Polished diamond buying advices: how to buy a diamond?

	It is very important to buy a precious stone during daylight, on a fine weather day and with a northly exposure. It is under these conditions that the true colour of the stone will appear.

	In the absence of these conditions, it will be preferable to use a lamp which has a reproducing daylight bulb. In all good jewellery shop, you will be able to find these lamps which are equipped with special bulbs and which are useful for grading diamonds. A neon lighting is not recommended.

	A certificate will have to be required for diamond purchase higher than 0.50 carat. This certificate will have to be made by an international laboratory of gemology. You will find a list of these laboratories in the item entitled: certificate.

	Always check the diamond characteristics. Indeed, if a jeweller proposes to you a 1.00 carat round diamond which does not have a certificate, if he says to you that this diamond is classified F (colour) and VS1 (clarity). This diamond would cost approximately US$ 14,415 (retailer price). But, if its clarity is really VS2, the price falls to US$ 12,245; 15% less (US$ 2170), a rather significant price difference!

	Importance of the certificate: with the true identity card of the diamond, you will know precisely the diamond that you are buying. But be careful, a certificate is not a guarantee of quality, indeed, a diamond can have a certificate but can be of bad quality (bad clarity, colour, proportions, polish, symmetry, fluorescence, etc...). Importance of knowing « decipher » a certificate and read it entirely. A small sentence on the certificate, like « Clarity enhanced » or « Colour enhanced », will have to make you react: you are in the presence of a diamond whose clarity or colour was modified artificially. The price of these diamonds very strongly falls (-60 to -80%). If you know 4 C's (carat-weight, colour, clarity, cut) you wil know the diamond price in the trade. For that you can go and click to a item « diamond prices » to compare the jewellery price and the price posted in our item, if you notice a great difference between the two prices, beware!...

	There are not only the 4 principal diamond criteria (carat-weight, colour, clarity, cut) which are important for a diamond purchase. Indeed, its proportions, its fluorescence, its finish are other criteria very important. A diamond of very good clarity and very good colour, but which has a very strong fluorescence or a poor proportion sees its price strongly falling: Choose a None or Slight diamond fluorescence, avoid Strong or Very strong grades. Choose a Excellent, Very Good or Good diamond proportions. Choose a Excellent, Very Good or Good diamond polish, avoid Medium or Poor finish grades.

	Eternal white diamonds are most known to public, but do you know that there are diamonds in all the colours: blue, red, pink, green, yellow, black, champagne, cognac, etc... Depending on colours some are less expensive compare to the same white diamonds. On the others hands some colours are even more expensive than white diamonds (red, pink, blue, green and certain intensities of yellows). All this is only one question of mode and personal taste.

	There is a price list of polished diamonds (0.01 carat to 5.99 carats) available on subscription for the professionals, the name is « Rapaport Diamond Report ». This is not a selling list. This list is very often used by the professional in their transactions. If you want to know some more about Rapaport Diamond Report, you can click here: how to calculate diamond prices.