How To Buy a Diamond That is a Cut Above

How To Buy a Diamond That is a Cut Above

As it is with a lot of purchasing decisions, picking one is not as simple as we would like it to be. There is no truer example of this than with a cut above diamond. The price and exclusivity of these rocks do not spare them from the age-long dilemma of how to identify authentic products and sellers. You have probably seen a vast number of brands claiming to sell the best ones but you are just not sure what to look for. Well, say no more as we are here to make your purchase decision a whole lot easier. We would analyze the parts of a diamond, the general idea of how a natural lose diamond should look like, and a few quality detection tips. But first, what are the parts of a diamond?

Parts of a diamond
The parts of a diamond can differ as it relates to proportion. This, therefore, affects the brilliance of the diamond, its beauty, and its appeal. These parts are also terms you should know as they help you describe to the diamond salesman what properties you would like your diamond to have. Now, there are 5 parts which include;
 The table: This is the flat top of the diamond. Also referred to as the facet, it is the biggest area on a cut diamond.
 The crown: This part of the diamond is right on top of the girdle. It is the entire upper portion of the diamond.
 The girdle: The girdle is a sort of divisional line between the top and the bottom part of the diamond. This border acts as the perimeter of the diamond and is the part held by prongs when picking it up.
 The pavilion: This part represents the bottom part of the diamond to the point at the bottom.
 The culet: It is the point at the base of the diamond. When this point is missing as it sometimes is, it indicates the diamond has been damaged.
Next up, we have the cut of the diamonds and various popular shapes you can get your diamond in.

The cut of the diamond
Now, this aspect is reputed as too complicated to understand but is very important. As we know, these are earth-mined diamonds and need to be cut to what we know as natural loose diamonds that are ready to be placed on jewelry.
“The cut” refers not to the shape of the gem but to the amount of care and precision that is employed in bringing out the completed stone. The shape of diamonds differ but if the diamond is cut properly, it’s brilliance and appeal would remain irrespective of the shape. Hence, this allows you to pick a prefered shape or colored diamond without compromising quality. The popular shapes include round diamonds, cushion cut diamonds, baguette diamonds, radiant cut diamonds, pear diamonds, rectangular emerald-cut diamonds, among many others.
The shape you choose can decide the personality of the diamond, but the finished cutting brings out the full beauty of the loose certified diamond. A bad or careless cut can reduce the price of a diamond by as much as half, and these make bad investments. Furthermore, it renders the diamond prone to breakage due to the fragility caused by the bad cut.
Now you may ask, how do you know if a diamond is cut properly? The most important thing to have in mind is that a well-cut diamond should look beautiful and appealing while a bad cut often looks dull and lifeless. To notice this better, you should examine the stone from the top as this is the most appropriate position to study the stone. As a rule of thumb, a diamond should always sparkle, and a reflection of light should dance on the surface of the stone. You should not notice any dead spots or a dull look on your diamond.
Lastly, you should look out for symmetry, using the example of a round diamond. You should examine it by looking at the table edges, checking if the lines are parallel and straight, forming a regular octagon. When you notice a wavy look, you can tell that the symmetry is not very good, hence, it is not a well-cut diamond. A good cut vastly affects the beauty and appeal of any premium gemstone, and in this case, loose diamonds.

Conclusion
Although this article is not aimed at making you a diamond expert, it will make your jewelry shopping less complicated and more enjoyable. You can make a more informed decision about who your jeweler would be and can examine diamonds and know what to look out for.