When purchasing diamond jewelry or rimless diamonds, many people are faced with the problem of adequately evaluating gemstones. Without special training, it is difficult to understand the terms and designations that the seller gives to describe the characteristics of a diamond. Therefore, it is very important to stock up on at least minimal knowledge of diamond quality standards before buying. This will help you manage your money wisely.
Instructions
Step 1
Rough diamonds in retail are always supplied with a certificate of conformity issued by an accredited center. For all diamond jewelry, the manufacturer also includes a document containing information on the main characteristics of gemstones. These sources can be trusted, since the quality of diamonds is assessed by experts using the most modern equipment. It is enough for a simple buyer to understand what this or that alphanumeric symbol means. Then you can easily learn how to evaluate diamonds yourself.
Step 2
The characteristics of diamonds and polished diamonds obey the "4C Rule": carat weight (weight in carats); color (color); clarity cut (shape and quality of cut). As a rule, on the tags of diamond jewelry you can find information of the following type: 1 Br Kr-57 0, 08 2 / 3A. This means that the piece contains 1 round diamond with 57 facets. The weight of the gem is 0.08 carats. Number 2 stands for color characteristic, and number 3 for clarity. Letter designation A refers to cut quality.
Step 3
So, when you start studying the characteristics of a diamond, first of all, pay attention to its carat weight. 1 carat (ct) is equal to 200 mg or 0.2 g. All diamonds are usually divided into small (up to 0.29 ct), medium (0.30 - 0.99 ct), large (over 1 ct). There is a relationship between the mass of a diamond and its diameter. For example, a stone weighing 0, 50 ct, with perfect observance of the technical conditions for cut diamonds, will have a diameter of 5, 2 mm. Accordingly, the greater the weight of the diamond, the larger its diameter, as well as the cost.
Step 4
According to the domestic scale for assessing color, each diamond is assigned a value from 1 (colorless) to 9 (brown). For cut diamonds weighing up to 0.29 ct, the color range is characterized by a scale from 1 to 7. The international system GIA (Gemological Institute of America) denotes color gradations with letters from D to Z. The most valuable are colorless or slightly tinted diamonds, from about 1 to 5 color groups (D, E, F, G, H in the GIA system). The cheapest cut diamonds with a color of 5-7 (up to 0.29 ct) or 8-9 color groups (K-Z according to GIA).
Step 5
The clarity of a diamond is another important indicator that significantly affects its price. Diamonds, like any other mineral, are characterized by natural defects. Determining their characteristics, quantity, size and location, the expert assigns a clarity group to each diamond. In the domestic classification, the clarity of a diamond is indicated by numbers from 1 to 12. Moreover, 1 is a clear diamond under a magnifying glass; 9-12 - diamonds with inclusions visible to the naked eye. For diamonds up to 0.29 ct, a similar scale has a range from 1 to 9. According to the GIA system, diamonds with the highest clarity group are designated by the letters IF, followed by a gradation of the type VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1-SI3, I1-I3. Purity group I3 corresponds to group 11-12 in the Russian classification.
Step 6
Finally, study the information on the shape and quality of the cut. The most popular and expensive is the round shape of the Kr-57 diamond. There are also many fancy shapes: pear (G-56), marquis (M-55), oval (Ov-57), princess (P-65), baguette (B-33), trilliant (T-55), etc. Fancy-shaped diamonds look stylish and effective in jewelry.
Step 7
The cut quality in the Russian classification is designated by the letters A, B, C, D, where A is the best quality, D is an unsatisfactory quality. Cut quality means the ratio of linear dimensions and angles of inclination of the edges, polish and symmetry. The brilliance and play of light in the stone depends on all these parameters. In the GIA system, the best quality of a diamond is denoted by the word excellent, followed by such gradations as very good, good, the worst quality is denoted as poor.
