subject: What To Look For When Buying A Diamond [print this page] Nothing speaks love clearer than a diamondNothing speaks love clearer than a diamond. Not for nothing has the diamond been universally acknowledged as a gift of love, with no engagement or wedding being complete without one. Although its popularity has soared in the last century, courtesy De Beers aggressive promotions, diamonds have been part of human folklore ever since the first one was discovered in the alluvial plains of southern India in the 9th century BC. In fact, some of the most famous diamonds in the world - the fabled Kohinoor, the cursed Hope Diamond and the magnificent Jacob Diamond - all have histories dating back hundreds of years.
Forged by astounding amounts of heat and pressure in the bowels of the earth, diamonds are extremely hard to find. Even in established diamond mines, it takes an average of 100 tons of rock to be sorted to extract 2 grams of diamonds. Its for this reason that diamonds have long been equated with things rare and valuable, with phrases like "diamond in the rough" being an integral part of the popular lexicon. Since diamonds are rare , they are extremely valuable - in monetary terms when you purchase , and in emotional terms when you gift . Therefore , you should know what to look for when buying a diamond.
The value of a diamond is determined by the four Cs - carat, cut, color, and clarity.
1. Carat - A carat is a unit of measurement equivalent to 200 mg or 0.007055 ounces. The carat weight of a diamond determines the size, and appearance of your ring or jewelry.
2. Cut - The cut of a diamond is the style used when shaping a diamond for polishing. A well-cut diamond appears brilliant and filled with fire, while a badly cut diamond looks dull and devoid of life.
3. Color - The color of a diamond is evaluated in terms of its degree of colorlessness. A chemically pure diamond, and the most expensive , is colorless. Out of all colored diamonds, the red ones are the rarest.
4. Clarity - The clarity of a diamond is the quality of its appearance considering internal characteristics called inclusions and surface defects called blemishes. Higher the clarity , higher the price , with the highest grade being "flawless". Less than 1% of all diamonds mined are graded flawless .
When buying a diamond, you must always buy from a reputed jeweler and look for the certificate of authenticity. Such a certificate, issued by a competent authority like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the International Gemological Institute (IGI), the American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) or the Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD), assure you that the information provided on the diamonds provenance and quality are accurate . Also, check to see that you dont buy a conflict diamond.
A conflict diamond, also called blood diamond, war diamond, hot diamond or converted diamond, refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading armys war efforts, or a warlords activity , usually in Africa.
