What to look for when buying antique or estate diamond jewelry
Author: AfshinShaddaie Total views: 6 Word Count: 575
Summary: When buying antique or estate jewelry, it's important to keep in mind the all-important four Cs but you should also be aware of whether you're buying a true antique or just a piece of estate jewelry.
When buying antique or estate jewelry, there's more to keep in mind than just the four Cs (cut, color, clarity and carat weight ). You've got to know whether you're purchasing an actual antique or simply an estate piece. So consider two more Cs: cost and credibility.
Cut: Cut is one of the most important considerations when buying a diamond. The way in which a gemstone is cut affects its appearance and its durability - as well as its value. Diamonds are generally cut into shapes that best accentuate clarity and brilliance. Most common shapes for diamonds are brilliant (round), baguette, marquise, oval, pear and princess (square) cuts.
Color: Diamonds' grades range from D through Z. Many diamonds may appear to be colorless (or white), but they may have traces of impurities or other elements, which give them a slight yellow or brown tint. D-color diamonds are extremely rare and highly valuable. Color variants in diamonds in the D-F range are often so slight that differentiating among them becomes tremendously difficult in smaller-sized stones. G-rated diamonds are fairly clear; but the further down the alphabet you go, the deeper the color concentration.
Sometimes, diamonds occur naturally in a variety of colors: blues, bright yellows, greens, pinks - even vivid reds. These "fancy" diamonds are extremely rare, expensive and highly valuable.
Clarity: Clarity refers to the size and number of inclusions or imperfections in a diamond. Most of these inclusions are non-crystallized carbon traces, undetectable by the unaided eye. The average consumer would need a microscope (a considerable period of scrutiny and maybe even a trained jeweler) to see them.
The more inclusions in a diamond, the greater the interference with light dispersion; this diminishes the brilliance of the gem. Large or numerous inclusions will also decrease a stone's value. The converse is also true: The fewer or smaller the inclusions, the more valuable the diamond.
Diamonds are rated according to their clarity under 10x magnification. Diamonds rated IF contain only minor external flaws, which may be removed by polishing. Diamonds rated VVS1 and VVS2 are "very, very slight." VS1- and VS2-rated diamonds have "very slight" inclusions. Inclusions in SI1- and SI2-rated stones are "slight"; and the I1- I2- and I3-rated stones contain imperfections large enough to be visible to the unaided eye.
Carat Weight: Diamonds are measured in carats; this measurement doesn't refer to their size, shape or diameter - just their weight. Because one carat may be divided into units of 100 points, a 3/4-carat diamond is described as being 75 points or 0.75 carat. The larger the diamond, the more expensive its per-carat cost; expect to pay more for a one-carat diamond than for two half-carat diamonds of similar cut and clarity.
Cost & Credibility: Don't just assume you're getting a valuable diamond because you're paying a lot for it. That's where credibility becomes important. Are you buying this gem from a reputable dealer? Moreover, are you actually getting what the dealer claims you're getting? Is he calling this ring an "antique" when it's really just pre-owned (or "estate") jewelry? Know for sure. Know your jeweler. To get the best quality for your dollar - from a reputable dealer with years of experience - visit Estate Diamond Jewelry. They only do estate and antique jewelry.
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We have a great selection of Antique Engagement Rings available in our NYC location and via our website at EstateDiamondJewelry.com.
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