There's nothing like a diamond for adding sparkle into your life.
Whether it's a diamond engagement ring, a diamond ring for any reason, or a diamond necklace, all of these pieces of jewelry make a real impact when they contain diamonds.
But now the hard question. How do you chose a diamond? And what is the best way to buy diamond jewelry.
The first thing to consider is whether you want to buy a natural or a synthetic diamond. A natural diamond is, as he name implies, natural, in that it has been mined from the earth. A synthetic diamond is one that has been produced in a laboratory.
Natural diamonds are far more expensive than laboratory-produced diamonds. This is due to the cost of mining them, shipping and cutting. So if budget is a real concern, then it might be a good idea to stay away from natural diamonds.
However, if the diamond is for something extremely special such as an engagement ring, it might be better to handle the expense. A woman might not feel particularly flattered when she finds that her engagement ring contains a fake diamond.
A way around this problem is to buy a small real diamond, rather than a larger synthetic.
Not that there is anything wrong with synthetic diamonds. The quality and look of synthetic diamonds has never been better. Particularly noteworthy is moissanite. This a very bright synthetic diamond, which many people love precisely because of the extreme brightness.
Some people say it is too bright, but it's all a matter of taste. Synthetic diamonds may be good for the larger pieces of jewelry, when the cost of natural diamonds may well be prohibitive.
The next thing to consider is color. Many people don't know that diamonds are available in many colors other than the standard textbook "white". Other diamond colors include pink, yellow and green.
Pink diamonds are expensive, and along with the other colors have become popular recently. A colored diamond can really attract attention but without being gaudy.
And when it comes to buying, look no further than the internet. Jewelry bought online can be much less expensive than jewelry bought in a traditional store. This is because online jewelers have far fewer overheads, such as the cost of a prime retail location, and can pass these savings on to the customers.
The best online jewelers will supply a diamond report, which gives all the scientific details about the diamond. They also offer a full money-back guarantee, which gives you the opportunity to have the diamond checked by a professional gemologist.
By: Hazel Smith
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
What To Look For When You Buy Diamond Jewelry
You may already know that diamonds are the hardest substance known to man. Their crystallization process takes literally millions of years, and it's believed that some diamonds can actually be billions of years old! That interesting fact probably doesn't help you when it's time to buy diamond jewelry, however, so let's talk about some practical things to keep in mind when you're heading off to the jewelry store. Another thing to remember when choosing a diamond jewelry is that it is good to be attune to your style. Many men struggle in this area, but paying attention to a few clues can help you.
The Four C's of Diamond Jewelry Grading
You may already know that the Four C's of diamond jewelry are cut, color, clarity, and carats.
The cut refers to the shape of the diamond, but involves much more than that. A skilled jeweler can cut a diamond in such a way so that light bounces off of it brilliantly, giving it the most sparkle possible. There can actually be a poor cut of a diamond which you may not be able to tell with the naked eye. The shape of it is the same on the top, but the diamond itself is too deep or too shallow to reflect light properly. And really, unless you're buying diamond jewelry as a financial investment, isn't the sparkle the real reason you want to own it? So getting a good cut is important in your selection.
The color of a diamond is graded by letters. A perfect diamond is one that is colorless, although these are said to be quite rare. The yellowish or brown tinge of a diamond will determine its color grade. Some diamond jewelry is purposely colored, such as yellow or blue diamonds, and these are called "fancy." But for most, grades of D, E or F are considered colorless, G, H and I are called near colorless, and the rating goes from there. Just like school report cards, you want the lowest grade possible when selecting diamond jewelry.
Flaws inside diamonds are called inclusions, and clarity grades the number of these inclusions. Most inclusions in diamond jewelry cannot be seen with the naked eye, and so you need to use a gemologist's magnifier to see them.
And it's important to remember that carat does not refer to a diamond's size but its weight. A particular cut can give a smaller diamond a heavier carat, and vice versa. When shopping for diamond jewelry, don't get bowled over immediately by the size of the diamond, as a smaller one with a heavier carat can actually be more valuable.
The four C's of diamond jewelry are still the most important factors in determining its actual value. If you're shopping simply for what looks good, you may be able to afford something larger that has less carats and more inclusions, but if you're looking for a financial investment, really study each diamond's value based on these measurements, and you'll be able to make the best decision. Keep this information close when shopping for Diamond Jewelry.
By: David Cowley
The Four C's of Diamond Jewelry Grading
You may already know that the Four C's of diamond jewelry are cut, color, clarity, and carats.
The cut refers to the shape of the diamond, but involves much more than that. A skilled jeweler can cut a diamond in such a way so that light bounces off of it brilliantly, giving it the most sparkle possible. There can actually be a poor cut of a diamond which you may not be able to tell with the naked eye. The shape of it is the same on the top, but the diamond itself is too deep or too shallow to reflect light properly. And really, unless you're buying diamond jewelry as a financial investment, isn't the sparkle the real reason you want to own it? So getting a good cut is important in your selection.
The color of a diamond is graded by letters. A perfect diamond is one that is colorless, although these are said to be quite rare. The yellowish or brown tinge of a diamond will determine its color grade. Some diamond jewelry is purposely colored, such as yellow or blue diamonds, and these are called "fancy." But for most, grades of D, E or F are considered colorless, G, H and I are called near colorless, and the rating goes from there. Just like school report cards, you want the lowest grade possible when selecting diamond jewelry.
Flaws inside diamonds are called inclusions, and clarity grades the number of these inclusions. Most inclusions in diamond jewelry cannot be seen with the naked eye, and so you need to use a gemologist's magnifier to see them.
And it's important to remember that carat does not refer to a diamond's size but its weight. A particular cut can give a smaller diamond a heavier carat, and vice versa. When shopping for diamond jewelry, don't get bowled over immediately by the size of the diamond, as a smaller one with a heavier carat can actually be more valuable.
The four C's of diamond jewelry are still the most important factors in determining its actual value. If you're shopping simply for what looks good, you may be able to afford something larger that has less carats and more inclusions, but if you're looking for a financial investment, really study each diamond's value based on these measurements, and you'll be able to make the best decision. Keep this information close when shopping for Diamond Jewelry.
By: David Cowley
Buying Diamond Jewelry: Know What To Look For
In judging diamond jewelry it is a common occurrence to get a diamonds shape and the cut mixed up. The cut of a diamond describes the performance of light, dimensions, and finish. Shape is just the outline of the diamond from a top view. In judging diamond jewelry you must make sure there is a good cut.
The cut of the diamond has the biggest effect on the sparkle of the diamond. A diamond that has immaculate color and is very clear can look dull with a poor cut on the stone.
In judging the value of a diamond the color of the diamond is a major factor. The diamonds with the least amount of coloring are worth the most. Even a very small amount of color in the gem can make it so the diamond’s brilliance is diminished. The higher grade the diamond is the more expensive it will be.
The weight of the carats in the diamond is important when judging diamond jewelry. The diamond in the jewelry in terms of its weight is measured in carats. Considering diamonds that are larger are also rarer than smaller diamonds the value rises very much when the weight increases. If you are buying a diamond from a wholesaler they must by law tell you the carat weight in the piece of jewelry.
In judging diamond jewelry look to see how many flaws are on the diamond. Flaws, also called inclusions, are rare and are highly valued. How the clarity is graded is based on the number, size, location, and type of the flaws found within the diamond. Make sure the flaws are picked out as if they are not the diamond will be much more expensive.
Make sure to check the cut, carat weight, color, and flaws on the diamond in the jewelry to make sure you are getting the best deal. Considering a diamond can be very expensive it is wise to understand all of these factors or get a professional to judge it for you. Also make sure the diamond is certified as the certification will guarantee its authenticity.
By: David Flinthoff
The cut of the diamond has the biggest effect on the sparkle of the diamond. A diamond that has immaculate color and is very clear can look dull with a poor cut on the stone.
In judging the value of a diamond the color of the diamond is a major factor. The diamonds with the least amount of coloring are worth the most. Even a very small amount of color in the gem can make it so the diamond’s brilliance is diminished. The higher grade the diamond is the more expensive it will be.
The weight of the carats in the diamond is important when judging diamond jewelry. The diamond in the jewelry in terms of its weight is measured in carats. Considering diamonds that are larger are also rarer than smaller diamonds the value rises very much when the weight increases. If you are buying a diamond from a wholesaler they must by law tell you the carat weight in the piece of jewelry.
In judging diamond jewelry look to see how many flaws are on the diamond. Flaws, also called inclusions, are rare and are highly valued. How the clarity is graded is based on the number, size, location, and type of the flaws found within the diamond. Make sure the flaws are picked out as if they are not the diamond will be much more expensive.
Make sure to check the cut, carat weight, color, and flaws on the diamond in the jewelry to make sure you are getting the best deal. Considering a diamond can be very expensive it is wise to understand all of these factors or get a professional to judge it for you. Also make sure the diamond is certified as the certification will guarantee its authenticity.
By: David Flinthoff
Learning to Differentiate Between CZ Jewelry and Diamond Jewelry
The huge popularity of Cubic Zirconia or CZ in short is attributable to its ability to substitute itself as a desirable substitute for the more expensive diamond itself. Most Gemologists agree that the visual characteristics of CZ match closely with that of diamond, and even trained personnel in gemology cannot differentiate them with naked eyes. For the ordinary pair of eyes with no knowledge of gemology CZ looks very similar to diamonds. A closer inspection would however reveal a marginally lesser brilliance compared to a diamond and an excess dose of fire or flash of color. Originally, the Russians are credited with the development of CZ primarily for the Russian space program. This exercise was to provide an alternative for diamonds used in optics of lasers. The refractive index, hardness and dispersion of CZ are so close to diamond making it so uncanny.
How do we differentiate CZ jewelry?
To distinguish CZ jewelry from diamonds, it is essential to employ gemological equipments such as a loupe, microscope etc. While the hardness of diamond reads 10 being the hardest material known to mankind, CZ measures between 8.5 and 9 on Mohs’ hardness scale. Glass/sand measures 5 to 6 which means that dust and dirt cannot cause scratches on your CZ jewelry. CZ can however cause scratches on glass which again is good news for your CZ jewelry because it provides resistance to chipping.
Weight
When it comes to weight, the CZ is a heavy weight counterpart compared to diamonds with a typical comparison notching upto 175% in weight in relation to diamond. This is again great news for CZ jewelry lovers because the weight of a similar sized diamond jewelry will be nearly half of the CZ jewelry.
CZ is colorless and flawless
While diamonds tend to carry impurities or some kind of defects, CZ is generally flawless. When we consider, colorless diamonds are among the rarest and most diamonds will have brown or yellow tinge. CZ on the contrary can be manufactured to be colorless comparable to “D” on a color grading for diamonds.
Other factors
Identification of gems through visual inspection, in most cases is more a wild guess work than a scientific authentication. Even qualified gemologists need to be employ gemological equipment to precisely test and verify the quality of gems. The CZ while being inexpensive and durable is close to diamonds in sheen and appearance and can be sourced in any rainbow colors making them more appealing. A number of attempts to get jewelers inspect CZ with naked eyes to differentiate from diamonds have seldom been conclusive. Visual inspection was inadequate to determine the difference which asserts the value of CZ jewelry.
Everybody knows that diamonds are natural and expensive while CZ is an artificial product with qualities that are close match to real diamonds, particularly when they are employed in jewelry. The lower price at which CZ jewelry is available to customers around the world is perhaps denying CZ its due place in the jewelry space.
By: Brenda Ogilvie
How do we differentiate CZ jewelry?
To distinguish CZ jewelry from diamonds, it is essential to employ gemological equipments such as a loupe, microscope etc. While the hardness of diamond reads 10 being the hardest material known to mankind, CZ measures between 8.5 and 9 on Mohs’ hardness scale. Glass/sand measures 5 to 6 which means that dust and dirt cannot cause scratches on your CZ jewelry. CZ can however cause scratches on glass which again is good news for your CZ jewelry because it provides resistance to chipping.
Weight
When it comes to weight, the CZ is a heavy weight counterpart compared to diamonds with a typical comparison notching upto 175% in weight in relation to diamond. This is again great news for CZ jewelry lovers because the weight of a similar sized diamond jewelry will be nearly half of the CZ jewelry.
CZ is colorless and flawless
While diamonds tend to carry impurities or some kind of defects, CZ is generally flawless. When we consider, colorless diamonds are among the rarest and most diamonds will have brown or yellow tinge. CZ on the contrary can be manufactured to be colorless comparable to “D” on a color grading for diamonds.
Other factors
Identification of gems through visual inspection, in most cases is more a wild guess work than a scientific authentication. Even qualified gemologists need to be employ gemological equipment to precisely test and verify the quality of gems. The CZ while being inexpensive and durable is close to diamonds in sheen and appearance and can be sourced in any rainbow colors making them more appealing. A number of attempts to get jewelers inspect CZ with naked eyes to differentiate from diamonds have seldom been conclusive. Visual inspection was inadequate to determine the difference which asserts the value of CZ jewelry.
Everybody knows that diamonds are natural and expensive while CZ is an artificial product with qualities that are close match to real diamonds, particularly when they are employed in jewelry. The lower price at which CZ jewelry is available to customers around the world is perhaps denying CZ its due place in the jewelry space.
By: Brenda Ogilvie
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