratories (AGS), the European Gemological Laboratories (EGL), International Gemological Institute (IGI), the Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD).
Although all of these types of laboratories employ a system that assesses a diamond's value mainly from the Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat, some are held in higher regard than others, because each of these organizations has its own set of standards and advocacies. You can therefore expect a diamond certificate to play an integral part of their cost and resale value. Listed below are some facts point to any laboratory that the buyer may take into consideration when purchasing a certified diamond.
GIAGemological Institute of America is perhaps the most highly respected among the five because it is primarily a non-profit educational institution. Founded in 1931 by Robert Shipley, a pioneering little goldsmith during the 30's, GIA's primary mission is to promote education, research, laboratory services and instrument development in the gem and jewelry industry. It was responsible for making "4 C's": Cut, color, clarity and Carat standard for evaluating diamonds
AGSThe American Gem Society shares the same pedigree as the GIA, after being established in 1934 by the famed Robert Shipley. It consists of a group of over 1200 retail jewelers in North America, he established his own laboratory in 1996 and contributed to progress in modernization and new instruments diamond grading standards as the AGS and AGS 0-10 grading system based on the results of Cut Grading system.
EGLEuropean Gemological Laboratories is an international organization established in Europe for over 30 years. Since then it has split into two independent entities owned by: International EGL and EGL USA. EGL International, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001: 2000 certified organization and advocate of "SI3" designation for diamond clarity
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IGIWith locations in all major cities of the diamond trade worldwide, including New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Dubai, Toronto, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv, the International Gemological Institute is the largest independent laboratory in the diamond in the world . This is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001: 2000 certified in four countries including the United States, Canada, India and the United Arab Emiratima.IGI was founded in 1975 and currently headquartered in Antwerp.
for the development of human resources
"Hoge Raad voor Diamant," or Diamond High Council GIA is considered the European counterpart to the representative of the Belgian Diamond Industry. The organization was conceived and based in Antwerp, a city that was at the head of the diamond industry and home to the world's most talented diamond šikare.Laboratorij HRD Diamond is the first laboratory in the diamond in the world that is NBN EN ISO / IEC 17025 certification.
reputable jeweler should be able and willing enough to explain the details to any customer who wants to know more about the different processes of assessment and standards employed by each laboratory, so that he can make an informed odluke.Dijamant certificate is valid and recognized by jewelers and appraisers in the world certified as a clear preference for non-professional buyer.

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