A diamond has long been cherished as the ultimate symbol of lasting love because of it’s purity and ageless beauty.
If you are confused about why some diamonds are so much more expensive than others, you are not alone. Why oh why can one diamond engagement ring be worth $8000 and another one that doesn’t look that much different to the naked eye be worth only $2000?
The physical weight of a diamond is referred to as its “carat”. The value of a diamond is directly proportional to its size. The larger the diamond, the more valuable it is, because larger diamonds are less common. Greater size makes the diamond more spectacular, and therefore increases the purchase price.
Price is not solely determined based on the number of carats however. Expensive diamonds also need to have excellent clarity. The means the inside of the diamond should be free from “inclusions”, and the outside of the diamond should be blemish free.
The number of inclusions as well as their size and tint all factor into the overall clarity score, as do the number and size of surface blemishes. A flawless diamond is at the top end of the clarity scale, referred to as ‘pure’. An inexpensive diamond may carry with it the classification of ‘heavily included’.
These differences are due to the cooling process of the diamonds against other materials. Lack of clarity is a lack of perfection. A diamond is forever, and no one wants to be stuck with an imperfect one forever; therefore, this impacts the price.
Another important factor when evaluating the worth of a diamond is color. If certain gases were present beneath the earth when the diamond was forming, it may have taken on a distinct color.
Diamonds range in color from a designation of “D” to “Z”, with “D” being no color at all, and “Z” being a diamond with a color that is deep enough to be very noticeable to the human eye.
Cut is the final factor in diamond grading. This is an often forgotten element of diamonds, but it is extremely important, as it gives this remarkable stone its ability to come alive.
A diamond that sparkles and glitters can be said to have ‘fire’. The actual rating system uses common words like good, average, and irregular. The bottom line though is if you want your diamond to sparkle even in dim light, then you need to make sure the cut is impeccable, and that will cost you more money.
Understand the 4 elements that make a diamond a special and precious gem: carat, clarity, color and cut. Knowing the difference between a dud and a dazzling diamond will be the difference between money spent poorly and money well spent.
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