Solitaire diamonds - buying tips and advice

Types of Diamond Cuts Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Loose Diamonds) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:10:00 +0000

For many people, purchasing a diamond is just as important a decision as what purchasing a home is, but irrespective of whether or not you feel the same way, there's no getting away from the fact that purchasing a diamond is an important decision. Of course, when one considers just how many different cuts, shapes, and styles are available, it's hardly surprising that so many people find the experience to be rather daunting. Obviously you are the only person in the world that knows which stone is the perfect stone for you, but you may find it easier to choose one if you have a little knowledge regarding some of the more popular cuts and styles.

To start with, let's briefly talk about the process to polish the loose diamonds. They don't look like the finished products you see in the store, they are rough and look similar to quartz crystal. They are taken and cut down with diamond saws, and grinders until the are a fraction of their original size, and then the jeweler cuts the facets, cuts and polishes them into what you see today. This is just a brief look at this aspect of the diamond making process.

The are around 11 different traditional diamond cuts, and 4 newer styles. There are round, heart shaped, square cut and its different variations. The round cuts are even shaped differently, with Marquise, oval and pear shaped. The newer styles include the Leo, which has a slightly flatter head that the traditionally shaped round style. The Elexese cut, which has 60/60 proportion facets. A specialty cut by William Goldberg, called the Ashoka, is the latest version of the traditional cushion cut. By rounding the edges to the usual rectangular shape, it is a more modern option to the more traditional cuts.

The important thing to know about loose diamonds is the facets. The more faceted it is the more brilliantly it will look. The larger number of facets a diamond has, the more brilliant it will appear and the more valuable it will be. An ideally cut diamond will have around 58 facets, but they also go as high as the 66 facet Leo Diamond cut. The more facets, and more brilliance, the higher the cost will be.

Round diamonds and the squarish Princess cut, a square diamond, are the most popular with most couples getting married. The round cut is the has the classic elegance, and what woman can resist the Princess cut. The Marquise design is a oblong with pointed ends, and can be found as a solitary stone, or can also be used to bring out smaller cut diamonds. Interestingly enough, this style was originally commissioned by King Louis XIV of France and if rumors or anything to go by, it was inspired by the smile of Marquise de Pompadour.

Generally, grading diamonds is not an expertise that most of us have. When a couple walks into a jewelry store to look at an engagement ring, or something just as special, there are many other things on their minds than just picking out a ring. However, there are definitely some things to know when going in that can help you make a more informed decision about an investment that hopefully will last a lifetime.
Diamond price are based upon the diamond cut and clarity.
Different cuts effect the diamonds brilliance, and the shape of the diamond is only one aspect of a quality diamond. Shapes also can effect its beauty and shine. Shapes like the pear, heart shape in sometimes even the Marquise sacrifice brilliance for their shape. Some shapes like the emerald, and Asscher may even make any flaws or imperfections stand out more than some other styles. It is a good thing to check these closely.

Essentially, the more clarity a diamond has, the better its quality. Make sure that your diamonds are the clearest possible to bring out the most sparkle. While the carat of the stone is less important than a good cut, but there are certain shapes, oval, and the emerald, just to name a few, that are designed to give the illusion of a bigger size. This may be a big determining factor in your purchase.

One of the major considerations in purchasing diamond jewelry is the diamond price. The more unique the design, the more facets there are and any specialty cuts are going to be more expensive than more traditional styles. This is one factor that needs to be considered when purchasing a diamond ring.

There are several other things to consider. Whether you choose to buy a stone that is already in a setting, or buying the stone and ring separately and putting them together. Many jewelers are flexible and can change the setting on the stone if needed, but will often incur additional costs.

We hope this will help you in buying any type of diamond jewelry - such as a diamond engagement ring.

Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_1176612_27.html?ktrack=kcplink

Why The Classic One Carat Solitaire Is Considered The Perfect Diamond Ring

noreply@blogger.com (Loose Diamonds) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:02:00 +0000

There isn't a more beautiful ring than the classic one carat solitaire. Its simplicity is something to behold. The one carat loose diamonds is the perfect size to stand on its own, any smaller or larger and it just doesn't look as appealing. These days everything seems to be geared toward bigger is better, but with a solitaire that is not the case. If it is too big it can look gaudy or fake, and if it is too small it can have people reaching for a magnifying glass to see it.

The classic one carat solitaire ring can be given for so many different occasions. It can be used as an engagement ring. Its simple form can be a perfect match to almost any type of wedding band. It can be given for romantic holidays like anniversaries or Valentine's Day. It is also the perfect Christmas gift.

Before shopping it is a good idea to do some research on the internet to get a feel for prices. If you don't know what kind of prices you are going to find, you might be shocked when you get to the jewelry store.
When shopping for your diamond there are several factors to consider, which are cut, clarity, color, and carat. You have already decided on the carat, now it is time to decide on the other issues. Clarity is determined by the absence of flaws. Some flaws or inclusions are visible to the naked eye and they block the reflection of light making the diamond less brilliant. These stones can be cheaper and sometimes the inclusions are so small you don't even see them without some kind of magnification.

The color of the stone is important. The clear diamond will reflect more light and is more valuable. Also the color of the setting can have an influence on the color of the stone. It is better to go with a setting that is silver in color to really set off your stone. A gold tone can make your diamond look yellow. The best light to look at a stone is in sun light. If the jeweler won't let you look at the stone in the sunlight you probably shouldn't buy it.
Cut is another issue to consider. When you buy a solitaire ring most often you want a cut that will really show off the brilliance of a stone. The more facets that are in the stone, the more light it will reflect. So with that said, the best cuts can be the round, princess, or marquis. You want to have a stone that is either round or has good dimensions to have the best possible reflection from the light.

Loose Heart Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Loose Diamonds) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:37:00 +0000

Loose diamonds can be cut into a variety of shapes. The most popular are round brilliant cut, princess cut, oval cut, cushion cut, emerald cut, radiant cut, marquise cut, pear cut, trillion cut and heart cut. The most admired shape available in every possible quality and size is the brilliant heart cut diamonds. There is no denying that every diamond is beautiful in its own shape and cut, but some seem to glitter more than others. Customer's education is important when buying a loose diamond, as it usually can be a once in a lifetime experience. It is advisable to do a complete research for loose heart diamonds, because the more people know, the better diamonds they can get for their money. Each diamond approximately takes several hours to several months of cutting and polishing, to reveal its fiery brilliance. Loose heart diamonds can be set into amazing pieces of jewelry. However, not every diamond is equivalent, so people need to recognize a variety of elements that make each of them valuable than another. When it comes to loose diamonds, quality is what matters more then quantity.

When considering buying loose heart diamonds what matters is the cut, and shape that people prefer. The carat weight, clarity, and color are the factors that make each stone completely unique. The 4Cs help interested people to determine the value and the beauty of a Loose Diamond and also help search the perfect loose heart diamond.

It is advisable for everyone to know the standards behind diamond certification, in order to buy the best. Certified loose diamonds are an opportunity to hand select a unique gem. People generally buy diamonds on certain occasions. The sentiment behind each diamond purchase is seen in the radiance of the stone. Certified diamonds are considered to hold a strong advantage over other varieties.

For more about Best Diamond price

Loose heart diamonds are always treasured, whether they are set in engagement ring or a solitaire pendant.

Reference:http://www.esnips.com/web/jinnyosteph-Shopping/?flush=1

Ultra Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Loose Diamonds) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:35:00 +0000

Ultra Diamonds keeps prices down while offering quality through shrewd buying techniques, including doing a lot of business with Canada for that nation's recently discovered and continually uncovered high quality diamond treasure troves. Canad, too, subscribes to the Kimberly Process code of diamond trade ethics; however, since the Canadians often ship out their diamonds to Antwerp and London for cutting and polishing, there is sometimes fear that they may inadvertently wind up selling some blood or conflict loose diamonds. Ultra Diamonds, however, takes extra care when dealing with our allies to the North to assure their customers that no blood was spilled to give them beauty, elegance, and "fire" at an affordable price.

Confident in its ability to deliver high-quality engagement and wedding diamond rings at the most competitive prices, Ultra offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money back guarantee, except for specialty or customized orders.

Ultra Diamonds also goes out of its way to deliver to people very diverse styles, so that it is a universal diamond ring store that anyone can afford. And, once again, with its online store you can search through hundreds of different, unique rings in only several minutes. Convenience married to quality is what Ultra is all about.

Ultra Diamonds' array of selections is vast. Its offerings include one of the most extensive and diverse engagement rings selections to be found.

Its Diamond Solitaire Engagement Rings come with the classical traditional solitaire setting and included nicely cut diamonds in sizes anywhere from 1/12 to 2 full carats in variable diamond price. Available diamond cuts include classic round, marquise, pear, oval, princess, and emerald among others; and the metals for the rings include yellow and white gold, platinum, titanium, and tungsten; you can also find multi-tone rings here.

If you already have your heart(s) set on the gems for your ring(s), Ultra offers an array of Semi Mounts.
Their engagement ring settings include the in-demand classic prong Tiffany settings are popular with four to six prongs. Many customers also ask for their bezel channel settings. Ultra also offers exquisite bridal sets.
As far as specialty or "alternative" engagement rings, among others Ultra offers:

Mystic topaz oval rings (three-stone engagement rings): Encoding the past, present, and future of the relationship
Claddagh Rings: Irish engagement rings drenched in deep symbolism of unity with male and female flowing together as one, yet separate but equal at the very same time. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, mystic topaz, aquamarine, garnets, citrine, and peridot might replace the diamond or supplement it for these special rings.

Understanding Diamond colour...

noreply@blogger.com (Loose Diamonds) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 07:16:00 +0000

Let us go through each of the 4Cs in more depth now --

The GIA grades diamonds on a scale of D (colorless) through Z (light color). All D-Z diamonds are considered white, even though they contain varying degrees of color. True fancy colored diamonds (such as yellows, pinks, and blues) are graded on a separate color scale.

Diamond colour has a huge bearing on diamond prices. This link should help you understand how the prices vary based on colour. Let us take the example of 1 carat diamond.

All other factors being equal, 1 carat D VVS1 Excellent cut GIA is priced at Rs.7,80,000 whereas a 1 carat I colour VVS1 Excellent cut GIA is priced at Rs.3,30,000.

read this blog for more info. on diamond colour and best squidoo lens for info on diamonds.

Thats all for now folks.

4Cs of a Diamonds!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Loose Diamonds) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:14:00 +0000

Understanding the 4Cs - cut, colour, clarity and carat weight is the primary step towards a diamond purchase. There are a lot of helpful resources out there to help you out on these:

I am offering a short intro for each of them here:

Carat

Diamonds come in all different kinds of sizes from 0.005 ct to 500 ct (and more). The larger is the size of the diamond the rarer it is to mine. Hence a 1 ct diamond is rarer than a 1/2 carat diamond. However, the price of a 1 ct diamond is not twice the price of a 1/2 ct. It is actually more than twice the diamond price. The price is not directly proportionate to it's size. The reason is attributed to rarity. It is way difficult to get a 1 ct diamond than it is to get a 1/2 ct. Moreover, when a polished 1 ct diamond is found in rough, it actually weighs 50%-60% more. You can thus imagine that it is very difficult to retain diamond weight in rough. If you want higher carat then the diamond cutter has to give up on the other C, which 90% of the time is the Cut. Hence, the cutter usually goes into a fancy shaped diamonds (other than round) to get maximum weight out of a diamond. This way he does not have to sacrifice a lot on the carat weight. According to many people Carat is the most important price factor. I tend to agree. To get diamonds of high carat weight is very difficult. To find a 2 or 3 carat diamond is not easy. If you find one then the price is mostly in 5 digits. Imagine a 5 carat and above. That comes in a 6 digit dollar figure.

Color

As mentioned before, diamonds come in different colors. The fancy colors (red, green, blue, etc.) are way more costly than the regular colorless, yellow and brown. A fancy colored stone of equivalent size to a colorless stone will be more than thrice the price of the colorless one. But let's not get into that. As a consumer you are most likely to buy a stone which is within the regular color grading charts. The colorless variety D,E,F with D being the costliest. Once again due to rarity and beauty. G,H,I are the most common one that are found. A person cannot see the color in a 'G' or 'H' color. I have found that on few occasions consumers tend to see the 'I' color in a stone. However, once you enter the 'J' color zone the color is eye visible even to an untrained eye. The biggest price difference in color occurs when you jump from 'G' to 'F'. The reason is simple because you go into the colorless category, so you pay more. My advice to you when buying a diamond - try to be within the G,H,I range. If you want to go for a G or above, then that is really great. Let's jump onto Clarity now, shall we.

Clarity

Undoubtedly the most under-rated of all the C's. Clarity doesn't cause a significant amount of change in price unless it jumps to the higher grades. The biggest price jump in clarity comes when you move from a 'SI₁' quality to 'VS₂'. Why? Because the inclusions in the VS quality is less prominent than that of a SI. In SI₂ you can see the inclusions eye visible in significant sized diamonds like a 1 ct stone (that is not the only criteria that makes up SI₂). On the other hand when clarity is mixed with a high carat weight then the price can be whopping. So clarity cannot be taken lightly. If you want a stone that is clean then it will cost you. A 2 ct VVS₁ would be again worth a lot of money. The culprit to blame once again is rarity along with beauty. My advice to you when choosing clarity - try to stay within the VS and SI₁. If you prefer a SI₂ then read onto the next section.

Cut

The last but definitely not the least, this C can pack a heavy punch even in small sizes. As I had mentioned before to get well cut stone, the diamond cutter has to sacrifice a lot of the rough diamond weight. The customer thus has to pay more to incorporate for the lost weight. Moreover, it requires excellent skills to cut and facet a well or ideal cut stone. That is also included in the cost that you as the consumer has to pay. The results are astounding. The sparkle is really awesome. The stone just shines, it just shines. It doesn't matter what light it is kept under or in which metal it is set in. That baby will sparkle like there's no tomorrow. The brilliance and dispersion is incomparable. Moreover, a good cut hides or reduces the visual effects of inclusions within the stone. Hence, if you have an ideal or well cut SI₂ then there is a good possibilty that you will not be able to see the inclusion with your naked eye. No matter what you do, never compromise with the cut of the stone. Always go in for a well cut stone. After all what good is a diamond if it doesn't sparkle.

Keep watching for more helpful posts.