Diamond Rings : The Basics Explained

When deciding on a diamond ring the primary consideration should be the cut. When comparing two diamonds that are priced equally, unless you know the rating of the stone’s cut, there is no way to really know which is the better deal. The precision of each cut in a diamond is extremely important because the more a diamond reflects and refracts light, the more it sparkles. Failure to reflect light back to the surface of a diamond is caused but cuts which are too shallow or too deep, thus allowing light to escape the opposite side or the bottom.  These are marks of a poorly cut diamond. The objective is to prevent any light from being lost, as it bounces off all of the cut sides of the diamond, and eventually reflects back through the surface, and this is accomplished when the proper number of facets and precision angles are cut in the proper proportions, as in a well-cut diamond.

The use of the term “good color” usually conjures up visions of rich bright colors however, with diamond rings, this is not the case. In diamonds, being colorless is both rare and costly thus making these the most highly prized. For a more reasonably priced diamond ring, you may choose the yellow ones which are more prevalent. The clarity, or inner characteristics of a diamond, can only be established with a jeweler’s microscope. The tiny ripples, specks, and indentations on the inside of a diamond are imperfections that are called inclusions. High quality cut and color can offset slight imperfections making it appear just as lovely as a flawless diamond although the diamond with the least number of imperfections has the highest value.

Diamonds weighing under a carat are defined by “points”, with one carat (the unit of measure of weight for diamonds) being equal to 100 points. When determining price, a single stone of one carat is far more expensive that several stones with a combined weight of one carat. Knowing the “per carat cost” of a diamond will give you the true diamond price and a high carat weight diamond may appear impressive. The clarity, cut, and color of a diamond will have to be analyzed in order to determine a diamond’s actual value, with a large carat weight being of secondary concern.