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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Guide to buy a diamond ring

Good design and services

Just now I went to One Utama to look for a wedding ring. There were not many jewelery shops at One Utama. Habib Jewels had just closed its shop there. we found a few jewelery shops like My Diamond (Tomei), Clarity (Poh Kong), Selberan, and a few others, cant remember their name. Most of it had 70% discounts, due to Mothers Day.

One shop did impressed me with the ring design and services. Actually, in buying a wedding ring, especially a diamond ring, we need to know some basic knowledge about the diamond itself and the material of the ring. Or else, sure kena tiaw punya....

Ok, four basic things we need to know about diamond. It is called the 4C's

1- diamond color scale
2-diamond clarity scale
3-the carats
4-the cut

1-diamond color scale

D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Colorless Near Colorless Faint Yellow Very Light Yellow Light Yellow

Since color differences can be so subtle, they are impossible to determine by the untrained eye. To grade a diamond, gemologists often place it on a white background next to another diamond that has been previously graded.

If all other factors are equal, the less color in a diamond or the higher color rating, the more valuable a diamond becomes. Likewise, as the amount of color increases, the price of a diamond decreases (though this does not necessarily reduce the beauty of a diamond).

Luckily the diamond ring that I bought is between G to D. So it means better grade diamond.

2. diamond clarity scale

All diamonds have identifying characteristics, but most are invisible to the naked eye. To view a diamond, experts use a 10x magnifying loupe which allows them to see the appearance of tiny crystals, feathers or clouds. These natural phenomena are called inclusions.There are five categories in class that anyone interested in purchasing a diamond should be aware of when grading clarity.

Need to use a magnification glass to see the difference

DIAMOND CLARITY SCALE

FL

IF

VVS1

VVS2

VS1

VS2

SI1

SI2

I1

I2

I3

Flawless-
Internally Flawless

Very Very Slightly
Imperfect

Very Slightly
Imperfect

Slightly Imperfect

Imperfect

FL (Flawless) - IF (Internally Flawless)
Flawless Diamonds reveal no flaws on the surface or internally are the rarest and most beautiful gems.

Internally Flawless Diamonds reveal no inclusions and only insignificant blemishes on the surface under 10x magnification.

VVS1 - VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included)
Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification. These are excellent quality diamonds.

VS1 - VS2 (Very Slightly Included)
Only looking through a 10X loupe can pinpoint the inclusions in this category and are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. These are less expensive than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades.

SI1 - SI3 (Slightly Included)
Diamonds with inclusions easily identified under 10x magnification. Finding flaws in this category with the naked eye is difficult. The gems in this category maintain their integrity, depending on the location of the inclusions.

I1 - I3 (Included)
Diamonds with inclusions which may or may not be easily seen by the naked eye. The flaws on the stones in this category will have some effect on the brilliance of your diamond.

For IF and FI, the price of the diamond would be extremely high. My diamond ring is under the VS1-VS2. So it is still under a good grade. We can see the difference between the VS1-VS2 and the SI1-SI3 grade thru the magnification glass.



3-the carats

Carat is often confused with size even though it is a measure of weight. The cut of a diamond can make it appear larger or smaller than its actual weight.

One carat is the equivalent of 200 milligrams. One carat can be divided into 100 "points". A .75 carat diamond is the same as 75 points or a 3/4 carat diamond. Since larger diamonds are rarer than smaller diamonds, the value rises exponentially with carat weight.

Since my diamond rings had 8 small diamonds, and a diamond 0.05 carats, so the total carats is 0.05 x 8 = 0.4 carats. Usually we can see the carats at the price tag. The bigger carat, the higher it will cost.

4-the cut


Cut actually refers to two aspects of a diamond. The first is its shape (round, marquise, etc) the second is how well the cutting has been executed.

A diamond's cut will most certainly influence its fire (the lovely rainbow colors that flash from within) and brilliance (the liveliness and sparkle), as well as its perceived size and even, to some degree its apparent color. Different cuts reflect light in different angles. A diamond must be cut in a geometrically precise manner to maximize its brilliance.

Once you guys know about the 4C's, then the sales person sure can not tipu punya. So just remember guys, especially who are getting married, and going to shop for a wedding ring, Just remember the 4C's! Dont get fooled by the huge amount of discount!
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p/s remember to get the best life + medical card coverage including investment for your future and your love ones! Click here for more info.



-Muhammad-

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