|
|
 |
a trend creation |
|
 |
 |
 |
| History | Cut |
Color |
Clarity |
Carat |
Famous |
Color Stone |
Birth Stone |
Care | How to Buy |
The
5Cs finding a
Quality Jeweler
The 5Cs
Confidence a good
jeweler is the first step to a smart diamond purchase. To find a
jeweler you
can trust, ask your family and friends for recommendations. Your
jeweler should
be knowledgeable about diamonds and help you feel comfortable making
this
important purchase. The color of a diamond has the second biggest
impact on its
price, after carat weight.
What
to Spend Diamond Buyer's Guide:
When you start to
think
about buying a diamond and the love it will symbolize you naturally
want the
best you can afford and a beautiful stone you will treasure forever.
Diamonds
can be found in a range of price and you're certain to find one within
the
Diamond Picture that suits your taste and what you plan to spend. It's
up to
you to settle on a diamond that will truly represent your deepest
emotions and
the promise for the future you will share.
How know to
examine a
Diamonds?
To accurately
judge the
quality of a diamond, it is advisable to use more than the naked eye.
Here are
common ways to examine a diamond.
Microscope
& Loop: To examine
inclusions, one uses either a microscope or a 10x magnifying glass
called a
jeweler's loop. This enables one to see inclusions in stones. Most
dealers will
let you use theirs. Diamond
Tester:
A
diamond tester uses light
to verify that the stone you are examining is really a diamond. It does
not
guarantee quality -- just the type of stone. Most testers will still
work when
the stone is mounted.
If you are unsure
of your
diamond knowledge or the jeweler you are buying from, get a certified
Diamond.
The best-known and reliable certification is From GIA (Gemological
Institute of
Painted
for color: Diamond can be
painted to offset a yellow tinge. The paint wears off rather quickly.
Ask if
the diamond you are considering buying is treated. Getting a notarized
statement from your jeweler saying that your diamond in not treated is
recommended. This is like having the jeweler swear under oath that to
his/her
knowledge that the diamond is not treated. Several states have
disclosure acts
requiring dealers to tell you about these treatments.
Fancy
color treatment: A diamond with a
body color induced by some form of artificial irradiation, often in
conjunction
with controlled heating (known as annealing).
Enhanced
Diamonds: The world’s most
popular and beautiful gems stone require various form of treatment to
improve
their appearance. Most of the stones as Emeralds are oiled, Tanzanites,
Rubies
& Sapphires are heated. Blue Topaz & Tourmalines are
irradiated. Today,
Color Enhanced Diamonds is accepted as simply one more of the precious
stones
that have undergone treatment to improve its appearance. Color Enhanced
Diamonds are natural diamonds treated using election bombardment and
annealing
to enhance their color. Such diamonds retain the durability and
brilliance of
the original diamond but attain vivid and permanent colors. The same
type of
color centers that cause color in diamonds in nature can be created in
a matter
of days instead of thousand of years. The enhancement is permanent and
is
unaffected by boiling acids, steam, ultrasonic or detergents. They will
only
change colors when exposed to very high temperatures (450centigrades
and
above). Safety: As Color Enhanced Diamonds using irradiation, is
operate
treatment processes strictly in accordance with rigorous
Coated
Diamond: A diamond colored by a
surface coating, which masks the true body color; the coating may be
extensive
(entire pavilion), but is more often limited to one or two pavilion
facets or a
spot on the girdle
Filled
for clarity: Diamonds with
inclusions are sometimes filled with glass to make them appear clearer.
Diamonds have undergone this treatment. Filler can be damaged by heat,
ultrasonic cleaning, and by re-tipping. The filling does not repair the
inclusion; it just makes it less visible. If you look at a filled
diamond
closely, rotate it under light; you should be able to notice a bluish
flash.
Check for guarantees before buying such a diamond. Irradiated for color
can be
affected by heat.
Laser
Drill Hole: A tiny tube made
by a laser. The surface opening may resemble a pit, while the tube
usually
looks needle like. Alternatively, you can notice on treated Diamonds.
Laser
Identification Microscopically small inscription by a laser on a
diamond for
identification. Can be the diamond certificate number, a message brand name and number.
Laser Drilling
has been in
practice for years and is far less ambiguous than fracture filling in
both
detection and acceptability in the trade for a number of reasons:
The treatment
permanently
removes dark spots from the stone by laser blasting and acid bleaching,
leaving
only a tiny white scar that can’t be seen with the unaided eye.
Drilled stones
retain
“natural” status because nothing is added to the stone as with fillings.
Since drilled
stones are
pure, they can’t be damaged in cleaning or discolor in the sun.
Drilled holes can
be easily
detected with just a 10-power loupe, making deception virtually
impossible.
Watch out, though, for drilled holes that have been filled as well, as
such
treatment requires microscopic examination for detection.
There is nothing
wrong with
purchasing a diamond that has been drilled or filled as long as you are
aware
of exactly what clarity enhancement has been performed on the stone,
and the
treatment is clearly and specifically stated on your bill of sale. In
fact,
purchasing treated stones is a great way to get extra luster for your
loot. A
couple shopping tips for filled or drilled stones:
Be frank with
your jeweler.
If you exhibit knowledge and candor in your desire to purchase treated
stones,
the dealer is far more likely to disclose everything you need to know
about the
diamonds in question. Ask about guarantees on the treatments, ask to
see the
stone under a microscope to determine the extent of the treatment and
get
everything in writing.
Considering the vulnerability to damage of filled stones, it’s best to limit their use to earrings or pendants as they won’t endure the wear and tear of an everyday ring.
Cubic
zirconium: An imitation for
a natural diamond widely used stimulant. CZ, although easy detectable
by its
80% higher weight than a diamond of the same proportions or by thermal
conductivity testing, does often fool lay persons.
Certificate:
A
certificate is a document
containing the vital data about the diamond. It contains all the
characteristics of the stone that will make up its value. Certificates
do not
contain any information regarding the monetary value of a diamond.
Anyone can
submit a diamond for certification. Certificates are granted for a fee
by
laboratories or gemology institutes. The most important thing about
these
laboratories is that they provide an impartial examination.
The types of
certificates
that are used widely in the industry are:
GIA: Gemological
AGS: American
Gemological Society
EGL: European
Gemological Laboratories
IGI: International
Gemological Institute.
HRD: Hoge Raad
vor Diamont.
How Jewelers tell
the
difference between Diamond & Moissanite?
You’ve probably
been hearing
a lot about this new synthetic on the market. Moissanite is a created
crystal
of silicon carbide. Although substantially more expensive than most
other
diamond simulates, Moissanite is still an affordable alternative to the
real
thing.
Methods
of Identification:
Testers: Since Moissanite
tests positive on a standard
electronic Diamond Tester, jewelers have added special Moissanite
Testers to
their equipment inventories.
Doubling: Moissanite
viewed with 10X jewelers loupe shows
signs of "doubling." If you view the stone through the crown or
pavilion (underside) facets, and you look to the other side of the
stone, the
opposite back facet edges will appear doubled, like parallel train
tracks set
close together. Diamond is singly refractive, and therefore does not
show
doubling.
Polished
Girdles: The outside edge which run
around the crown of a cut stone is called the "girdle." Sometimes
girdles are polished, but more than often they are not on diamonds.
Moissanite
have polished girdles, and although this method cannot be used alone,
in
conjunction with other methods it helps to separate Moissanite from
Diamonds.
Gemological
Certifications: Many diamonds
today come with certifications from laboratories such as GIA or EGL.
The one sure
way to know you are purchasing diamond and not Moissanite, is to buy
from a
reputable dealer experienced in gemological matters like Mrs.
Gottrocks, who
offers certified diamonds and sells certified Moissanite direct from
the
manufacturer. You’ve probably been hearing a lot about this new
synthetic on
the market. Moissanite is a created crystal of silicon carbide.
Although
substantially more expensive than most other diamond simulates,
Moissanite is
still an affordable alternative to the real thing.
Here
are a few Moissanite facts:
Moissanite ranks
second at
9.25 to diamonds at 10.0 on the Mohs scale. (The gemstone hardness
scale)
The crystal
ranges from
transparent to translucent and has slightly better color dispersion
than
diamonds, while diamonds have greater brilliance.
Colorless
Moissanite is
extremely rare; most stones will have a slight green tint when viewed
from the
sides, and, consequently, typically rank as J to K on the diamond color
scale.
Since Moissanite is so new, and passes many of the traditional tests
for
diamond authenticity, new examinations are in development that will
make
positive detection easier.
There
are a couple indicators to look for though:
Diamonds are
singly
refractive while Moissanite is double refractive, meaning that when you
examine
the stone with a 10-power loupe, looking from the top you will see a
doubling
of the pavilion facets on Moissanite, where diamonds will only reflect
the
facets once.
Diamonds are also
denser
than Moissanite, so when placed in a heavy liquid, the diamond will
sink while
the Moissanite stone will float. As always, your safest bet is to get a
GIA
certified diamond from a reputable jeweler to avoid being sold a
Moissanite if
you’re paying for a diamond
A
diamond is forever...