Now we all know, Diamonds are a girls best friend, but you may be out of your depth when buying one!! If you couldn’t tell a cubic zirconia from a 5 carat Pink diamond then you’d better read on before your purchase the ring that you will wear for the rest of your life!
Cut
We strive for maximum brilliance and beauty in every Voltaire Diamond. The cut, or make of your diamond determines the level of sparkle, brilliance and fire visible in your gem.
To reflect and refract light most effectively, Voltaire diamonds must be cut to the correct proportions and polished so that each facet is precisely placed. Diamonds which are not cut and polished to these standards do not handle light correctly, diminishing both their beauty and value.
Colour
Diamond quality and value is also determined by subtle colour differences, sometimes barely discernible to the untrained eye. The best and rarest diamonds appear colourless ( white) or near colourless and are graded D to I with D and E being extremely rare. Colour quality below I then diminishes as yellow/brown tones become more evident.
Clarity
A diamond’s clarity rating is a key measure of its overall quality. Almost every gemstone is marked with natures fingerprints called “inclusions”. The clarity grading of a diamond measures the position, volume and colour of its inclusions, which can be black or white in colour. The beauty and value of a diamond is affected by obvious inclusions, as they affect the passage of light through the stone.
Some diamonds have no inclusions and are very rare, these are referred to as Internally Flawless. However, most diamonds have inclusions, some that are so microscopic that they can only be seen under 50 X magnification and others that can be seen by the naked eye.
Carat Weight
The term carat refers to a measurement of weight as opposed to size. A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams and is the unit of weight for diamonds. Carat is the most price sensitive part of a diamond as it refers to the mass and proportionate size. Diamonds are rare and as the size and carat weight increase they become very scarce.
These great tips come from our good friends Voltaire Diamonds an irish company who specialise in diamonds and engagement rings. They meet their clients in person to advise and discuss ring options and because they don’t have a big retail store, can charge up to 25% less for a top quality ring!
