Getting Started

There's some basic information that everyone who wants to buy a diamond should know. Here are the basic facts about diamonds, so that you can make an educated purchase.

Diamond Education - Buying Diamonds

When seeking out a diamond there are a number of factors to take into consideration. By taking all of the facts concerning diamonds into account you will have the ability to not only choose the diamond that you want, but find it at a cost that you can afford. Armed with diamond education and some careful research about diamonds, your diamond search will be both enriching and rewarding.

Balancing the 4 Cs

It is important to search for a balance of characteristics in the diamond you choose. The balance that you are seeking is between the 4Cs of cut, clarity, colour and carat weight. For example, if you weigh carat weight too heavily in your quest for a diamond, you might find yourself looking at diamonds that are large, but unattractive in terms of clarity, cut or colour. A 2 or 3 carat diamond may sound wonderful, but if it is an unattractive cast of yellow, or has large, easily noticeable inclusions, it may not give you any real satisfaction. Cut, clarity and colour need to be balanced out in the same manner.

Clarity

With clarity, an IF (internally flawless) is hardly necessary for anyone. In choosing a diamond with negligible inclusions, such as a VS2, you will have a diamond that appears to be just as clean and pristine as an IF diamond. The inclusions in such a diamond can be seen only under a 10X loop, and a good setting can make them virtually imperceptible even under such magnified examination.

Cut

With a diamond's cut, it helps to choose a diamond that simply looks beautiful to you. There is no need to seek out the ideal cut, as the setting and the ring's band can greatly affect the final display of the diamond. In addition, there are many shapes of diamond, of which each have a complementary set of cut proportions.

Colour

The factor of a diamond's colour also presents you with an area of tremendous savings possibilities. Completely colourless, or white, is not necessary to have a beautiful diamond. The colour of the diamond's setting and band will also come into play, as each can affect the colour of the diamond. By sacrificing slightly from the highest grade in each of the 4 Cs, you can have the diamond you want, and save money while you are at it.

Avoiding Mistakes

There are some basic mistakes that many people make everyday when looking for diamonds. We have put the 4 most common together, so that you need not repeat the mistakes of others.

Over-Weighing Weight!

Many people automatically assume that a bigger diamond is better. This is not true! While carat weight plays a great part in a diamond's cost, this will not assure you of an attractive diamond. A .95 carat diamond with remarkable cut, clarity and colour, will be far more pleasing to the eye than a 2 carat diamond with poor cut, clarity and/or colour.

Ignoring What She Wants!

When a man is obtaining the diamond, he can too often forget the person for whom he is acquiring it for. When looking for a diamond, always keep the receivers desires at the uppermost of your mind. Knowing what she likes will allow you to get her something she will enjoy. If she doesn't like the shape or colour of the diamond you choose, she will not likely enjoy it and, therefore, will not be likely to wear it.

Not Knowing Her Size!

Just like clothing, diamonds must fit properly in order to look good on an individual. A diamond with an enormous carat size may be impressive, but if she has small hands and fingers, it will probably look absurd. In the same manner, a tiny solitaire could look rather foolish on a large hand with large fingers. You wouldn't get a dress for her that was too small or too large, and this is important to consider with diamonds as well.

Paying Full Retail Cost For Diamonds!

Too many people pay the full retail cost for their diamonds. Not only does this cost you money you could spend elsewhere, or just save, but it will also, more than likely, force you to settle for less than what you would like. With Diamonds West you will find the quality that you want at a savings far below full retail expense. If you don't need to spend so much, why would you?

Diamond Cost Evaluation

The cost of diamonds is greatly influenced by a diamond industry paper named the Rapaport Report. This is a trade cost evaluation report that was created by Martin Rapaport. What it essentially does is provide dealers and those within the industry with a market cost listing for diamonds, based on where the diamonds fall within various grade levels. The Rapaport Report cannot be ignored, but neither should it be viewed as a simple-to-use tool for the consumer.

Utilizing clarity, colour and carat, the Rapaport Report provides tables and cost estimations from which dealers and other diamond industry people assess the approximate cost of a given diamond. The cut of the diamond is the final determinant of the diamond's cost, as a good cut can raise the diamond's value above the Rapaport Report cost assessment, while a poor cut can lower it. The cut is not included in the "Rap" Report, and is evaluated by the individual seller. The price of diamonds is only increasing; therefore, it is important to be decisive in the purchasing process to capitalize on the current prices. Also, due to the structure of the diamond pricing if a diamond has a large discount off of the norm there is something negatively affecting the diamond’s visual appeal, whether it be a large inclusion or hazy fluorescence.

Diamond Distribution

A diamond goes through a number of stages before it can sit on your finger. It begins with the owner of the mining site from which the rough diamond is pulled from the earth. DeBeers is the largest of these mine owners, and so have enormous control over diamond production. These diamond mine owners offer "site holders" or diamond manufactures the opportunity to obtain the rough diamonds at auctions. In turn, these site holders then offer certain quantities of their rough diamond holdings to cutters, who are the people who actually cut and shape the rough diamonds into the final product. Finally, the cutters then offer these finished loose diamonds to diamond merchants, such as Diamonds West, who offer the diamonds to the public.

Money Saving Tips

There is a simple fact that will help you to save money when you are looking for your diamond. Diamond grades have points at which the cost of the diamond can rise or decrease precipitously. These points have been determined by the Rapaport Report, which is enormously responsible for the final cost of polished, loose diamonds. The areas in which this notable cost change occurs are found in carat, clarity and colour. Utilizing the information of where each of these cost points is located will help you to find your diamond, and save some money while you are at it.

• Carat: When looking at carat weight, be aware that there are cost points at various increments which indicate increase in price per carat. By choosing a diamond that falls just below these cost points, the cost per carat of the diamond will lower dramatically. Example: a .99ct will vary greatly from 1ct of the same quality by $800/ct.
• Colour: In colour, the most dramatic cost point is located just beyond the grades of D, E and F. In addition to this, there are cost points at each new colour grade level. For example, a diamond with a grade of F will be less expensive than a diamond graded as E, but the cost difference will not be as significant as the difference between an F and a G. This is because the grades of D, E and F are all grouped together. Cost points are found at each new grade level of 'colourless', 'near colourless', 'slightly coloured', etc.
• Clarity: With clarity, the main cost point jumps occur beyond the grades of 'FL' and 'IF'. Beyond this first segment, the next dramatic cost points are found between grades, such as VVS, VS, SI, rather than within grades. Within the grades, such as SI, which has 2 or 3 sub-grades, there is less dramatic change in costs between the higher and lower sub-grades.

By choosing diamonds that fall just below the cost-point changes in one or more of the above three categories, you can shift your demand for perfection onto other aspects of your diamond. This approach will give you quality at a tremendous savings.