We’ve all heard the songs. “Diamonds are forever”. “Diamonds are a girls best friend”. And we’ve all happily hummed along to the tunes. In fact, you’re probably singing them to yourself now! But, when buying a diamond, have you ever thought of what you should be looking for? Probably not! Well, here is the ultimate guide to bagging yourself a perfect diamond.

Cut:     Diamond’s come with much brilliance and status, and the cut of the diamond can determine this. A diamond will have more sparkle and brilliance if it is cut better. The cut of a diamond comes in 5 grades, and I recommend buying the highest grade cut in your budget. They are graded as: ideal, very good, good, fair and poor. An ideal cut will reflect the most light, almost all light that enters the diamond. Poor is when the diamond is cut so badly that it loses most of the light out of the bottom and sides, resulting in a lack of sparkle. What you want is for your diamond to shine as much as you do, so make sure to buy a high graded cut.

Clarity:     This is unlikely to affect the diamond you buy, because most imperfections are invisible to the naked eye. Most inclusions require some sort of aide to actually see them – making them a pretty unnecessary thing to consider. Flawless diamonds are very rare, making them somewhat difficult to find and pointless to try and buy. A flawless diamond demands a very high price, meaning a clarity grade of SI (slightly included) is probably best for you. They offer a great value, however, I recommend getting a professional to ensure the diamond has no imperfections that are visible to the naked eye.

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Color:    The color of a diamond refers more to its lack of color. The grade for color goes from Z-D. D graded diamonds are extremely rare and are completely colorless, making them very expensive and valuable. You are probably better off looking for a diamond with a grade of J or above, as these are virtually colorless to the naked eye and carry excellent value for money. Color in a diamond appears as a pale yellow, and it is typically invisible to the naked eye – other than in the lowest ranking grades. A grade of Z-K will be a diamond with noticeable color, and these should be avoided. Whilst being the cheapest diamonds, they are noticeably flawed and will certainly not carry much value.

Fluorescence:     Fluorescence in white diamonds can make a lower color graded diamond appear more white. When it comes to fluorescence, you need to look for a diamond with a good luster if it is fluorescent. Never buy a fluorescent diamond online, as you simply cannot know how good it actually looks. And if you are buying it online, then make sure you get an expert to examine it for its luster.

So there you have it! The ultimate guide to buying a great value, high quality diamond. Whether you have a low or high budget, make sure you buy the best diamond for your personal budget.

 

 

Written by Jacqueline Chambers

Jacqueline Chambers

Jacqueline Chambers is the founder of TGIFguide. She uses her innate skills as a natural “connector” to serve businesses, brands and individuals in the LA area and beyond.