Knowledge is the key to shopping for diamonds. The more you know, the better the result will be. Most people focus on color, carat weight, clarity and cut, better known as the 4 Cs, when shopping for diamond jewelry.
In this article, we talk about looking at diamonds from a different direction. Instead of focusing on the four Cs, which diamond sales people are trained to discuss in depth, we will take a look at typical diamond flaws.
Diamonds have two types of flaws. Epigenetic refers to flaws made during the formation and are the fault of Mother Nature. Syngenetic refer to flaws after the mining process and tend to be the fault of the jeweler!
An syngenetic flaw that often occurs is a pinpoint inclusion. This flaw looks like a point of light within the diamond. It is really a crystal that is reflecting the light. If you move the diamond under the light and the point of light remains fixed, you have a problem.
Are all pinpoint inclusion pieces to be skipped? Not really. They are very common problems. If the inclusion is in an area of the diamond that is not effected by the cut, it really is not a problem. If it is, move on to the next diamond.
When it comes to epigenetic problems, blemishes are very common. They occur when the jeweler is preparing the diamond. Personally, I think they are the sign of a poor jeweler, so you might want to move on to another outfit.
Along these lines, a diamond may be considered to have flaws if it has extra facets. These are essentially extra cuts to the diamond. They indicate the removal of a blemish or other flaw with the diamond. The extra facets are not a negative per se for many people.
The world fracture connotates big problems. The same is true when talking about diamond fractures. It is a break in the diamond somewhere. Avoid these diamonds. Also, be aware that some jewelers will try to fill the fracture and pass them off as regular diamonds.
A scratch is a more mundane diamond flaw. Light scratches are common and can simply be polished out. Deeper scratches, however, can ruin a diamond. They are difficult to polish out without impacting the cut. An extra facet may be need.
Needles are another flaw that is fairly controversial among diamond lovers and jewelers. Some, such as myself, do not view them as flaws. In many cases, a diamond with a special quality is actually a diamond with a needle that is reflecting the light oddly.
How does this occur? Well, the needle is essentially a slight open space in the diamond. As the light passes by, it creates a prism within the natural prism of the diamond. Light is reflected to and fro. This can create extra brilliance or an odd look.
Diamonds are organic matter condensed under pressure and heated to amazing temperatures. This means they are inherently going to have one flaw or another. Still, understanding the above will keep you from buying something with little quality.
In this article, we talk about looking at diamonds from a different direction. Instead of focusing on the four Cs, which diamond sales people are trained to discuss in depth, we will take a look at typical diamond flaws.
Diamonds have two types of flaws. Epigenetic refers to flaws made during the formation and are the fault of Mother Nature. Syngenetic refer to flaws after the mining process and tend to be the fault of the jeweler!
An syngenetic flaw that often occurs is a pinpoint inclusion. This flaw looks like a point of light within the diamond. It is really a crystal that is reflecting the light. If you move the diamond under the light and the point of light remains fixed, you have a problem.
Are all pinpoint inclusion pieces to be skipped? Not really. They are very common problems. If the inclusion is in an area of the diamond that is not effected by the cut, it really is not a problem. If it is, move on to the next diamond.
When it comes to epigenetic problems, blemishes are very common. They occur when the jeweler is preparing the diamond. Personally, I think they are the sign of a poor jeweler, so you might want to move on to another outfit.
Along these lines, a diamond may be considered to have flaws if it has extra facets. These are essentially extra cuts to the diamond. They indicate the removal of a blemish or other flaw with the diamond. The extra facets are not a negative per se for many people.
The world fracture connotates big problems. The same is true when talking about diamond fractures. It is a break in the diamond somewhere. Avoid these diamonds. Also, be aware that some jewelers will try to fill the fracture and pass them off as regular diamonds.
A scratch is a more mundane diamond flaw. Light scratches are common and can simply be polished out. Deeper scratches, however, can ruin a diamond. They are difficult to polish out without impacting the cut. An extra facet may be need.
Needles are another flaw that is fairly controversial among diamond lovers and jewelers. Some, such as myself, do not view them as flaws. In many cases, a diamond with a special quality is actually a diamond with a needle that is reflecting the light oddly.
How does this occur? Well, the needle is essentially a slight open space in the diamond. As the light passes by, it creates a prism within the natural prism of the diamond. Light is reflected to and fro. This can create extra brilliance or an odd look.
Diamonds are organic matter condensed under pressure and heated to amazing temperatures. This means they are inherently going to have one flaw or another. Still, understanding the above will keep you from buying something with little quality.
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