{"id":4666,"date":"2011-07-19T12:20:18","date_gmt":"2011-07-19T16:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/?p=4666"},"modified":"2023-04-17T11:28:08","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T15:28:08","slug":"what-diamond-quality-is-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/what-diamond-quality-is-it\/","title":{"rendered":"WHAT DIAMOND QUALITY IS IT?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"What<\/div>\n

Seriously, what Diamond Quality is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nWhat Quality of Diamond are you paying for? (This is a rant<\/strong> from something I saw this weekend, but it serves as an eye-opener to all of us)<\/p>\n

\nI’m looking online at a Jewelry Store’s Website<\/strong> and I see they are selling a One Carat Diamond Solitaire for $5,199.99<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\nI’m not going to give the actual name<\/strong> of the Jewelry Store, my main objective here is to only show you what to watch out for<\/strong>. For the purpose of this post, I’ll refer to this Jeweler as “Jewelry Store<\/strong>“, because really, it could be any of them!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nI view the Product Details<\/strong> of the ring and I see the Clarity is listed as SI1 – SI2<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

\n\"One<\/p>\n

The Color of the Diamond is listed as J-K-L Color<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

HUH?<\/h2>\n

That’s 2 different Clarity Ranges<\/strong> and 3 Different Color Ranges<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\nSo if you’re buying this Diamond Engagement Ring<\/strong> online or in the store, I’ll ask you once again:<\/strong> <\/p>\n

What Quality of Diamond are you Buying?<\/h2>\n

\nThe truth is, You Don’t Know!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nI understand why Jewelers do these things, every Diamond is different<\/strong> and all will vary <\/strong>slightly in Color, Clarity and Carat Weight. It would be virtually impossible <\/strong>to list and show every single stone<\/strong> online or in a catalog. That’s why they group them all together<\/strong>, but still, this wide range<\/strong> makes no sense to me.<\/p>\n

3 Different Color Grades?<\/h2>\n

\nWhat Diamond Color will you get?<\/strong> J? K? L? That’s a big difference<\/strong> in Color and Hue. <\/p>\n

\nTake a look at the Diamond Color Chart below. You’ll see J is NOT in the same boat as K and L<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n\"Diamond<\/p>\n

\nJ is at the very bottom of the Near Colorless Chart<\/strong>. And K and L are in the next LOWER <\/strong>Color Range that’s actually called “Faint Yellow<\/strong>“…<\/p>\n

\"J<\/p>\n

\nI could understand if they were saying the Diamond was I or J Color. These are both in the Near Colorless Range<\/strong>, but J and L are NOT<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

\nWe’re talking about Diamonds that have a slight Yellow Hue<\/strong> to them (J), to Diamonds that are really Yellow looking (L).<\/p>\n

\nIf you go in thinking that you’re buying a Near Colorless Diamond (As you would seeing J listed there), and you end up with an L Color instead<\/strong>, you probably wouldn’t be happy.<\/p>\n

One Thing Bugs Me MORE…<\/h2>\n

\nOne thing about this Color Range bugs me more than anything else. Their online Catalog (and in-store Catalog<\/strong>), specifically states “Bridal Rings are all Graded Near Colorless or Better<\/strong>“<\/p>\n

\nWhat does that make you think?<\/strong> The Colors are all Good? That’s what it makes me think.<\/p>\n

I’m Lost!<\/h2>\n

\nK and L Colors are NOT Near Colorless Diamonds<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

\n\"Diamond<\/p>\n

\nHow can they say that ALL of their rings are Near Colorless?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nAnd not only do they say they are ALL <\/strong>Near Colorless, but they say they are Near Colorless or BETTER!!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

WHAT?<\/h2>\n

\nBetter would be going UP the Color Chart <\/strong>(G,H,I, and maybe even D,E or F), but NOT lower<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nI just don’t get it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nWhen a customer reads a bold lie<\/strike> line like this, they believe they are getting a Near Colorless or Better Color.<\/p>\n

\nIt just goes to show you that if you don’t learn about the 4C’s<\/a> or Color<\/a> or Clarity<\/a>, you would never know what a farce <\/strong>this was.<\/p>\n

\nI don’t mind them trying to sell Diamonds in a variety of Colors and Clarities<\/strong>, but if you ordered your Diamond online, you would NEVER<\/strong> know what you actually bought until it showed up on your doorstep<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

SURPRISE!!!!<\/h2>\n

\nThe Color you got was L Color. Hope you like it!<\/strong> :)<\/p>\n

\nThe range of Diamond Clarity isn’t any better…<\/p>\n

Diamond Clarity Range<\/h2>\n

\nSI1 is a Good Quality of Diamond<\/strong>. SI2 is Questionable<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

\nSI1 (Slightly Included Level 1<\/strong>) has small Inclusions or Flaws in the stone that are NOT visible<\/strong> to the naked eye (unaided). You’ll need a Microscope<\/a> or 10x Jewelers Loupe<\/a> to see the Flaws.<\/p>\n

\nThis Clarity Grade (or higher), is a great Clarity to buy for an Engagement Ring<\/strong>. You won’t see any Imperfections like Black Carbon Spots<\/a>, Lines, Cracks, Clouds or Fractures in your stone.<\/p>\n

SI1 Clarity<\/a> is eye-clean<\/strong> and will look simply wonderful in a Diamond Ring.<\/p>\n

\nSI2 isn’t so lucky!<\/strong><\/p>\n

SI2 can, and more than likely WILL<\/strong>, have eye-visible Inclusions<\/strong> in the stone (usually seen from the side<\/strong>). You WILL <\/strong>be able to see Flaws, Black Spots, Cracks, Lines, Clouds and Debris in the stone. Most people do NOT want to see these things<\/strong>, especially your Fiancee in a ring she’ll have to wear for the rest of her life.<\/p>\n

\nSI1 or higher is a much better choice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nWhich leads me back to this One Carat Diamond<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

\nYou could be getting an SI1 or an SI2. They don’t tell you which<\/strong> you’ll get and you won’t know if your Flaws are visible or not until the package arrives.<\/p>\n

\n\"SI1<\/p>\n

\nThat’s not a nice way to find out<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nThere’s one more Surprise<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

Carat Weight Surprise<\/h2>\n

\nThe Carat Weight (as listed in the fine print of their Catalog<\/strong>) states that the Carat Weights sold may vary as much as 22 Points<\/strong> (for a One Carat Diamond). They could go from .95 Points all the way up to 1.17 Points.<\/p>\n

22 Points is HUGE!<\/h2>\n

\nA 22 Point Difference is a hell of a range<\/strong>. That actually gives you 132 different Clarity and Color combinations<\/strong>… WOW!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nThe Jewelry Industry and the FTC DOES allow<\/strong> Jewelers to have a leeway of 7 Points one way or the other. This is because Carat Weights are almost never exact<\/strong>. It’s like trying to find a person that weighs exactly 150 lbs<\/strong>. Do you realize how difficult that would be? You would find 156 lbs, 147 lbs, 152… But hitting 150 right on the dot would be tough.<\/p>\n

\nDiamonds are no different…<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\"Carat<\/p>\n

\nThis leeway is necessary and common practice<\/strong>. And I will say that in this instance, they are actually doing BETTER <\/strong>than the average Jeweler, because you COULD <\/strong>end up with a much bigger Carat Weight. Realize this is a COULD only situation!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nIf you bought a One Carat Diamond (because that’s what Women want<\/strong>), and you thought your Diamond would be at least 100 Points<\/strong> (1.00 Carat), and you ended up getting 95 Points instead, it might leave a sour taste in your mouth<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nThis Carat Weight variance would happen at ANY Jewelry Store<\/strong> if you buy Diamonds that are APPROXIMATE Weight!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nBuying Diamonds online this way, without knowing<\/strong> what Carat Weight you’ll get, is like rolling the dice<\/strong> and taking a gamble<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nDo you feel lucky?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nAnd it doesn’t stop here…<\/p>\n

What’s the Diamond Cut?<\/h2>\n

\nThis Jewelry Store’s Catalog talks about Cut on the pages. It says:<\/p>\n

“…a well-proportioned Diamond brings out the maximum beauty…”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nSo what then are the Cut and Proportions of this stone (and every stone listed on their website and catalog)?<\/p>\n

…Don’t laugh<\/h2>\n

\nThe only thing listed under the actual Cut of the Diamond is this one word: ROUND<\/strong><\/p>\n

LOL<\/h2>\n

\nCome on… People aren’t stupid!<\/strong><\/p>\n

ROUND?<\/h2>\n

\nRound is NOT a Cut<\/strong>. Round is the Shape of the Diamond<\/a>. Shapes are:<\/strong> Round, Square, Rectangle, Triangle… CUT IS NOT ROUND!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nCut is Brilliant <\/strong>Cut, Ideal Cut, Princess Cut, Marquise Cut…<\/p>\n

\nRound?<\/strong> That’s all you get?<\/p>\n

\nHow do you know what the Table Percentages<\/strong> are? What about the Pavilion Depth?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nDo they give you any clue whatsoever? <\/p>\n

NOPE!<\/h2>\n

\nThat Diamond could be Lumpy<\/strong>, it could be Narrow <\/strong>(Weak and Brittle). It could be anything in between, you wouldn’t know until you got the stone home and had it checked out later.<\/p>\n

\nThis is what GIA classifies as Cut:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"GIA<\/p>\n

\nDo you see ROUND <\/strong>listed anywhere there?<\/p>\n

Certification<\/h2>\n

\nTheir Catalog talks about GIA <\/strong>(the Gemological Institute of America<\/a>) and how they created “Scales to Measure Diamonds…<\/strong>” It makes you think that the stones they sell are GIA Certified<\/strong> and GIA has given them the stamp of Approval<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

Guess what?<\/h2>\n

\nThey aren’t!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nThey’re Certified (actually just Appraised <\/strong>because there’s a Dollar Replacement Value<\/strong> listed right on the Report) by IGI <\/strong>(International Gemological Institute). <\/p>\n

NOT GIA!<\/h2>\n

\nSo is this GIA verbiage misleading? <\/strong>I believe so.<\/p>\n

\nIf I’m buying a Diamond, I want to know what it is I’m buying<\/strong>. I don’t want to guess and buy blindly “But it says GIA…<\/strong>“<\/p>\n

My Rant isn’t Over Yet!<\/h2>\n

\nHere’s the real deal and the real show stopper…<\/strong><\/p>\n

Diamond Price<\/h2>\n

\nThis company is basically saying one thing loud and clear… All these different Colors (J, K, L) and Clarities (SI1, SI2), and Carat Weights (.95-1.17 Points) are ALL THE SAME PRICE!<\/strong> = $5,199.99<\/strong> (can’t they just say $5,200???)<\/p>\n

\nSo let’s compare these different Diamond combinations<\/strong> from some trusted <\/strong>online Jewelers just to see if these Diamond qualities are in fact, all the same price.<\/p>\n

\nI searched on both James Allen’s Website<\/a> and Blue Nile’s Website<\/a> just to see how this $5199.99<\/strong> stacks up.<\/p>\n

\n\"Blue<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\"James<\/a><\/p>\n

\nI will point out first, that this One Carat Diamond Ring<\/strong> from this unnamed Jeweler’s Catalog<\/strong> is pre-set in a Tiffany Style 14k White Gold Mounting.<\/p>\n

\nAlso note that this is something I would never advise anyone doing<\/strong>. NEVER<\/strong> buy a Diamond pre-set in a mounting! Buy your Diamonds loose <\/strong>so you can see what’s inside the stone with a Microscope<\/a> or 10x Jewelers Loupe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nSo back to the Tiffany Style Band…<\/strong> A 14k White Gold Mounting will generally run you around $250 – $400<\/strong> depending on the thickness and weight of the ring. So I’m going to take this all into consideration and be fair<\/strong> when I’m doing these Diamond Price Comparisons. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and knock $400 off their Catalog Price<\/strong>. So this one particular Diamond that I’m comparing (One Carat<\/strong>) will now get an official price of $4,799.99<\/strong>. Sound fair? I think so!<\/p>\n

I do this because the Diamonds I’m comparing them to online are all sold loose<\/strong> (as should be).<\/p>\n

Compare Diamond Prices<\/h2>\n

\nI’m going to list these from the quality ranges of SI1 and SI2<\/strong> and J, K and L<\/strong> Colors (what the Catalog says you could get).<\/p>\n

\nLet’s have a look…<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n(Prices from James Allen Diamond Search<\/a> and Blue Nile<\/a> at the time of this post!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED<\/strong><\/td>\nPRICE<\/strong><\/td>\nVIEW<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.01, SI1, J, GOOD, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$5,050<\/strong><\/td>\nJA VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.01, SI1, K, PREMIUM, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$4,250<\/strong><\/td>\nJA VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.01, SI2, J, GOOD, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$4,750<\/strong><\/td>\nJA VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.01, SI2, K, GOOD, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$3,900<\/strong><\/td>\nJA VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.00, SI1, J, GOOD, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$4,986<\/strong><\/td>\nBN VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.02, SI2, J, GOOD, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$4,616<\/strong><\/td>\nBN VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

\nNote: With the Blue Nile<\/a> Diamonds Listed Above, you may have to do a Diamond Search<\/strong> to view the actual stones.<\/p>\n

As you can see, a few of the prices are similar, but with James Allen<\/a> and Blue Nile<\/a> at least you know what quality you’re buying.<\/p>\n

\nAre all the prices the same?<\/strong> Not hardly.<\/p>\n

\nP.S.<\/strong> I can also give you an Affiliate Code “RINGSUM<\/strong>” from James Allen that would knock another 10% off their Ring Mounting<\/strong> Prices!<\/p>\n

Note that there’s not even one L Color on the list… And the reason for this is simple: L Color is a very low Color Grade<\/strong> and most Jewelers don’t even carry them, let alone sell them. L Color looks YELLOW <\/strong>and most people do NOT want<\/strong> a Yellow Diamond for an Engagement Ring.<\/p>\n

\nBut, let’s assume you DID <\/strong>find an L Color stone out there, what would the price be? An L Color Diamond would look something like this:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED<\/strong><\/td>\nPRICE<\/strong><\/td>\nVIEW<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.01, SI2, L, GOOD, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$3,350<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Now that’s a Real Eye-Opener!<\/h2>\n

\nStill thinking all the Colors and Clarities are similar? I’m sure you’re shaking your head like I am. It’s almost shocking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nBy ordering this One Carat Diamond online ($5199.99<\/strong>), you really could be losing a lot of money<\/strong>… That stings!<\/p>\n

And it Gets Worse!<\/h2>\n

\nThese Diamonds that this no-name Jeweler<\/strong> is selling are NOT GIA or AGS Certified<\/strong> (the top 2 Diamond Certificate Companies in the Country) (Blue Nile<\/a> and James Allen’s<\/a> Diamonds ARE<\/strong>), which means, these Diamonds that this Jewelry Store are selling are not strictly graded<\/strong> (triple checked). They could be off<\/strong> in both Color and Clarity! They could be off by one full Grade!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nThat would make their SI2 Clarity Diamond a I1 Clarity Diamond<\/strong> (and M Color) instead. OUCH<\/strong>! (I would send it to GIA to see what it really is).<\/p>\n

\nIf you ended up getting an I1 Clarity Diamond instead of the SI1 listed you would probably go through the roof.<\/p>\n

\nCheck out the price difference<\/strong> for an I1 Clarity, J Color Diamond below…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED<\/strong><\/td>\nPRICE<\/strong><\/td>\nVIEW<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.01, I1, J, PREMIUM, GIA<\/strong><\/td>\n$3,180<\/strong><\/td>\nJA VIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

It Doesn’t Stop Here…<\/h2>\n

\nAll these prices that I’ve been comparing are for One Carat (1.00) Diamonds<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\nAs we learned above, the Carat Weights could be as low as 95 Points<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Does this make a Difference?<\/h2>\n

\nYou Bet!<\/strong><\/p>\n

95 Points makes a HUGE Difference!<\/h2>\n

\nDropping down underneath the One Full Carat mark puts the Diamond in a whole new bracket<\/strong>. A 95 or 96 Point Diamond could actually lower the retail value of the Diamond by another $600 or more!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nIs this money that you’re willing to lose?<\/p>\n

So What’s my Point?<\/h2>\n

\nI have Plenty…<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nIf you’re buying a Diamond Ring online, or in a Jewelry Store, and the Color is listed as Multiple Colors<\/strong>… Ask what the REAL Color is<\/strong>. J-K-L is NOT <\/strong>a Color Range for one single Diamond!<\/p>\n

\nIf the Clarity is listed as an SI1-SI2<\/strong>, find out what the REAL Clarity is<\/strong>. Normally a Diamond will have only one Clarity Grade.<\/p>\n

\nNow it’s true that Diamonds can be borderline Diamonds (Diamonds sitting on the line between two different Clarity Grades), but good Certification Companies (like GIA or AGS<\/strong>) will lean one way or the other, not stuck in the middle like a big dumb question mark<\/strong>. If they don’t know what the Diamond is they’re grading, who does?<\/strong> You can’t compare and price Diamonds if they list more than one Clarity Range…<\/p>\n

\nYou must also look at the Carat Weight of the Diamond. Check out the fine print<\/strong>. If the Diamond is listed as Approx<\/strong>. Carat Weight, then find out what the true Carat Weight is.<\/p>\n

\nAsk about the Proportions and Symmetry<\/strong> while you’re at it. Compare them with an Ideal Cut Diamond<\/strong> below…<\/p>\n

\n\"Ideal<\/p>\n

\nA GIA Certificate or AGS Certificate<\/strong> (the only two I’d ever Advise Buying), will list everything <\/strong>on the report that you’ll need to make an informed Diamond purchase.<\/p>\n

\nBlue Nile<\/a> and James Allen<\/a> sell GIA and AGS Certified Stones<\/strong>. You can even View the Actual Certificate<\/strong> online to learn all the juicy details of the Diamond.<\/p>\n

P.S.<\/strong> James Allen<\/a> also allows you to view their Diamonds close up with a Super Zoom (very cool). See image below…<\/p>\n

\n\"James<\/a><\/p>\n

\nI really don’t want to dog on this unnamed company<\/strong> (hence I refuse <\/strong>to list their name). I just want to open your eyes<\/strong> and show you what to watch out for, and what to be aware of.<\/p>\n

\nCompanies like this make everything look grand and sound great<\/strong>, until you really shop and compare. Then you’ll really start to see…<\/p>\n

\nI’m sure that if you went into their retail store you could find out the exact Clarity and Color information of their Diamonds (should be listed right on their tags<\/strong>). But it still doesn’t justify not telling you online or charging you the same price for all of them (especially since they aren’t GIA Certified!<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n

\nBe smart when you Shop. Learn the the 4C’s<\/a>: Cut<\/a>, Color<\/a>, Clarity<\/a> and Carat Weight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nBe informed and follow your gut<\/strong>. Because all Diamonds are NOT created equal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nThe information that you learn here should help you and hopefully not give you heartbreak<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nLet me know what you think. :)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Seriously, what Diamond Quality is it? What Quality of Diamond are you paying for? (This is a rant from something I saw this weekend, but it serves as an eye-opener to all of us) I’m [Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,6,3,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-certification","category-clarity","category-color","category-diamonds","category-engagement"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4666"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4666\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}