Archive for Color
As if there weren’t enough to confuse you about buying a diamond, now many brick-and-mortar establishments in America are doing their own in-house diamond certification instead of relying on the big name labs like Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and American Gem Society (AGS). In other words, they might initially review the certification and then file it away, instead preferring to assess the gemstone with their own set of criteria.
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For example, Jeff Jaffe of Harold Jaffe Jewelers in Toledo, Ohio, told JCK Magazine, “We don’t believe in any certificates – even from the better labs. If I agree with the diamond grading document, I’ll use it. But we usually go downward – not upward – when comparing our diamond evaluations to grading reports from a lab.â€
Likewise, Craig Underwood of Underwood’s Fine Jewelers in Fayetteville, Arkansas, now presents customers with his own diamond reports since he felt there were too many inconsistencies in the reports he received from various gemological labs. He explains, “We’ll give the customer a lab-issued diamond grading report if the customer specifically asks for it, but that rarely happens. Most of the time the lab-issued grading report is filed in our archives and never shown to the customer. The only report the customer receives is our Underwood Diamond Report.â€
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If you’re out there looking for the best diamond for your money, then please contact me, and let me know your budget and what you’re looking for. I’ll sift through hundreds of thousands of diamonds online and help you find the perfect stone for you and your budget. Unlike the other sites, I’m not looking to sell you anything – my advice is objective and in your best interest. Â You have nothing to lose.
Often readers ask me, what is the best color and clarity combination to look for when buying a diamond. Â Since I have addressed Diamond Color and Diamond Clarity separately, one might think that perhaps it would be a worthy endeavor to discuss them together. Â The truth is, however, that there really is no correlation between the two. Â It’s not as if an I color would look best with a VS2, whereas a G color would look best with an SI2. Â They are two distinct parameters with no relationship between the two.
There is no Best Color and Clarity Combination
If, on the other hand, you would like a recommendation for both Color and Clarity separately, that is certainly reasonable.
As I mention in my article about Diamond Color, everything J and better looks white to the naked eye, especially when the diamond is set in a ring (all the more so when it’s set in a yellow gold ring). Â You can only begin to appreciate the difference in whiteness between two different diamonds with different colors when they are placed next to each other against a neutral background. Â In fact, this is how diamond color is graded — always against a master sample diamond whose color is known on a white background. Â So while it might be tempting to reach for the stars and buy an F or better colored diamond, there’s really no need. Â You won’t derive much benefit from the premium you will have to spend to get it.
Clarity, actually, is quite similar. Â All that should matter is whether or not the diamond is clean to the naked eye. Â The only thing I advise against buying is a diamond whose inclusions you can see without magnification. Â A properly trained expert, like yours truly, can help you find the lowest clarity possible that is still eye-clean. Â This can translate into big savings. Â Consider that a 2 carat J I1 is 57% less in price on the rapaport price list than a G colored Diamond SI1 clarity! Â That’s an enormous savings on a diamond that can looks just as beautiful.
