Diamond FAQ

Written by Administrator
Saturday, 19 May 2007
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q. Are Diamonds found all over the world? A. Yes, diamonds can be found in most parts of the world however, 80% of the world’s production come from the African continent, countries such as, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zaire as well as Australia and Russia. Q. What is a diamond made of? A. A diamond is made entirely of carbon atoms just like the graphite in a pencil. However, graphite is very soft but the carbon atoms in diamond form in such a way as to create the hardest known substance to man. This special structure allows diamonds to take a superior polish and project more brilliance than any other natural Colorless gemstone. Q. Can a diamond break or chip? A. Even though diamonds are extremely hard, they are still prone to damage from abuse. Diamonds will scratch other stones but can also scratch each other. Diamonds should ideally be stored away from other stones and from each other. Of course it should go without saying that you shouldn’t wear diamonds whist doing any manual type work. Q. How is a diamond cut? A. Before it is cut a rough diamond resembles more a piece of glass washed up on the beach than a polished expensive gemstone. Bringing out their beauty therefore requires all the skill and art of a trained diamond cutter. Most of the work is still performed by hand using exacting and meticulous techniques though computerised machinery is now sometimes used. The first step known as cleaving or sawing is often used to separate the original rough into smaller, more workable stones that will each eventually become an individual polished gem. Then a technique called bruting grinds the edges away. This provides an outline shape such as heart, oval etc. (as specified in an earlier section). Faceting is then done in two steps: Firstly the main facets are cut, the table, culet, bezel and pavilion, during blocking. Then the star, the upper girdle and lower girdle facets are added. The fully faceted diamond is then inspected and improved. Followed by it being boiled in both hydrochloric and sulphuric acids to remove dust and oil. You now have a finished and polished diamond gem. Q. Is the diamond’s cut important? A. The diamond's cut or proportion maybe the single most important factor in a diamond's appeal and beauty. Most jewelers tend to believe that the traditional ideal cut diamond is the most beautiful and a recognised grading system for cut is the best way for you as the consumer to be assured of getting the brightest, most sparkling and beautiful diamonds. Q. What is an ideal cut diamond? A. The term "ideal cut" is neither a trademarked term nor a specific type of cut. It has been used for years to refer to the diamond’s proportions. However, the term “ideal” seems to be used in many different ways nowadays. There are diamonds with all kinds of proportions that are being called ideal. Yet these stones cost less and they are simply not as beautiful. See the section on the Four Cs for a description on how an ideal perfect cut is able to optimise how the diamond refracts light. Q. Is a diamond a good investment? A. Well, that really depends. You need to ask yourself “am I investing in the diamond itself, or in what a diamond represents?” However, the price of diamonds has consistently increased over the years and has always tended to hold their value well. Therefore it would be extremely unlikely that diamonds will ever lose their value totally. Obviously no one can predict 100% what any market is going to do, be it the money markets or the one in diamonds, however overall diamonds would appear to be as safe as anything. Of course, few items can surpass the inherent beauty and quality of a perfect diamond and if you are looking for that special gift for yourself or a loved one or even as a unique work of art, the investment in a quality diamond would be hard to beat. Q. How do I know I am getting a good deal and a fair price? A. Shop around and compare prices of stones with the exact cut, clarity, carat, color and measurements. You have to compare like with like. You’ll soon begin to gain a knowledge of prices and know whether something is too expensive or seem too cheap. Q. What is a diamond certificate? A. A diamond certificate, sometimes known as a grading report, is an independent document from an independent organisation such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) that provides extensive information about the quality of the stone, through defining the stone’s 4 Cs. So, a diamond certificate should contain detailed information about cut quality together with the carat weight, measurements, clarity, and color. You should ensure that you get a certificate from a third party, not through the jeweler you buy the stone from. Q. Why do I need an independent diamond certificate? A. When you are considering making a purchase from a jewelry store, whether at the local mall or on-line, the jewelry that has a diamond certificate with it will tend to sell for hundreds more than the identical item without a certificate. Jewelers tend to grade their stones a level higher than those by an independent organisation such as GIA. An organisation like the GIA can afford to be more conservative and therefore accurate when grading a stone, as they have nothing to gain from the sale of that stone. It all boils down to simply ensuring you are paying a fair and market price for your diamond. That’s just good common sense. Q. Where would be the best place to buy a diamond? A. Diamonds can be purchased from many different dealers and sources. Options are the traditional family type jewelers, the high street type jeweler found on every high street or in every shopping mall or even a jewelry exchange. Of course, you even have the option of buying a diamond on-line. Bottom line is make sure they are professional and you feel comfortable with them and that they are not trying to force you to buy a particular ring or diamond, particularly if you have already indicated to them that you are not interested in it. Ask yourself, “why are they trying to force that ring all the time?” Don’t forget that a certificate can make the shopping process easier by providing straightforward information that validates the quality of the diamond you are considering. Before you buy your diamond, ask the jeweler or on-line store about their return policy, and if your diamond does not come with a certificate, firstly ask “why” and if still happy, how you can get one. Q. Is it safe to receive a diamond in the post? A. Before buying a diamond online, find out what the website’s policy is in case of lost shipments. A professional on-line diamond jeweler should have no objection to providing either a replacement or a refund. All shipments should be tracked so the possibility of fraud should less. Also ensure they use insured carriers such as DHL, FedEx etc or the relevant Post Office services to ship its packages and all shipments are insured for the full value of their contents. Also see the Section “Want To Buy Diamonds On-line?” Q. Are there any scams out there I need to avoid? A. Unfortunately, as with most things in life these days, there are some people that are out of scam you and the world of diamonds is no exception. Fortunately, you are arming yourself with knowledge about diamonds and you won’t be surprised to learn that most people who fall for diamond scams are those who know little about them. So, congratulations, you are already ahead of the game! Of course, always use your best judgement and don’t be rushed into any rash decision. Always try to buy a diamond with due care and attention. So let’s look at a few “tricks of the trade”. The Carat Weight Scam - When looking at rings with multiple stones, it is not uncommon for the tag to only specify the combined weight of all the diamonds instead of listing their weight individually. This therefore giving the illusion of a more valuable ring and thus potentially tricking the buyer into believing the main stone is also worth more than it actually is. Always ask the jeweler the specific weight of the main centre stone. Fractions of Weight - Another little trick to be aware of, always ask the exact weight. Jewelers are allowed to round up the weight of diamonds. So if a diamond’s weight actually falls between ¾ of carat and 1 carat, but is just closer to 1 carat, say 0.88, the jeweler is probably going to list it as a full 1 carat stone. Fluorescence - You could hear a jeweler tell you that the particular ring you are looking at is a blue-white diamond, which sounds pretty special. The fact that it is a blue-white diamond will probably be true but unfortunately these are actually inferior stones. The jeweler will simply be trying to persuade you that you are getting something special. However, he’ll probably just be trying to inflate the price. You may also notice when you visit a few stores, that the insides are very brightly lit. Gemstones, in particular diamonds, love bright light. It makes then shine and sparkle. Why not ask to see the stone you’re interested in more natural darker light. Does it still sparkle? Switching the diamond - This is a nasty trick sometimes employed when you have chosen you diamond and perhaps leave the ring to be re-sized or the stone re-set. You could pick up you ring with a new and lesser quality stone in it. Appraisals - Should you take a ring to a jeweler for appraisal, be careful! A dishonest jeweler may tell you that your ring is in fact worth a lot less than you had thought. They may even tell you you’ve been conned and the stone(s) is worthless. Chances are, this is when you are being conned. They will offer to save the day and buy the diamond from you for an “excellent” price and maybe throw in another diamond for you in the process. This scam is known as “low-balling”. If in any doubt about what you are being told, go to a few more jewelers to get another opinion. Note: Please don’t be put off and form the impression that every jeweler employs these underhand tactics. The vast majority of jewelers are decent and trustworthy people. Just be aware of what can happen, arm yourself with the knowledge and chances are, as with most things in live, you will be fine. Q. I heard a jeweler mention a Sarin machine, what is it? A. Sarin is the best and most accurate device for measuring diamonds. It uses an infrared video unit connected to a computer. It is capable of measuring the different parts of the diamonds accurately to within 2 to 4 hundredths of a millimetre. It can create a document that will show the exact proportions of the diamond. Q. How can I trust what the person is telling me is correct? A. That may be the hardest thing for you as the consumer to judge. Follow your instincts. Stay away from stores where you feel the least bit uncomfortable or where someone is trying to pressure you into buying something because they keep telling you it is such a “good deal”. Q. I’ve heard the term “diamond promise ring”, what is it? A. The best way to describe a diamond promise ring is to call it a forerunner to the engagement ring. By giving a promise ring you are, in effect, promising to love and cherish. It can also be viewed as a promise to later get engaged and ultimately to be married. It wouldn’t normally be as big or as expensive as an engagement ring.