Diamonds come in a number of shapes, sizes, and colors. They also have different characteristic-combinations, which all makes them unique. Before you purchase a diamond ring, it is very important to understand how to choose the perfect diamond.
The American Gem Society (AGS) says, “After all, diamonds are expensive. You want assurance that the quality you’ve paid for is the quality you are getting.” The expert appraisers and jewelers have a thorough knowledge and a good experience for finding out the diamond quality. The expert graders and jewelers evaluate all gem-quality diamonds with the help of an organized rating system of detailed characteristics.
The Carat Weight
Among all the 4 C’s, the carat weight is the most important thing to consider while buying a diamond engagement ring. That is because most often, the carat weight is correlated to the value and quality of the diamond. The carat weight of the diamond is measured using a calibrated digital scale, but not all carat weights are fashioned equally.
For example, a baguette diamond ring of two carats with lesser clarity, color, and cut would be less costly than a different one-carat baguette diamond ring of higher clarity and better cut quality. In fact, the AGS says that, “Comparing the value of diamonds by carat weight is like comparing the value of paintings by size.”
The Color Quality
The diamond’s color quality also plays an important role when it comes to the value of the stone. The hue of brown or yellow could be seen in diamonds as you go down the color scale. These color hues could diminish the diamond’s value, except if it is considered as a fancy color, such as the canary yellow diamond.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) says, “Many of these color distinctions are so subtle as to be invisible to the untrained eye. But these slight differences make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.”
The color quality of the diamond is estimated by GIA by means of a 23 color grading scale that ranges from D to Z. Note that “tinted” here means the shades of yellow appearing in the diamond.
- D – F (Colorless)
- G – J (Near Colorless)
- K – M (Faintly Tinted)
- N – R (Very Lightly Tinted)
- S – Z (Lightly Tinted)
As a diamond moves closer to being colorless, its quality and value increases. Yet remember that the environment you choose for examining the diamond could also have an effect on its appearance. In addition to this, the diamond setting and the baguette diamond ring metal could also influence the color of the center stone.
