Did you know diamonds originated 3.5 billion years ago?!?
Diamonds are the birthstone for the month of April, but they are also meant for everyone and every occasion. They are the most precious of all gemstones and known for their durability and brilliance. Over a period of time, they can create value, meaning and stories; because we all know that diamonds are forever.
Today
As diamonds became more popular and abundant, the world started to see them being used for all types of jewelry. Engagement rings are the number one use for diamonds in the market today due to the variety of shapes, colors and sizes. It is a never ending possibility as to what you can create with them using all the tools and equipment that technology has to offer. In other fields, diamonds are even
used in machinery as a fine powder to cut and grind other materials.
The rule of the 4 C’s
Color, clarity, cut and carat are the 4 characteristics that make diamonds unique.
- Color
Good color is the first thing a diamond should have because that is one character that makes each diamond stand out from another. They range from colorless to a yellowish or a brownish tone. Although the color is based on personal preference, for the purpose of an engagement ring, you should focus on a colorless diamond. The color of a diamond is graded by letters starting at D through Z, the average popular color is F-I range, which is still a nice white look.
- Colorless Diamonds (D-F) where D/E are colorless and F colored diamonds
- Near Colorless Diamonds: (G-J)
- Faint Color Diamonds (K-M)
- Very Light (N-R)
- Light (S-Z)
- Clarity
Clarity is defined by the kind of flaws found inside of the stone. Sometimes it can be a small flaw that can only be seen through magnification or sometimes you can see it with the naked eye. It can also be called acharacteristic flaw since no two diamonds are created alike, meaning that your diamond will always be unique on its own. You, the owner, are the only one that knows what and where that flaw is. The clarity of a diamond can range from IF (Internally Flawless) to I (Imperfect), the lower you go on the grading chart, the more you might see an imperfection inside your diamond. Like anything in life, the better the quality, the higher the price. The same rules apply with a diamond; the more flaws it has, the lower the price will be.
- Cut
Cut is the third characteristic which can also make a difference in the price of a diamond. This will determine if the diamond has life, which means the brilliance all around, it's almost a feeling of the diamond talking to you. A diamond should have a very good cut or excellent cut to get that brilliance you are looking for, the advantage of the present day technology is that most diamonds are cut by computers, so the proportions are always very good to excellent. Cuts can also mean many different shapes like pear-shapes, emerald cuts and cushion cuts, just to name a few. The most popular is still the round shape because of its look and proportions. Round, oval and pear shape diamonds give you a bigger look, square shaped diamonds can give you a smaller look. The weight might be the same in all of them but because of the way square diamonds are cut, they usually have heavier bottoms. Nowadays, laser cutting technology allows you to have your initials or your name cut out from a diamond. Another important factor when buying a diamond is to obtain a certificate of authenticity. The most trusted and recommended report is GIA (Gemological Institute of America). When you obtain a GIA certificate it provides you with all the specifics of your diamond as far as measurements, all the angle measurements in degrees, a plot of your diamond which shows where your flaws are located and the 4 C’s. A GIA certificate is highly credited when you have your jewelry appraised for insurance purposes. This certificate does not only apply to engagement rings but also to all your jewelry items and watches when they need to be insured. This is a personalized service that we provide at South Miami Jewelers.
- Carat
Lastly we have carat, which means the weight of a diamond which also contributes to the pricing of a stone. Diamond pricing is categorized into different weight categories, the bigger the diamond, the higher the price will be. Color and clarity scale are also considered to set the price per carat weight. An ideal diamond is the one that is cut proportionally correct, otherwise a diamond with a heavy bottom contributes a lot to the carat weight which in turn means more money for a smaller look.
At South Miami Jewelers, we make it a priority to educate our customers when it comes to looking for the perfect diamond, we strongly believe in creating trust between us and our customers. We offer a large variety of loose diamonds for every single budget and taste. During our 36 years of service, we have learned to listen to and understand our clients’ needs. If you are looking for a diamond, or looking to upgrade your diamond, you can book an appointment by emailing us at info@southmiamijewelers.net or call us at 305-667-1898 to visit our store when covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
