Get Married, but don't get taken in the process.
What an exciting time! Finding the one that you want to spend the rest of your life with is a special moment. Picking out the Diamond that will forever state your love to her, is a VERY special moment.
You are about to pop the big question! And NOW you are looking for that one item that she has wished for her ENTIRE life... so you want to be fully armed with all of the information you need to make this purchase.
What to watch out for.
There are three or four distinctions that you want to pay attention to when purchasing a Diamond Engagement ring.
Precious Metal
Check the precious metal content. 10KT gold, while the least expensive, will tend to be the most durable 14KT gold and 18KT gold will be more valuable, and 24KT gold (99.9% pure) will be the most valuable. These higher gold contents will also be softer, and require more care. Platinum is the most desired precious metal for many reasons, mainly it is durable, tough and can withstand the rigors of daily wear better than gold. Learn about the basics of prescious metals by visiting our Gold Basics
The Setting
Check the setting or the head. The shank is the part that surrounds the finger. The portion that is attached to the shank that holds the diamond is referred to as the setting. The setting usually contains accent stones and the main stone, centerstone. Look for quality of the prongs, and symmetry. A good craftsman will use design and quality craftsmanship in order to present the centerstone and accent stones in a manner that promotes their beauty while protecting them the daily abuse.
Certificates of Authenticity
Many Diamond Engagement rings will come with a certificate of authenticity. While this is not necessary, it may help to re assure you that you are getting what you are pay for if you find something you like from a seller with less than great feedback.
Appraisals
Often Diamonds and Diamond rings will come with appraisals. These can be a good thing, if the appraisal is not given by the seller himself. In the Diamond industry, there are only 3 well known and therefore respected appraisal company's. They are the GIA, EGL and IGI. I listed them in the order of respect they are given in the Diamond industry. A diamond appraised by the GIA is generally worth 10-20% more than a diamond appraised by the EGL or the IGI.
I would highly recommend staying away from any seller who is promoting another appraisal company.
These company's are unknown and therefore not respected. They are not governed or ruled by any agency. They may belong to an association, but the association has no regulatory powers over their members. Most of these sellers use these unknown appraisal or grading company's to artifically inflate the value of the item you are buying so you will bid/buy more.
Clearly, the most important part of the ring is the DIAMOND. So, in evaluating this part, use:
The Four C's -- Visit our complete diamond grading webpage
Clarity. There is a scale used to discern the clarity of a Diamond. (see below)
• Flawless (F) - IF the stone shows no inclusions and no blemishes under 10X power magnification viewed by a trained grader. These stones are rare and very uncommon even to those of us in the trade.
• Internally Flawless (IF) - The stone shows no inclusions and only insignificant blemishes under 10X magnification. Normally what separates IF from F stones are characteristics that can be removed by minor re-polishing (light surface graining is an exception)
• Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) - VVS diamonds contain minute inclusions that are difficult for even a skilled grader to locate under 10x magnification. In VVS1, they are extremely difficult to see, visible only from the pavilion, or small and shallow enough to be removed by minor re-polishing. In VVS2, they are very difficult to see.
• Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) - VS stones contain minor inclusions ranging from difficult (VS1) to somewhat easy (VS2) for a trained grader to see under 10X magnification. Small included crystals, small feathers, and distinct clouds are typical.
• Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) - SI stones contain noticeable inclusions which are easy (SI1) or very easy (SI2)to see under 10X magnification. In some SI’s, inclusions can be seen with the unaided eye.
• Imperfect (I1,I2 and I3) - I-grade diamonds contain inclusions which are obvious to a trained grader under 10x magnification, can often be easily seen face-up with the unaided eye, seriously affect the stone's potential durability, or are so numerous they affect transparency and brilliance.
Cut.
The cut of a diamond is very important; not only to be appealing to the eye but for proper light refraction. If a diamond is cut improperly it may hinder the color of the stone and the stone’s ability to refract light, therefore, making the stone less desirable.
Color.
See scale below. Colorless and near colorless are most desirable. (There ARE Diamonds that have been permanently enhanced, producing vivid colors, as well.)
Carat.
Simply put, this is the weight of the Diamond. Generally speaking, Diamond carat weight information is given in decimals. A .50 carat equals a half carat. A .75 carat equals three-quarters, etc.
There are many more things you need to know about all of these four areas, but for now you have the basics. If you wish to learn more, you can visit our eBay store and we have an entire area devoted to teaching you on how to buy jewelry smarter and smarter.
Visit our Our Store
Read more of our Informational Guides
Below you will find some helpful diagrams that will hopefully help you better understand what we have explained.
Visit our Diamond Grading Basics to learn more.
Visit our Diamond Grading Basics to learn more.
Visit our Diamond Grading Basics to learn more.
Visit our Diamond Grading Basics to learn more.
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