Before You Buy

Diamonds

Cut is the most important aspect of a diamond; not the shape, but the way the angles of the facets bounce the light off of each other and back up toward the eye. This determines how beautiful and “fiery” the gem will be. If a stone is poorly cut, it will appear “glassy” looking, even if the stone is large.

Color is important. If a white diamond has low color, it will look “dull” and not crisp. Lower colored diamonds are a more common quality, so they aren’t as rare or expensive as a diamond of high color.

Clarity describes how “rare” the gem is. Inclusions (foreign bodies enclosed in a mass) are like birthmarks in the diamond; the fewer the inclusions, the more rare. Some inclusions are so small they need to be magnified 10 times or larger to see them. Others have inclusions that are so large they don’t need to be magnified at all to see them. This type of quality is commonly found and is much less expensive.

Clarity grading is conducted with specially designed microscopes. Diamonds clarity is discerned using ten-power magnification.

Flawless = No inclusions observed VVS = Very, very small inclusion(s) – Very difficult to discern VS = Very small inclusion(s) – Difficult to discern SI = Small inclusions – Readily visible under ten-power magnification

Carat is the weight of a gem; how much a stone physically weighs is described by its carat weight. A higher carat does not guarantee size or beauty; the gem might be poorly proportioned. Carat weight can impact the price of a gem stone. It is easier to find smaller stones of most qualities than larger stones. The bigger a gem is, the more expensive per carat weight the stone will be. These factors are so important, we will take the time to show you what to look for in selecting a gem of quality and beauty—one that will bring you pride and pleasure in the years ahead.