DIAMOND GUIDE - Benold`s Jewelers

BENOLD’S
DIAMOND
GUIDE
THE 4 C’S
K N OW
YO U R
D I A M O N D
B uy in g a d iam o nd i s t y pi c al l y a ne w e xp e r ie nc e fo r m o st p e o p le , b ut tha t
d oes n ’t me an i t s ho u l d be o v e r w he l m i ng. Whe n c ho o sing yo ur id e a l d ia m o nd ,
we b e lie v e y o u s ho u l d hav e ac c e ss t o all o f the ne c e ssa r y info r m a tio n tha t
is a va ila b le t o y o u . U nde rst andi ng al l o f a d ia m o nd ’s c ha r a c te r istic s a nd
o b t a in in g t he abi l i t y t o de t e r m i ne w hi ch q ua litie s a r e m o r e im p o r ta nt tha n
o t h er s is es s e nt i al t o m ak i ng an i nf o r m e d d e c isio n.
Yo u r fir st s tep i s to g et a cq ua i nte d with “ the fou r Cs” of
diam o n ds: cut, co l o r, c l a r i ty a nd c a ra t. These need to b e
e x am in e d cl o s el y b ef o r e y o u ca n d etermine the fifth “ C” – Cost.
CUT
The Ideal Cut
The cut of a diamond is considered the most important characteristic of a diamond due to its effect on brilliance.
The cut refers to the reflective qualities rather than the shape (ie. round, emerald, pear, etc.).
The Ideal Cut is intended to maximize brilliance and creates the most “fire,” or sparkling flashes and rainbow
colors dispersed through the top as light enters from any direction. These ideal proportions apply only to round
diamonds, its symmetry with 58 exactly placed facets, and produces the ultimate in lustre and beauty.
Some diamonds are “spread” in their cutting to retain maximum weight from the original rough.
A heavier diamond will result but at the detriment to its potential fire and brilliance. See below.
Ideal: Light reflects out from top only.
Too Deep: Appears Dark.
Too Shallow: Watery and Dark.
THE
FO U R
C ’s
CLARITY
Nothing’s Perfect, But...
Almost all diamonds contain naturally occurring flaws called inclusions. The size, nature of, location and amount of
these inclusions determine a diamond’s clarity grade, which affects its value and therefore the cost. In most shapes,
an SI clarity grade will produce a diamond that is “clean” to the eye. A unique advantage of the Ideal Cut is that its
sparkle can mask otherwise noticeable inclusions.
FL-IF
Flawless,
Internally Flawless
VVS1 - VVS2
Very Very Slight
Inclusions
(Nearly invisible under
10x magnification.)
VS1 - VS2
Very Slight Inclusions
SI1 - SI2
Slight Inclusions
I1 - I2
Imperfect.
(Difficult to find under
10x magnification.)
(Noticeable under
10x magnification.)
(Inclusions visible
by the naked eye.)
THE
FO U R
C ’s
C A R AT
Bigger Isn’t Always Better
A carat is a unit of measurement used to weigh a diamond. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams.
It is divided into 100 parts called “points.” (ie. 1ct. = 1.00, 1/2 ct. = 0.50). The value of two diamonds
of the same weight can vary greatly depending on the color, clarity and especially the cut.
EXAMPLE: Below are two identical pieces of rough (uncut) diamonds, each of the same quality and value. The first one is an Ideal Cut Diamond weighing 1 carat.
Light reflects brilliantly from the top. The second diamond has been “spread” in its cutting, resulting in a 1.40 carat diamond. The girdle is thicker, the table is much
larger, the angles are exaggerated, and all at the expense of that diamond’s ability to reflect light.
Large Table
Thick Girdle
Uneven Proportions
The Ideal Cut
Inferior Cut
THE
FO U R
C ’s
C O LO R
Less is More
Most diamonds, although appearing colorless, actually have slight tones of yellow or brown. As these tones
become more apparent, the rarity and the cost decrease. Diamonds graded D through I are naturally the most
valuable, desirable and will produce an exceedingly white appearance.
D
G
I
L
Z
Color Grading Scale
GIA
D
E
Colorless
AGS
0
F
G
H
I
Near Colorless
J
K
L
M
Faint Yellow
N
O
P
Q
Very Light Yellow
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Light Yellow
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5
10
THE
FO U R
C ’s
LIFETIME DIAMOND
T R A D E- I N PO L I CY
Congratulations and thank you for your recent diamond purchase from Benold’s Jewelers. Your
diamond purchase comes with a Lifetime Diamond Trade-in Policy. This means that 100% of your
original purchase price may be applied towards the purchase of a new diamond of greater value*.
This applies exclusively to solitaire diamonds, the center diamond of engagement rings, diamond stud
earrings and diamond solitaire pendants purchased at Benold’s. (*The new purchase must be twice the
price of the original or greater.) All trade-in diamonds must be in new selling condition at the time of
the trade-in. Ever y diamond solitaire purchase at Benold’s includes: FREE presentation mounting, FREE
Sizing, FREE appraisal for insurance purposes, FREE maintenance inspections & FREE cleaning and
polishing. Benold’s Jewelers also offers special interest financing through Wells Fargo with approved
credit and 90 day lay-away.