Choosing the perfect diamond for your engagement ring can be a bit stressful. However, if you approach selecting the right one with the right attitude, it can be a fun experience. Look at it as getting an education that you will use throughout life. This is not going to be the last time you purchase a diamond gift for your loved one, so this is a great time to really educate yourself for a lifetime.
If you have not heard of the 4 C’s, that is a great place to start. These are the cut, color, clarity, and carat size. The cut is one major factor that will affect how much sparkle the diamond will have. It has to do with the facets and how the light bounces around inside the diamond. The better the cut, the more the sparkle! This is why we carry excellent cut diamonds so you have have the most sparkle in your diamond. The color starts with D and goes down the alphabet to Z. From colorless to champagne then brown in color.
The clarity is determined by how many inclusions there are in view. These cannot always be seen with the naked eye. However, they do get in the way of the cut and light bouncing, meaning this can affect the sparkle of your diamond. Carat size is the size of the stone, and is determined by the actual weight of the stone. The cut will also determine how large the stone actually looks as well. It is important that you take all four C’s into consideration.
You should love your diamond!
The four C’s are important but seeing the actual diamond helps as well. Using the GIA grading as a good guide can help you determine the value of the diamond that you are looking at. The most important part about all of it is that you like the look, sparkle, and shape of the diamond. The 4 C’s are good to determine the worth of the diamond, but when it comes to the end of the day, you need to like the look of what you choose. This is why at Jonathan K & Co. Fine Jewelry, Jonathan personally evaluates all of the diamonds to only provide the best selection with the most brilliance. He will help guide you to select the perfect diamond for your needs.
The different shapes respond to light differently as well. There are many different shapes that a diamond can be. A diamond’s sparkle is made up by bouncing the light within the prism and reflecting it back out. The more light reflected back, the more sparkle will be seen. The round cut is said to have the most facets. The round diamond is also the most expensive cut. The shape of the diamond does contribute to the cost as well. It depends on the amount of waste created during the cut, and the demand for that shape.
A princess-cut diamond will use approx. 80% of the rough diamond with only 20% in waste. This means that it will cost less than a cut that wastes more. A round cut will only use approx. 40% and has more waste, which drives the price up.
Choosing the right diamond for you is completely up to you. It is important to know the grading factors to understand the value of your diamond, But it is ultimately up to you which diamond has the most brilliance and beauty. If you are looking for diamonds in Sacramento, Jonathan K & Co. Fine Jewelry is here to help guide you in your decision. Whether you’re ready to buy or not, we’d be happy to schedule an appointment to sit down and educate you on the diamond grading characteristics. We have a personal hands on approach, so you can see for yourself the difference between the characteristics.
