Are You Confused about the Critical Cs of Buying Diamond Jewelry

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• Are You Confused about the Critical Cs of Buying
  Diamond Jewelry?
• You may have heard of the four Cs of buying
  diamond jewelry, but are you aware of the other 2
  which
• lead to big problems? The four Cs your jeweler
  is going to talk about are Clarity, Cut, Color,
  and Carats.
• These four items determine the value of the gem,
  but the other two Cs are the ones many jewelers
• count on using to close the sale. The two
  mystery Cs are certificates and confusion.
• Certificates issued by AGS American Gem Society
  or by the GIA The Gemological Institute of
  America
• are important. These certificates are intended
  to give you a clear understanding of the four Cs
  of the
• diamond you are considering. The problem, do you
  understand how to read the certificate? If you
  are
• unclear of the meaning of the terms the jeweler
  can use a certificate to add to your confusion
  causing
• you to waste money and purchase an inferior
  stone.
• Learn the Four Cs to Avoid Confusion and Diamond
  Buying Mistakes
• Cut The style of cut is not as important as the
  quality of the cut. Each diamond is unique and a
  highly
• skilled diamond cutter uncovers the perfect cut
  for each gem. The quality of cut is determined
  by the
• amount of reflected light which exits the top of
  the stone. Too deep or too shallow and the light
• escapes the bottom of the diamond. Cut
  determines the flash and brilliance of the
  diamond.

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• Clarity Is determined by a gemologist by close
  examination through a microscope. The gemologist
  seeks imperfections in the stone. Most diamonds
  have small inclusions which include cloudiness,
  crystals, feathers, or dark spots. Any of these
  flaws, or inclusions, decreases the purity of the
  diamond. They reduce the diamonds ability to
  pass light. An F rating is Flawless, with IF
  being Internally Flawless. These two grades are
  ideal, but will add to the cost of your diamond
  purchase. (They also contribute to the long-term
  value of your diamond, too.)
• Color The color of your diamond can range from
  colorless to fancy. Colorless is clear,
  transparent, with no visible color. At the other
  end of the scale, Fancy indicates you will see
  definite color. These colors may range from
  blue, yellow, pink, or other hues in between. If
  anyone tries to tell you a blue or pink diamond
  is rare and valuable you can be confident they
  are working on the confusion principle of diamond
  sales. Colorless is the highest value. When you
  buy diamond jewelry, look for color grades
  ranging from D to J. These diamonds are
  colorless to nearly colorless.
• Carat The weight of your diamond. Do NOT be
  convinced the weight of the diamond is the only
  or most important factor in buying diamond
  jewelry. Two diamonds of equal carats can have
  wildly different prices based upon cut, clarity,
  and color. Prices increase rapidly as carat
  sizes increase. Small diamonds are easy to find,
  while large gems are rare.
• With this brief introduction you can avoid
  confusion when reading a diamond certificate.
  You can learn
• more diamond. Keep in mind both the GIA and AGS
  only rate un-mounted diamonds, but often jewelers
• have the certificate for the diamonds mounted in
  the jewelry. To get a deeper understanding and
  to assure
• you make the best purchase visit The Diamond
  Jewelry Buying Guide, an outstanding free
  resource for
• diamond shoppers. Do not consider buying diamond
  jewelry without the guide.