Archive for the ‘Information about Diamonds’ Category

Should I Buy Or Invest In Non-enhanced Diamond?

Did you know that all diamonds have flaws? Only the rarest of diamonds are formed naturally without imperfections. That’s why these diamonds are so expensive. Most diamonds have some degree or of imperfections in them. And it’s no wonder when you consider how they were formed.

Diamonds are formed deep inside the depths of the earth under intense heat and tons and tons of pressure. This process would significantly damage or completely obliterate most things, but because a diamond is so hard it holds up under the pressure and heat. Still, the process does leave flaws in the stone.

In the diamond industry, these flaws are called inclusions or blemishes. These inclusions and blemishes impact the clarity of a diamond. A diamond’s clarity is extremely important to its ultimate worth.

What is Clarity?

Clarity refers to the number of imperfections a diamond has; the more imperfections, the poorer clarity it has, and the fewer imperfections, the better clarity it has. The diamond industry uses a grading scale (Or rating) to indicate the clarity of a diamond.

What are clarity enhanced diamonds?

Clarity enhanced diamonds are diamonds that have been manually altered in order to reduce, and even remove entirely, the flaws found within the stone. By doing so, the clarity rating is increases, and the appearance of the diamond is more pleasing to the eye.

How are diamonds clarity enhanced?

One way in which a diamond’s clarity can be enhanced is by a process called laser drilling. This process drills a hole down through the diamond to wear the imperfection is. Acid is then poured into the pathway, down to the imperfection, and removes it from the stone.

Another way diamonds are enhanced is through a process called fracture drilling. This process injects a glass-like substance into the diamond to hide the imperfection. This process is very hard to detect.

So, should you buy or invest in non-enhanced diamonds?

Well that’s entirely up to you. You may not think so, but clarity enhanced diamonds can be extremely expensive. You could even significantly increase the value of a diamond you currently own by having it clarity enhanced; here’s how.

Let’s say you have loose diamonds that are valued at $1,000.00, and they have imperfections. The value placed on the diamonds is based on the imperfections they have. If you were to have the imperfections removed the diamonds would have a much better clarity rating (Because the imperfections are now gone) which in turn will increase their value.

Clarity enhanced diamonds are just as valuable, and more often than not, more valuable than diamonds that have been left in their natural state of being. Investing in either is a wise choice, but because the value of a diamond is normally increases once it’s been clarity enhanced, you may want to invest more in these diamonds.

Whether you’re setting out to purchase an engagement ring or you want to purchase loose diamonds, don’t overlook enhanced diamonds as a viable option. Enhanced diamonds can be just as valuable, if not more in some instances, than loose diamonds that haven’t been enhanced in any way. Here’s a complete guide to enhanced diamonds.

What are enhanced diamonds?

Pear Diamond

There is a misconception out there that diamonds that are enhanced aren’t real diamonds. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Enhanced diamonds are real diamonds that come from the earth, like all other diamonds. They are not manufactured in a laboratory, and they can be just as valuable as diamonds that haven’t been enhanced in any way.

Loose diamonds can be enhanced in a number of ways. They can be laser drilled, fracture filled, or they can undergo a process called color irradiation and color annealing treatments. Within the diamond community, all of these processes are accepted forms of altering the diamond’s natural state of being.

Why enhance a diamond?

The purpose of enhancing a diamond is to bring its appearance closer to an imperfection-free state. While an imperfection-free diamond is an extremely rare find, many diamonds have a very small and limited number of imperfections. Because a diamond with fewer imperfections is more valuable than one with more imperfections, enhancing them to remove imperfections increases their value.

Fracture drilling

Fracture drilling is a process that injects a glass-like substance into a diamond in an attempt to hide natural imperfections that exist within it. The process enhances the clarity of a diamond, and is extremely hard to detect.

Laser drilling

As the name of the process implies, laser drilling involves using a laser to create a thin pathway inside a diamond. Acid is then injected into the pathway where it travels along it to an imperfection within the diamond. The acid bleaches the imperfection out of the gem, therefore enhancing its clarity.

Color irradiation

This process of enhancing loose diamonds is done by exposing them to high levels of ionizing radiation. The process changes the atomic structure of the gem, which in turn, alters the gem’s color. This process can also create a color that isn’t naturally found in diamonds or enhance a natural color rarely found in a natural diamond.

Annealing

Also referred to as HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature Treatment), annealing involves manually replicating the natural environment diamonds are formed in, in nature; high pressure, and high temperature. The process also alters the color of a diamond.

There is some controversy surrounding the HPHT method of altering a gem’s natural color, but the GIA (Gemological Institution of America) grading reports clearly indicate when this treatment has been performed on a diamond, and the Federal Trade Commission requires that the process of HPHT be disclosed to consumers.

It’s up to you whether you purchase loose diamonds that have been enhanced. Just remember that in almost every instance, the value of the diamond is also enhanced.

Except for their varying colors and different sizes, many people assume all diamonds are relatively alike. The truth is the clarity of a diamond varies as well, and it’s another attribute that makes a diamond so unique. And, even though some diamonds have their clarity enhanced they are still unique and just as precious.

What is a diamond’s clarity?

A diamond’s clarity refers to the number and degree of imperfections a diamond naturally has. All diamonds have some degree of imperfections. These exquisite stones are formed under intense heat and tons of pressure within the earth. This beating lasts for thousands of years until finally a remarkable stone is created; but the beating they take as they form also causes them to have imperfections.

Imperfections, or inclusions and blemishes as they are often called, will have an effect on a diamond’s value. For instance, if a diamond has a lot of blemishes and imperfections, it is considered less valuable than one with fewer imperfections.

What is a clarity enhanced diamond?

Let’s start by clarifying (No pun intended!) that clarity enhanced diamonds are natural diamonds. They haven’t been grown in a laboratory. The difference is that the clarity of these diamonds has been manually enhanced to reduce the appearance of the imperfections they naturally have.

How are diamonds clarity enhanced?

There are two methods used to enhance the clarity of diamonds; laser drilling in which a laser is used to drill a path into the diamond, into which acid is poured in an attempt to bleach out the imperfection, and fracture drilling in which a glass-like substance is manually injected into the diamond as a means of hiding the diamond’s imperfections.

Both processes are very common, and are accepted as honest procedures within the diamond community. Clarity enhanced diamonds are very hard to detect; laser drilling leaves only a small dot on the diamonds surface, and a thin, white line that can be seen when the diamond is viewed from the side, and fracture drilling leaves almost no visible markings at all.

How does this process affect the diamonds value?

The process of enhancing a diamond doesn’t diminish its value at all. Quite the opposite is true. When a diamond is enhanced the result is a diamond with fewer imperfections. Fewer imperfections mean a better clarity rating. A better clarity rating places more value on the stone. Here’s an example of how the value of a diamond can increase due to clarity enhancing.

Let’s say you’ve decided to purchase a diamond for $3,000.00 in its natural state. In other words, it hasn’t been enhanced in any way. If you take that diamond and have the clarity enhanced, in essence you remove some of the imperfections in it which makes it become more valuable. You could then resell the diamond for a great price than you originally paid for it.

Clarity enhanced diamonds can be just as valuable as a diamond in its natural state, and in some cases, even more valuable!

While there are millions of diamonds available to consumers of all financial profiles, there are some diamonds found around the world that, unless you are so filthy rich you could burn some of your money, and still be filthy rich, they are simply too expensive to even dream about owning. These diamonds are extremely rare, and their worth boggles the mind. Here’s a brief look at these magnificent stones, and their value in today’s diamond market.

The Allnatt Diamond

Named after Major Alfred Ernest Allnatt, an English business man and philanthropist, this yellow diamond comes in fourth place on the list of the most expensive diamonds ever sold at auction. The GIA (Gemological Institution of America) graded this cushion cut 101.29 yellow diamond as fancy vivid yellow after a close examination. It is one of only a dozen known such intensely colored diamonds in the world that weigh in at more than 100 carats. This diamond is valued at $ million dollars and is thought to have been discovered in the vicinity of where the De Beers premier diamond mine is currently located.

The Moussaieff Red Diamond

This diamond, once called the red shield diamond, is only 5.11 carats but an astonishing triangular brilliant cut red diamond that is rated as fancy red by the GIA. It is the largest fancy red diamond known to be in the world today. The original stone weighed 13.9 carats and was cut to its present stunning shape by the William Goldberg Diamond Corp. This magnificent diamond is valued at $7 million dollars.

The Hope Diamond

Probably the most widely known diamond in the world, the hope diamond is a startling 45.52 carat somewhat pigeon-shaped, magnificent steely-blue diamond that changes to a red phosphor color when exposed to ultraviolet light. It has notoriously been known as a cursed diamond throughout history though this curse has never been substantiated or properly documented. The hope diamond is valued at an estimated $250 million dollars.

The Cullinan Diamond

This diamond is the largest diamond of rough gem quality ever found in the world. At a mind-boggling 3,106.75 carats, the Cullinan Diamond was cut down to 530.4 carats polished and was the world’s largest polished diamond in the world until 1985. The original stone was valued at $400 million dollars, and has been cut into 4 different diamonds.

The Heart of Eternity

This 27.64 carat diamond is rated fancy vivid blue by the GIA. Discovered in premier diamond mine in South Africa, the Heart of Eternity was cut by the Steinmetz Group and was eventually sold to the De Beers Group. This divine stone is valued at $16 million dollars.

Other diamonds of notable quality include the De Beers Centenary Diamond valued at $100 million dollars, the Steinmetz Pink Diamond valued at $25 million dollars, the Sancy Diamond; a 55.23 carat, pale yellow dimoand that once belonged to the Great Moguls is considered to be priceless. This stone has no pavilion but instead has a pair of crowns, one situated on top of the other.

More consumers than ever before want to purchase a diamond engagement ring that’s stunning, unique, and will make their fiancés heart flutter with joy when she sees it. One way they’re doing this is by using their own creativity and designing unique, one-of-a-kind diamond engagement rings using loose diamonds. What are loose diamonds? Take a look.

If you’re uncertain of what loose diamonds are, you’re not alone. Once considered stones that were only purchased by the world’s wealthiest people, loose diamonds have begun to make a huge splash on the commoner’s market.

A loose diamond is really nothing more than a diamond that hasn’t been placed into a setting to create a beautiful diamond engagement ring, a pair of elegant earrings or another fine piece of diamond jewelry. Loose diamonds are available in a variety of cuts, colors, and clarity grades, and once you own them, you can set them as you’d like to create the perfect diamond engagement ring.

All diamond engagement rings start out as loose diamonds. They’re all graded using the industry-recognized 5 C’s system. Did you know the grade is given to the diamond alone, and the setting has nothing to do with the ultimate grade the piece is given?

Diamonds are always graded exclusively. The setting they’ll end up in isn’t factored into the grade. The setting will affect the ultimate price placed on the diamond jewelry piece, but never the grade assigned it by the grading system used in the diamond industry. So where can you find quality loose diamonds, at the best rates available? Online.

Online diamond retailers and wholesalers aren’t financially bogged down with having to pay high rental premiums on traditional brick and mortar stores. Nor do they need to hire an extensive pool of staff in order to maintain a traditional store. Because of this, they are able to redirect their revenue directly back into their online business, and offer better prices for loose diamonds. They’re also able to keep a more extensive and inclusive inventory which gives you, the consumer, a better selection of loose diamonds.

Here are a few thoughts to consider if you’re going to purchase loose diamonds to create a unique engagement ring.

It’s easier to find a diamond that can be cut to fit a setting than it is to create a setting that will fit a loose diamond. Determining what the setting will look like before you start searching may make it easier to create your design.

Only purchase your loose diamonds from reputable diamond dealers, and make sure the diamonds are certified. This will ensure they have undergone the industry’s grading system, and give you peace of mind in your purchase.

Finally, stay within your budget. Diamonds are the kind of stones that dazzle the eye, and tempt the purchaser with their magnificence. You’ll want to have at least a little money left over for the honeymoon!