subject: Buying From San Diego Jewelry Stores [print this page] San Diego jewelry stores are often busy with men who are looking for the perfect diamond ring for their girl, and many of those men have no idea how to find the right one. Budget is of course a big factor in any expensive purchase, so if a customer is working with a limited budget, he will not find much for him at some of the poorer San Diego jewelry stores. A good seller will be able to offer several different options for rings to men, even those that are on a strict budget. There are some things that a man needs to know about diamonds in order to increase his chances of finding a ring that he will be proud to propose with. Good San Diego jewelry stores will always be able to help out with these features.
Experts in gemology have developed methods of grading diamonds based on the characteristics that they possess. There are four features to look for when you are shopping for any type of diamond, and these are known as the Four Cs, which you have probably heard of before. These are cut, color, carat and clarity.
The cut of a diamond refers to its shape. Oftentimes, the better the proportions of the shape are, the more the diamond will shine and sparkle as it catches rays of light and reflects them. The best cut diamonds are those that are cut by a master diamond cutter, with facets (surfaces or faces) that create a brilliant combination of brilliance, beauty and luster. Did you know that there is actually a mathematical model of ideal diamond cuts? The best San Diego jewelry stores will employ master diamond cutters that use this model for their stones. They will also have GIA Facetware software that they use for the same purpose, culminating 20 years of research on diamond cuts.
Carat is the second of the four Cs, and this basically refers to the size, or mass of the stone. Ladies seem to always ask how many carats a ring is when they see one! Although most engagement rings are a one carat size, again you need to buy the best ring possible while still remaining within your budget.
Color is the third C. Few diamonds are actually perfect white, and in general they contain tints of color. The whiter or more transparent a stone is, the more rare and valuable it is. Diamond color is graded with a letter grade, with D being perfect white. Anything past a grade of H will have obvious tints of yellow in it. Finally, clarity is the amount or lack thereof of naturally occurring imperfections. A flawless diamond is extremely rare, and San Diego jewelry stores will tell you that the clarity of a diamond is designated by a series of numbers and letters.
