Choosing the right diamond

Choosing a coloured stone


There are 4 principal criteria to take into account at the time of buying a diamond: the four C’s

• Carat
• Clarity
• Color
• Cut

At the time of choosing your diamond, it is preferable to use a lamp which has a light nearest to that of the day. In the majority of jewellery shops, you will be able to find lamps with yellow spectrum which brings out the diamonds value, but artificially. Once outside, faced in the light of the day, the glare is suddenly much less appreciated!
It is essential to choose your diamond using a "cold" light which reproduces the external luminosity which comes from the North between noon and 2 P.M.

A certificate must accompany your diamond. This gemological report shows all the principal characteristics of your diamond, it is a true identity card of your stone. We recommend the following laboratories : G.I.A., H.R.D., I.G.I and C.C.I.P.

Laser inscription of the certificate number on the girdle of the stone is a "must". You will learn how to recognize your diamond yourself thanks to an x15 magnifying loupe.

Be wary of treated stones . You will find in our premises only natural diamonds; with certificates that will confirm it. Know that diamonds of the type "Clarity enhanced "or "Color enhanced " are artificially modified (clarity or color); the price for such a diamond falls very strongly (-70 to -80 %).
A private individual who buys a diamond without certificate takes the risk of buying without the knowledge that it is a treated stone!

There are not only the 4 principal criteria of a diamond (weight, clarity, color, cut) to take into account at the time of buying a diamond. You must include the proportions, the finish and the fluorescence which are also very important criteria.

1 ) Fluorescence:

Choose a diamond of fluorescence "none" or "nil" (null), "slight" (weak), or "medium" for colors D, E or F. Avoid diamonds of fluorescence "strong" (strong), it would give a milky aspect to the stone.

2) Proportions:

Choose a diamond having proportions "very good" (very good). That will guarantee you an optimal glare. Proportions "good" give a dull aspect to the stone; they are often flat or deep diamonds.

3) Finish

Choose a diamond having a finish "very good" (very good) or "good" (good); avoid the qualified finish of "medium" (average) or "poor" (bad). A finish "very good" is rare.

For a stone intended for white gold, we advise you to choose colors D, E, F or G. For yellow gold, the colors H or I remain suitable, because the yellow gold makes the stones whiter than they are in reality.

Concerning clarity, a microscope is essential to see an inclusion of the type VVS or VS1. Clarities VS2 and SI1 are very correct, especially if the inclusion(s) can be hidden under a prong of the ring. From the point of view of the "investment", a diamond VVS or Pure will have a higher financial value than a diamond with a clarity VS or SI.

It is important to buy a diamond at market prices.

A price list of cut diamonds is available on subscription only for the professionals called the Rapaport Diamond Report. This list gives the price of all cut diamonds from 0.01 carat to 5.99 carats in function of the weight, the color, the clarity and the size. It is used daily by the diamond cutters and traders of the entire world for their transactions. It acts as a reference for current diamond prices..

Our advice :
The most important : choose a diamond which has "life", for which you feel something, with which you have a "feeling"