You would like to buy a diamond ring to mark a special event, celebrate a special anniversary or birthday or simply as a gesture of love and affection.

So where do you begin?

What ring to you buy? What style? White gold, platinum, yellow gold? And what diamond?
Here are a few pointers to help you make a guided decision on How To Buy a Diamond Ring.

The name ‘diamond’ comes from the ancient Greek word, ‘adamas’ meaning unbreakable and unconquerable. They are hardest naturally occurring minerals, making it very suitable for daily wear are not easily damaged.

Most diamonds are between 1 billion to 3.3 billion years old.

Four factors should be considered before buying a diamond;

The Four C’s

Carat weight, Colour, Clarity, Cut.

CARAT

Carat refers to the unit of weight by which diamonds and gemstones are measured. One metric carat =200mg

Two diamonds of the same weight will vary greatly in value as the price is dictated by its size, colour, clarity and its cut. A larger diamond is not always a better diamond.

You have to balance out what size diamond you like while still maintaining a quality you are happy with. This is a choice of personal preference.

CUT

Diamonds come in many different shapes including round brilliant, square princess, radiant cut, cushion cut, marquise cut, hearts and so many more. Yet the beauty of a diamond depends on the proportions and the arrangement of the facets, and the ‘quality’ of the cut. This determines the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond. The cut scale ranges from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’.

I personally look for the fire and brilliance that the individual diamond posses, and this is only achieved with a good quality cut.

CLARITY

A flawless diamond is free of all inclusions and external blemishes. Almost all diamonds have inclusions. The fewer there are, the more valuable the diamond.

It is important to check diamonds with a 10x lens to compare the clarity grading of your diamond for yourself.

COLOUR

Most diamonds that are used in jewellery are referred to as ‘colourless’ or nearly colourless. The whiter the diamond, the higher the price. If a diamond has a slightly yellow or brown tone it will reduce the value of the diamond greatly.

Coloured ‘fancy’ diamonds can occur in all colours, ranging from blue to green to red or yellow.

There are also Treated Diamonds

Diamond enhancements are specific treatments performed on a diamond, to improve the colour and quality of the diamond. The most common treatments are laser drilling, which removes dark inclusions, and fracture filling which disguises the appearances of fractures within the diamond. The diamond appears whiter or less included after these treatments.

Any treatments MUST be disclosed as there is a significant lower price for treated diamonds. Imitations of diamonds include the popular ‘cubic zirconia’ and ‘mozanite’. Their are also “Lab” grown diamonds.

The only way to guarantee that your diamond is untreated and natural is with A DIAMOND CERTIFICATE.

A laboratory certificate will provide an excellent guarantee of what you are buying. I recommend the American GIA certificates and the Antwerp IGI and HRT certificates.

Once you have an idea of the diamond you like, you decide on the setting.