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HOW TO RATE A DIAMOND

COMPARING DIAMONDS? HERE'S WHAT TO LOOK FOR

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How To Rate A Diamond

In the Market?

If you’re in the Market for a Diamond Engagement Ring, then you’ll be having the Fun Task of Shopping and Comparing Diamonds, Rings, Prices and Stores!

The Problem is, Where do you Begin, and how do you Rate these Stones???

Is there a Guideline that you can use to Help Pick the Best Diamond for the Best Price?

In Fact, there is! :)

When it comes to Beauty and the Importance of Quality, some things really are More Important than others. That’s Where the Rating Begins!

Granted, you don’t actually Rate the Stones (that would be an Impossible Feat), but you can Identify what it is you Need to Look At and What to Look For.

Listed below are 7 Things that you should Look For in a Stone (Carat Weight is Optional – just get whatever Weight Feels Comfortable to you and Affordable!)

These Topics will help you Choose which Diamond to Buy!

Many people do think that “PRICE” is the Deciding Factor, IT ISN’T!

Quality is ALWAYS First, and Price, believe it or not, is Generally LAST!

So Let’s Begin…

Narrow Down your Choices this Way…

1) STYLE & DESIGN

First off, if she doesn’t like the Style or Design, it Doesn’t Matter What the Quality is, or How Much you Spent.

You have to Look at the Style, Shape, Size and Even the Color of the Metal. It could be too Thick, too Skinny, too Top Heavy. The Diamond could be Marquise Cut (which she may Hate). It could be Champagne Colored, which she may also Dislike. It’s all about Looks First!

You have to Choose a Mounting that Compliments her Hands, her Skin Color, her Wardrobe, her Personality, her Style. She has to Love it!

As a Rule of Thumb, Simple is Better!

And usually the Simplest and Most Popular Style of Engagement Ring is the Classic Tiffany Style Ring. As shown here…

Tiffany Engagement Ring!

You can’t go Wrong with these Style of Rings.

Pave Works just as Well…

Pave Set Stones are also Very Modern and Very Sharp. The Tiny Stones set in the Side really Add Sparkle and POP to any Center Stone.

See what Pave looks like below…

Pave Engagement Ring!

So Style and Design should be the First Criteria. You have to Buy something you LOVE!

If you have No Idea what Style of Jewelry she likes (you haven’t been Paying Attention) look at the Jewelry she already Owns and Wears.

Or, ask her Family or Friends (Make Sure they keep it Quiet so it doesn’t Ruin a Surprise).

But, as I’ve said before, if you don’t know, can’t tell, or Don’t Want to Ask, then just go with the Classic Tiffany Style Mounting and you’ll be Fine.

She can either Keep it in that Mounting, or have it set into something else of her Fancy later.

It’s a Win-Win!

Now, let’s move onto the actual Diamond

2) BEAUTY & SPARKLE

There’s one thing that makes a Diamond Beautiful and that’s SPARKLE!

If Diamonds didn’t Sparkle, no one would want one.

That Sparkle is Life, Fire and Brilliance. Who doesn’t like to Stare at the Twinkles of White and Colored Light and get Lost in the Romance and Charm of it all…

SPARKLE = BEAUTY!

It’s like a Thousand Stars in the Sky. You WANT the Diamond to Dance in the Moon Light. You want it to BLING!

And only one Main Trait does that: CUT!

The Way a Diamond is Cut and Proportioned Greatly Affects how much a Diamond Sparkles. As seen here…

Cut Affects Sparkle!

The Better the Cut, the More it will Sparkle. Easy as that!

There are Two Main Cut Grades that I Recommend (GIA’s Cut Grades). They are: Excellent Cut & Very Good Cut!

BUY NONE OTHERS!

Excellent is the BEST there is (some call it Ideal Cut) and Highly Advised. You should also be Aware of the Polish & Symmetry as well (listed on a GIA Diamond Report). Strive for Excellent and Very Good in those Grades as well.

A Triple Excellent Diamond will Knock her Socks off!

Triple Excellent Diamond!

Buy an Excellent Stone and the Ring will Out Shine just about every other Stone on the Market!

Guaranteed!

3) DIAMOND COLOR

Most Stones in the Stores Today are what they call Off-White or Fine-White Color (Color Grades G-H-I-J). It’s a Fact that MOST Diamonds DO have some Color in them. These Colors are Generally Yellowish in Hue, Brown in Hue, or even Gray Tone. Stones Lower Down the Color Chart may have so Much Color in them that they often look Dirty, Old and Antique.

Even when you Compare a J or a K Colored Diamond up against a G Colored Diamond YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE!

But, there’s something Even Better…

Pure White Diamonds

Pure White Diamonds are the BEST there is. This Color Range (D, E and F) is at the TOP of the list (there is no A, B or C), and they are actually COLORLESS! (Lacking any Color Whatsoever)

They are Very White and Very Bright!

I find them Extremely Stunning and they always Appear like there’s a Spot Light on them. Compare an E Colored Diamond to a J and you’ll be Surprised at the Difference!

It’s that GRAND!

E VS J Color Diamond!

So I say, if you can Purchase a Pure White Diamond, DO SO! It will Add Impact to your Sparkly Diamond and really make it Stand out in a Crowd.

4) DIAMOND CLARITY

Clarity, in all Honesty, is Not that Big of a Deal.

As long as there are No Huge Eye-Visible Inclusions in the Stone, then all is Good.

Generally this means Buying a Diamond of SI1 Clarity or Higher

SI1 or Higher Diamond Clarity!

(VS is my Favorite Diamond Clarity)

No one (And No Bride-To-Be) Wants to Stare at Huge Black Spots in their Stone for the Rest of their Life.

Stay away from Eye-Visible Flaws (unless they really don’t Bother you), and Buy a Stone that you’ll need a Microscope or a 10x Jeweler’s Loupe to see those Imperfections. You’ll be much Happier in the Long Run.

5) CERTIFICATION

I’ll keep this Simple!

  • Don’t Buy a Diamond Engagement Ring that isn’t Certified!
  • Don’t Buy a Certificate that isn’t GIA or AGS!

Period!

GIA or AGS Diamond Certificate!

If the Stone isn’t Certified, the Quality of the Diamond could be anything they tell you (Right or Wrong, or whatever they want you to Hear to Make a Sale).

So BUY Certified!

Buy GIA or AGS!

Have Peace of Mind!

And if you can, Buy a Certified Stone that’s also Laser Inscribed! The Report Number will be Etched Directly onto the Side of the Girdle (which is the Edge of the Diamond). That’s the BEST Kind!

And, a Lasered Diamond also Helps Identify your Stone. BONUS!

6) GUARANTEES & POLICIES

Some Guarantees can Help Sweeten a Deal.

If the Diamond is Guaranteed for a Lifetime, that’s a Pretty Good Guarantee.

But, just because it’s Guaranteed for Life doesn’t mean it Fully Covers your Diamond or Ring! That’s Important to Note! A Guarantee Doesn’t Cover if your Ring gets Lost or Stolen, Nor does it Cover your Diamond if it doesn’t Fit in their Specific Requirements (i.e. the Prongs must be Intact).

Diamond Guarantee!

So Read the Guarantee!

And no matter what, Get the Ring Insured! That way if it does get Lost, Stolen, Broken, Burnt… Insurance will Replace it!

If you can also get a Service Plan (often called Extended Service Plans – or ESP‘s), then check it out. It may not be a Bad Thing to Purchase. After all, Jewelry Repairs are Very Expensive, and a Service Plan often Covers things like: Ring Sizings, Refinishing and Polishing, Earring Repair, Chain Soldering, Labor and Parts required for Resetting Stones, Retipping, Bracelet Soldering, Restringing Pearls, Tightening Stones, Reshaping Rings, Rebuilding Prongs, Tightening Channels, Soldering Rings Together… (it just doesn’t Cover getting a New Shank).

A Plan that Covers these Expenses is Worth the Few Extra Bucks a Year.

Also find out about their Exchange Policies, Up-Grades, and of course, their Return Policy!

Some Stores don’t have a Return Policy, others may give you 90 Days (some with Restocking Fees). Some also have Exclusions that Void a Return Policy.

Things like:

  • The Ring Can’t be Sized
  • The Ring Can’t be Engraved
  • The Ring Can’t be Custom Ordered

Diamond Return Policy!

Find out what it is. ASK!

It could Sway your Decision if they say They Won’t Take it Back.

Lastly…

7) PRICE

After all that Comparing, it’s Now Time to Look at the Price Tag.

To really find out who Gives you a Better Deal, you have to Weight all Options. Compare Apples to Apples! If you’re Comparing an SI1, E Diamond, then compare it to SI1, E, and not SI2, J. There’s a BIG Difference!

Any of the Variances listed above Could Affect Price by Hundreds and even Thousands of Dollars! Even the Shape of the Stone could Double the Price!

So it’s Wise to Set yourself a Price Range Before you Begin Shopping. Even though I will say that as you Learn more about Diamonds and you Start Comparing Stones, your Price Range may Increase… Once you see what your Money Buys you! So be Prepared for that!

With Diamonds, You Usually do GET what you PAY for!

A $2,000 1 Carat Diamond Ring Sounds Pretty Expensive. But the Quality of that Diamond may Not be to your Liking. It may Not be Pretty, Nor Sparkly! Like these Different Quality, Size, and Shaped Stones shown here…

Both Engagement Rings Are 2000

Set yourself a Budget. An Average Price Range for an Engagement Ring Today is usually around $2,000 – $3,0000. But you have to Stay Within your Means.

One Last Helpful Tidbit…

Interest Free Financing!

See if you can get 12 Months Same As Cash (or Better Yet, Just Pay Cash). If you do Finance though, be Careful because one Missed Payment could Change that Great Plan into a Very High Interest Bearing Account (at the Highest Interest Allowed by Law), with Massive Late Fees and Unbelievable Penalties.

Ouch! That’s why I say if you CAN Pay Cash, DO SO!

Because if you End up Paying 3 Times the Price of the Ring, then you didn’t get yourself a Very Good Deal.

Watch the Plans, Watch the Price, you can always Up-Grade Later in Life!

See some Awesome Certified Diamonds HERE at James Allen!

Cheers! :)




Recommended Jewelry Supplies:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Jewelry Steam Cleaner Complete Jewelry Cleaner Kit Diamond Dazzle Stick
Gold Silver Jewelry Polishing Cloths Jewelry Making Supplies Kit Gold Acid Test Kit Watch Tool Repair Kit
Ring Adjusters EMT Emergency Ring Cutter 10x Jewelers Loupe Jewelers Microscope

Recommended Jewelry Supplies:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Jewelry Steam Cleaner
Complete Jewelry Cleaner Kit Diamond Dazzle Stick
Gold Silver Jewelry Polishing Cloths Jewelry Making Supplies Kit
Gold Acid Test Kit Watch Tool Repair Kit
Ring Adjusters EMT Emergency Ring Cutter
10x Jewelers Loupe Jewelers Microscope

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