For centuries, people have always tried to improve objects that are a result of nature. We've cross bred plants and even animals to produce new species, and we prune and shape trees and bushes to make them more pleasing to the eye or to create fancy borders around our yards and in front of our homes. When it comes to diamonds, many become treated diamonds by the jeweler, in order to improve their appearance.
Treated diamonds can have improved clarity, improved color and even be completely coated to improve it's overall appearance. On the positive side, treated diamonds can help people with limited budgets have the ability to purchase a gorgeous looking diamond.
Clarity Improved Diamonds
In order to improve the clarity of diamonds, sometimes tiny cracks in the diamond are filled with molten glass. This can cause the diamond to move up a grade in the GIA grading system, and it does not affect the overall weight of the diamond. The process was invented by Israeli diamond cutter, Zvi Yehuda in 1982. Since this invention, some companies have begun a new process that fills the cracks with bromine instead of the molten glass, however, bromine will sometimes discolor the diamond under certain lighting conditions. It's always best to ask what method the diamond has been treated with when considering treated diamonds, so that you are not surprised when you view the diamond in light outside the jeweler's.
Colored Diamonds
There are a few different types of color treated diamonds. Colored diamonds are actually painted in order to take away a yellowish tinge, and make the diamonds appear more white and transparent. Some are colored darker, in order to permanently alter a diamond to a different color by using electron bombardment. Others become treated diamonds by way of laser drills. In the 1970's people began using lasers to drill miniscule holes into the diamonds to reach dark colored spots. Once they reach the dark colored areas within the diamonds, they are able to bleach them with acid so that they are not as noticeable. Sometimes they finish the laser treated diamonds by then filling the tiny holes with molten glass.
Coated Diamonds
Coated treated diamonds are much like a colored diamond, except for the entire diamond gets a coating of a substance that is designed to make the diamond appear brighter and more translucent to the naked eye. In fact, the coating is so good on most treated diamonds that it can go undetected unless an experienced gemologist studies the diamond for it's value.
Treated diamonds are often very beautiful, and can be more affordable than diamonds that are not treated. If you decide to purchase a treated diamond, just be sure you inform the jeweler when you bring your diamond in for cleaning, as they may need to use different chemicals to clean it and maintain it's treatment.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
How to Choose a Good Diamond
What to Look For
If you want to begin judging diamond quality, you must first learn and understand the 4 C’s, which are four characteristics of diamonds that give the gem stone it’s overall value. The 4 C’s for judging diamond quality include the diamonds color, clarity, carats and cut.
Judging Color
Most diamonds are considered to be ideal if they are transparent, or colorless. Diamonds that are rated as colorless are the most expensive of diamonds. The colors of diamonds are rated with an alphabet grading system that starts with “D” and ends with “Z”. Completely colorless diamonds fall in the “D” and “E” grade, while colored, fancy diamonds are at the other end of the alphabet, at “Y” and “Z”.
There are two main ways that jewelers’ use when judging diamond quality based on color. They may pull out a set of reference stones, and find the closest match between the diamond and the reference stone to determine its letter grade. Alternatively, the jeweler may use a colorimeter, which can electronically measure the color of the stone and determine its grade within 1/3 of a grade.
Judging Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to whether or not the diamond is clear all the way through, or whether it has tiny flaws and cloudy areas within the gemstone. It’s actually very rare to have a diamond with absolute perfect clarity and no flaws, but most diamond flaws are not visible to the naked eye and can only be seen with a magnifying device.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses a magnification of about 10x when judging diamond quality based on the clarity. There are treatments available to make a diamond appear nicer than it actually is, and the treatments should lower the overall price of the diamond so it is important to do your research before purchasing a diamond to be sure you are not spending more money than you should.
Judging Carat Weight
Carat is the term we used to describe the weight of a diamond gemstone. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams of weight. A single diamond with a high amount of carat weight is more expensive than the equivalent amount of carats in multiple stones. This is because finding the larger diamonds is much more rare of an occurrence. So if you want a 2-carat diamond ring, for example, you may decide to go with a half-carat diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds that add up to one and a half carats to give you the total of 2 carats! Judging diamond quality by the amount of carats is difficult, since different shaped gemstones, and stones with different levels of clarity will be priced differently even if they have the same amount of carats.
Judging Cut
One of the most important factors in judging diamond quality is judging the cut of a diamond. It’s important because a quality cut diamond will be more brilliant and reflects light more beautifully, and yet the cut of a diamond has the least impact on the overall price of the diamond.
When judging diamond quality on the cut of a diamond, look at the stone in a well lit area. If the light seems to go into the stone and bounce back, showing a sparkling reflective surface, the diamond has a good cut. The angles and shapes of a diamond are important to judging diamond quality and the overall appearance of your diamond.
If you want to begin judging diamond quality, you must first learn and understand the 4 C’s, which are four characteristics of diamonds that give the gem stone it’s overall value. The 4 C’s for judging diamond quality include the diamonds color, clarity, carats and cut.
Judging Color
Most diamonds are considered to be ideal if they are transparent, or colorless. Diamonds that are rated as colorless are the most expensive of diamonds. The colors of diamonds are rated with an alphabet grading system that starts with “D” and ends with “Z”. Completely colorless diamonds fall in the “D” and “E” grade, while colored, fancy diamonds are at the other end of the alphabet, at “Y” and “Z”.
There are two main ways that jewelers’ use when judging diamond quality based on color. They may pull out a set of reference stones, and find the closest match between the diamond and the reference stone to determine its letter grade. Alternatively, the jeweler may use a colorimeter, which can electronically measure the color of the stone and determine its grade within 1/3 of a grade.
Judging Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to whether or not the diamond is clear all the way through, or whether it has tiny flaws and cloudy areas within the gemstone. It’s actually very rare to have a diamond with absolute perfect clarity and no flaws, but most diamond flaws are not visible to the naked eye and can only be seen with a magnifying device.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses a magnification of about 10x when judging diamond quality based on the clarity. There are treatments available to make a diamond appear nicer than it actually is, and the treatments should lower the overall price of the diamond so it is important to do your research before purchasing a diamond to be sure you are not spending more money than you should.
Judging Carat Weight
Carat is the term we used to describe the weight of a diamond gemstone. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams of weight. A single diamond with a high amount of carat weight is more expensive than the equivalent amount of carats in multiple stones. This is because finding the larger diamonds is much more rare of an occurrence. So if you want a 2-carat diamond ring, for example, you may decide to go with a half-carat diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds that add up to one and a half carats to give you the total of 2 carats! Judging diamond quality by the amount of carats is difficult, since different shaped gemstones, and stones with different levels of clarity will be priced differently even if they have the same amount of carats.
Judging Cut
One of the most important factors in judging diamond quality is judging the cut of a diamond. It’s important because a quality cut diamond will be more brilliant and reflects light more beautifully, and yet the cut of a diamond has the least impact on the overall price of the diamond.
When judging diamond quality on the cut of a diamond, look at the stone in a well lit area. If the light seems to go into the stone and bounce back, showing a sparkling reflective surface, the diamond has a good cut. The angles and shapes of a diamond are important to judging diamond quality and the overall appearance of your diamond.
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