While jewelry stores are lined with cookie cutter engagement rings and necklaces that showcase no personal value, an increasing amount of people are discovering the world of loose diamond creations. When selecting the diamond of your choice, this extra freedom allows individuals to explore one-of-a-kind designs that are completely unique. Simply knowing that you are the only one in the world that holds the creativity and imagination of your personal piece elevates the value and worth of a gemstone ensemble.
Choosing and Evaluating a Loose Diamond
In order to select the diamond that will exemplify the high quality and value you seek, there are four major factors that come into play. Paying attention to what is referred to as the “Four C’s” is highly recommended. The color, cut, clarity, and caret weight of a diamond become very important details. Once you become familiar with these essential characteristics of a loose diamond, choosing the gem that fits your personal tastes, as well as budget will become easier.
* Color: First, it is key to note that not all diamonds are completely colorless. The various shades of diamonds are given an overall grade, often compared to a colorless (or white) standard. When it comes to accurately judging a stone, it is the loose selections that produce the most precise grades as settings can affect the color of a gem. Diamonds show colorless or appear tinted with shades of yellow or yellowish brown. For instance, colorless diamonds are given a grade of D, E, or F, while lightly tinted or yellow selections may receive a grade of K, L, or M, as the tint is quite visible to the eye.
* Clarity: When it comes to diamonds and colored gemstones, almost all selections come with various marks that include gas bubbles, minute fractures, surface imperfections, or the presence of trace minerals. A flawless gemstone is very rare and quite expensive. When a diamond is magnified ten times its original size, the quality of its appearance is given a grade. For example, flawless diamonds are considered FL, while a Si1, Si2, and Si3 distinction means that clouding and small imperfections are present yet not easily detected with the untrained eye.
* Cut: The cut of a diamond is often mistaken for its shape, as this type of gem is generally fashioned into oval, marquise, pear, heart, and round selections. The cut of a diamond refers to the geometric arrangement that produces the highest level of brilliance or shine. Diamond cuts are rated on a scale from excellent to very good to good to fair to poor. Ideal cuts will reflect almost all light that enters a gem.
* Caret Weight: One of the biggest factors that affect the cost of a diamond is the weight. The larger the diamond – the higher the price tag, as small diamonds are much easier to get a hold of than larger specimens. For example, a 1-carat diamond is more than two times as rare as a diamond weighing a half carat.
Unique Diamond Jewelry Possibilities
A loose diamond is often associated with creating a dazzling engagement ring filled with sentimental value, as some people pair birthstones with a shimmering gem full of brilliance. However, there is a never-ending supply of creative ideas on how to mold a diamond you have personally selected into the ideal gift or keepsake.
Loose diamonds make great family heirlooms, as seen in custom-made pendants and earrings. Tennis bracelets, anklets, necklaces, and fancy barrettes are other ways to create the jewelry of your dreams. Additionally, settings also help enhance the appearance of a diamond. For example, a loose gem that seems slightly yellow to the naked eye becomes more colorless when mounted or set in platinum or white gold.