DIAMOND BUYER’S GUIDE

Every diamond is unique, and there are a variety of factors which affect the price of a diamond.

Focus on those factors most important to you.

 

FACTORS AFFECTING YOUR DECISION

5CS

Shape

Carat

The first factor of the 4C’s that most people learn about is carat – the weight of the diamond, which is also the best indication of a diamond’s size.
How it affects price?
Carat weight has a great deal of influence on the price of a diamond. All other factors being equal, as weight increases, rarity and therefore value of a diamond increase. For instance, one diamond weighing 2 carats will always cost much more than two diamonds of the same quality weighing 1 carat each.

Colour

Colour in the diamond trade usually refers to the amount of yellow in a stone, but can also indicate brown or gray. The most treasured diamond colour is actually the colourless grade – one without any colour at all.

Fancy colour diamonds do not follow this rule. These diamonds, which are very rare and very expensive, can be of any colour including red, blue, and green, and unlike white diamonds, the more intense the colour, the more valuable the stone.

Internationally Used Colour Grading Scale

How it affects price?

All other factors being equal, the more colourless a diamond, the higher its value.

Clarity

Clarity varies from one diamond to another, and no two are exactly alike. Diamonds are graded and identified uniquely according to the type, size and number of inclusions present in them.

The following chart gives an idea how each grade might look, magnified under a 10x microscope:

How it affects price?

All other factors being equal, as the grading increases the price increases exponentially. This is because diamonds with greater clarity are that much rarer.

Along with the type and number of inclusions, their position also makes an impact on the value and brilliance of a diamond. Bear in mind, clarity characteristics up to SI2 are visible only under 10x magnification.

Cut

With all the attention given to the 4C’s of diamond grading and evaluation, the cut is actually the single greatest factor affecting beauty.
It is graded as follows: Ideal / Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair & Poor.
Proportion is the single most important factor, because it determines the flow of light more than other quality factors. Proportions that are too deep or too shallow both allow light to leak out the bottom and lessen the amount of light that strikes your eye.

How it affects price?

The value of two diamonds with exactly the same carat weight could vary by up to 50% depending on the quality of cut. Just as fine cloth needs an expert tailor to create a quality garment, the diamond cutter controls the fire and brilliance of a diamond.

Choice

THE JL TOUCH

We visually select among the same shapes & grades of colour, clarity and weight and offer what we deem to be the most beautiful diamond – not only as expressed on the certificate, but as actually viewed in motion under the same lighting conditions.

Choose among a large selection of  diamonds certified by the most recognised gemmological institutes of the world, at excellent prices.

CERTIFICATES

GIA-Logo-1024x289_clipped_rev_1(1)