Diamond Buying Guide

Buying a diamond for the first time can bring mixed emotions. There's the excitement of owning or gifting a beautiful gem, but also some worry about making the right choice.

When buying diamonds, it is important to understand its characteristics in the form of the 4 Cs- Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat. And this basic knowledge will help you understand the diamond’s quality and enable you to find a stunning diamond that will fit into your budget.

Let us Understand the Basics of Diamond- 4 C’s of Diamond.

1. Colour

The colour of a diamond is judged by how colourless it is. The more colourless, the more valuable it is. Diamonds graded D, E, and F are the most colourless, while those graded G, H, and I have a slight yellow or brown tint. These differences are often not visible to the naked eye but do affect the quality and price of the diamond. The diamond colour grading system is based on an alphabetized system, starting from ‘D’, meaning the diamond is completely free of any colour, all the way to ‘Z’, meaning there is a visible tint of colour in the diamond.

D D Absolutely colourless with a pure icy look. The highest quality of a diamond colour, which is extremely rare.
E-F Colourless. Very negligible traces of color can be noticed by an expert gemmologist.
G-H Near-colourless. Colour noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but no discernible colour.
I-J-K Colour slightly detectable. Budget- friendly choice.

Adoreva Recommended Colour - H+ :  As diamond size increases, color becomes more noticeable, especially in diamonds of two carats or larger. Therefore, it's advisable to choose a diamond with a color grade of H or higher.

2. Clarity

Flawless (FL) No inclusions and no blemishes visible under 10x magnification
Internally Flawless (IF) No inclusions visible under 10x magnification
Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 or VVS2) Inclusions so slight they are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification
Very Slightly Included (VS1 or VS2) Very Slightly Included (VS1 or VS2) Inclusions are observed with effort under 10x magnification but can be regarded as minor
Slightly Included (SI1 or SI2) Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification

Adoreva Recommended Clarity- VS+ : If you want a larger diamond and can accept lower clarity, choose a VS or SI grade. However, if you prefer the best quality and can prioritize quality over size, go for a VS or higher VVS grade.

3. Cut

We believe the cut is the most important aspect of choosing a diamond. The way the diamond is cut will determine the sparkle and brilliance of the diamond. An excellent cut will reflect the optimum amount of light that enters the diamond. Lower quality cuts, such as good or poor, won’t reflect as much light and lack luster. An Excellent cut diamond costs more than a Very Good or Good cut diamond. 

The Diamond Cut Scale Ranges

Excellent : Highly reflective and proportionately cut.

 

Very Good : Very reflective with well-cut facets.

 

Good : Most of the light that passes through is reflected back. The proportions are likely to be less ideal than higher-rated diamonds.

 

Fair : Light will start to reflect out of the bottom or sides. These diamonds tend to be small so that their lower shine is not as noticeable.

 

Poor : Noticeably dull to the naked eye. These diamonds are less proportionate, resulting in a less reflective stone.

Adoreva Recommended Cut- Very Good+ : 

Invest in the cut. A beautifully cut diamond can improve the appearance of both color and clarity.

4. Carat Weight

Diamonds are sold by the carat (ct.), which is a unit of weight. This is a standard industry practice around the world. It's important to note that carat weight is unrelated to the karat used for gold purity. Generally, the higher the carat weight, the more expensive the diamond. However, two diamonds of the same carat weight can differ greatly in quality and price when considering the other three Cs: Cut, Color, and Clarity.

Many people believe that a larger carat weight is always better, but this isn't necessarily true. The cut plays a crucial role. In fact, a high carat weight diamond with a poor cut may appear smaller than a diamond with a smaller carat weight but a very good cut.

So having understood the above factors, choose your diamond keeping in mind how get the best value for your budget.