Crack the Clandestine Code of Diamonds

Precious, brilliant and expensive-why wouldn't diamonds be a girl's best friend? When giving the most significant gift of a lifetime, most men, and even the women who receive them, know precious little about diamonds. By the time they're old and experienced enough to know about cut, shape, grade, brilliance, color, weight, and setting, they already have the diamond of a lifetime. Crack the vocabulary, and you'll be on your way to purchasing your first diamond with confidence.

The Four Cs

Diamonds are not created equally! "The Four Cs of Diamonds"- cut, clarity, color, and carat determine diamond grade. A diamond certificate accompanies each diamond and includes grades for each of the four Cs as documented by a gemologist. Learn what these terms mean to avoid that "deer in the headlights" look when the jeweler uses these terms.

Cut refers to the physical cut, not the shape of the diamond, and it affects the brilliance of the diamond. If the cut is too shallow or too deep, the refraction of the light detracts from the brilliance. Grades for cut, from best to worst, include Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. The Ideal grade applies exclusively to round diamonds.

Clarity measures the purity of the diamond. Most diamonds include some flaws, called inclusions. All but the rare flawless diamonds contain inclusions of varying number and size. The Clarity grade measures the purity of the diamond, the relative absence of flaws. Clarity grades the appearance under 10X magnification. Top grades include F (flawless-forget it, you'll never see this), IF (internally flawless, you'll never afford it), VVS1-VVS2 (very, very slightly flawed-not we're getting a little more realistic), VS1-VS2 (very slightly flawed), and SI1-SI2 (slightly flawed). All but the VS1-VS2 and SI1-SI2 diamonds contain flaws that are invisible or barely visible under 10X magnification. Lesser grades include I1- -I3 (flawed and obvious without magnification). If price is a consideration, then invisible to the naked eye is a reasonable tradeoff.

Color actually refers to the absence of color in diamonds. The finest diamonds are colorless, which allows them to absorb and reflect more light, displaying more brilliance. White diamonds range from ice white to light yellow. Color is graded on a scale from D-Z, with D-grade diamonds being colorless and Z-grade diamonds containing the most color. Grades G-J are near colorless to the human eye, and offer the best value for the money.

Carat refers to weight. Because large diamonds are extremely rare, the price rises exponentially rather than arithmetically according to carat weight.

Each of the four Cs affects price. Once you set a budget, determine the attributes most important to you and select your diamond according to your preferences.

Learn a few more simple terms, and you're well on your way to demystifying the world of diamonds and carrying on a conversation with your jeweler that will turn the heads of less astute shoppers.

Shape also affects price, but only in terms of "shape appeal," how pleasing the shape is to the naked eye. By far, the most popular shape is the Round diamond, and it's the most expensive as well. Fancy shapes such as Emerald, Marquis, Pear, Heart, Oval, Radiant and Princess, are less expensive than Round diamonds. Side by side, fancy diamonds look larger than Round diamonds of equal carat weight. If you want something out of the ordinary, a fancy shape might be right for you.

Facets refer to the flat, polished surfaces of the diamond. The round diamond checks in at 58 facets, the most facets of all the shapes. The most important facet is the top or Table facet-the largest facet. Diamonds cut to perfection enable the facets to refract the light brilliantly.

Settings should enhance the brilliance and size of the stones, not detract from them. The range of choices is stunning, from the metal to the prong display. Even more than shape, the setting reflects your personal preference and style.

Now that you understand the clandestine vocabulary of diamonds, you can relax and have fun while selecting that one-of-a-kind, perfect diamond for you

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for jewelry, diamonds, and more. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.



5 Simple Ways To Overcome Shyness

Shyness is nothing to be ashamed of and you can... Read More

Improve Your Conversations By Watching Talk Show Hosts

If you want to learn how to be a good... Read More

The Pearl Story

I'm going to tell you the story of one of... Read More

Attract Your Ideal Relationship Using the Law of Attraction

First, I'll need to explain what Law of Attraction is... Read More

Respect Is A Four-Letter Word

One of the most important needs for every human being... Read More

Aspirations Worth Their Weight in Platinum

"To succeed, planning alone is insufficient. One must improve as... Read More

Enjoy the Magic of Prosperity

There is an art and a science to prosperity. The... Read More

Putting Yourself on the Road to Success

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people, achievers from non-achievers,... Read More

Dont Take It Personally

Many of you already know that I've been divorced for... Read More

Five Ways to Sharpen Your Sense of Humor and Improve Your Relationships

Humor has long been considered one of the most effective... Read More

Better Than a Million Dollar Lottery Win

Do you remember the feeling of seeing someone you were... Read More

Women and Bad Boys: What Is The Attraction?

"Bad Boys".If you're a woman, you may be saying "hmmm"... Read More

Telling Your Story of Success

We are often asked to tell our life-story. I wasn't... Read More

7 Ways to Drive a Man Wild

It's unbelievable the amount of bad advice there is out... Read More

You Cant Have An Intelligent Conversation With Everyone

Intelligent conversation is one of life's pleasures. I love nothing... Read More

Your Gut Instincts & Ability to Get Along Quiz

How well do you understand how gut instincts ? yours... Read More

Step-By-Step Guide to Manifest Your Desires

I have been talking about manifestation for a long time.... Read More

What You Habitually Think Becomes Attracted to You

Are you frustrated with a certain area of your life?... Read More

How to Play to Your Strengths

Are you clear on your unique qualities, talents and personal... Read More

Use Your Vibrations of Energy to Communicate

In the past, I have touched on the connection of... Read More

My Other Life is Exciting, is Yours?

Everyone dreams of a more exciting life or a life... Read More

Is There Something Called Free Will

The statement ""The concept of free will is a fallacy""... Read More

How to Get Rich

Got your attention, didn't I? I figured that title would... Read More

Taking Charge of Your Inner Movie

I first heard about this when I read The New... Read More

The Path of Appreciation

Without appreciation, any success you have will be in vain... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language:
 

العاب منتديات هيدى الزاوية الحمراء

Pharaohs products    egypt products    Egypt shopping   Shopping in Egypt   sho  Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center   Egypt  Pharaohs